Small-Schools Model Loses Some Support

The “small schools” model, which reorganizes large high schools into a cluster of smaller schools, has started to draw some criticism, despite reports of some success and big-name proponents such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, reports The Associated Press.

In this model, schools are broken down into smaller “academies” that concentrate on different academic disciplines, such as arts, business, communications, and engineering. Students choose which academy to enter at the beginning of high school.

Lebanon, Ore., lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money from a Gates-supported charity when the project met heavy criticism from local residents. Detractors say that the reorganization divides the student body, that the choice of classes is limited, and that there has been no difference in test scores.

Despite the lack of support, the Lebanon superintendent wants to continue the project, with some tinkering. In New York, 15 schools that followed the model have reported a big increase in graduation rates.