The Relationship Between School Size and Student Achievement in Missouri

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school sizeand student achievement in Missouri elementary, middle, and high schools and identifythe optimal school size that maximizes student achievement on the Missouri AssessmentProgram (MAP) assessments. The study also explored the extent to which therelationship between school size and student achievement was affected by schoollocation, ethnicity, poverty, and special education classifications. The dependent variablein the causal-comparative quantitative study was student achievement as measured by thepercentage of students in a school scoring at the proficient or advanced levels on the2009-2010 MAP assessments. Grade-Level Assessments in Communication Arts andMathematics were analyzed at grade 5 in elementary schools and grade 8 in middleschools. End-of-Course Assessments in English II, Algebra I, biology, and governmentwere analyzed in high schools. The independent variable was school size. Additionalindependent variables included school location, ethnicity, poverty, and special educationclassifications.Analysis revealed mixed results across the three testing grade levels. Higherlevels of student achievement were generally found in larger schools. Location affectedthe differences in Communication Arts and Mathematics achievement among elementaryschools of different sizes. Both poverty and special education affected the differences inEnglish II, Algebra I, biology, and government achievement among high schools ofdifferent sizes. In middle schools, special education affected the differences inachievement in both Communication Arts and Mathematics. Recommendations forfurther research included replicating the current study using data from other states and longitudinal data. The study could also include additional independent (per pupilexpenditure, attendance rate, and GPA) and dependent (ACT, SAT, AdvancedPlacement) variables.