Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between comprehensive high school size and student achievement in mathematics, reading, and written expression as measured by the 1990 California Assessment Program (CAP) while controlling for the effects of socioeconomic variables. Methodology. Twelfth-grade California Assessment Program mathematics, reading, and written expression test data from 756 California public, comprehensive high schools were studied for relationships and differences due to school size. Seven size categories were distributed in three socioeconomic (SES) strata. Findings and Conclusions. Weak inverse correlations were established between school size and low SES reading and written expression scores. Significant differences were identified in reading scores for both low SES and high SES schools. Very large (500+ seniors) schools performed significantly below other size categories. These findings suggest that reading may be most sensitive to the size variable. Also, that low SES schools may be particularly vulnerable to negative effects of large size. Recommendations. (1) High schools should be designed for no more than 2,500 students, preferably as low as 1,600. (2) Current restructuring efforts should continue to explore methods of reducing negative effects of size, particularly in low SES schools. (3) New multi-attribute measures of cost-effectiveness be developed to assist in school size planning. (4) Further research be conducted into alternative organizational patterns which promise to ameliorate negative effects of size. (5) Further research explore the noted sensitivity of both reading scores and low SES schools to the size variable.