Funding Small Schools
Problem: Large, low-performing public high schools have graduation rates as low as 50%.
Large high schools, some with more than 1,000 students, have proven ineffective at serving low-performing, underserved minority communities. Students in overcrowded schools struggle with little individualized attention, limited resources, and inadequate academic support. Not surprisingly, many fall through the cracks. Although education should be a ticket to a brighter future, many students from under-resourced neighborhoods are simply unable to thrive in these poor learning environments.
When faced with widespread failure at the high school level, it is tempting to target the bulk of our resources to younger students at the beginning of their academic careers, where we believe our investments can have greater effect. But right now, there are currently over 900,000 students in public high schools throughout New York State, and more than 250,000 about to make the transition from middle schools to high schools. These students need support now. Rather than giving up on these older students, legislation promoting small learning communities demonstrates a commitment to them and recognizes that teenagers have the capacity and the desire to learn, change, contribute, and grow into productive adulthood.
Solution: Transform ineffective high schools into high-performing small learning communities.
Small schools help level the playing field for impoverished children and children of immigrants. Research shows that small schools can help diminish the negative effects of poverty and produce broader, more equitable academic achievement. Graduation rates in small schools have averaged 79%, far greater than New York State’s overall average of 58%.
Small schools empower students to succeed. By raising expectations, increasing accountability, and creating a supportive community with individualized support that fosters student achievement, small schools effectively prepare high-needs students to not only graduate, but excel at the college-level.
Need: Long-term support and funding for small schools.
To continue building on current successes and expand small school opportunities for more of New York’s students, the New York State Legislature needs to provide a recurring dedicated funding stream for creating smaller high schools. Transforming a large high school into small learning communities, or transforming a small, failing high school into a new enhanced learning community requires a sustained commitment of at least 5 years before the first student even graduates.
According to the NYS Annual NCLB School Report, approximately 19% of students in grades 9 - 12 in New York State attend schools that have been designated as Schools Requiring Academic Progress, Schools in Need of Improvement, Restructuring Schools, or Corrective Action Schools. That is more than 10,000 students attending approximately 150 schools. The cost for restructuring and transforming these schools into small and effective learning communities is $187 per student per year – a relatively small sum for its impact. New York State will need to commit $30,000,000 in order to support the development and maintenance of new small schools and small learning communities for these students who are currently attending failing schools.
This funding would be statewide and available to urban, suburban and rural schools.