The Relationship Between School Size and the Number of High School Dropouts

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether school size has a significantimpact on dropout rates. The study attempted to determine whether students attendingschools with a higher enrollment have a greater chance of dropping out than those withfewer students. A secondary purpose was to determine the effect race/ethnicity andsocioeconomic status had on the relationship between school size and dropout totals. Aquantitative research design was used for this study to examine the impact high schoolsize has on dropout total. The researcher analyzed archival data to compare schools ofdifferent sizes. The independent variables for this study were school size, race/ethnicity,and socioeconomic status. The dependent variable for this study was dropout total. Thepopulation for this study included all public high schools (N=564) in the state of Missouriduring the 2011-2012 school year. The sample for this study was defined as Missourihigh schools, grades 9-12, that reported a dropout total for the 2011-2012 school year.Results indicated there is a statistically significant relationship between schoolsize and dropout rate. As school size increases, the dropout total also increases. Schooladministration can use the results of this study to focus on the critical issue of keepingschool sizes at an optimal number so students have a greater chance to graduate.Recommendations for further research include expanding the current study to includeadditional variables that potentially impact dropout totals such as academic achievementor attendance percentage or replicating the current study using longitudinal data to assessthe relationship between school size and dropout total over time.