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An analysis of elementary school size in North Carolina: When does a small school become too small?
Lyle Calhoun Shaw
Paperback. ProQuest, UMI Dissertation Publishing 2011-09-02.
ISBN 9781243435408
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Publisher description
The purpose of this research is to evaluate positive and negative characteristics attributed to small schools using the principals' perceptions as a lens. This research assists to help district administrators contemplate variables relating to small size when closure of a small site is considered. Site characteristics included personnel, funding sources, collaborative opportunities for staff, and parent and community relationships. Literature concerning size tends to relate to class size however, this study takes the concept into the realm of school size. This study targets public elementary schools in North Carolina with fewer than 315 students and targets four sites with fewer than 150 students. Using qualitative methods, the researcher surveyed schools with grade span configuration of kindergarten through twelve. The online survey provided foundational information that proved to align with characteristics inherent in literature for these schools located across North Carolina. Anonymity was insured for principal's responding and open ended responses were allowed for elaboration. Four sites were chosen for in-depth interviews of principals. The face-to-face interviews consisted of on-site visits while students were on campus. This enabled the researcher to observe climate and personal interactions of administrator and staff. The interview questions were semi-structured and were consistent in concepts for all interviews. Data were recorded and interviews transcribed. Patterns of positive aspects emerged relating to smaller size entities. These included an interdependence of faculty members, community support, and greater knowledge of students and families. The relationships of teachers and students assist in targeting instructional needs and providing academic support for the students. Negative aspects discussed include staffing and budgetary limitations. Sharing resource teachers with other sites adds to organizational issues in the school. These ideas were present in both survey and interview data. Principals interviewed stated size concerns making their jobs difficult and varied in responsibilities. However, they still preferred smaller size for elementary students
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An analysis of elementary school size in North Carolina: When does a small school become too small?
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