Consolidation is based on assumptions that larger schools are more economical to operate and offer higher quality curricula than small neighborhood schools. Research, however, demonstrates that neither of these assumptions are necessarily true.
Longmeadow Public Schools prides itself on its ability to provide a sound education on evidence-based principles and research. Yet, the decision to consolidate to a larger school does not jibe with the empirically based research that supports the superiority of smaller neighborhood schools. It is no accident that private schools are usually smaller in size!
Evidence supports the benefit of smaller neighborhood schools:
Smaller schools are more conducive to optimum student learning and higher grades. Smaller class sizes foster close teacher-student relationships. Moreover, they provide greater social and emotional support for students vs. larger schools.
Within larger schools there tends to be a loss of personalization for students which is especially difficult for those students who feel troubled, are gifted or don’t see the benefits of their unique gifts/personality. Students are less likely to “fall through the cracks” or feel cut off from the school culture in smaller schools.
Students who attend smaller neighborhood schools have more positive student social behaviors (as measured by levels of attendance, discipline problems, theft, substance abuse.) They have greater parental involvement than do larger schools.
Smaller schools provide more opportunities for students to gain learning experiences in curriculum related clubs and co-curricular activities such as band, chorus, jazz, and theater. Within larger schools there tends to be increased competition for these opportunities.
Smaller neighborhood schools also provide greater academic outcomes and more positive attitudes and behaviors for poor students and those of racial and ethnic minorities.
Smaller schools are able to maintain discipline easier than their larger counterparts. Larger schools are apt to have greater behavior management issues, creating more stress for students, staff and need for more personnel.
School consolidation requires busing which raises costs to the district and with it, a responsibility to safely transport students. Bus rides can expose students to stressful bullying behaviors and conflict. When these occur, the district will be required to provide bus monitors/cameras, incident report records, all of which require additional resources.
Driving a child to school presents parents with a logistical nightmare where traffic studies have projected a 170% increase in traffic to the Williams Street area due to consolidation and report that public/student safety would be at great risk.
Let’s keep our neighborhood schools and renovate them to modern standards.
Vote NO to consolidation.
Irene P. Loukellis
Longmeadow
