Report to the
Board of Education
G r a de L e v e l C e nt e r
F e a s i bi l i t y St udy
Prospect Heights School District 23
Prospect Heights, Illinois
February 4, 2003
James H. Warren
StellarComp, Ltd.
Copyright © 2003
Acknowledgements
A special thank you is extended to the many parents, staff, Board and administrators of
Prospect Heights School District 23 who have attended meetings, submitted questions,
and provided feedback relative to this study. Appreciation is also expressed to the past
and present superintendents of the school districts who interviewed with us and shared
their documentation.
Steering Committee Members
Dr. Greg Guarrine, Assistant Superintendent
Ann Walker, President, Ross/Sullivan PTO
Sheila Derka, Ross School Improvement Committee
Inge Bennett, Grade 2 Teacher, Ross
Sharon Faber, PE Teacher, Ross
Andee Lemick, Sullivan School Improvement Committee
Ann Louise Thyreen, Grade 3 Teacher & Lead Teacher, Sullivan
Marlys Jenkins, Special Education Teacher, Sullivan
Denise Lemanski, Executive Office, Eisenhower PTO
Cindy Bauer, Eisenhower School Improvement Committee
Dara Saunders, Grade 1 Teacher & 2001-2002 Teacher of the Year, Eisenhower;
and Member of PHEA Delegate Assembly
Carol Peterson, Library Media Center Teacher and Lead Teacher, Eisenhower
Gail Biasiello, Facilitator, MacArthur Parent Teacher Council
Jeanne Spiller, Grade 7 Teacher and Executive Officer, PHEA
Lynne Price, Former Board President
District 23 Administrators and Staff
Ronald Bearwald, Superintendent
Richard Ewanio, Business Manager
Brian Engle, Director of Technology
Cathy Anderson, Secretary to Superintendent
Nancy Sorensen, Secretary to Assistant Superintendent
Betsy Muir, Principal, Sullivan Elementary School
Sharon Warner, Principal, Betsy Ross Elementary School
Robert Marshall, Principal, Eisenhower Elementary School
Dr. Robert Divirgilio, Principal, MacArthur Middle Schoo
i
Report to the Board of Education
Grade Level Center Feasibility Study
Prospect Heights School District 23
February 4, 2003
Introduction
This report represents nearly six months of research and work on the feasibility of
Prospect Heights School District 23 moving from a combination of grade level center and
neighborhood schools to a grade level center concept. The purpose of the study is to
assist the District 23 Board of Education in long-range planning.
Grade level center, by District 23 definition, is where all District 23 children
in the same grade attend the same school. The current school configuration is:
Eisenhower
K-5
Ross
preK-2
Sullivan
3-5
MacArthur
6-8
Upon the Board’s selection of James H. Warren, StellarComp, Ltd., to conduct
the study, the Board identified 20 Impact Criteria to be addressed and, with
administration, selected a 15-person Steering Committee to advise and assist the
consultant. On September 26, 2002, the consultant met separately with the District
administrators and the Steering Committee. A public forum was held on October 1, 2002
to solicit questions from the staff and community that they felt the study should address.
In addition, throughout October, meetings were held with the administrative staff, the
faculties of Ross, Sullivan and Eisenhower, and the parents of the Eisenhower and
Ross/Sullivan PTO’s to identify specific questions for the study. These questions have
been researched and responses are found throughout Impact Criteria section of the report.
At the Steering Committee’s recommendation, tours of the three buildings were
conducted for the purpose of examining the feasibility of various configurations. (See
Addenda for School Floor Plans, Parking Lot Spaces, and Facilities Make Up.) In
addition, the Steering Committee recommended development of a parent/district survey.
The survey was mailed and returned during November and, in early December, the
consultant shared progress with the Steering Committee. On January 7, 2003 a second
public forum was held to report progress on the study and provide preliminary responses
to some of the questions asked in October. (See Calendar in Addenda that reflects the
schedule just described.)
1
Several area school districts were examined that were in various stages of using or
rejecting grade level centers. The studied districts were chosen based on audience
requests at public meetings, district administration requests, and knowledge of school
district configuration by the consultant. Those districts are:
Medinah School District 11
Glencoe School District 35
Skokie School District 69
Diamond Lake School District 76
Homewood School District 153
Riverside School District 96
Mount Prospect School District 57
Hawthorn School District 73
Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95
The study included a review of the literature, which showed few articles
published specifically on this subject. A bibliography of reviewed articles is included.
2
Findings
The literature revealed that virtually every imaginable combination of grade
configuration is found throughout the country. There are neighborhood schools, K-12
schools, K-8 schools, and multiple variations of grade level centers.
The reasons for the many different configurations are as varied as the
configurations themselves. Typically, eleven factors, alone or in various combinations,
drive the decision: cost, equity, socio-economic balance, demographics,
curriculum/instruction, space, geography, size, district philosophy, transportation, and
facilities. Districts usually make their decisions after extended study and public
discourse on the weight of the factors pushing the decision. It was found that every
district weighted the factors differently based on conditions within their communities.
Districts usually like their existing structures and prefer not to change unless there
is a substantial intervening necessity (cost savings, demographics, space issues, as
examples). Medinah 11, Glencoe 35, and Skokie 69 have used grade level centers for
many years and all reported they are extremely satisfied with their configurations.
Currently, due to space, equity, and demographics, Homewood 153 is moving from
neighborhood schools to grade level centers. Diamond Lake 76, while already using
grade level centers, is adjusting its grade spans this year. Riverside 96 studied moving to
grade level centers, but chose to remain in small neighborhood schools where all students
could walk to school. Mount Prospect 57 is considering a mixed concept of
neighborhood schools and grade level centers due to its growth and space needs and is
reclaiming a school that is rented to NSSEO. Hawthorn 73 has been in a grade level
center configuration and, due to growth, is considering moving to two K-8 centers. Lake
Zurich 95 experienced growth and left grade level centers to return to neighborhood
schools. Both Hawthorn and Lake Zurich articulated the desire to build community with
neighborhood schools. All of these districts’ past or present superintendents were
interviewed to determine the factors driving their decisions and how their specific
circumstances relate to the 20 District 23 Board of Education–established Impact Criteria.
The community survey was developed to collect parents’ and employees’ views
of the District and their opinions on a possible transition from neighborhood schools to
grade level centers. Surveys were sent to approximately 1200 parents, school employees,
and pre-school parents. The survey showed tremendous support for District 23 schools.
The positive feelings about the District were at the 90% level. When asked if the
respondent would be open to the idea of grade level centers, if quality in several areas
were assured, the opinions were split. Slightly higher percentages were not in favor of
the concept. (See Addenda for breakout of Survey results.)
Data gathered in meetings with the various groups, research of literature,
interviews with designated school districts, and information gleaned from the District 23
survey provided valuable information that was used by the consultant to respond to the
following Board-established Impact Criteria.
3
Curriculum, teaching & learning
Class size
Multiage classes
Social/emotional development of students
Staffing
Articulation
Communication with parents
Communication with staff
Transportation services
Parking
Food services
Facilities changes
Building capacity: housing of students in the
future
Special services to students (special
education, TPI, Title I, reading)
Technology
Extracurricular programming
Extended day program
Assessing and reporting pupil progress
Length of school day
Cost (more/less costly)
4
A separate Impact Criteria section follows where these findings are reported by
criteria. For ease of reading, responses to the questions submitted in the October public
forum, the various group meetings, and the emails have been sorted into the same criteria
categories and are reported following each Impact Criteria response.
The District’s cohort survival Enrollment Projections, 1998-2008 were examined
to determine enrollment trends and projections through 2008. The District’s Guidelines
for Staffing Based upon Enrollment; Enrollment and Staffing, Last Ten Years; and
Enrollment Comparisons by School were examined. (See Addenda for individual charts.)
District 23 covers 7.5 square miles, is built out (few lots are available for building
homes) and the mobility rate (turnover of houses) seems to be stable. (See Addendum for
boundary map.) Enrollment/staffing history shows that, in the 1992-1993 school year,
the District enrolled 1,685 students and employed a staff of 152.5. The 2002-2003
figures show a student enrollment of 1,592 with a staff of 183.8. The ten-year staff
increase included one administrator, 1.5 maintenance, and 28.8 teachers, at the same time
that enrollment decreased by 93 students. Enrollment projections show enrollment will
decline by at least 95 more students through 2008 to an anticipated enrollment of 1,490.
With declining enrollment, the Board may wish to examine its staffing patterns to
determine the appropriate number of staff to effectively offer District programs.
If the District continues to embrace looping and multiage classes, it could do so
within the grade level center concept. Teachers would need to be familiar with multiple
grade level curricula. This would allow a bandwidth of staff to be assigned to each center
with the possibility of their assignments determined when the number of sections is
known at each grade level. If looping/multiage classes are not desired, having teachers
familiar with multiple grade curricula would still be advantageous to students for
purposes of flexibility and assignment as cohort classes progress through the system.
The Student-Teacher Ratios chart and the Comparison of Current School
Alignment vs. Sequential Grade Level Attendance Centers chart (following page) show
that the District could reduce between 2.5 and 5.5 staff under a grade level center plan
depending upon how it applies its class size policy. The average District-reported FTE
cost is $54,000, which includes salary and benefits. Keeping class size at current levels
would result in $135,000 in savings (2.5x$54,000). Increasing class sizes to stay within
District guidelines would yield 5.5 staff reductions with a savings of $297,000
(5.5x$54,000). If the staff employment numbers remain constant, class sizes would drop
over the next four years if the 95-student decrease in enrollment projections holds true.
Student-Teacher Ratios
An increase of
An increase of
An increase of
# of
Students
1.8
1.1
1.0
in
in
in
Grade
K
1st
2nd
Current
Student-Teacher
Ratio
from
14.2:1
from
20.2:1
from
20.2:1
Projected
Student-Teacher
Ratio
to
16.0:1
to
21.3:1
to
21.2:1
5
An increase of
An increase of
An increase of
1.5
1.7
4.6
in
in
in
3rd
4th
5th
from
from
from
20.4:1
21.2:1
21.0:1
to
to
to
21.9:1
22.9:1
25.6:1
Comparison of Current School Alignment vs. Sequential Grade Level Attendance Centers
(Staffing and Class Size Based Upon Current 2002-2003 Data)
1
PLAN A
2
*
Grade Level Centers
Enrolled
Teachers
Class Size
*
Enrolled
Teachers
Class Size
Ross School K
87
3.0
14.5
*
Ross School K
128
4.0
16.0
Eisenhower K
41
1.5
13.7
*
*
Ross Grade 1
170
8.0
21.2
Ross Grades 1/2
202
10.0
20.2
*
Eisenhower Grades 1/2
121
6.0
20.2
*
Sullivan Grade 2
153
7.0
21.9
*
Eisenhower Grades 3/4
110
5.0
22.0
*
Sullivan Grade 3
160
7.0
22.9
Sullivan Grade 3
102
5.0
20.4
*
Sullivan Grade 4
127
6.0
21.2
*
Eisenhower Grade 4
179
8.0
22.4
*
Eisenhower Grade 5
60
3.0
20.0
*
Eisenhower Grade 5
168
8.0
21.0
Sullivan Grade 5
108
5.0
21.6
*
*
Staffing Total
44.5
*
Staffing Total
42.0
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
4
PROJECTED ENROLLMENT FOR 2003-2004
*
PLAN B
3
Grade Level Centers
*
Grade Level Centers
Enrolled
Teachers
Class Size
*
Enrolled
Teachers
Class Size
Ross School K
128
4.0
16.0
*
Ross School K
128
4.0
16.0
*
Ross Grade 1
128
6.0
21.3
*
Ross Grade 1
170
8.0
21.2
*
Sullivan Grade 2
170
8.0
21.2
*
Sullivan Grade 2
153
7.0
21.9
*
Sullivan Grade 3
153
7.0
21.9
*
Sullivan Grade 3
160
7.0
22.9
*
Sullivan Grade 4
160
7.0
22.9
*
Eisenhower Grade 4
179
7.0
25.6
*
Eisenhower Grade 5
179
7.0
25.6
*
Eisenhower Grade 5
168
7.0
24.0
*
Staffing Total
39.0
*
Staffing Total
40.0
Current Alignment
Quadrant 1 (above):
Quadrant 2 (above):
Quadrant 3 (above):
Quadrant 4 (above):
Current enrollment, staffing and class size.
Plan A shows grade level enrollment staffing and class sizes.
Plan B shows grade level alignments with larger class sizes in grades 4 and 5.
2003-2004 shows a brief snapshot of enrollments and class sizes carried forward.
Reductions of staff under current configurations could be accomplished by
increasing the number of students in elementary sections at each grade level as shown in
the previous chart. Due to the fewer sections at Eisenhower, the reductions might require
more multiage classes or, in some instances, adding an aide where the class reached 28
and needed additional assistance. If grade level centers were instituted, all of the students
would reside in the same location and it would be more economical to allocate the
sections, achieving greater continuity across the sections. The smaller the enrollment, the
more difficult it is to maintain the consistency across neighborhood schools.
6
Two Possible Grade Level Center Scenarios
Scenario I
Eisenhower
preK-1
Ross
2-3
Sullivan
4-5
The smallness of Eisenhower would give the K-1 grades a feeling of intimacy before they
moved to the Campus site. This scenario would also have the feel of one less move since
Ross and Sullivan are linked and share facilities. It may require some construction. (See
Cost/Savings Chart below). There would be a cost savings depending upon the
application of the class size policy.
Scenario II
Ross
preK-1
Sullivan
2-3
Eisenhower
4-5
This scenario would move students away from the Campus and then back to the Campus
to attend MacArthur, which could feel more disruptive. Additional construction may be
necessary, but there would be an overall cost savings depending upon the application of
the class size policy.
Estimated (Increased Costs)/Savings
Chair lift – Eisenhower
$ 40,000*
2 addt’l bus runs
$ 34,000
11 addt’l computers
$ 11,000♦
Addt’l music room – Ike
$ 112,500*
Addt’l library materials
$ 40,240*♦
5 certified staff ($54,000 ea)
$(270,000)
* One-time cost ♦ Normal replacement rotation
After considerable study, review of the literature, examination of the Board-established
Impact Criteria, and interviews with school districts, a list of possible advantages and
disadvantages for grade level centers follow.
Advantages of Grade Level Attendance Centers
• Each school more clearly focuses on educational/social needs of children.
• Curriculum/instruction focuses specifically on the grade level age group.
• Building facility design/usage accommodates a specific age group.
• Class size is better balanced.
• Demographics are better balanced.
• Curriculum, instruction and program are more consistent.
• May have fewer class sections within a grade, thus operational economies.
• Or, may have more class sections within a grade.
• Better mainstreaming of special education/ESL children.
• Reorganization cost savings allow real savings.
7
•
•
•
Articulation across grade levels improves.
Articulation across attendance centers may or may not improve.
Eliminates competition and comparison between schools.
Disadvantages of Grade Level Attendance Centers
• Children no longer attend their “neighborhood” schools.
• Parents/children don’t have as much time to build loyalty for a school.
• Requires more busing.
• Longer bus rides for some children.
• Brothers and sisters may be in different schools.
• Parents may experience child-care difficulties with children arriving and
departing at different times.
• Young children lose older role models.
• Primary and intermediate grade teachers’ articulation may or may not be more
difficult.
• Parents may have to choose between PTA/PTO meetings and participation at
other events.
• Overlap in library materials increases costs.
• Changing centers every two years is disrupting to children and parents.
• Communities like to identify with their K-5 elementary school.
Having all students of the same grade together gives the building a larger feel.
8
Elementary School Grade Span Configuration
Elementary School Grade Span Configuration: New Evidence on Student Achievement,
Achievement Equity, and Cost Efficiency
by: Kathy Gregg
A feasibility study is underway in Prospect Heights Public School District 23. It will
examine a change to the current configuration of the district’s three elementary
schools. The change would set aside the district’s current neighborhood schools in
which students attend a school from kindergarten through fifth grade according to
geographic boundaries within the district. This configuration would give way to a
“grade level center” configuration, which would include fewer grades per school and
more students per grade. The conversion would require the consolidation of student
populations and the elimination of district boundaries. Specifically, all children in the
district would attend all three elementary schools, Eisenhower, Ross, and Sullivan,
for two years before going to MacArthur Middle School for three years. (Warren,
School Board Meeting, October 1, 2002). The district has opaquely advised the
community that this initiative will be used in “further developing its format in
long-range planning ” (Bearwald, 2002).
The term “grade span” refers to the number of grade levels in a school building. “Grade
configuration” identifies which grades are taught in a school building. Currently the district’s
four schools have four different grade spans with four different grade configurations.
Eisenhower School has the broadest grade span; students span grade levels kindergarten
through fifth grade. Ross School spans grade levels pre-kindergarten through second grade.
Sullivan School spans grade levels three through five. MacArthur Middle School spans grade
levels six through eight (I.S.B.E., 2001). The ongoing feasibility study will not propose
specific grade combinations for the elementary schools, and the district has determined it will
not adjust the middle school grade span (Warren, School Board Meeting, October 1, 2002).
The belief of many policymakers and educators that grade configuration simply didn’t matter
educationally was unchallenged until recent research. Support or criticism of a particular
school configuration or size was based on purely anecdotal experiences. Today, however, a
substantial body of new research demonstrates that decreasing grade spans, thereby
increasing the number of students per grade, and multiplying students’ transitions from
school to school negatively impacts student achievement.
This new research suggests that the most equitable and cost efficient means of
delivering high student achievement is through smaller schools with broader grade
spans. District policymakers should analyze and consider the findings of this new
body of research before moving in an opposite direction. The decision the district
makes will not only impact student achievement in this district, it will also effect the
students’ success as they transition into large public high schools that are part of the
extremely large District 214. Although all residents of this district have a stake in the
efficient use of tax revenues, those revenues should, first and foremost, be used to
deliver education in the best and most equitable manner.
Transitioning Negatively Effects Student Outcomes
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Elementary School Grade Span Configuration
Transitioning refers to the movement of students from school building to school building.
Schools with narrow grade spans and fewer grade levels per building experience frequent
student turnover. For example, if District 23 implements a configuration requiring students
to attend each of its four schools, students will experience four transitions by the time they
reach high school. John W. Alspaugh (1998), Professor of the University of Missouri’s
School of Education and Counseling Psychology, conducted research that correlated poor
educational outcomes with students’ learning instability resulting from school transitions:
There is a consistent student achievement loss associated with the transition from
self-contained elementary schools to intermediate-level schools. The achievement loss in
reading, mathematics, science, and social studies occurred when the transition was at grade 5,
6, 7, or 8. Student achievement scores tended
to recover to their pre-transition levels in the year following the transition. In
Alspaugh and Harting, it appeared that the size and organization of the school
districts might be related to the transition loss. (p.20)
The publication to which Alspaugh refers in the preceding quotation reported the findings from a
study that compared K-4 schools with K-8 schools. (Alspaugh and Harting, 1995, Abstract). We
can expect reconfiguring District 23 would cause transitional achievement loss not only as students
move from fifth grade to middle school, but for each of the four transitions students would suffer by
the time they enter high school. In fact, a plan requiring students to attend every school in District
23 would require that every year the students would either be suffering transitional achievement
loss or be making up for it. Will District 23 students be able to keep up with the increasing
educational demands of our state and society given that disadvantage?
Additionally, students do not appear to “get used to” transitioning over time. Previous
experience with making transitions does not moderate the achievement loss of the new transition.
(Alspaugh, 1998 p. 21-3). This achievement loss is not ameliorated by practices intended to help
students make transitions. Alspaugh restates the 1997 Pamperien research that “found that the
implementation of middle school practices had little influence on the student achievement scores”
(Alspaugh, 1998 p. 25).
Students that attended middle schools experienced greater achievement loss in
the transition to high school than students that attended schools configured as
kindergarten though eighth grade (Alspaugh, 2000, p. 3). Researchers Seidman and
Alspaugh determined:
As the number of school-to-school transitions increased, there was an associated increase in the
high school dropout rates (. . .) The increased high school dropout rates for the students attending
middle schools may have been associated with the achievement losses and the double transitions
at Grades 6 and 9 (. . .) The students attending larger schools tended to experience more
transitions than the students in smaller schools. The schools with two transitions had higher
dropout rates than the schools with only one transition.(Alspaugh, 1998, p. 23-25)
Given these findings, it would appear obvious that a district requiring four transitions from
kindergarten to high school would cause a higher dropout rate than a district requiring only one or
two transitions. Alspaugh’s (1998) study demonstrates that students placed in relatively small
groups for long spans of time tend to experience better educational outcomes, these better
outcomes overlap into the students’ high school education (p. 25).
Multiple transitions cause other negative outcomes. Ron Renchler (2000), a research analyst
and writer for the ERIC clearinghouse on Educational Management at the University of
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Elementary School Grade Span Configuration
Oregon, stated that school transitions impose stress on students and negatively influence
schools’ identity and sense of community (p. 6). Thomas Moffitt’s 1996 dissertation
presented to Miami University at Ohio studied the impact of a district’s elementary grade
span structure on family-school partnerships. He stressed the importance of family-school
relationships on educational outcomes: The studies added tremendously to our
knowledge about the contributions families made to their children’s success, and the
support families need from educators to guide their children successfully through
their schooling. When parents are involved, children do better in school and go to
better schools. (p. 24-25)
However, Moffit’s research concluded that schools with narrow grade configurations have a
negative impact on family-school partnerships (p. 195).
Finally, the challenges for families with children in narrowly spanned “grade level
centers” involve more than matters of convenience and preference. Dr. Craig
Howley (2002), former Director of ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and
Small Schools and Adjunct Professor of Ohio University, suggests that each
transition from one narrowly configured school to another seems to disrupt the social
structure in which learning takes place (p.27).
That disruption includes the decrease in time families have to contribute to the education of
their children when their children attend multiple schools within a district.
Narrow grade span configurations not only cause the negative impacts of
multiple transitions discussed above, they also cause a host of problems associated
with larger school size.
Narrower Grade Spans Result in
Larger Schools
The majority of today’s research scholars apply the common metric of the number of students per
grade to define a school’s size. Measuring student populations using total enrollment gives only
half the picture when describing school size (Howley, 2001, p. 4). In fact, when a school contains
fewer grades per building, more children per grade attend that school and the dynamic of a larger
school setting is created (Howley, 2000, p. 2). Thus, two schools with exactly the same total
enrollment can actually have a completely different size dynamic depending on their grade spans.
Howley (2000) believes enrollment per grade is a more useful and improved measure of a school’s
size (p.2).
Consider District 23’s current configuration using Howley’s metric. Sullivan, which
has the same number of students as Eisenhower (335), would be considered to have
the dynamic of a school twice the size of Eisenhower. Bear in mind, Sullivan, a 3-5
school, has a grade span half the size of Eisenhower’s, a K-5 school. The same size
metric would be true of a comparison of Eisenhower to Ross, which enrolls 300
students in three grade levels. MacArthur would be considered to have the dynamic
of a school about four times the size of Eisenhower, as MacArthur’s almost 600
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Elementary School Grade Span Configuration
students span only three grade levels.
Narrowing District 23’s grade span would therefore increase the size of each of its three
elementary schools. So what, you might wonder?
Smalls Schools Increase Achievement Level
In prior years, only a few studies had been conducted on school size and grade
spans, and the findings had been intriguing, but inconclusive. Today’s research and
initiatives are more numerous, and researchers are more comfortable with making
strong claims and assertions, such as Howley’s (2000) response to the Walberg and
Fowler studies, “[t]hese and other findings suggest that small schools are universally
better” (p.5). Alspaugh (1998), asserts similar findings, “[l]ow SES [socio-economic
status] tends to have limited influence on students achievement in small schools” (p.
21). William Duncombe (2002), Professor of Public Administration and Senior
Research Associate of the Center for Policy Research at the Maxwell School of
Syracuse University, recently published an economic update of the most cost
effective size of school. He shared Howley’s 1996 contention that, “(. . .) more
recent research on student performance in schools indicates that small schools may
be beautiful. ‘All else equal, small schools have evident advantages for
achievement” (p. 246). Duncombe’s (2002) study also cited evidence that small to
moderately size elementary schools may optimally balance economies of size with
the potential negative effects of large schools (p. 245). Economy of size refers to the
most efficient use of capital. Howley (2000) and Duncombe (2002) agree a small
school size would be found between 200 and 500 students depending on grade span
configuration (p. 3, p. 245).
Renewed interest in small school size is growing nationwide. Patricia Wasley (2002), Dean
and Professor of Educational Leadership, College of Education, University of Washington,
applauds small school initiatives in New York, Boston and Chicago that are receiving
funding from the U.S. Department of Education, and private foundations like the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundations, the Pew Charitable Trust, and the Joyce Foundation (p. 7). In
fact, two Chicago high schools involved in the new small school initiative, Northside College
Preparatory High School and Young Magnet High School, unseated the long standing New
Trier Township High School last year as the number one high school in the state (I.S.B.E.).
Tellingly, several years ago the Wilmette school districts that feed into New Trier
reconfigured, adding one elementary school transition before high school (I.S.B.E.).
Of the many things that effect student achievement level, socio-economic status
(SES) has a major influence. Common SES factors include race and ethnicity,
income or poverty, adult education, special needs, limited English proficiency, and
the percentage of secondary students in the district
(Duncombe, 2002, p. 250). In support of the argument that small schools reduce the negative
effects of some SES factors, Howley (2000) included Walberg’s and Fowler’s 1987-94
research, which imposed controls for SES, thereby removing the influence of SES. The
studies showed that smaller schools outperformed larger schools on a level playing field, and
they were more cost-effective than larger schools and districts in producing achievement (p.
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Elementary School Grade Span Configuration
5).
Additionally, Howley’s (2000) research asserts that at smaller schools, regardless of
economic affluence, achievement is more equitable than in larger schools. The strongest
influence of school size on achievement equity was realized in the small size category of 300
or fewer students (p. 3-4). “This effect was so strong that Montana’s smaller schools, with
higher levels of poverty, actually outperformed its larger schools.” (p. 5) Two studies (Fetler
1989; Pittman and Haughwout 1987) suggest that smaller size may improve odds for
collaboration, communication, and common purpose (Howley, 2000 6). Wasley (2002)
makes similar claims based on personal experience and professional research:
Over the years, I have taught students at nearly every level, from 3rd grade through
graduate school. As a researcher, I have spent time gathering data on students at
every level from preschool through 12th grade. My teaching and research
experiences have provided me with data that convince me that both small classes
and small schools are crucial to a teacher’s ability to succeed with students. (p. 8)
District 23 should also consider its teachers’ needs and well being.
study of small high schools in the city of Chicago revealed:
Professor Wasley’s 2000
Students reported feeling safer and more connected with adults in these schools. Teachers
reported a greater sense of efficacy, job satisfaction, and connection with parents, as well as more
opportunities to collaborate with other teachers, build a coherent educational program, use a
variety of instructional approaches, and engage students in peer critique and analysis. Parents
and community members reported increased confidence in the schools. (Wasley, 2001, p. 23)
Howley’s (2000) research of small schools stresses, “[m]any schools, though, would
clearly benefit students if they were smaller, and students already attending smaller
schools would probably be done educational harm if those schools were closed or if
they were made larger.” (p. 10) Students attending Eisenhower school would
probably be done educational harm if they were integrated into the larger school
setting that already exists within the district. We could conclude that Ross, Sullivan
and MacArthur may benefit if they were to be reconfigured as smaller schools with
larger grade spans.
Making an Educated Choice
District 23 has provided some vague economic factors as reasons to consider
narrowing its schools’ grade spans, thereby creating larger elementary schools.
What District 23 policymakers do not appear to have yet considered are the effects
policy change may have on student achievement now and in high school,
achievement equity, teacher satisfaction, family-school partnerships, and economic
efficiency. One example of such effects not discussed above is that by consolidating
the student population into grade level centers, the district’s school boundaries would
be erased. While some people believe that elimination of boundaries is a good thing
that may end perceived social discrimination between the student and parent
populations of the various district schools, the geographic and social benefits of
neighborhood schools would be nullified. Also, with no boundaries to consider, what
will stop the district from making a solely economic decision to close schools in favor
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Elementary School Grade Span Configuration
of creating still larger schools? Howley (2002) asserts, “[t]he evidence rather clearly
suggests that the tendency to create narrow grade-span configurations reinforces the
bad habit of building larger and larger schools” (p. 28).
Only recently have scholars begun to feel confident that enough research has been done to make
strong claims about grade spans, grade level configurations and school size. Unfortunately, most
of today’s educators and policymakers are products of large schools and large school districts, and
this research flies in the face of what is considered common knowledge, that bigger is better.
Those same educators and policymakers were taught that normal distributions of test scores along
the “Bell Curve” are what teachers should aim for and what we should accept as evidence of
accomplishment. Now, cognitive scientists, neurological biologists and educators have determined
that all students have the capacity to learn. This evidence is what lead the charge of “The No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001” (Wasley, 2002, p. 8). This legislation creates higher teaching and student
performance standards.
School District 23, like every other district in the country, will have to comply with this
legislation by the end of this school year. This legislation aims to ensure that all
children meet certain standards every year and all teachers meet certification
standards by 2003-2005. District 23 will face many additional changes this and next
year: elections for and turnover on the Board; a new superintendent and assistant
superintendent; and a new principal at the middle school. It may be persuasively
argued that the District should focus on successfully navigating these challenging
changes, rather than on entirely reconfiguring its schools
Works Cited
Alspaugh, John W. (1998, Sept/Oct). Achievement Loss Associated With the Transition to
Middle school and High School. The Journal of Educational Research, 92, 20-25.
Alspaugh, John W. (2000, Fall). The Effect of Transition Grade to High School, Gender, and
Grade Level Upon Dropout Rates. American Secondary Education, 29, 2-9.
Bearwald, R. <[email protected]> (2002, September 13). October 1 Meeting
[Personal e-mail]. (2002, September 13).
Duncombe, William, Andrew Matthews and John Yinger. (2002). “Revisiting Economies of
Size in American Education: Are We Any Closer To A Consensus?” Economics
Of Education Review, 21, 245-262.
Howley, Craig. (2000). “Research on Smaller Schools: What Education Leaders Need to Know
to Make Better Decisions” The Informed Educator Series: Educational Research
Service. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 453 996).
Howley, Craig. (2001, April). “The Disappearing Local School in Two Appalachian States”
Paper presented at the annual conference of the Appalachian Studies Association.
http://phkhome.northstarnet.org/ikepto/GradeCenterReport.htm (6 of 7) [6/12/2004 2:24:11 PM]
Elementary School Grade Span Configuration
Linwood, WV. (ERIC Document Reproduction Services No. ED 451 018).
Howley, Craig. (2002, March). Grade-Span Configuration. The School Administrator, 24-9.
Illinois State Bd. of Education. (2001, November). “School Report Cards.”
<http://www.isbe.state.il.us>. 23 November 2002
Moffitt, T.L.,III. (1996). An Evaluative Study of the Study of the Impact of Elementary Grade
Span Structure on Family-School Partnerships. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation,
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.
Renchler, Ron. (2000, Spring). “Grade Span.” Research Roundup: The National Association of
Elementary School Principles, 16n3, 5-8.
Wasley, Patricia A., and Richard J. Lear. (2001, March) Small Schools, Real Gains.
Educational Leadership, 58n6, 22-7.
Wasley, Patricia A. (2002, February). Small classes, small schools: the time is now.
Educational Leadership, 59n5, 6-10.
BACK
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Grade Center ARticle- Denise Lemanski
Grade Level Centers Resources
More information on Grade Level Centers can be found at the following resources:
1.A university research project conducted by a District parent that investigated "grade level centers and
educational outcomes." A growing body of scholarly research on this subject, which is discussed in the
attached paper, concludes that educational outcomes are significantly diminished in districts configured
as the District is considering.
There appears to be two primary reasons for poor outcomes: 1) educational performance suffers every
time children transition from one school building to another school building; and 2) consolidating an
entire District's student population in a given grade into a single school creates
all of the negative effects of a "large school dynamic." Some of the negative impacts scholars are
documenting include:
* lower standard achievement tests, and also lower overall student achievement;
* increased high school drop out rates;
* reduced family involvement in school systems;
* disruption to effective social structures for learning; and
* negative impacts to students with lower than average socioeconomic factors.
Briefly mentioned, but we should not overlook the possibility, that included
in the board's long term planning could be the closing of Eisenhower school and the creation of one large
school with all the negative effects to our children as highlighted in the this report. At a time of
declining
enrollment in the 1980's, it was the board's plan to close Muir and
Eisenhower schools. Muir did close. Enrollment for Eisenhower increased and it did not close at that
time. Was this original plan just put on hold until Eisenhower's enrollment declined again?
This report can be found at http://phkhome.northstarnet.org/ikepto/GradeCenterReport.htm
2.One of the sources referenced for this report was the March 2002 issue of the Administrator’s Journal.
The entire March 2002 issue was devoted to Grade Level Configurations. You can find this issue online
at www.aasa.org/publications/sa
Go to past issues and find the March 2002 issue on Grade Level Configurations.
3.Another online resource is ERIC – Educational Resource Information Center. Go to www.eric.ed.gov
and search the database using topics the “grade span configurations”, “grade clusters”, and “school
reconfiguration”.
BACK
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Grade Center ARticle- Denise Lemanski
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American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
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The School Administrator Web Edition
March 2002
Grade-Span Configurations
Where 6th and 7th grades are assigned may
influence student achievement, research suggests
BY CRAIG B. HOWLEY
The relative benefit of one particular grade
configuration over another has been the subject of
debate for years. Which configuration for a school
is most cost effective? Which yields higher student
achievement? How does grade configuration affect
the community?
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American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
Go to "Additional
Resources"
illustration by Ralph Butler
There are no easy answers to these questions nor is
there any conclusive evidence that one grade
configuration is better than another. School districts
poised on the brink of making these decisions must
take into account factors beyond simply what is best
for the students. They also must consider projected
enrollments, transportation costs, number of
transitions to be made by students, size of the
school and overall school goals.
These discussions and their ultimate outcomes are
not without controversy, especially in rural areas
where reconfiguration is often the first step toward
closing small schools. This can have far-reaching
effects on not only the staff and students but on the
community itself.
School Consolidation
Prior to 1948, the majority of schools in the United
States were one-teacher schools typically serving a
small rural community and enrolling about 30
children in the elementary grades. However,
beginning in 1915, when Teachers College
professor Ellwood Cubberley proposed that large
schools in central locations could provide more and
better education and resources, administrators
accelerated the merging of one-teacher schools into
larger graded schools. As a result, the K-8
configuration became a popular plan.
Perhaps because many farm families in the early
20th century regarded high school as irrelevant,
building a separate 9-12 high school for a limited
number of students did not always make sense. In
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“School districts
poised on the
brink of making
these decisions
must take into
account factors
beyond simply
what is best for
the students.”
American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
any case, the distinctly rural K-12 schools came into
being. (It’s important to realize that the high school
is responsible for nearly all the proportional growth
in school-age enrollment in the 20th century.)
As roads improved after World War I to
accommodate automobiles, better transportation,
rural economic decline and a focus on efficiency of
educational management drove consolidation across
larger geographic areas. As a result, smaller schools
closed and many K-12 schools began to close as
well. The result was districts and schools that had
larger enrollments than ever before.
In 1997, of approximately 82,000 public schools in
the United States, only about 1,100 were K-12
schools, and for the most part, those schools served
rural areas. Today, the most common grade-span
configurations are K-5, K-6, 6-8 or 7-9 and 9-12
(see table, page 27), with the popularity of each
configuration varying according to locale.
For example, the percentage of K-5 schools in
urban districts is significantly higher than in rural
areas (43 percent urban vs. 18 percent rural) and the
percentage of K-8 schools is higher in rural areas
than in suburban areas, (10 percent rural vs. 4
percent suburban). Although little solid research
exists regarding the reasons for the popularity or
unpopularity of these particular configurations in
these locales, it could be a function of sparse rural
population. More K-8 and K-12 schools survived,
meaning fewer 6-8 schools were created.
One result of today’s schools’ narrower grade-span
configuration is that the number of students per
grade is higher than it has ever been. A K-2 school
enrolling 360 students doesn’t seem large compared
to all those hefty suburban high schools enrolling
2,000 or more students, but with 120 5- to
8-year-olds per grade it’s a very large school (and
that’s become our standard). K-2 schools are among
the largest schools in the nation with regard to
enrollment and, surprisingly, they are most common
in rural areas and small towns.
The popularity of K-2 schools might be the result of
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American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
excessive concern with developmentally appropriate
expertise for early childhood instruction. Large size
is the price of expertise. In rural areas, this price
might be higher because of centralized school
locations and poor funding for capital outlay.
Is Bigger Better?
We’ve addressed the consolidation of schools,
especially in rural areas, based on suggestions that
larger, more centrally located schools provide more
and better services to students. What direct effect, if
any, does grade-span configuration have on student
achievement, our ultimate outcome?
At the ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and
Small Schools, we are often asked questions like
“What research shows that K-2 schools are superior
to K-3 schools?” The answer is easy: none.
Research surrounding the benefits of specific
grade-span configurations is seriously wanting. On
the other hand, a large amount of prescriptive
literature exists around that particular topic,
especially with regard to middle schools.
Six recent studies, however, have addressed the
issue of configuration and student achievement, and
their conclusions, combined with the research on
school size, suggest the need to re-examine the
popular notion that fewer grades per school is
better.
Placement of Grades
Much of the public debate about grade-span
configuration has focused on the middle level and
which grade configuration best meets the
developmental needs of young adolescents. Where
should the 6th and 8th grades reside? Two
studies--one in Connecticut and one in
Maine--addressed the issue of whether these grades
are best included with the elementary grades or with
the secondary grades.
Their conclusion was that student achievement was
higher when the 6th and 7th grades were included in
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“Today, the most
common
grade-span
configurations
are K-5, K-6, 6-8
or 7-9 and 9-12
…”
American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
the elementary school.
In Connecticut, 6th-grade student achievement was
higher in schools that configured grade 6 with lower
grade levels (K-6, K-8, etc.) versus those that
placed grade 6 with the secondary school levels.
Similarly, in the Maine study, the researchers
concluded that 8th-grade students’ achievement was
higher when the 8th grade was included with
elementary grades (K-8, 3-8, K-9, etc.) rather than
as part of junior and senior high schools or within
the various middle-grades configurations.
The findings that students in grades 6 and 8 achieve
at higher levels when grouped with the lower grades
are strongly suggestive but not conclusive. The
samples were from two states in the New England
region, and situations in different states and regions
vary. Such studies need to be replicated in other
states before we can draw durable conclusions.
K-12 Attainment
Although K-12 schools seem to be a thing of the
past, researchers have found they have a positive
effect on student achievement. The Louisiana
research team of Bobby Franklin and Catherine
Glascock compared student outcomes in grades 6, 7
and 9-12 among four configuration types:
elementary, middle, secondary and K-12 schools.
Sixth- and 7th-grade students in Louisiana
performed equally well when their grade was part of
an elementary school configuration and when it was
part of a K–12 school. In addition, their
achievement level was higher than that of 6th- and
7th-grade students who attended middle schools.
Students in grades 9-12 in K-12 schools performed
as well academically as those students enrolled in
separately standing 9-12 high schools but scored
higher on measures of attendance, expulsions,
suspensions and dropout rate. The average size of
these K-12 schools was probably small, and such
positive results have been long reported as effects of
smaller size.
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“K-2 schools are
among the largest
schools in the
nation with
regard to
enrollment and,
surprisingly, they
are most common
in rural areas and
small towns.”
American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
My colleague Robert Bickel at Marshall University
organized a team of researchers to study grade-span
configuration in Texas. We determined that
attending a K-12 school in Texas was a strong
positive influence on achievement.
Texas, like Louisiana, is one of the few states with a
large number of K-12 schools. In fact, every K-12
school in Texas constitutes the only school in that
district. Careful review of the data also shows that
the number of high schools in a district is negatively
related to 10th-grade achievement and the number
of grades in a school is positively related to
10th-grade achievement.
With regard to student achievement, this conclusion
flies in the face of conventional wisdom. Yet in
Texas as in Louisiana and other states, K-12 schools
tend to be smaller and, as such, improve
performance among students of low socioeconomic
status. This additional influence among low-income
schools is also at work in K-12 schools in Texas,
according to our study. This means attending a
small K-12 school in Texas provides a triple
achievement benefit. Common sense suggests that
such a solid benefit must be worth money, right?
That’s, in fact, what we found. All else equal, Texas
schools with a broad grade-span configuration are
more cost-effective than other schools in producing
a given level of 10th-grade achievement. That is, if
one were to design a school in Texas with the goal
of producing student achievement in a cost-effective
way, a single-school district operating a K-12
school would be a good choice.
The finding about the cost effectiveness of K-12
schools is surprising but not difficult to understand.
Our study used current achievement level as a
control variable--one way to level the playing
field--in predicting per-pupil expenditures. Taking
into account achievement levels, school size,
community affluence, the number of schools in a
district, student ethnicity and so forth, the number
of grades in a school exerts a negative influence on
per-pupil expenditures. This minimization of
per-pupil expenditures, in view of achievement
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“Six recent
studies …
suggest the need
to re-examine the
American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
levels, can be thought of as real-time savings.
In Texas, savings were maximized, of course, in
K-12 schools, because they have the broadest
grade-span configuration, tend to be small, often
serve poorer communities and tend to be the only
schools in their districts. The real wonder is that at
the same time, these K-12 schools, because they
tend to be small and serve poorer communities,
boost overall 10th-grade achievement (with
background conditions controlled--something
accountability systems often disregard).
This “Texas Miracle” goes unacknowledged, I
believe, because legislatures, educators and the
public hardly ever use achievement as a control
variable when predicting expenditures. It makes
perfect sense, however. If you wanted to predict
expenditures per cow in a ranching operation, you’d
naturally include average weight gain per cow in
your calculations. It’s a question of price per given
outcome.
The research method does accept as a fact that not
every school or student will be excellent. Compared
to this problem of mere rhetoric, however, the study
suggests that improving the odds for poor schools is
not just laudable, but feasible.
Rural Reconfiguration
Student outcomes are not, of course, the only results
about which we should be concerned. Rural areas
face particular challenges as smaller, locally
accessible schools are closed in favor of larger,
more remote schools. Predictable results might
include longer bus rides, reduced parental
involvement, declining extracurricular participation
and less sense of community ownership.
A study of national and regional data on grade
configuration that I conducted with my colleagues
revealed that between 1987 and 1991, the
percentage of all schools nationwide that were
middle schools rose by about 20 percent in rural
areas, while elsewhere the proportion of middle
schools remained constant or even fell--as it did in
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popular notion
that fewer grades
per school is
better.”
American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
urban areas.
In Appalachia, one of the nation’s most rural
regions, the increased number of middle schools
was associated with a 24 percent decline in the
number of K-8 schools. Interestingly, the schools in
all three configurations--K-8, lower elementary
(K-5 or K-6) and middle schools--increased in size.
Thus, reconfiguration not only closed some schools,
it made the remaining, more narrowly configured
schools significantly larger.
The number of times students must change schools
may affect student achievement. John Alspaugh,
professor of education at the University of Missouri,
investigating the relationship between grade-span
configuration and high school dropout rates in 45
Missouri schools, focused on the grade level of
transition to high school as related to three
grade-span configurations: 7-12, 9-12 and 10-12.
The Missouri study raises an important issue related
to student achievement not considered by the
Connecticut, Maine or Texas studies. Creating more
narrowly configured schools in a system increases
the number of transitions students must experience
during their K-12 careers.
All else equal, dropout rates were lower in the 7-12
configuration and higher in the 10-12 configuration.
School size may have been a contributing factor
because the 7-12 schools in Alspaugh’s study were
much smaller than the 10-12 schools.
Possible Implications
So in view of this partial knowledge of the
influence of grade-span configuration, what might
be the implications for practice? The following are
bold statements that are intended to be provocative
because we’ve ignored the structure of schooling
(school size, district size, grade-span configuration
and proximity to communities). These provocations
derive partly from the thin research base referenced
here and partly from my own experience, informed
by a lifetime of reading and studying related issues.
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“Their conclusion
was that student
achievement was
higher when the
6th and 7th
grades were
included in the
elementary
school.”
American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
First, the evidence rather clearly suggests that the
tendency to create narrow grade-span
configurations reinforces the bad habit of building
larger and larger schools. Larger schools damage
educational equity for everyone, and they undercut
educational excellence in impoverished
communities, according to a growing body of
evidence.
Second, every transition from one narrowly
configured school to another seems to disrupt the
social structure in which learning takes place,
lowering achievement and participation for many
students. Predictably, this damage will be most
severe in the cases of students from impoverished
backgrounds. Short of providing an adequate living
for poor families, we can at least restructure our
educational system to mitigate the detrimental
effects of poverty. A logical move seems to be
smaller, more broadly configured schools--and
smaller districts.
Third, and most surprising, large, narrowly
configured schools also seem like a bad investment
if school reform is the objective. Per unit of
achievement produced (not a metaphor I like, but
one that’s often used), smaller K-8 (300 and fewer
students) and 9-12 (600 and fewer students) schools
seem like a much better investment. Schools can be
profitably much smaller than those upper limits in
impoverished communities. This profitability
definitely refers to the efficient and effective use of
tax dollars.
Fourth, we should stop fretting about precisely
which grade-span configuration might be ideal.
One-size-fits-all prescriptions inevitably not only
fall far short of the ideal, they’ve been doing
consistent damage for much of recorded history. We
seem to have settled on 9-12 as the ideal form for
the high school, of course, and that is an inevitable
misstep. We’re not sure any longer what to do with
adolescents, and the high school itself needs major
reconfiguration, according to a substantial lineup of
major reports.
Fifth, and this might be the most controversial
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“Although K-12
schools seem to
American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
hunch, middle-level students can be well-served in
K-8 schools. Much has been written about the fact
that most middle schools fall short of the original
student-centered ideal. Part of the issue, in my
experience, is also our tendency to segregate
students of differing ages. Is this for the benefit of
students or for the benefit of staffing, running and
coping with the system we’ve created over the past
century? Answers will differ, but my thoughts
affirm the latter response. Much of what we do is
for our convenience as educators and not for the
benefit of kids, families or communities.
Finally, the K-12 school is a vanishing
organizational form. Early evidence suggests,
however, that the K-12 school is doing good
educational work. It would be a better idea to build
more of them rather than continue to shut them
down. Building more of them, however, will require
that we think very differently about educational
leadership, educational purpose, community, the
structure of educational systems,
and--indeed--about curriculum and instruction. Too
many of today’s K–12 schools are probably aping
the elementary-middle-secondary norms of
practice--designed for large systems relying on
specialists and crowding out generalists and
community.
Caution in Order
The six preceding provocations don’t present the
truth, just a series of strong hunches in need of a lot
more work. Don’t take them too literally, but don’t
dismiss them out of hand. Instead, entertain them as
possibilities, as another perspective on school
restructuring (that is, actually changing the
structures as opposed to changing curriculum and
instruction).
These hunches are my own, but a few colleagues
share them as well. Folks like us expect--and
welcome--skepticism. That said, I offer a couple of
more closely targeted cautions.
First, the research base is very thin. In particular,
investigations about K-12, 7-12 and alternative high
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be a thing of the
past, researchers
have found they
have a positive
effect on student
achievement.”
American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
school configurations are much needed and don’t
seem to be forthcoming. The research reported here
is rare, poorly funded and critical. The results
definitely flout conventional wisdom--a fact that
makes additional support that much more unlikely
because that’s the way research works. We tend to
research the questions that everyone thinks are
important when the most important questions are
often invisible to conventional wisdom.
What we don’t need is a study of national averages.
New research should take the form of multiple
replications and extensions of past studies in states
whose policies and circumstances differ on relevant
issues. States make decisions about configurations
and size, and studies need to address state-level
dilemmas, not national averages or generalities.
The most important caution, however, is this:
Interest in grade-span configuration rests on the
dubious assumption that segregating students by age
is a natural law of schooling. In other words, no
grades, no school. We ignore the underlying issue
when we think like that. The underlying issue is
how should we configure educational institutions,
not what grade-span configuration is best.
A strong potential threat to age-grade segregation
already exists: virtual schooling. Age-grade
placement eventually may disappear as an
expectation and with it the issue of grade-span
configuration. The progressive notion of continuous
progress might stand a better chance under a
differently configured system. Many students could
finish a K-12 curriculum in 10 years. Many might
profit from 15 years. Why should we not permit this
variation and hold kids blameless if they finish in
fewer or more years?
What keeps us from realizing this alternative? We
think that the former route, 10 years, is better than
the latter, 15 years. It’s not! Both are worthy.
However, resources not spent on the former route
could be profitably redirected toward the latter. It
makes practical and ethical sense. And it would
realize the public purpose of education a whole lot
better than the configuration of our present system.
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American Association of School Administrators - The School Administrator
Craig Howley co-directs the ACCLAIM Research
Initiative at Ohio University and is director of the
ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small
Schools at Appalachia Educational Laboratory Inc.
He can be reached at 210A McCracken Hall, Ohio
University, Athens, OH 45701. E-mail:
[email protected].
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http://www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2002_03/howley.htm (12 of 12) [6/12/2004 2:26:23 PM]
Achievement Loss Associated with the Transition
to Middle Schools and High Schools
John W. Alspaugh
13 B Hill Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
In a previous research project the author was able to establish that there is a
consistent student achievement loss associated with the transition from self
contained elementary schools to intermediate level schools. The achievement
loss in reading, mathematics, science and social studies occurred when the
transition was at either grade five, six, seven or eight. Student achievement
scores tended to recover to their pretransition levels in the year following the
transition. In the previous study it appeared that the size and organization of
school districts might be related to the transition loss.
Purpose of the Study
The goal of this expost facto study was to further explore the nature of the
achievement losses associated with the transition to grade six through eight
middle schools and the transition to high school.
Sample School Districts
The sample for this study consisted of three groups of sixteen school districts
for a total sample of forty eight districts. The first group of districts had a K-8,
9-12 grade level organization with only one elementary school and one high
school. The second group consisted of districts containing one elementary
school, one middle school and one high school with a linear transition
arrangement. The third group of districts had two or three elementary
schools, one middle school and one high school with a pyramid transition
arrangement of students from multiple elementary schools into a single
middle school.
The schools are primarily in rural and small town school districts. No urban
districts are included in the comparison groups. Descriptive statistics for the
schools are presented in Table 1. There is a statistically significant difference
among both the free/reduced lunch rates and enrollments per grade for the
three school groups thus implying that the schools are in different
socioeconomic settings.
Table 1
Descriptive Statistics for School Groups
________________________________________________________________________
K - 8 Elem
Linear MS
Pyramid MS
_____________
_____________
_____________
Measure
Mean St. Dev.
Mean St. Dev.
Mean St. Dev.
________________________________________________________________________
Building Enroll.
264.94
131.46
296.38
94.27
624.19
229.13
Enrollment/
29.43
14.61
98.79
31.54
208.06
76.38
Grade
% F/R Lunch
40.51
13.94
37.97
8.24
28.86
10.31
Expenditures/
$3542.10 $607.55
$3310.12 $556.45
$3264.47 $395.13
Pupil
________________________________________________________________________
Transition Achievement Loss
1
Transition to Middle School at Sixth Grade
The Missouri Mastery and Achievement Test (MMAT) scores for reading, math,
science and social studies were scaled around the State mean of 300 and
standard deviation of 60. A three way analysis of variance with repeated
measures for grade level and academic area found a statistically significant
interaction between school groups and fifth-sixth grade MMAT scores. This
interaction is illustrated in Figure 1. A large portion of Missouri schools were
in transition at sixth grade. The K-8 schools were not in transition at grade six
and their achievement improved in relation to the State mean from grade five
to grade six. The larger districts with multiple elementary schools that were
pyramided in the transition to middle school had a larger achievement loss in
the transition. The merging of students from multiple elementary schools into
larger middle schools appears to be associated with an increased loss in student
achievement. The K-8 elementary schools are in low SES areas and hence have
lower achievement. The concern in Figure 1 is the change in achievement
from grades five to six not the achievement levels.
MMAT Achievement Scores
308
Linear MS
306
304
Pyramid MS
302
300
State Mean
298
296
K - 8 Elem
294
292
Grade 5
Grade 6
Figure 1. Achievement loss in transition to middle school
Transition to High School at Ninth Grade
All three school groups were in transition to high school at ninth grade. A
three way analysis of variance found an achievement loss for all three school
groups during the transition to high school. The achievement losses were
larger for middle schools than for the K-8 elementary schools. Figure 2
illustrates the achievement loses at ninth grade associated with the transition.
There was a little more achievement loss for the larger schools with the
pyramiding of elementary schools to a single middle school. One might
anticipate a lower achievement loss for the middle school students because of
their previous experience with a school transition. The higher rates of free or
reduced lunch for the K-8 elementary schools in Table 1 can be associated with
lower socioeconomic levels and lower achievement levels of the K-8 schools.
The achievement levels of the school districts in the study are mostly above
the State average of 300. There is a tendency for the smaller school districts in
Missouri to have higher achievement scores than the larger urban districts.
Transition Achievement Loss 2
MMAT Achievement Scores
314
312
Linear MS
310
308
306
Pyramid MS
304
302
K-8 Elem
300
State Mean
298
Grade 8
Grade 9
Figure 2. Achievement loss in transition to high school
High School Dropout Rates
High School Dropout Rate
A one way analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant difference
among the mean high school dropout rates for the three school groups. The
differences in the mean annual high school dropout rates are illustrated in
Figure 3. There were two transitions for the middle school groups and only
one transition for the K-8 elementary school group. The school size variable
may also be a factor influencing the dropout rates. In a related research
project the author has found that school size is positively correlated to high
school dropout rates.
5.5%
5.0%
4.5%
4.0%
3.5%
3.0%
K-8 Elem
Linear MS
Pyramid MS
Figure 3. Average Annual High School Dropout Rates
Summary
The reader needs to be very careful in interpreting the achievement losses.
First the middle schools may be middle schools in name only and may or may
not have implemented the recommended middle school practices. Also the
socioeconomic level of the K-8 elementary schools is much lower than the SES
levels of the middle schools. The school enrollment variable and school
organization variables are confounded and hence it is difficult to associate the
differences in achievement loss and high school dropout rates specifically to
either school size or school organization.
Transition Achievement Loss 3
AUTHOR: JOHN W. ALSPAUGH
TITLE: Achievement Loss Associated With the Transition to Middle School and High School
SOURCE: The Journal of Educational Research (Washington, D.C.) 92 no1 20-5 S/O '98
The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and it is reproduced with
permission. Further reproduction of this article in violation of the copyright is prohibited.
ABSTRACT
To explore the nature of the achievement loss associated with school-to-school transitions from
elementary school to middle school and to high school, the author compared 3 groups of 16
school districts in this ex post facto study. A statistically significant achievement loss associated
with the transition from elementary school to middle school at 6th grade was found, as compared
with K-8 schools that did not have a school-to-school transition at 6th grade. The transition loss
in achievement was larger when students from multiple elementary schools were merged into a
single middle school during the transition. The students from the middle schools and K-8
elementary schools experienced an achievement loss in the transition to high school at 9th grade.
The achievement loss in the transition to high school was larger for middle school students than
for K-8 elementary students. High school dropout rates were higher for districts with Grade 6-8
middle schools than for districts with K-8 elementary schools.
Students experience many changes in their school environment associated with the transition
from elementary school to middle school or junior high school. The goals of elementary schools
tend to be task oriented, whereas the goals of middle schools tend to focus on performance
(Midgley, Anderman, & Hicks, 1995). Middle school teachers tend to have many students for
short periods of time; hence, the student-teacher relationship changes from elementary to middle
school (Feldlaufer, Midgley, & Eccles, 1988). Associated with the change in student-teacher
relationships is a change from small-group and individual instruction to whole-class instruction
in the intermediate-level schools. Researchers have found declines in student self-perception and
self-esteem associated with the transition from elementary school to intermediate-level school
(Seidman, Allen, Aber, Mitchell, & Feinman, 1994; Wigfield, Eccles, Mac Iver, Reuman, &
Midgley, 1991). Seidman et al. found the decline in self-perception to be independent of age,
grade level, and ability level.
Alspaugh and Harting (1995) established that there is a consistent student achievement loss
associated with the transition from self-contained elementary schools to intermediate-level
schools. The achievement loss in reading, mathematics, science, and social studies occurred
when the transition was at Grade 5, 6, 7, or 8. Student achievement scores tended to recover to
their pretransition levels in the year following the transition. In Alspaugh and Harting, it
appeared that the size and organization of school districts might be related to the transition loss.
Seidman et al. (1994) hypothesized that students may face double jeopardy if they make a
transition from elementary school to middle school and then experience a second transition to
high school. There also may be a relationship between the number of school-to-school transitions
and high school dropout rates.
My first goal in this ex post facto study was to explore further the nature of the achievement
loss associated with the transition to Grade 6-8 middle schools and the transition to high school.
My second goal was to determine if there is a relationship between school-to-school transitions
and the percentage of students who drop out of high school.
SAMPLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
The sample for this study consisted of three groups of 16 school districts for a total sample of
48 districts. The first group of districts had a K-8, 9-12 grade-level organization, with only one
elementary school and one high school. The second group consisted of districts containing one
elementary school, one middle school, and one high school, with a linear transition arrangement.
The third group of districts had two or three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high
school, with a pyramid transition arrangement of students from multiple elementary schools into
a single middle school.
The schools were primarily in rural and small-town school districts. No urban districts were
included in the comparison groups. Descriptive statistics for the schools are presented in Table 1.
There was a statistically significant difference between both the free and reduced-price lunch
rates and enrollments per grade for the three school groups; this difference implies that the
schools were in different socioeconomic settings. In previous research (Alspaugh, 1991), I
documented a decline in Missouri Mastery and Achievement Tests (MMAT) scores as the
percentage of students receiving free and reduced-price lunches increased. Also, as school size
increased, there appeared to be an associated decline in achievement test scores (Alspaugh,
1992). School size and socioeconomic status (SES) tend to interact in their influence on student
achievement. Low SES tends to have limited influence on student achievement in small schools.
There was no statistically significant difference in expenditures per student among the three
groups of schools; all three groups of schools were considerably below the state average
expenditure per pupil. Hanushek (1989) found that there was not a consistent relationship
between expenditures per pupil and student achievement. My purpose in the present study was
not to compare the levels of achievement in the three school groups but to study the changes in
achievement during the school-to-school transitions.
TRANSITION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AT 6TH GRADE
The MMAT are given to students in May of each year. The pretransition achievement
measures were from May 1994, and the posttransition scores were from May 1995. The MMAT
scores for reading, mathematics, science, and social studies were scaled around the state mean of
300 and a standard deviation of 60. The K-R 20 indices of reliability for the MMAT varied from
about .90 to .95.
For the first part of this investigation, the dependent variable was the difference between the
district average 5th-and 6th-grade achievement scores. The difference scores represent the
achievement loss associated with the transition from elementary school to middle school. The
correlation between the school average 5th- and 6th-grade achievement was about .50. If one
assumes that the average building-level achievement scores have a reliability of .90, the
estimated reliability of the difference scores would be about .80 (Ferguson & Takane, 1989).
Table 2 contains a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) of achievement loss, with repeated
measures on academic area for the transition from elementary school to middle school at 6th
grade. The cell means corresponding to the two-way ANOVA are presented in Table 3.
The main effect of school groups was statistically significant at the .025 level. Relative to the
state average of 300, the K-8 elementary schools showed a gain of 7.40. The K-8 schools were
not in transition between Grades 5 and 6. This apparent gain may have been due to the large
number of schools within the state that were in transition between Grades 5 and 6. Both middle
school groups were in transition and experienced an achievement loss. The achievement loss in
the transition to middle school is illustrated in Figure 1. The loss for the pyramid group in which
the students from two or three elementary schools were merged into one middle school was
larger than for the linear group in which the elementary students moved as a single cohort to the
middle school.
The comparisons of the individual-school-group achievement gains and losses in Table 4
indicate a statistically significant loss only for the pyramid middle school group. The small
sample size of 16 in each group may have influenced the power of the t tests. The gain in
achievement for the K-8 group nearly offset the loss experienced by the pyramid middle school
group.
The p value of .054 in Table 2 implies that there may be some inconsistency in achievement
losses among the four academic areas. For the three school groups taken together, there were
achievement losses in science and social studies and small achievement gains in reading and
mathematics. There was no interaction for achievement loss between the school groups and
academic areas.
TRANSITION TO HIGH SCHOOL AT 9TH GRADE
All three school groups were in transition to high school at 9th grade. The dependent variable
for the two-way ANOVA with repeated measures on academic areas was the difference between
8th- and 9th-grade achievement. The ANOVA in Table 5 did not indicate a statistically
significant difference among the three school groups.
All three school groups experienced a mean achievement loss in the transition to high school
at 9th grade. The achievement losses by academic area are presented in Table 6. The average
achievement losses across the four academic areas are illustrated in Figure 2.
The comparisons of the individual-school-group achievement losses in Table 7 indicate a
statistically significant loss for both middle school groups. There was a gain in mathematics
achievement for the K-8 schools, as revealed by the 6.06 gain in Table 6. This gain in
mathematics achievement may have caused the overall achievement loss of the K-8 schools not
to be statistically significant. The combined loss in achievement for all schools during the
transition to high school was statistically significant.
The inconsistent gain in mathematics achievement within the K-8 schools in which there were
achievement losses for the other academic areas may be attributable to teacher certification.
Algebra achievement may be lower when students are taught by general elementary certified
teachers, as compared with certified secondary teachers with mathematics majors.
The findings reported in Table 5 indicate a statistically significant difference among the
achievement losses associated with the four academic areas. The achievement loss for all schools
in the study was less for mathematics than for the other academic areas.
One might anticipate a smaller achievement loss for the middle school students because of
their previous experience with a school transition. There was a slightly greater achievement loss
for the larger schools with the pyramiding of multiple elementary schools into a single middle
school. The correlations between achievement losses and enrollment per grade are presented in
Table 8. As the number of students per grade increased, the achievement loss associated with the
transition to high school also increased.
The higher rates of free or reduced-price lunches for the K-8 elementary schools in Table 1
can be associated with lower SES and achievement levels of the K-8 schools. The achievement
levels of the school districts in the study were mostly above the state average of 300. The smaller
rural school districts in Missouri tend to have higher achievement scores than the larger urban
districts.
The expenditures per pupil for all three school groups were below the state mean, whereas the
achievement means tended to be slightly above the state average. In previous research, I have
found little relationship between expenditures of school districts and their mean achievement
levels in Missouri.
HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT RATES
My second goal in the present study was to explore the relationship between school-to-school
transitions and high school dropout rates. For the purposes of this investigation, dropout rates
were the 5-year average percentage of students in Grades 9-12 who dropped out of school each
year between 1990 and 1995. The one-way ANOVA in Table 9 revealed a statistically
significant difference among the mean high school dropout rates for the three school groups.
The differences in the mean annual high school dropout rates are illustrated in Figure 3.
Tukey's pairwise comparisons of the three school groups showed a statistically significant
difference between the mean dropout rates for the K-8 schools and the dropout rates for both
middle school groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean dropout
rates for the two middle school groups. There were two transitions for the middle school groups
and only one transition for the K-8 elementary school group.
School size and student SES were confounded with the school transitions in influencing the
high school dropout rates presented in Figure 3. In reviewing previous research, Rumberger
(1987) concluded that that the most important factor associated with high school dropout rates is
SES. In Alspaugh (1992), I found a differential effect of school size on the relationship between
SES and education outcomes. As school size increased, the relationship between SES and
education outcomes also increased. A correlation of -.002 between the percentage of students
receiving free or reduced-price lunches and dropout rate indicated that SES may not have been a
factor in the dropout rates in the sample schools.
The enrollments per grade in Table 1 indicate a close relationship between school size and
district organization for the sample schools. Previous researchers have found that larger high
schools tend to have higher dropout rates (Merritt, 1983; Pittman & Haughwout, 1987). The
correlation of +.514 between enrollment per grade and high school dropout rate for the sample
schools is consistent with the findings of other researchers. This finding suggests that further
research is needed to sort out the relative influence of SES, school size, and district organization
on high school dropout rates.
SUMMARY
The achievement losses associated with the trasition to middle school at 6th grade were
consistent with the achievement losses found by Alspaugh and Harting (1995). The students
involved in a pyramid transition of multiple elementary schools into a single middle school
experienced a greater achievement loss than did the students in a linear transition of a single
elementary school to a middle school. Mixing students from multiple elementary schools in the
transition may tend to increase the transition achievement loss. The middle schools in this study
may or may not have implemented the recommended middle school transition strategies.
Pamperien (1997) found that the implementation of middle school practices had little influence
on student achievement scores. The findings of the present study should not be interpreted as an
evaluation of the recommended middle school transition practices.
The students attending middle schools experienced a greater achievement loss in the transition
to high school than did the students making the transition from a K-8 elementary school. The
experience of making a previous transition did not moderate the achievement loss during the
transition to high school. This finding implies that the students were encountering the doublejeopardy situation that Seidman et al. (1994) anticipated.
The increased high school dropout rates for the students attending middle schools may have
been associated with the achievement losses and the double transitions at Grades 6 and 9. The
loss of self-esteem and self-perception other researchers have found to be associated with schoolto-school transitions may have been a factor in the increased dropout rates found in this study
(Seidman et al., 1994; Wigfield et al., 1991). The students attending larger schools tended to
experience more transitions than the students in smaller schools. The schools with two transitions
had higher dropout rates than the schools with only one transition.
The findings of this study are consistent with the findings of other researchers in that the
instability and adjustments required of students in school transitions were associated with
education outcomes. The findings imply that students placed in relatively small cohort groups for
long spans of time tend to experience more desirable educational outcomes.
ADDED MATERIAL
Address correspondence to John W. Alspaugh, 16 Hill Hall, Educational and Counseling
Psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211.
Table 1.--Descriptive Statistics for School Groups
K-8 elementary
Linear MS
Pyramid MS
(n = 16)
(n = 16)
(n = 16)
Measure
M
SD
M
SD
M
SD
p(FNa)
Enrollment/grade
29.43
14.61
98.79
31.54 208.06
76.38 .000
% receiving free/
40.51
13.94
37.97
8.24 28.86
10.31 .012
reduced-price
lunches
Expenditure/pupil
3,542.10
607.55 3,310.12
556.45 3,264.47
395.13 .290
1992-93 ($)
Dropout rate
3.28
2.10
5.30
1.85
5.49
1.41 .002
Note. MS = middle school.
FOOTNOTE
a p values from one-way analysis of variance.
Table 2.--Two-Way Analysis of Variance for Achievement Loss Associated With the
Transition From Elementary School to Middle School, With Repeated Measures on Academic
Areas
Source
SS
df
MS
F
p
Between groups
Schools
7,840.29
2 3,920.15 4.01 .025
Schools with groups
43,985.19
45
977.45
Within group
Academic areas
1,603.85
3 534.62 2.61 .054
School X Areas
401.08
6
66.85 .33 .922
School X Areas With Groups
27,647.06 135 204.79
Total
81,477.47 191
Table 3.--Mean Achievement Levels and Gains and Losses in Achievement From Grade 5 to
Grade 6
Academic area
School group
Reading Math
Science Social studies Average
K-8
Grade 5
292.50 290.25
300.00
289.31
293.02
Grade 6
300.00 300.63
302.38
298.69
300.42
Gain (loss)
7.50
10.38
2.38
9.38
7.40
Linear MS
Grade 5
300.06 303.00
316.38
309.06
307.13
Grade 6
299.19 301.38
306.94
301.00
302.13
Gain (loss)
(.87) (1.62)
(9.44)
(8.06)
(5.00)
Pyramid MS
Grade 5
303.38 306.63
311.44
307.06
307.13
Grade 6
299.50 301.69
301.00
298.06
300.06
Gain (loss)
(3.88) (4.94)
(10.44)
(9.00)
(7.07)
Average achievement 299.11 300.60
306.35
300.53
301.65
Average gain (loss)
.92
1.27
(5.83)
(2.56)
(1.55)
Note. MS = middle school.
Table 4.--Comparison of the Mean Achievement Gain (Loss) Associated With the Transition
to 6th Grade Against Zero
School
n
M
SD
t
p(FNa)
K-8
16 7.40 19.05 1.56 .141
Linear MS 16 (5.00) 14.64 (1.37) .192
Pyramid MS 16 (7.06) 12.49 (2.26) .039
Combined 48 (1.55) 16.60 (0.65) .520
Note. MS = middle school.
FOOTNOTE
a Two-tailed test.
Table 5.--Two-Way Analysis of Variance for Achievement Loss Associated With the
Transition From Grade 8 to Grade 9, With Repeated Measures on Academic Areas
Source
SS
df
MS
F
p
Between groups
Schools
1,633.14
2
816.57 .98 .387
Schools with groups
37,900.98
45
842.57
Within groups
Academic areas
4,040.56
3 1,346.85 6.42 .000
School X Areas
1,308.86
6 218.14 1.04 .402
School X Areas With Groups
28,321.33 135 209.79
Total
73,204.87 191
Table 6.--Mean Achievement Levels and Gain (Loss) in Achievement From Grade 8 to Grade
9
Academic area
School group
Reading Math
Science Social studies Average
K-8
Grade 8
305.44 294.38
313.25
301.69
303.69
Grade 9
299.38 300.44
296.75
299.38
298.99
Gain (loss)
(6.06) 6.06
(16.50)
(2.31
(4.70)
Linear MS
Grade 8
312.06 306.31
318.75
312.81
312.48
Grade 9
301.25 301.56
306.00
302.00
302.70
Gain (loss)
(10.81) (4.75)
(12.75)
(10.81)
(9.78)
Pyramid MS
Grade 8
309.13 302.56
322.38
306.00
310.02
Grade 9
295.50 295.75
307.88
294.56
298.42
Gain (loss)
(13.63) (6.81)
(14.50)
(11.44)
(11.59)
Average achievement 303.79 300.17
310.83
302.74
304.38
Average gain (loss) (10.17) (1.83)
(14.58)
(8.19)
(8.69)
Note. MS = middle school.
Table 7.--Comparison of the Mean Achievement Loss Associated With the Transition to High
School Against Zero
School
n
M
SD
t
p(FNa)
K-8
16 4.70 15.81 1.19 .253
Linear MS 16 9.78 16.63 2.35 .033
Pyramid MS 16 11.59 10.25 4.52 .000
Combined
48 8.69 14.50 4.15 .000
Note. MS = middle school.
FOOTNOTE
a Two-tailed test.
Table 8.--Correlations Between Enrollment per Grade and Transition-to-High-School
Achievement Loss (N = 48)
Academic area
r
p(FNa)
Reading/language arts
.238 .052
Mathematics
.236 .053
Science
.042 .388
Social studies
.212 .073
Average
.210 .076
FOOTNOTE
a One-tailed test.
Table 9.--One-Way Analysis of Variance for High School Dropout Rates
Source
SS
df
MS
F
p
Between
48.043
2 24.021 7.341 .002
Within
147.254 45 3.272
Total
195.297 47
Figure 1. Achievement Loss in Transition From Grade 5 to Grade 6
Figure 2. Achievement Loss in Transition to High School
Figure 3. Average Annual High School Dropout Rates
REFERENCES
Alspaugh, J. W. (1991). Out-of-school environmental factors and elementary achievement in
mathematics and reading. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 24, 53-55.
Alspaugh, J. W. (1992). Socioeconomic measures and achievement: Urban vs. rural. The
Rural Educator, 13(3), 2-7.
Alspaugh, J. W., & Harting, R. D. (1995). Transition effects of school grade-level
organization on student achievement. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 28(3),
145-149.
Feldlaufer, H., Midgley, C., & Eccles, J. S. (1988). Student, teacher, and observer perceptions
of the classroom environment before and after transition to junior high school. Journal of Early
Adolescence, 8(2), 133-156.
Ferguson, G. A., & Takane, Y. (1989). Statistical analysis in psychology and education (6th
ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Hanushek, E. A. (1989). The impact of differential expenditures on school performance.
Educational Researcher, 18, 45-51.
Merritt, R. (1983). The effects of enrollment and school organization on the dropout rate. Phi
Delta Kappan, 65(3), 224.
Midgley, C., Anderman, E., & Hicks, L. (1995). Differences between elementary and middle
school teachers and students: A goal theory approach. Journal of Early Adolescence, 15(1), 90113.
Pamperien, K. C. (1997). Academic achievement in middle level schools. Unpublished
doctoral dissertation, University of Missouri, Columbia.
Pittman, R. B., & Haughwout, P. (1987). Influence of high school size and dropout rate.
Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 9(4), 337-343.
Rumberger, R. W. (1987). High school dropouts: A review of issues and evidence. Review of
Educational Research, 57(2), 101-121.
Seidman, E., Allen, L., Aber, J., Mitchell, C., & Feinman, J. (1994). The impact of school
transitions in early adolescence on the self-system and perceived social context of poor urban
youth. Child Development, 65, 507-522.
Wigfield, A., Eccles, J. S., Mac Iver, D., Reuman, D. A., & Midgley, C. (1991). Transitions
during early adolescence: Changes in children's domain-specific self-perceptions and general
self-esteem across the transition to junior high school. Developmental Psychology, 27(4), 552565.
NCEF Resource List: Grade Configuration
GRADE CONFIGURATION
NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles on the
impact of grade spans, multigrade, and multiage classrooms on
educational facilities planning and student achievement.
●
References to Books and Other Media - 17
●
References to Journal Articles - 18
●
Related Web Sites - 4
●
Related Resource Lists - 2
Elementary Grade Configuration Report, Frost and McCoy Elementary Schools [Georgetown,
Texas]
http://www.georgetownisd.org/filing_cabinet/curriculum/
Simonson, Linda
(Report to the Board of Trustees from the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction,Georgetown, Texas,
Dec 09, 2003)
This report contains research and recommendations on the grade configuration of two elementary
schools. Currently configured as separate facilities for grades PK-2 and 3-5 the study looks at the
implications of having both facilities contain grades PK/K-5. Key points of considerations include:
transportation costs, parent involvement, staffing, special programs, educational equity and diversity,
assessment of existing facilities, and budget implications. 13p.
Ten Educational Trends Shaping School Planning and Design.
http://www.edfacilities.org/pubs/trends.pdf
Stevenson, Kenneth R.
(National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC , Sep 2002)
This publication examines 10 educational trends that should be considered in the planning, design, and
modernization of schools. The trends were identified by reviewing research on the relationship of school
facilities to student outcomes; by performing a general environmental scan of current trends, issues,
problems, and initiatives in education; and by reviewing demographic patterns emerging out of the 2000
U.S. Census. The trends are: (1) the lines of prescribed attendance areas will blur; (2) schools will be
smaller and more neighborhood oriented; (3) there will be fewer students per class; (4) technology will
dominate instructional delivery; (5) the typical spaces thought to constitute a school may change; (6)
students and teachers will be organized differently; (7) students will spend more time in school; (8)
instructional materials will evolve; (9) grade configurations will change; and (10) schools will disappear
by the end of the 21st century (or will they?). 6p.
Grade Configuration Study Committee Final Report [Hopkinton Public Schools, Massachusetts].
http://www.hopkinton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/Plans/
(Hopkinton Public Schools, Hopkinton, MA., Nov 01, 2001)
This is an informational report to help the school committee make future grade configuration decisions
for Hopkinton's elementary schools. Includes an executive summary, and reports from subcommittees
on research, educational programs/curriculum, experience of other communities, transportation,
enrollment and facilities. Configuration options are presented in table format. 34p.
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/grade_configuration.cfm (1 of 8) [6/12/2004 4:53:53 PM]
NCEF Resource List: Grade Configuration
Recommendations for Elementary School Grade Configuration.
http://elps.k12.mi.us/news/february/grade_config.htm
Giblin, Thomas R.
(East Lansing Public Schools, MI, Feb 12, 2001)
These recommendations made to the East Lansing Board of Education discuss elementary grade
configurations and the impact that changing them would have on facilities as well as on curriculum,
instruction, resources, and finances.
Grade Organization.
(ERS Info-Files, National Association of Secondary School Principals, 2001)
Examines issues in reorganizing grade structure such as combining previously separate grades and
making a grade level self-contained. Includes survey data on middle school grade spans and research
findings on particular grade organizations.
TO ORDER: Educational Research Service, 2000 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201. Tel:
800-791-9308.
How to Configure the Schools.
http://www.rebuildalbanyschools.org/process.htm
(City School District of Albany, NY, 2001)
Grade configuration was an important issue in developing a new facilities plan for the Albany Schools.
This report summarizes the configuration choices that were made and puts them into the context of
other facilities decisions.
NMSA Research Summary #3. Numbers of Middle Schools and Students.
http://www.nmsa.org/research/ressum3.htm
(National Middle School Association, Westerville, OH, 2001)
This report provides answers to two questions: 1) How many middle schools are there in comparison to
junior high schools? and 2) How many schools are there with middle level students? The report
provides definitions, statistics, related articles, and references.
NMSA Research Summary #8: Grade 5 in the Middle School.
http://www.nmsa.org/research/ressum8.htm
(National Middle School Association, Westerville, OH , 2001)
This report explores research that is available to support the idea of including grade 5 (and/or grade 6)
in middle schools. Describes the issue, reviews the research, and provides related articles and
references.
Grade Span.
http://cepm.uoregon.edu/publications/roundup/S00.html
Renchler, Ron
(ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management, Eugene, OR , Apr 2000)
Provides a roundup of research focusing on grade configuration, also known as grade span. "Grade
Configuration: Who Goes Where?" surveys issues and concerns related to grade spans, and it profiles
eight Northwest schools having varying grade spans. "Grade Span and Eighth-Grade Academic
Achievement: Evidence from a Predominantly Rural State" notes the influence of grade span on
academic achievement of eighth-grade students in Maine. "The Elemiddle School: A Model for Middle
Grades Reform" surveys the history of grade configuration and cites research indicating that schools
that combine elementary and middle-school grades may best meet educational and social needs.
"Accountability Works: Analysis of Performance by Grade Span of School" presents study results
measuring sixth-grade students' academic performance on the "Connecticut Mastery Test" relative to
student enrollment in schools having K-5 or K-6 configurations. "The Interaction Effect of Transition
Grade to High School with Gender and Grade Level upon Dropout Rates" examines the influence of
grade span and related factors on dropout rates in high school. 5p.
ERIC NO: ED440471 ;
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NCEF Resource List: Grade Configuration
Reconfiguration Recommendation Justification.
http://www.nvusd.k12.ca.us/html/Reconfiguration%20Recommendation
(Napa Valley Unified School District, Office of the Superintendent, CA, Mar 14, 2000)
This report provides a summary of research on schools with grades 5-8 versus grades 6-8. Notes that
available research on the specific issue of 6-8 configurations is not entirely conclusive. Notes that field
and outside expert opinion tends to support a 6-8 configuration, but that bonafide concerns exist, which
are identified in this review and recommendation. Recommends that the school approve a
reconfiguration of grades K-8 to include K-5 elementary schools and 6-8 middle schools.
Grade Organization Study Committee Committee Report.
http://www.bloomington.k12.mn.us/distinfo/schoolcomm/GradeReorg.html
(Bloomington Public School System, MN , 1999)
This report provides a summary of the literature reviewed, research conducted, and process used to
reach a recommendation regarding the grade organization of the Bloomington Public School System.
The Multigrade Classroom: A Resource Handbook for Small, Rural Schools. Book 2: Classroom
Organization.
http://www.nwrel.org/ruraled/publications/multig2.pdf
Vincent, Susan, Ed.
( Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Rural Education Program, Portland, OR , 1999)
Offers guidelines for classroom organization that will accommodate the multiple activities occurring in
the multigrade classroom. Outlines an activity-centers approach to classroom design that designates
classroom areas for specific purposes. Defines general considerations for planning, including activity
level and noise likely to occur during different learning activities, use of visual barriers to define activity
centers, placement of teacher and student resources, traffic patterns, age and physical size differences
among students, and storage of student belongings. A list of questions clarifies classroom design
principles and aspects of a particular classroom plan. Presented in workbook fashion, a three-step design
process involves describing the present classroom, identifying specific learning activities that will take
place, and drawing the final plan. 37p.
ERIC NO: ED448979 ;
Grade Configuration: Who Goes Where?
http://www.nwrel.org/request/july97/article2.html
Paglin, Catherine; Fager, Jennifer
(Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland, OR. , 1997)
This booklet examines questions relating to grade configurations, seeking to increase awareness and
understanding of issues surrounding grade span. It explores the ways that schools have addressed
concerns associated with particular grade spans and suggests avenues for further inquiry. The text
focuses on historical trends in grade configuration and the various contexts of grade spans, such as
whether a school is in a rural or urban area. Most research on grade span focuses on middle grades and
addresses such questions as: Which grades should be grouped together in one school? How many grades
should be in one school? and How many school transitions will students make during the K-12 years?
Includes tips for starting a school with a grade span new to a school system. Provides an overview of
grade-span considerations. Describes eight schools' experiences with grade spans, discussing such
issues as how the grade span came about and how the schools were structured to meet the needs of the
particular grades they contain. 48p.
ERIC NO: ED432033 ;
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NCEF Resource List: Grade Configuration
The Relationship between Grade Configuration and Student Performance in Rural Schools.
Franklin, Bobby J.; Glascock, Catherine H.
(Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the National Rural Education Association, San Antonio,
TX , Oct 15, 1996)
This paper examines the relationship between a school's grade configuration and student performance in
Louisiana. Student performance was measured by using standardized test scores and information on
attendance, suspensions, expulsions, and dropouts. Elementary schools, middle schools, secondary
schools, and combination (K-12) schools were examined using grade-level data for grades 6, 7, and
9-12. Also considered were the percentage of students receiving free lunch and the size of the
grade-level under consideration. Among the findings: students in grades 6 and 7 performed better in
elementary and K-12 schools than in middle or secondary schools, in terms of both achievement and
persistence. Students in K-12 schools performed as well as those in elementary schools overall and
performed better in some cases. For grades 9-12, the K-12 school was more beneficial to students than
the traditional secondary school, particularly in the area of student persistence or conduct. 56p.
ERIC NO: ED403083 ;
TO ORDER: ERIC Document Reproduction Services
http://www.edrs.com
Policy Issue: Restructured Grade Levels.
http://www.blarg.net/~building/RESTGRAD.htm
(Leon County Schools, FL, May 1995)
This policy statement explores the issue of flexibility in grade configuration that would allow relief to
overcrowded middle schools in Leon County, Florida, by keeping students for an extra year at
elementary schools that have sufficient capacity, or relieving high schools by keeping students at middle
schools that have sufficient capacity. Discusses considerations associated with costs, academics,
personnel, students, parents, and the community. Also outlines potential barriers and policy
implications.
The Effects of Various Middle-Grade Configurations.
Sailor, Perry
(Austin Independent School District, TX , 1986)
This paper summarizes research relevant to a proposal in the Austin Independent School District to
move sixth graders from an elementary school (K-6 or K,4-6) to a middle school (6-8) grade grouping.
Presents a summary of the evolution of middle-grade education. Discusses three areas affected by grade
organization: academic achievement, nonacademic outcomes (self-concept and anxiety), and
homogeneous grade groups. Notes that the grade organization studies of various middle grade
configurations showed no consistent effects one way or the other. Includes references to 36 studies. 15p.
ERIC NO: ED297417 ;
TO ORDER: ERIC Document Reproduction Services
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Primary and Intermediate Grade Configurations: A Review of the Literature.
Raze, Nasus
(South Allegheny School District, PA , 1985)
This literature review concerns the concept of alternative grade configurations at the elementary level in
which elementary schools are subdivided into primary (K-2) and intermediate (3-5) units. Because of
the paucity of literature on this concept, the major part of the report focuses on the reorganization of the
elementary schools of the South Allegheny (Pennsylvania) school district. Although the K-2, 3-5
structure is often implemented in response to declining enrollment, other educational benefits cited may
include better concentration on the educational and psychological needs of children in the two age
groups, though one research study showed no significant differences in student achievement, attitude
toward school, extracurricular participation, or career aspiration. The goals of the South Allegheny
reorganization (in response to declining enrollment) were to equalize class sizes to facilitate multilevel
instruction in reading and math, and to make better use of staff, school buildings, and instructional
resources. Each of these objectives is described in detail, along with perceived disadvantages. An
evaluative report revealed that the new grade structure saved money and resulted in improved discipline,
student attitudes, and student interaction. Literature on the implementation process is briefly reviewed,
emphasizing the need for clear articulation between grade levels. 9p.
ERIC NO: ED252928 ;
TO ORDER: ERIC Document Reproduction Services
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NCEF Resource List: Grade Configuration
http://www.edrs.com
Space Utilization.
http://www.peterli.com/archive/spm/487.shtm
Boyer, Michael L.
School Planning and Management; v42 n8 , p14-21 ; Aug 2003
Describes the development of an Intermediate Center, adjacent to the existing K-12 schools, within a
fast-growing community. Designed for children in 5th-7th grades, the center includes a special
education classroom that incorporates the needs of students with a variety of disabilities. The L-shaped
classroom allows for teacher eye contact with all students while still providing a defined area for
alternative, small group instruction.
How Should Schools Be Organized?
http://www.djainc.com/ageappropriateschools.pdf
DeJong, William S.; Craig, Joyce
School Planning and Management; v41 n6 , p26-32 ; Jun 2002
Explores the impact of grade configuration decisions on the number and size of elementary, middle, and
high schools needed. Discusses various trends regarding placement of sixth grade, ninth grade, and
preschool classes and the resurgence of K-8 and K-12 models.
[Grade-Level Configurations. The Rise of K-8, 9th-Grade Centers, and Year-Round Districts]
http://www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2002_03/contents.htm
The School Administrator; v59 n3 , p6-38 ; Mar 2002
This issue includes six articles on the subject of grade configuration. In "Revival of the K-8 School,"
criticism of middle schools fuels renewed interest in a school configuration of yesteryear. Several
authors discuss how separate schools ease the academic and social transitions for high school-bound
students in "Isolating 9th Graders," and "Delivering the Promise to 9th Graders." Researcher Craig
Howley distills the findings on how grade-level groupings may influence student outcomes in
"Grade-Span Configurations." Three veteran educators defend the merits of middle schooling in
"Middle Schools Still Matter." The article "Districts That School Year-Round" describes three types of
tracks, provides a sample calendar, and includes additional resources.
Make Way for Schools Planned for 5th and 6th Grades.
Brunner, Patrick M.
School Construction News; v5 n1 , p15 ; Jan-Feb 2002
Often referred to as an intermediate school, a grade five and six building also is known as a lower
middle school in order to reflect its relationship to the upper middle school. This describes where this
configuration came from and why, and what makes it different from an elementary school or middle
school.
NMSA Research Summary #1. Grade Configuration.
http://www.nmsa.org/research/ressum1.htm
(National Middle School Association, Westerville, OH, 2001)
Answers the question, what grade configuration is best for the middle grades? This report refers to
national studies and includes a list of related articles and references.
Middle Schools? Something New or Tried and True?
http://www.nea.org/neatoday/9911/fyi.html
NEA Today Online ; Nov 1999
Discusses which grade configuration seems to work best for students aged 10 to 14. A chart summarizes
the percentage of students who attended schools in different grade configurations (1995).
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/grade_configuration.cfm (5 of 8) [6/12/2004 4:53:53 PM]
NCEF Resource List: Grade Configuration
Working in a Multiage Classroom.
http://www.naesp.org/ContentLoad.do?contentId=145
Communicator (newsletter of the National Assn. of Elementary School Principals); Oct 1999
Discusses the problems and benefits of various grade configurations for multiage classroom education.
Examples from various U.S. schools are given. Education and training of teachers and parents in the
concept of multiage learning is covered.
Two for the Price of One
Grones, Freda
Roundup: Journal of the Monolithic Dome Institute; v12 n3 , p19-20 ; Fall 1999
Discusses how two small Arizona communities combined forces to build one school for preschool,
kindergarten, and grades 1-3 using a geodesic dome design. Examines the school planning committee's
rationale for employing the geodesic design and for implementing design features that made the school
an attractive alternative to traditional buildings.
Reflecting the Communities It Serves.
Brannelly, Kate
School Planning and Management; v38 n6 , p22, 24-25 ; Jun 1999
Describes the design of a combined middle and high school that preserved the industrial mills and
farming history of two rural towns in Massachusetts. Delineates each school's separate entries and
identity spaces and the design innovations that enabled grades 6-8 to be grouped with grades 9-12.
Early-Grade Centers Ease Space Woes
http://www.edweek.com/ew/1998/07primar.h18
Jacobson, Linda
Education Week; , p1,14 ; Oct 14, 1998
Notes a potential trend evidenced by the decision to separate some kindergartners and other
early-primary pupils from the larger elementary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District,
necessitated because the district was simply out of room. The district is finding accomodations in
primary centers, which employ relocatable buildings also known as portables. These can be faster to
erect and less expensive than traditional facilities. Reports that the 685,000-student district has a
fast-growing elementary school population and a statewide initiative to reduce the size of K-3 classes.
There are plans to open an additional 18 primary centers there over the next 10 years.
The Relationship between Grade Configuration and Student Performance in Rural Schools.
Journal of Research in Rural Education; v14 n3 , p149-53 ; Winter-Spring 1998
Examines the relationship between grade configuration in rural schools and student attendance,
suspension, and academic achievement for grades 6, 7, 10, and 11. In a large random sample of rural
Louisiana schools, students in elementary schools (K-6/7) and unit schools (K-12) outperformed their
middle and secondary school peers. Contains 25 references.
The Great School Swap.
Chesto, Jon
School Planning & Management; v36 n10 , p16-20 ; Nov 1997
Examines how the New Milford School District in Connecticut avoided failing accreditation by creating
a plan to convert the deteriorating high school building into an intermediate school for grades 4-6.
Discusses planning concerns and accomplishments, including overcoming parental objections and
locating the cafeteria in a way that satisfied conflicting needs.
Little Village Academy Chicago, Illinois
Pearson, Clifford
Architectural Record; v185 n10 , p108-113 ; Oct 1997
Presents a K-8 school design in Chicago that bridges the gap between the Hispanic culture of its
students and an Anglo-American society by creating a Mexican feeling without making it look foreign
to its surroundings. It describes the community in which the school resides, the planning strategy for its
development, its architectural features, cost control aspects, floor planning, and interior color and
materials.
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/grade_configuration.cfm (6 of 8) [6/12/2004 4:53:53 PM]
NCEF Resource List: Grade Configuration
Cincinnati Eyes Top-to-Bottom Restructuring.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=08cincy.h16
Hendrie, Caroline
Education Week; Oct 23, 1996
Reports on a plan for schools in Cincinnati proposing to create four multiage groupings affecting all but
the last two years of high school: grades K-3, 4-6, 7-8, and 9-10. The plan would also eliminate middle
schools there, which have been plagued by discipline problems and poor student achievement. Notes
that the system would become primarily a network of K-8 schools and high schools, a structure that is
highly unusual in urban public education and that runs counter to the trend toward separate middle
schools.
The Elemiddle School: A Model for Middle Grades Reform.
Hough, David L.
Principal; v74 n3 , p6-9 ; Jan 1995
Notes that "Elemiddle" schools can serve the needs of young adolescents, aged 10 to 14, in any
combination of grades 5 through 8, as part of an organizational structure that includes lower grades.
Reports on research showing that middle schools with 6-8 grade spans and K-8 schools are most likely
to implement child-centered programs, practices, and policies than schools with 7-9 or 7-12 grade spans.
The View from Here.
Earthman, Glen
Educational Facility Planner; v31 n4 ; Jul-Aug 1993
This article briefly reviews changes that have taken place in school system grade configurations over the
past 40-plus years, the issues driving those programmatic changes, and the impact they have on the
facilities which house them.
What Matters in the Middle Grades--Grade Span or Practices?
Epstein, Joyce L.
Phi Delta Kappan; v71 n6 , p438-44 ; Feb 1990
This article reports selected results on the relation of grade span to school size, grade level enrollment,
school goals, report card entries, and relevant trends. Notes results of a 1988 Johns Hopkins University
survey, which gathered data on organizational variations among schools containing grade seven to study
how grade span affects school programs, teaching practices, and student progress.
Grade Level Arrangements--What Are the Differences?
Blyth, Dale A.
NASSP Bulletin; v68 n471 , p105-17 ; Apr 1984
Discusses results of a study at a suburban Midwestern school district focusing on ninth graders'
perceptions of the senior-high environment, noting, among other things, their participation in school
activities and use of drugs. The study was implemented to better understand the effects of advancing
ninth graders to some form of high school.
Clearinghouse on Educational Policy and Management
http://cepm.uoregon.edu/index.html
Covers all aspects of the governance, leadership, administration, and structure of public and private
educational organizations at the elementary and secondary levels, including the financing of schools.
National Association of Elementary School Principals
http://www.naesp.org
The 28,500 members of NAESP provide the administrative and instructional leadership for elementary
and middle schools throughout the U.S., Canada, and overseas.
National Association of Secondary School Principals
http://www.nassp.org/
NASSP represents middle level and high school principals from across the country. The NASSP
website provides news, research, awards, publications, and conference information.
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/grade_configuration.cfm (7 of 8) [6/12/2004 4:53:53 PM]
NCEF Resource List: Grade Configuration
National Middle School Association
http://www.nmsa.org/
NMSA is dedicated to improving the educational experiences of young adolescents by providing a
variety of programs, services, and products.
Educational Specifications
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/ed_specifications.cfm
(National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC)
NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles that define and provide examples of
educational specifications, the programmatic, functional, spatial, and environmental requirements of an
educational facility.
School Facilities Planning -- Overview
http://www.edfacilities.org/rl/edfacilities_planningII.cfm
(National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Washington, DC)
NCEF's resource list of links, books, and journal articles on planning educational buildings and grounds.
at the National Institute of Building Sciences
1090 Vermont Ave., NW Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20005
Toll free: 888-552-0624 · 202-289-7800 · www.edfacilities.org
Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education
updated: March 27, 2004
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Grade Configuration
Study Committee
Final Report
November 1, 2001
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Table of Contents
1
Introduction
Executive Summary
2
Research Component
Subcommittee Report
5
Educational Programs/Curriculum
Subcommittee Report
9
Experience of Other Communities
Subcommittee Report
12
Transportation
Subcommittee Report
17
Enrollment and Facilities
Subcommittee Report
21
Configuration Option Tables
24
Addenda
1. Committee Members
28
2. Contributed Report on Grade-Span
29
3. Experience of Other Communities
Summary Table
32
4. Transportation Information
From Other Communities
-1-
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Introduction
The Grade Configuration Study Committee (The Committee) was charged by the Superintendent with
producing an informational report, not a recommendation. The School Committee will use this report,
among other tools and sources of information, to make its decision on the future grade configuration of
Hopkinton’s elementary schools.
Members of the Committee included the principals of the three existing elementary schools, two School
Council or HPTA members from each school, two teachers from each school and two at-large community
members (see Addendum #1). The Committee’s specific charge was to gather and assimilate information
about the effects of various grade configurations on the following areas: educational research, educational
programming, facilities and physical plant, enrollments, state and regional trends, and, community
impacts.
To accomplish this task, the Committee divided into five sub-committees:
• Research – To review the current research available on grade configuration and report on findings
• Educational Programs/Curriculum – To study and report on how educational goals and
curriculum are affected by different grade configurations
• Experience of other Communities – To learn which neighboring communities have considered
changes to grade configuration, what factors have driven these considerations, and what were the
outcomes
• Transportation – To study and report the relationships between grade configuration and student
transportation (busing) and collect data from the experience of neighboring communities
• Enrollment and Facilities – To study Hopkinton’s current school buildings and their capacities,
the needed capacity of a new elementary school, the projected student enrollments for Pre-K to
grade 5 through the year 2012, and to examine to what extent building capacities and projected
enrollments limit or allow different grade configuration scenarios.
Methodologies
Each subcommittee examined its specific task and devised strategies to obtain information and analyze
the issues. Each subcommittee used different tools and approaches. The subcommittees designed
interviews, data matrices and surveys, did library research, interviewed experts, and held extensive
discussions on their own members’ values regarding the emerging issues. Some used the telephone
extensively to interview representatives of other school districts. One subcommittee surveyed Hopkinton
teachers and staff using a written survey. The Committee met weekly to provide cross-fertilization of
ideas and to get a sense of how the findings of each group should influence the work or conclusions of
other groups. Subcommittee work was undertaken, for the most part, between the full Committee
meetings.
The Committee offers a report that is the work of the whole, but allows each subcommittee to speak in its
own voice. The report of each subcommittee has been influenced and reviewed by every member of the
Committee. Each report has been edited only slightly to provide a degree of consistency, in the interest of
readability.
-2-
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Executive Summary
For the purposes of this report, the Committee must define two terms:
•
•
“grade level schools” refers to schools where the grade span is shorter or contains all the students
from one grade in one school
“district schools” refers to schools where there are longer grade spans in a school and where
students in a single grade are divided among different schools.
The research and the data collected for this report support the following conclusions:
1. Hopkinton must build a new elementary school. The current facilities cannot support the
projected enrollment.
2. The present grade configuration must change. The projected enrollment and current facilities will
not support the current configuration. It is not possible to design a fourth elementary school that
allows Hopkinton to continue its present grade configuration.
3. Grade configuration may be forced by enrollment numbers, rather than by a choice of philosophy
or belief in the superiority of one model over another. Based on the size of current facilities and,
in most scenarios, with a proposed new facility, this report shows eight scenarios calculating
projected enrollment and available classroom space. All viable options required some sort of
districting.
4. The experience of neighboring towns shows that grade configuration decisions are influenced by
a community’s history, values, facilities and budget considerations. The most universal value
among Hopkinton residents is the desire for parity and equity among its schools. Research and the
experience of other communities demonstrates that school systems that move to a districting
concept must pay close attention to providing equity in facilities, materials and staffing. The need
to provide equitable physical facilities may require costly improvements.
5. Research suggests that increasing the number of transitions between schools, with fewer as
opposed to more grades per school, leads to a decrease in student achievement during those
transition years.
6. Smaller schools (fewer students per school) may lead to an increase in achievement.
7. Grade level schools may provide more opportunities for activities that contribute to curriculum
consistency. District schools with longer grade spans can strengthen a school system’s vertical
articulation of the curriculum and provide more opportunity for positive interactions between
students of different ages both curricular and outside of the classroom. If Hopkinton moves to a
district system of any sort, the school system will need to determine a way to ensure curriculum
consistency within each grade. Several options for doing this exist and are in use in other
communities.
8. A districting approach may encourage both negative and positive competition between schools.
Districting may create or encourage unhealthy competition that leads to striving for superficial
educational goals and trivial comparisons and distinctions. Competition can be constructive when
it results in increased accountability for progress and outcomes for all students.
-3-
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
9. While exact numbers cannot be derived, experts and those with experience believe that district
schools reduce the length of time students ride school buses. For Hopkinton, this may depend on
the location of the new school. Decisions concerning grade configuration should not be driven by
transportation costs, as the impact will likely be minimal. Moving in the direction of districting
may allow Hopkinton to reduce average ride time and eliminate its elementary double drop.
10. Moving in a districting direction to any degree will likely require increases in the school budget
to support the balancing of materials and resources. Increased curriculum support, as suggested
by some other communities that have had increased “districting”, may require additional
personnel or resources that add cost. Professional development and scheduling teacher meeting
time may be more cumbersome and costly.
11. Any transition or change from the current system should be completed with as much community
involvement as possible. This would include parents, teachers, community members and the
HPTA.
Conclusion
Arguments for either a districting approach or grade level approach can be supported with valid evidence.
The conclusion of the full Committee on the general question is what the Educational
Programs/Curriculum subcommittee concluded in its section. In either the grade level or district model,
the town of Hopkinton will be able to provide quality educational programs/curriculum for its children.
The Committee recognizes, however, that the current configuration cannot be maintained in its present
form because of limitations imposed by building design, capacity and projected enrollments. In looking at
the evidence, the question becomes not “Should we go to a districting approach?”, but “What form should
districting take?.” In discussing whether we should have K-5 or K-2 and 3-5 schools or some other
combination of grades, we recognize that the choices may be driven by what fits or what works. This will
depend on design options for the new elementary school and allowable changes to existing facilities.
Finally, whatever the final determination on grade spans in the schools, the school system will benefit
from a careful examination of the positive qualities of the district model and the positive qualities of the
grade level model. Whether the plan is to maximize grade span, or minimize it, we can work to ensure
that the best qualities of the other model are injected to the extent possible. We hope that this is
recognized by the reader as each section will present information that can support this conclusion and
suggest ideas for the transition.
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November 1, 2001
Research Component Subcommittee Report
(Also see Addendum #2)
Introduction
The search for definitive research supporting a specific elementary grade span configuration was
inconclusive. The majority of grade-span research focused on the placement/value of the middle school
grades. We did, however, review various studies on the issues surrounding the grade configuration
question. The topics outlined below were representative of what this committee felt to be integral
components to finding the best grade span configuration for Hopkinton’s students. The research
committee framed the question from the point of view of finding the best learning environment for the
community of students, teachers, and parents in the elementary grades (K-5).
In addition to the research committees’ report, attached is an independent summary of grade span
configuration research. This report was prepared by Teresa Schiffman. Dr. Schiffman is a Hopkinton
parent of a middle school child and infant. She is also an educational consultant.
Executive Summary
Grade configurations that present the best learning environment for students should be based on the
knowledge that:
• Children fare better with fewer transitions.
• Accountability is greater in schools when standardized testing takes place within that school.
• Small schools with a greater number of grades foster a positive, supportive learning community.
• Communities where a common school mission is held by parents and teachers are more powerful
learning communities.
• Larger schools are more cost efficient.
• Small class sizes with demographic and academic diversity need to be maintained.
Outline
1. Child Development
• Transitions
• Social Learning
• School size
2. Accountability
• Testing
• Student Outcomes
3. Community
• Divisions
• Teacher Input
• Parental Input
• Economics
4. Equity
• Facilities
• Resources
• Talent
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Child Development
Transition and school size have an effect on academic achievement, behavior, and the comfort level of the
student.
The Alspaugh 1995 study on the effects of school grade-level organization on student achievement
concluded “that a decline in achievement during the transition year can be expected for all grade spans
studied as the schools convert from self contained classrooms.” The study used five school groups with
K-4, K-5, K-6, K-7, and K-8 grade-level organizations. Time involved in orientation to new people and
surroundings cuts into teaching time. The lack of continuity lessens a child’s sense of community,
stability, comfort-level and prohibits strong bonds between students and teachers. Communication across
grades is disrupted requiring educators to spend additional time assessing individual strengths and
weaknesses. This is especially true in the planning and facilitating of an IEP.
There is a significant amount of research on school size. Most conclude that smaller schools enable a
greater sense of belonging, less alienation, and better interpersonal relations among teachers and students
(Cotton, 1996). Small schools foster a caring and inclusive environment. Cotton (1996) reported that the
recommended school size is 300-400 for elementary students but did not state the research on which this
number is based or the grade-levels comprising this number.
How students are grouped for purposes of instruction is a major component when restructuring the
configuration of schools because learning is a social, as well as individual, process (Deason, 2000). Social
learning is facilitated when exposed to the behavior of both older students and adults. Schools with many
age levels will have more opportunities for cross-age activities and may sustain parental involvement in
the upper grades. Teacher acceptance for the responsibility of achievement across grade levels triggers the
issues of accountability.
Accountability
Tucker & Andrada (1997) found that performance on standardized tests was higher when schools were
held accountable by studying the achievement of sixth graders. By comparing the achievements of sixth
graders who attended a K-5, K-6 and K-8 schools they found -- schools that were expected to be held
accountable for sixth grade test scores produced higher achieving sixth graders. The benefits of single
grade level schools include better collaboration among educators, greater grade-level planning ability and
mentoring opportunities. However, if these single grade schools are feeder schools for standardized
testing they are less likely to take responsibility for the outcome of testing.
Professor Polly Ulichny of Brown University states that a collaborative environment, small community,
and a faculty created school will bring out the best of teacher abilities. This, in turn, will yield a greater
investment in accountability. It was also her experience that a smaller school takes responsibility for all
students leading to a more powerful learning community. Such communities require professional
development, as well as a common school mission and vision shared by teachers and parents. A common
school mission is vitally important to building a sense of community.
The essence of the community of Hopkinton is a pivotal factor in the quest for the best grade span
configuration for this town.
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Community
History serves as research. Renchler (2000) states, “the dearth of empirical research stems from the fact
that grade configuration is to some degree out of the hands of administrators who run the schools. The
exigencies of geographic locations, student populations, limited finances and community preferences
among other factors often dictate the grade spans within a school.”
Hopkinton faced the question of level-grades or neighborhood schools during the design of Hopkins. The
issue was emotional and the gut reaction was that neighborhood schools would divide the town.
Hopkinton teachers have benefited from ready access to grade level common planning but at the same
time have been questioning the strength of the school system’s vertical articulation of the curriculum.
The town values commonality in school mission and vision and has high academic expectations. The
town would not want to sacrifice horizontal commonality for vertical continuity. Westwood, a
neighboring community that switched from grade level schools to district schools, found that with the
incorporation of cross school curriculum specialists such as a reading specialist, a math/science specialist
both horizontal and vertical articulation of the curriculum were equally successful.
The existence of Hopkinton’s town wide school board and town wide parent/teacher organization
supports the community’s preference for equity. The involvement of both teachers and parents in
understanding what it is that makes the best learning environment is important. Their ownership of a
common school mission is crucial in avoiding a divided community. Vann (1993), writing on the
experience of reorganizing from a K-5 to K-2, 3-5, found that forming a broad based advisory committee
is a key factor to a smooth reorganization. Children, he found, adapted more easily to change than adults.
Keeping a town wide school board and PTA may ease the discomfort of any change for the town and help
to ensure equity.
The issue of community within each school is strongly supported by parents and teachers alike. Teacher
common planning, school wide meetings, end of year picnics, school songs, mascots, t-shirts are but a
few examples of this support. However, as grade enrollment size in Hopkinton has increased, this sense of
community is threatened. Children in the same grade, in the same school, may never see each other
because they are in different lunches, different recesses, and different physical sections of the building.
The Hopkinton community is also conscious of the economic impact of school budgets and construction
costs. While the need to construct a new school and renovate existing schools is a given, the cost of
construction is dependant on each school’s designated use. Construction costs can’t be compared without
looking at a multitude of building scenarios. School budgets will also vary depending upon grade
configuration. Hopkinton must consider the additional staffing and resource needs of district-type schools
as well as transportation costs. The research on cost effectiveness of schools (Bickel 2000) found that
districts with fewer schools and more grades per school spent less per student. The most cost effective
was the one district with one school building. Given that is not an option, the question of equity of
facilities, resources, and talent arose.
Equity
Current configurations provide that each student attend every school the town has to offer. Libraries,
teaching resources, and talent pools remain intact. It is easier to maintain demographic and academic
diversity in the classroom with grade level schools. District schools will have to take into account the
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need to maintain diversity, an even distribution of teaching styles and experience, and bringing all
facilities to an even par with regard to physical comfort and support spaces. Small class size has
repeatedly been ranked as a high priority for parents, teachers, and administrators in Hopkinton. The task
will be to provide the right combination of grade span and population per grade that will provide both
diversity within a smaller classroom and the benefits of a longer grade span. There is no research or
literature on this topic other than the town’s historic commitment to commonality and perceived need for
equity.
References:
Alspaugh, J. W. & Harting, R. D. (1995) Transition Effects of School Grade-level Organization on Student
Achievement. Journal of Research and Development in Education 28(3) 145-149
Bicknel, R.; Howley, C.; Williams, T.; Glascock, C. (2000) Will the Real “Texas Miracle in Education” Please
Stand Up? Grade Span Configuration, Achievement, and Expenditure per Pupil. research report EDRS
Cotton, K (1996) School Size, School Climate, and Student Performance. Close-up #20. Portland, OR: Northwest
Regional Educational Laboratory.
Deason, R. (2000) Configuration: Impact on Achievement and Attendance. Bell & Howard Information and
Learning MI, UMI 9993923
Paglin, C and Fagir, J (1997) Grade Configuration: Who Goes Where? Northeast Regional Educational
Laboratory, Office of Education Research (OERI), Department of Education
Renchler, R. (2000) Grade Span. Research Roundup National Association of Elementary School Principals 16 (3)
1-4
Tucker, C. G. & Andrada, G. N. Accountability Works: Analysis of Performance by Grade Span of School.
Research paper. ERIC Document Reproduction Service VA
Ulichny, Polly, Ed.D. Brown University, Professor of Elementary Education, Interview, October 2000.
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Educational Programs/Curriculum Subcommittee Report
Introduction
The subcommittee collected most of its information from members of the Hopkinton school community
and worked with relatively soft, but not less important data. [What makes it important? It’s strictly
subjective and based upon emotions and passion.] The subcommittee organized its findings under five
categories:
• Student Developmental Needs
• Curriculum Consistency Among/Across Schools
• Achieving Heterogeneous Communities of Students and Faculty
• Professional Development/Professional Collegiality
• Budget Implications
Within these categories, the subcommittee has summarized the pros and cons of both grade level schools
(much like we have now) and district schools (wider grade span), as perceived by a cross section of the
community.
Student Developmental Needs
There is limited evidence of improved student performance with either grade level schools or district
schools. For each report showing preference toward one model, there appears to be a competing opinion
in favor of the other.
Experts seem to agree that more frequent transitions between school buildings have a negative impact on
learning. Students who attend grade level schools, because of the number of transitions they make, spend
more time getting acquainted with physical infrastructure and navigating through the changes in
teacher/administrative personnel than students who attend district schools. Anecdotal evidence suggests
that communities with district schools find that students perform better academically.
Curriculum Consistency Among/Across Schools
Hopkinton’s current grade configuration model allows for frequent discussion and planning among
teachers in the same grade regarding curriculum standards, materials, and instructional approaches. The
current common planning meetings are the formal structure provided; however the informal, daily
interactions are also invaluable. Teachers see great advantages in the current model. They perceive that
this model ensures that all students are exposed to the same content and skills. Teachers also feel that the
grade level approach allows for high quality mentoring of pre-professional teachers and offers these
teachers a rich and varied collection of teaching styles and approaches. With grade level schools,
professional development of an entire grade level can occur at common planning meetings (during early
release time), or after school as all teachers at the grade level are on the same schedule.
On the other hand, the grade level model also has limitations, including a lack of discussion among multigrade teachers and a lack of awareness of the scope and vertical progression of a curriculum as it moves
across the K-5 grades. As our system grows to having 14 classes in a single grade, the traditional richness
of intra-grade discussion and planning becomes challenging as the common planning meetings become
larger or not even possible.
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Enrichment programs, funded by the HPTA, but tied directly to the curriculum, are currently provided for
the entire grade level. With district schools the HPTA would need to determine how to efficiently provide
and fund similar programs across two, three, or four schools.
There are positive outcomes of moving to district schools of longer grade spans. More attention to K-5
curriculum planning would expose students to potentially more seamless academic transitions from year
to year. Some evidence indicates better academic performance with fewer school transitions (see research
section). Teachers would also get to know the students over time and be better able to meet their needs.
With district schools, school schedules would need to be similar enough to allow for early release and
after-school grade level meetings. Most important would be curriculum leader positions that would work
across schools to ensure consistency of curriculum across and within grade levels, particularly in the
implementation of new programs. The materials and equipment unique to a grade level that we currently
have would need to be divided across the schools and, in some cases, there would be a need to purchase
duplicate materials.
Regarding independence and individuality, there is value in whole school communities articulating
particular strengths, talents, personalities, and academic expectations. With district schools, there is
opportunity for faculties to build programs that extend over multiple years. Cross-grade academic projects
would be possible and would offer a more flexible range of academic opportunities.
Achieving Heterogeneous Communities of Students and Faculty
How do we most effectively achieve heterogeneous school communities throughout our school system
using either the grade level or district school model?
If we were to go the way of the district school, we could be creating competitive schools within the same
system. Arguments could be made of perceived inequities between the district schools, especially with
regard to socioeconomic representation, physical facilities, parent involvement, and HPTA funding.
In grade level schools, students would experience a similar set of factors. As they move through the
school system together, they would share common resources, experiences, and facilities, so there would
be fewer issues related inequity and lack of socioeconomic balance.
To achieve a balanced faculty in district schools, a negotiated procedure would need to be established
when assigning teachers.
The main point of concern would be establishing balanced districts with enough variance built in to
prevent re-districting. This was a major concern among our respondents.
Professional Development/Professional Collegiality
Currently teachers access professional development in the following structures: faculty meetings; grade
level common planning meetings during early release time and during the school day; in-district
courses/workshops held after school; in outside courses; and informally throughout the day. With our
current grade level schools, there are many opportunities for professional development that are targeted at
a single grade level. Mentoring of teachers, one of our district’s professional development goals, is a
natural occurrence with many colleagues available at the same grade level within one school. With grade
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level schools, however, professional development opportunities across-grades are more limited because of
the multiple school schedules and minimal opportunities for department/content area meetings.
District schools would provide easier and more time for cross-grade professional development, however it
could require the need to replicate these programs across the different elementary schools. Workshops
aimed at a particular grade level would have to be repeated if school schedules were not similar. If early
release times could be the same, there would be many opportunities for cross-school professional
development. Some respondents thought that district schools with larger grade spans might even raise
new forums/topics for professional development leading to new educational programs, e.g. looping,
multi-age classrooms. Collegial discussions covering academic expectations along a wider grade span
would broaden teacher’s understanding of the learning sequence for students and an appreciation for what
others teach.
Budgetary Implications
Maintaining grade level schools to the extent possible, would minimize budget increases related to
balancing resources and needed changes to ensure parity of facilities and resources.
Equity among facilities is a major concern in the community, especially the differences between older and
newer facilities. The process of dividing into district schools would have initial costs to replicate grade
level materials and equipment. Library collections would need to be divided among the schools and then
filled out. The most significant cost would be the personnel costs of curriculum specialists in
reading/language arts, math, science and social studies who would work across the elementary schools.
There may also be a need to increase the number of specialists in order to prevent having specialists who
must travel between buildings to service students. Finally, if it was determined that increased
professional development time/meeting time was necessary to bring together teachers by grade level or
department/discipline, then there could be contractual salary increases for teachers, e.g. increased number
of professional development days, weekly meetings after school, etc.
Conclusion
In either the grade level or district school model, the town of Hopkinton will be able to provide quality
educational programs/curriculum for its children. There will need to be adjustments and accommodations
made for either scenario. Identifying the concerns for the selected model will help us target those problem
areas and take an active approach to mitigating them.
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Experience of Other Communities Subcommittee Report
(see Addendum #3)
Executive Summary
In summary, eight of the fourteen school systems contacted by the subcommittee have neighborhood
schools with at least five grades in each building. Three of the systems have grade level schools similar
to Hopkinton’s configuration. One district, Westboro, has a blended configuration with K-3 in
neighborhood schools and grades 4-6 in a large town wide school.
The majority of districts with K-5 schools perceived their schools as reflecting a strong neighborhood
tradition in their town. Many of these systems also stated that they believe that broader grade spans are
preferable educationally. Westwood has very recently changed to a K-5 configuration to decrease the
number of transitions the students must experience and to promote a neighborhood culture and family feel
within the school district.
Four districts that we interviewed have a grade level configuration, three of which came about due to
community opinion and building availability. Two of them arrived at this configuration to mitigate
concerns about equity.
Several of the neighborhood-based districts have either redistricted recently or are in the process of it. In
each case, the redistricting was brought about by school construction. Each district views redistricting as
a hot topic and is dealing with it via a parent/educator task force.
There are a variety of approaches to maintaining curriculum consistency. Many of the districts have
district wide grade level meetings two times per month to four times per year. A few districts mentioned
having district or building-based curriculum specialists to implement the curriculum across schools. A
couple of schools had designated team leaders at each grade level to facilitate communication among their
colleagues in other schools as well as with the principal and curriculum director. Each district that we
spoke to has a “Director of Curriculum and Instruction” and places a high value on developing and
maintaining consistency. The districts that have a grade level configuration feel that grade level
consistency is easier to implement with all of the teachers in the same building. On the other hand,
communities with district schools also felt that they were also able to maintain a strong core curriculum
throughout the grade level.
At least some of the districts mentioned formalized planning to assure that curriculum flows from grade
to grade. Among the methods mentioned were district centers, cross grade meetings on a routine basis,
curriculum specialists, and curriculum review cycles.
Cross grade interaction of students was easily implemented in the K-5 schools. In two instances in the
grade level schools, the close proximity of either an upper grade elementary school or a secondary school
allowed for older students to work with younger students (i.e.; reading buddies, pen pals, project help).
Step-up days were the primary way neighborhood as well as grade cluster schools prepared students to
transition to higher grades and different schools.
Equity was not an issue in the grade level schools but was an issue in a minority of neighborhood schools.
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The data collected from our survey is included in the following text and in Addendum #3. We included
the text that follows in order to allow the reader to examine the survey summaries directly, after reading
what we excerpted as the key findings and to reveal a fuller context of the interviews. Addendum #3
presents additional information in a format that provides district comparisons on key features.
ACTON
Acton has a unique tradition in their elementary education. Families can choose which of the five K-6
schools they want their children to attend. The district values and encourages autonomy among the
schools and each has its unique style. There is an Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and
Instruction who is charged with balancing this school autonomy with consistency. District-wide grade
level teacher meetings occur regularly. Schools are viewed as having similar resources. Logistically,
they have two bus runs for elementary schools, which cover the whole town and make multiple drops to
the schools. Each year the schools swap their start-times so the ones that start earlier one year then start
later the next year, etc.
ASHLAND
Ashland has had three elementary schools since 1997 which are configured Pre K-K, 1-3, and 4-6. This
configuration was established at the time due to building availability (a new Middle School addition had
just been completed at the High School). Due to increasing enrollment, Ashland has also been
considering building a new high school and changing the configuration of their schools with the building
of this new school. A needs committee was established, made up of school council members, parents,
and educators. A survey was sent to all parents and they overwhelmingly wanted to keep the grade
cluster configuration due to a distant problem with equity in neighborhood schools. When the new HS is
built the elementary configuration will be Pre K-K, 1-2, and 3-5. Ashland currently has options for
students’ education at the 4-6 level. They have a multiage neighborhood (1/3 grade 4, 5, & 6) who has
the same teachers for three years, a grade self-contained program, and a pilot program with a 2 year
looping group where two fourth grade teachers have students for two years. Parents have a choice of
program. Curriculum consistency is maintained via grade level team meetings and by cross grade-level
meetings via representatives. Transitions are dealt with via step-up days.
DEDHAM
Dedham is a neighborhood-oriented town that has not experienced significant growth because it is builtout. Its four 1-5 schools have existed for years and are seen as positive, integral parts of their
neighborhoods, with most students walking to school. Curriculum consistency and webbing grade to
grade comes about through the Curriculum Director and grade-level team leaders. These are classroom
teachers who have additional responsibility to facilitate cross-school and cross-grade meetings on a
monthly basis. Their schools also share resources through a district-wide Science Center and Literacy
Center, where instructional materials are kept and shared. Their PTO’s are unifying across the district.
DOVER
The town of Dover is regionalized with Sherborn for grades 6-12. Due to the small populace of the
community there is only one elementary school that houses grades K-5 (576 students). The only changes
in configuration occurred several years ago when enrollment growth forced grade 6 out of the elementary
school and into the regionalized school.
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FRANKLIN
Franklin, a much larger community than Hopkinton has five elementary schools. One building has PreK5 while the remaining four buildings hold grades K-5. There are district curricula and system wide
professional development and training to insure curriculum consistency throughout the buildings.
HARVARD
Another smaller community is Harvard that has a total K-12 enrollment of 1,169. The town has two
schools and they are divided into K-6 and 7-12.
HOLLISTON
A town of comparable population, Holliston has a unique situation that incorporates the advantages of
both grade cluster and longer grade span schools. There are two elementary schools which are connected
by a shared cafetorium. The new building holds PreK-2 (853 students), while the adjacent renovated
building has grades 3-5 (700 students). Until three years ago they were clustered as Pre K and K in a no
longer used school and grades 1-3 in the now renovated school. The current plan creates open
opportunities for teacher planning, sharing of materials and curriculum consistency, as well as
possibilities for cross-grade and inter-grade exchanges and programs. It is important to note that although
there are the benefits of both grade and district schools, students in Grades K-2 attend school at different
times than those in grades 3-5. Busing times are still an issue.
MEDFIELD
The Medfield school system is very similar to Hopkinton. Medfield has three grade cluster elementary
schools with K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 grade spans. During the last five years, elementary school configuration
has been examined on two occasions due to increasing enrollment. They looked at forming two K-5
schools, two K-4 schools, and one K-2 and one 3-5 school. Across the board teachers and parents voted
to keep the configuration the same because: “Medfield is a small town with a history of problems with
different configurations”. Curriculum consistency is maintained with grade level meetings (all teachers
per grade level) two times per month. Teachers at different grade levels meet periodically, especially at
all day in-service training sessions (time is provided for K-5 teachers to meet and discuss curriculum
maps). Each grade leader meets with the principal and curriculum director regularly. Due to the fact that
the K-1 school is physically close to the 4-5 school, students at different grade levels have an opportunity
to work together. The elementary start times are 8:30AM for K-1 and 4-5 (same campus) and 9:10AM
for grades 2-3.
METHUEN
Methuen is a much larger community than Hopkinton with a diverse population as well as landscape
(city, suburbs, agriculture). For the past three years, Methuen has had four K-8 (full day K) “Grammar
Schools”. This configuration came about due to educational philosophy (to decrease transitioning) and
because of the 11 year positive experience they had had with the K-8 Comprehensive Grammar School
(CGS) that housed the bilingual program. The CGS over a short period of time developed a
neighborhood feel/culture with increased parental/community involvement and satisfaction. Based on
this positive experience, Methuen converted its K-4 and 5-8 schools to K-8 neighborhood schools. Each
school has K-4 and 5-8 houses within them that share media and communications but have all other areas
(gym, music, cafeteria, library etc.) separate. There are about six grade levels at each school and bilingual
programs in two schools. There is no school choice. Redistricting was done via a large committee
consisting of parents, school council members, and educators. Curriculum consistency is maintained via
grade level meetings four times per year. Transitioning is minimal in this system. Resources are viewed
as similar since all 4 schools have been completely renovated in the past several years.
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NATICK
Natick’s five K-4 schools are neighborhood-based. Their configuration is also based on educational
philosophy favoring longer grade spans, including in middle high (which is 5-8 in Natick). Their schools
are viewed as different, but not better or worse. Their one very old school is viewed a “gem” , having
recently won the Blue Medal designation. Curriculum consistency is highly valued. Curriculum review
and implementation is cross-district and crosses all grades, K-12. District-wide performance assessments
are used as a tool to be sure all children arrive at Middle School with the same preparation. Grade-wide
teacher meetings occur four times per year on early release days. They are currently redistricting because
of a school construction project. A parent/educator committee is addressing it.
NEEDHAM
In Needham, a much larger community than ours, there are five elementary schools. Each school houses
grades K-5 with the enrollments ranging from 256 to 649, and two to five sections of a grade per school.
They have traditionally been configured this way and it meets with their educational philosophy. To
accommodate communication across grade levels and insure consistency in curriculum the system
provides district wide training by grade level.
NORTHBORO
Northboro is another community that is similar to Hopkinton in regards to number of students per grade
level. Northboro has always had neighborhood schools which are geographically based. Until four years
ago, they had three K-4 schools and then due to enrollment increases, a previously closed school was
renovated so that Northboro now has four K-5 schools, two of which have full day K (lottery determined).
Two of the schools have been recently renovated and are state of the art, two are older. This
configuration has continued due to tradition, space issues, and the neighborhood culture which is well
received in Northboro. No redistricting has taken place since the fourth school was opened. Curriculum
consistency is maintained via monthly grade level meetings, cross grade level meeting two times per year,
and by a curriculum study team at each grade level. Children attending full day K may have to transition
to their neighborhood school, otherwise transition occurs after 5th grade. Due to the fact that two of the
schools are considered “state of the art” and two are older, the schools are not viewed as having similar
resources by everyone. Two elementary schools start at 8:30AM and two start at 9AM.
SOUTHBORO
The school system in Southboro is slightly smaller than the school system in Hopkinton. Southboro
currently has two elementary schools, a K-2 school and a 3-5 school however, due to enrollment
increases, as of 2003 they will have three elementary schools configured K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 (and addition
is underway to an existing school). This configuration was decided on due to community opinion. The
community was not in favor of neighborhood schools due to a distant history of a north/south (Rte. 9)
division in the town and problems with equity. Curriculum consistency is maintained at grade level via
two teams. Each team meets separately every week and then a sub team of these two teams meets. Cross
grade level meetings occur every Monday. Communication across grade level was felt to be superior
with the current configuration. Transitions were dealt with via step-up days. Since the middle school is
in close proximity to the K-1 school, interaction of students across grade level can be conducted.
WALPOLE
Walpole’s school population is slightly larger than Hopkinton’s at the K level but
increases as it goes up the grades. They have one Pre K-K school and three 1-5 buildings.
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WAYLAND
Wayland, a school system with a similar number of students as Hopkinton has three K-5 elementary
schools. The schools are geographically based and have 400-600 students in them and occasionally
district lines have been changed (every 10 years) over the years due to changing enrollments. There is no
school choice in Wayland. The configuration has remained this way due to tradition. Curriculum
consistency is maintained via two elementary curriculum specialists who coordinate the curriculum across
the grade level (one reading/language arts and one math/science). Each school has its own PE, art and
music staff, elementary strings instructor and band instructor is shared. Speech, PT and Special Ed.
services are shared by a maximum of two schools. Wayland bus times for elementary schools are
8:45AM.
WELLESLEY
Wellesley has a long-standing tradition of neighborhood schools. All schools have about 240-320
students. When they were planning their seventh elementary school, brief thought was given to making it
a district-wide upper elementary school. There was strong consensus to stay with neighborhood K-5
schools. Their strong core curriculum is kept consistent across these schools through monthly crossdistrict grade-level meetings and through four curriculum specialists (literacy, math, science, and
technology). They have several multiage classrooms among their schools. Because of the small size of
their schools, professional resources are routinely shared (fine arts, PE, SPED and other services).
Although their schools are of differing ages, they are viewed as having similar resources, with the older
schools seen as “charming.” The schools are viewed as reflecting the neighborhoods and areas that
already exist in this relatively densely populated town. They are currently redistricting with the addition
of a school, for the first time in ten years.
WESTBORO
Westboro has a balance between neighborhood schools and a popular desire to bring all the students in
town together before Middle High. In Fall 2002, they will have three neighborhood-based Pre-K-3
schools and a new, 1100-student grade 4-6 school. They will have one school with 2-3 sections per grade
and two with 4-6 sections per grade. They strongly considered configuring as five K-5’s, but town
opinion swayed the School Committee to the current plan. This is partly driven by a perceived
socioeconomic and resource difference among the elementary schools and a desire to pull all kids to one
school (4-6) before the end of elementary to mitigate that difference. They have reconfigured grades
often as the town has grown and changed in demographics. Curriculum consistency is facilitated by
building-based curriculum specialists, who meet 2-3 times per week. They are classroom teachers, who
rotate through this position on a 2-3 year rotation. They are active in the classroom through team
teaching and modeling lessons. They typically have some looping or multi-grade classrooms.
WESTWOOD
Westwood is a community that has recently reconfigured their system due to enrollment growth but based
on educational philosophy. In September, 2001 the town changed from grade cluster schools to five K-5
schools. To provide consistency in grade level curriculum there are monthly common planning meetings.
They feel that this reconfiguration process allowed them to look at all programs from the ground up and
has given them the opportunity for vertical transmission of ideas and communication
- 16 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Transportation Subcommittee Report
(see Addendum #4)
Executive Summary
The Transportation sub-committee was charged with researching the effects various grade configurations
might have on transportation time and costs. The three basic concerns are:
1. What grade configuration system offers the most economical transportation system?
2. What grade configuration system leads to the least amount of time spent riding buses?
3. What grade configuration system offers the greatest advantages for school start and stop times?
In researching numbers gleaned from other school systems, the transportation sub-committee could not
reach any definitive quantitative conclusions. In juggling Hopkinton’s numbers, however, the committee
did uncover some interesting facts. It appears that no matter how one juggles the grade span, two runs
will be needed to transport elementary students to school, based upon an enrollment of 1800 students.
This would mean staggered start times for the schools.
In speaking with other school systems and with experts, the committee did find anecdotal evidence that
grade configurations supporting a longer grade span in each school or school districts did save some costs
and did lead to students riding the buses for shorter periods of time.
In a districting scenario, whether the decision is to divide the town in two, three or four sections, the
travel time of the buses would be reduced as each bus would make fewer starts and stops and each bus
would travel fewer miles.
Information Obtained (see Addendum #4)
In trying to determine the effects of different grade span configurations, the sub-committee placed calls to
29 different communities. Some were members of the TEC Collaborative and others were high growth or
neighboring communities.
We asked the following:
How many students do you have in grades K-5?
How many elementary schools?
Are they district schools or grade level?
How many miles of road do your buses cover or what is the square mileage of your town?
How many children, on average, does each bus carry?
How long, on average, is each bus ride?
Do you lease or own buses?
What is your yearly cost per bus?
How many buses?
How many runs?
How many students walk to school?
What are your start and end times for school?
Do start and end times vary among elementary schools within your town?
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Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
From these questions, we intended to gain answers to questions such as:
• If a town has district schools or grade level schools does that affect the start time and whether or
not the start times stagger and by how much?
• Would district or grade level schools require more or fewer buses?
• How might district or grade level schools affect the cost of buses?
• Do the number of schools affect the start times?
What we discovered was that each town has a unique situation that is affected by all of these factors. In a
town that has a large geographical area, students spend longer time on the bus. Whether or not all the
schools start at the same time or stagger, depends upon how many buses the system is willing to pay for
and how many walkers the town allows.
For Hopkinton, the numbers proved that the town is different from others. There are towns that are close
to our situation, but none that could prove to be a role model. The combined experience of other towns,
however, does offer some anecdotal advice for Hopkinton.
Qualitative Data
In speaking with other towns and experts in Hopkinton, we did learn some interesting anecdotal
information worthy of consideration.
Westwood changed from grade level schools to district schools this year. The assistant superintendent of
schools says it does reduce their transportation budget. He also said, however, that now 162 students
walk to one particular school where only one walked before. The School Committee now requires
students to walk who live under a mile from the school, despite the lack of sidewalks. He also said that
they consolidated their bus stops so that children are not necessarily picked up in front of their homes but
at a communal bus stop, sometimes up to one half mile away. These two factors alone may account for
the reduced costs. We cannot isolate whether it was strictly the change in grade spans that affected the
transportation budget.
Some school districts increase the number of buses at their disposal through creative means. In
Wellesley, they have a lottery to win seats on the bus. In Franklin, they simply charge high school
students to ride the bus.
Dover went from two grade level schools to one elementary school for all grades K-5. They found that
this did not reduce the costs, but did reduce the time spent on the bus as the buses picked up more
students at single bus stops.
Medfield went from K-5 district schools to the same grade configuration as Hopkinton. Like Hopkinton,
they also have a double drop between the K-1 school and 4-5 school. With the grade level schools, as
compared to the previously districted k-5 schools, transportation costs were higher and more bus runs
were needed. The total numbers of buses was increased because adding numbers of children to the bus
would have made their ride unacceptably long.
Although Northborough and Southborough share a superintendent and have a regional high school,
Northborough has four K-5 schools, while next year Southborough will have three schools configured as
Hopkinton’s is currently. The geography of the two towns is different as are the desires of the population.
- 18 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Westboro is going through a reorganization of their schools for next year. They will have three schools
for grades K-3 and then one school for grades 4-5. The problem is that they built their new grade 4-5
school near the Grafton border, meaning that children who live on the Southborough side of town will
have a minimum ride of 40-50 minutes.
It was also clear, that much of the busing issues were determined by town history. It is based on how
people have always done it and how well the people of the town accept different ideas.
Hopkinton Numbers
Based on the lack of usable quantitative data and trying to use some of the qualitative responses, the
transportation sub-committee began to review the numbers for Hopkinton. We attempted to determine
what might be feasible.
With four elementary schools, it would be highly unlikely that all of the schools would be able to start
and stop at the same time. Most likely, the elementary schools would require two runs as they do today.
However, with districting, it is thought that the lapse between the two start times could be reduced by 10
minutes because of the shorter travel distance of the buses and the ability to eliminate the double drop.
Recognizing that there is a number of potential options, the following two scenarios serve as examples of
how time could be saved:
Scenario: two schools grades K-2 and two schools grades 3-5
If, for this scenario, the town is divided in half with two K-2 schools starting at the same time and the two
3-5 schools starting at the same, it is believed that the bus ride length would be reduced by 10 to 15
minutes. However, if the recommendation is that Center School can only house 350 students, the new
elementary school would have to be built to house 600.
Scenario: Center School as Pre-K-K and 3 district schools with grades 1-5
The best way to route this would be to have one run for the Kindergarten children and one run for the
three district schools. However, this scenario would require adding three more buses in 2010. On
average, each bus would carry 64 students, based upon 308 students per grade as recommended by Design
Partnership for the year 2010. (By that time, the Middle School and High School might require more than
the current fleet of 21 buses.)
For example, in the year 2004, the NESDEC numbers would look like this:
# of
# of
Grade
Students Buses
Grade K
241
Grades 1 – 5
1432
29 buses @ 50 kids each or 24 buses at 60 kids each
Middle School 853
21 buses @ 40 kids each
High School
866
21 buses @ 40 kids each
These are average numbers per bus. Because of population differences in some neighborhoods, some
buses would require more than 68 or 40 children and others less. Elementary school buses legally hold 72
children.
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Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
In Hopkinton, we generally estimate 45 elementary children per bus because of the geographical area the
buses must cover in a set amount of time. However, if the buses were covering a tighter geographical
area, more children could be put on a bus.
This scenario shows 4 runs: kindergarten, elementary, middle school, and high school.
Further Insights
The number of buses required for the town depends greatly on the number of students for the high
school/middle school run and the area the buses need to cover. Whether Hopkinton stays in a grade level
scenario or district, we still need buses to cover the high school/middle school run.
If the town can be divided into two or three sectors, the travel time on the buses would be reduced and the
need for a double drop would be eliminated.
- 20 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Enrollment and Facilities Subcommittee Report
The Enrollment/Facilities Task Group was asked to explore options for housing various grade
configurations. Our goal was to provide the same number of classrooms per grade level in each building.
All options are based on the following class sizes:
Pre Kindergarten – 15 students per session
Kindergarten and Grade one – 18 students per class
Grades two through five – 22 students per class
The classroom sizes noted are consistent with the NESDEC class sizes. The projected enrollment figure is
308 students per grade level, provided by Design Partnership.
There were innumerable options that could have been considered; eight (8) grade configuration options
were chosen for further investigation. The viability of an option was based upon the current number of
classrooms in use at each building as indicated below:
Center – 20 classrooms
Hopkins – 23 classrooms
Elmwood – 26 classrooms
Although the classroom numbers might differ from the current building inventory, these numbers take
into account space for Developmental Reading, Fine Arts, and Special Education classrooms. It is also
essential to note that the final number of classrooms that will be available at Center School is still
unknown and is pending the final plan for the renovation of the building. All options include full day
kindergarten programs. Option I is the only option that does not include the construction of a new
building, because it represents the current (2001-2002) grade configuration. Following is a list of the eight
(8)options explored with comments regarding their viability.
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Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
OPTIONS FOR GRADE LEVEL CONFIGURATIONS
OPTION ONE:
(current configuration)
Center School: Kindergarten – Grade 1
Elmwood School: Grades 2 – 3
Hopkins School: Grades 4 – 5
This option, with projected enrollments, exceeds the available number of classrooms in the three
elementary schools.
OPTION TWO:
New School/Center School: Pre K, Kindergarten and Grade 1
Elmwood School/Hopkins School: Grades 2 – 5
This option exceeds the classroom space utilized at Hopkins and Elmwood Schools.
OPTION THREE:
New School: Pre K – Grade 5
Center School/Elmwood School/Hopkins School: Grades Kindergarten – 5
This is a viable option that takes into consideration the current classroom space utilized at Center,
Hopkins and Elmwood Schools and includes the construction of a new school building.
OPTION FOUR:
Center School: Pre K and Kindergarten
New School/Elmwood School/Hopkins School: Grades 1 – 5
This is a viable option that takes into consideration the current classroom space utilized at Center,
Hopkins and Elmwood Schools and includes the construction of a new school building.
OPTION FIVE:
New School: Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade 1
Center School: Kindergarten, Grade 1
Elmwood School/Hopkins School: Grades 2 – 5
This option exceeds the classroom space utilized at Elmwood and Hopkins Schools.
- 22 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
OPTION SIX:
New School: Pre K, K, and Grade 1
Center School/Elmwood School/Hopkins School: Grades 1 – 5
This is a viable option that takes into consideration the current classroom space utilized at Center,
Hopkins and Elmwood Schools and includes the construction of a new school building. However, this
option would require ninety Grade 1 students to be assigned to Elmwood, Hopkins, and Center Schools
for grades 2-5. Also, one additional room at Hopkins would need to be reassigned as a classroom.
OPTION SEVEN
New School/Elmwood School: Pre K – Grade 2
Center School/Hopkins School: Grades 3 – 5
This is a viable option that takes into consideration the current classroom space utilized at Center,
Hopkins and Elmwood Schools and includes the construction of a new school building. Also, one
additional room at Hopkins would need to be reassigned as a classroom.
OPTION EIGHT
New School: Pre K – Grade 2
Elmwood: Kindergarten – Grade 2
Hopkins/Center: Grades 3 – 5
This is a viable option that takes into consideration the current classroom space utilized at Center,
Hopkins and Elmwood Schools and includes the construction of a new school building. Also, one
additional room at Hopkins would need to be reassigned as a classroom.
- 23 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
OPTION ONE
Center (K-1)
Elmwood (2-3)
Hopkins (4-5)
*Kindergarten: (full day)
*Grade Two:
Grade Four:
17 rooms @ 8 students
14 rooms @22 students
14 rooms @22 students
306 students
308 students
308 students
*Kindergarten: (1/2 day)
*Grade Three:
*Grade 5:
9 rooms/17sessions @ 18 students
12 rooms @22 students
14 rooms @22 students
306 students
308 students
308 students
*Grade One:
17 rooms @18 students
306 students
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
612 students
616 students
616 students
Projected: 616 students
Projected: 616 students
Projected: 616 students
Rooms Needed 26/34
Rooms Needed 28
Rooms Needed 28
Maximum number of rooms available: Center 20, Elmwood 26, Hopkins 23
OPTION TWO
NEW SCHOOL (PRE K-1)
CENTER (PRE K-1)
HOPKINS (2-5)
ELMWOOD (2-5)
*Pre K: 2 rooms (4 sec.)
*Pre K: 2 rooms (4 sec.)
*Grade Two:
*Grade Two:
ea. section @ 15 students
ea. section @ 15 students
7 rooms @ 22 students
7 rooms @ 22 students
60 students
60 students
154 students
154 students
*Kindergarten:
*Kindergarten:
*Grade Three:
*Grade Three:
9 rooms @ 18 students
8 rooms @ 18 students
7 rooms @ 22 students
7 rooms @ 22 students
162 students
144 students
154 students
154 students
*Grade One:
*Grade One:
*Grade Four:
*Grade Four:
9 rooms @18 students
8 rooms @18 students
7 rooms @ 22 students
7 rooms @ 22 students
162 students
144 students
154 students
154 students
*Grade Five:
*Grade Five:
7 rooms @ 22 students
7 rooms @ 22 students
154 students
154 students
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
384 students
348 students
616 students
616 students
Enrollment (Pre K-1): 732
Projected: 736
Projected: 616 students
Projected: 616 students
Rooms Needed: 20
Rooms Needed: 18
Rooms Needed: 28
Maximum number of rooms available: Center 20, Elmwood 26, Hopkins 23
- 24 -
Rooms Needed: 28
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
OPTION THREE
NEW SCHOOL (PRE K-5)
CENTER (K-5)
HOPKINS (K-5)
ELMWOOD (K-5)
*Pre K 8 sec. @ 15 students
4 rooms: 60 AM/60 PM students
*Kindergarten
5 rooms @ 18 students
90 students
*Kindergarten
*Kindergarten
*Kindergarten
4 rooms @ 18 students
4 rooms @ 18 students
4 rooms @ 18 students
72 students
72 students
72 students
*Grade One:
*Grade One:
*Grade One:
*Grade One:
5 rooms @18 students
4 rooms @18 students
4 rooms @18 students
4 rooms @18 students
90 students
72 students
72 students
72 students
*Grade Two:
*Grade Two:
*Grade Two:
*Grade Two:
4 rooms @22 students
3 rooms @24 students
3 rooms @24 students
3 rooms @24 students
88 students
72 students
72 students
72 students
*Grade Three:
*Grade Three:
*Grade Three:
*Grade Three:
4 rooms @22 students
3 rooms @24 students
3 rooms @24 students
3 rooms @24 students
88 students
72 students
72 students
72 students
*Grade Four:
*Grade Four:
*Grade Four:
*Grade Four:
4 rooms @22 students
3 rooms @24 students
3 rooms @24 students
3 rooms @24 students
88 students
72students
72students
72students
Grade Five:
Grade Five:
Grade Five:
Grade Five:
4 rooms @22 students
3 rooms @24 students
3 rooms @24 students
3 rooms @24 students
88 students
72 students
72 students
72 students
Enrollment: 652 students
Enrollment 432 students
Enrollment: 432 students
Enrollment: 432 students
Total Enrollment (Pre K – 5): 1,948 / Projected Enrollment (Pre K – 5): 1.968
Rooms Needed: 30
Rooms Needed: 20
Rooms Needed: 20
Rooms Needed: 20
Maximum number of rooms available: Center 20, Elmwood 26, Hopkins 23
OPTION FOUR
CENTER (Pre K-K)
NEW SCHOOL (1-5)
*Pre K: 4 rooms (8 sec.)
*Grade One:
ea. section @15 students
6 rooms @18 students
120 students
108 students
*Grade Two:
5 rooms @22 students
110 students
*Kindergarten:
*Grade Three:
17 rooms @18 students
5 rooms @22 students
306 students
110 students
*Grade Four:
5 rooms @22 students
110 students
*Grade Five:
5 rooms @22 students
110 students
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment: 548
426 students
Projected: 428 students
Rooms Needed: 21
Rooms Needed: 26
HOPKINS (1-5)
ELMWOOD (1-5)
*Grade One:
5 rooms @18 students
90 students
*Grade Two:
4 rooms @22 students
88 students
*Grade Three:
4 rooms @22 students
88 students
*Grade Four:
4 rooms @22 students
88 students
*Grade Five:
4 rooms @22 students
88 students
Total Enrollment: 442
*Grade One:
6 rooms @18 students
108 students
*Grade Two:
5 rooms @22 students
110 students
*Grade Three:
5 rooms @22 students
110 students
*Grade Four:
5 rooms @22 students
110 students
*Grade Five:
5 rooms @22 students
110 students
Total Enrollment: 548
Rooms Needed: 21
Rooms Needed: 26
- 25 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
OPTION FIVE
NEW SCHOOL (PRE K-1)
CENTER (K-1)
HOPKINS (2-5)
ELMWOOD (2-5)
*Pre K: 4 rooms (8 sec.)
*Kindergarten
*Grade Two:
*Grade Two:
ea. section @15 students
8 rooms @ 18 students
7 rooms @22 students
7 rooms @22 students
120 students
144 students
154 students
154 students
*Kindergarten
*Grade One:
*Grade Three:
*Grade Three:
9 rooms @ 18 students
8 rooms @18 students
7 rooms @22 students
7 rooms @22 students
162 students
144 students
154 students
154 students
*Grade One:
9 rooms @18 students
162 students
*Grade Four:
*Grade Four:
7 rooms @22 students
7 rooms @22 students
154 students
154 students
Total Enrollment: 288
Total Enrollment: 444
Total Enrollment (Pre K – 1): 732 students
Projected Enrollment (Pre K – 1): 736 students
Rooms Needed: 22
Rooms Needed: 16
*Grade Five:
7 rooms @22 students
154 students
Total Enrollment: 288
Projected: 616 students
Rooms Needed: 28
*Grade Five:
7 rooms @22 students
154 students
Total Enrollment: 288
Projected: 616 students
Rooms Needed: 28
Maximum number of rooms available: Center 20, Elmwood 26, Hopkins 23
OPTION SIX
NEW SCHOOL (PRE K-1)
CENTER (1-5)
HOPKINS (1-5)
ELMWOOD (1-5)
*Grade One:
*Grade One:
*Grade One:
*Pre K: 4 rooms (8 sec.)
4 rooms @18 students
4 rooms @18 students
4 rooms @18 students
ea. section @15 students
72 students
72 students
72 students
120 students
*Grade Two:
*Grade Two:
*Grade Two:
_____________________
4 rooms @24 students
5 rooms @21 students
4 rooms @22 students
*Kindergarten:
96 students
105 students
110 students
17 rooms @18 students
306 students
*Grade Three:
*Grade Three:
*Grade Three:
4 rooms @24 students
5 rooms @21 students
5 rooms @22 students
*Grade One:
96 students
105 students
110 students
5 rooms @18 students *Grade Four:
*Grade Four:
*Grade Four:
90 students
4 rooms @24 students
5 rooms @21 students
5 rooms @22 students
96 students
105 students
110 students
*Grade Five:
*Grade Five:
*Grade Five:
4 rooms @24 students
5 rooms @21 students
5 rooms @22 students
96 students
105 students
110 students
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
516 students
456 students
492 students
512 students
Total Enrollment (Pre K – 5): 1,964 / Projected Enrollment (Pre K – 5): 1.968
Rooms Needed: 26
Rooms Needed: 20
Rooms Needed: 24
Rooms Needed: 24
- 26 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
OPTION SEVEN
NEW SCHOOL (PRE K–2)
*Pre K: 2 rooms (4 sec.)
ea. section @15 students
60 students
*Kindergarten:
9 rooms @18 students
162 students
*Grade One:
9 rooms @18 students
162 students
*Grade Two:
7 rooms @23 students
161 students
Total Enrollment:
545 students
Projected: 522 students
Rooms Needed: 27
ELMWOOD (PRE K-2)
HOPKINS (3-5)
CENTER (3-5)
*Grade Three:
*Grade Three:
*Pre K: 2 rooms (4 sec.)
5 rooms @21 students
6 rooms @22 students
ea. section @15 students
105 students
132 students
60 students
*Kindergarten:
*Grade Four:
*Grade Four:
8 rooms @18 students
5 rooms @21 students
6 rooms @22 students
144 students
105 students
132 students
*Grade One:
*Grade Five:
*Grade Five:
8 rooms @18 students
5 rooms @21 students
6 rooms @22 students
144 students
105 students
132 students
*Grade Two:
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
7 rooms @21 students
528 students
396 students
147 students
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment (3-5):924
495 students
Projected Enrollment (3-5): 924
Projected: 522 students
Rooms Needed: 25
Rooms Needed: 24
Rooms Needed: 18
Maximum number of rooms available: Center 20, Elmwood 26, Hopkins 23
OPTION EIGHT
NEW SCHOOL (PRE K–2)
ELMWOOD (K-2)
HOPKINS (3-5)
CENTER (3-5)
*Grade Three:
*Grade Three:
8 rooms @22 students
6 rooms @22 students
176 students
132 students
*Pre K: 4 rooms (8 sec.)
ea. section @15 students
120 students
*Kindergarten:
*Kindergarten:
*Grade Four:
*Grade Four:
8 rooms @18 students
9 rooms @18 students
8rooms @22 students
6 rooms @22 students
144 students
162 students
176 students
132 students
*Grade One:
*Grade One:
*Grade Five:
*Grade Five:
8 rooms @18 students
9 rooms @18 students
8 rooms @22 students
6 rooms @22 students
144 students
162 students
176 students
132 students
*Grade Two:
*Grade Two:
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
7 rooms @21 students
7 rooms @23 students
528 students
396 students
147 students
161 students
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment:
Total Enrollment (3-5):924
555 students
485 students
Projected Enrollment (3-5): 924
Total Enrollment (Pre K-2): 1, 040/Projected: 1,044
Rooms Needed: 27
Rooms Needed: 25
Rooms Needed: 24
Rooms Needed: 18
Maximum number of rooms available: Center 20, Elmwood 26, Hopkins 23
- 27 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Addendum #1
Committee Members by Subcommittee
Research Subcommittee
Michelle Carbonneau, Parent, HPTA V.P., Center
Karen Gunther, Teacher, Elmwood
Kay Schiedler, Asst. Superintendent, Curriculum
Dr. Eileen Sullivan, At Large
Educational Programs/Curriculum Subcommittee
Jean Bertschmann, Parent, HPTA V.P., Elmwood
David Hamacher, Parent, At Large
Ellie Porter, Teacher, Hopkins
Martha Starr, Principal, Hopkins
Erin Welch, Teacher, Center
Experience of Other Communities Subcommittee
Tracey Chessare, Parent, HPTA V.P., Hopkins
Roxanne Donahue, Parent, HPTA V.P, Elmwood
Karen McCaw, Teacher, Center
Transportation Subcommittee
Lyn Branscomb, Parent, School Council, Center
Kathy Dlugolecki, Parent, Hopkins
Ilene Silver, Principal, Elmwood
Enrollment and Facilities Subcommittee
Tom Argir, Principal, Center
Sue Bagley, Teacher, Elmwood
Carol Costa, Teacher, Hopkins
Kevin M. Lyons, Asst. Supt. For Student Services and Program Development, Chair
- 28 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Addendum #2
Grade-Span Configuration Research Report
Prepared by Teresa Schiffman 10-19-01
What constitutes the best grade-span configuration at the elementary suburban school level has not been
researched. Studies relating to grade-span organization that are helpful in the consideration of elementary
level configurations, includes research on the effects of transitions, number of grades per building, school
size, and cost effectiveness of school configurations.
Transitions
Developmental psychologists report that in order to attain optimal development, young students do best in
stable, unchanging environments where they are familiar with the people around them and vice versa.
These psychologists point out that transitions are hard for children, especially at a young age, and suggest
minimizing them, even though the only direct research with regards to school transitions has been
conducted on the home-to-school and elementary-to-middle-school transitions. The lack of research todate on the effects of transitions at the elementary school level appears to be due to the fact that very few
districts have children attending more than one school from kindergarten through grade five. Research
does indicate that numerous school transitions over time may have a negative effect on academic
achievement, result in more high school drop-outs, and lower attendance rates once children reach high
school (Alspaugh, 1998; Alspaugh & Harting, 1995). In addition, Alspaugh and Harting (1995) found
that students may perform less well on group standardized tests during their first year in a new school
building, taking two to three years to get test scores back up to where they were before the transition (this
study lacked sound research methods).
Number of grades per building
The more grades per school, the fewer transitions students make, and the less likely they are to experience
any negative effects from these changes. There is a lack of research comparing different grade spans at
the elementary suburban school level, leaving educators to gain what knowledge they can through related
studies. Such research has been conducted on the pros and cons of having more (mainly urban schools)
as opposed to less (mainly rural schools) grades in a building, including comparing different grade
configurations. The outcomes of students in schools with as many as 10 grades in a building (e.g. K-6
and K-9) have been compared to middle, junior, and/or senior high schools. Pros of having more grades
per school include being able to spend more time on academics and less on orientation, developing
relationships and engaging in activities to help children feel comfortable in a new setting (Elliot 1997 in
Deason, 2000). Time dedicated to transitions can add up to many weeks of lost teaching-time over the
course of a child’s education. Other factors that make having several grades in one school an attractive
option includes the ability to develop a sense of community, stability, and continuity which is not possible
when there are only a couple of grades in a school and a large percent of the students turn-over each year.
Having several grades in one school also enables peer tutoring, kindergarten buddies, older role models,
siblings and neighborhood children together, and greater parent involvement as their children are more
likely to be in the same building (Paglin & Fager, 1997). Factors such as these, make students feel
comfortable, increases their confidence, self-esteem and sense of responsibility, while enabling a positive
environment for better learning (Blyth et al, 1981; McPartland, Coldiron & Braddock, 1987; Paglin &
Fager, 1997; Vann, 1998; Wihry et al., 1992).
When there are more grades per school, teachers are better able to communicate across grades, allowing
teachers to discuss problems they are having with students with previous teachers to find out what works
or may not work to help a child better learn and behave in class. In addition, it facilitates the
identification of students in need of special attention, help, or services, as teacher communication is easier
- 29 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
and more likely to take place. When children attend the same school over time, it allows special
educators to work with the same children over the years, decreasing the amount of time that would
otherwise be spend making the children feel comfortable and developing trust. In addition, it facilitates
IEP planning, as teachers know what services will be available to the child the next year in their building.
Some studies have found that schools with more grade levels per building, evidenced higher academic
achievement, attendance rates, self-esteem and attitudes towards school, with fewer suspensions and
behavior problems, regardless of socioeconomic status (Alspaugh, 1995; Offenberg, 2001; Wihry,
Coladarci & Meadow, 1992). One study on this topic did find inconclusive results (Vaccaro, 2000), and
another found no differences in achievement, self-esteem or attitudes when 8th graders in Catholic
elementary and middle schools were compared (Manchester, 1991).
Another pro of having more grades per school has to do with accountability. Tucker & Andrada (1997)
found that performance on standardized tests was higher when schools were held accountable. When
there are few grades in a school, the likelihood that standardized testing will take place decreases, and if
so, the greater the chances that student achievement will not be as high as it would be if testing were
taking place. Regardless of when testing is conducted, feeder schools must be held responsible for future
test scores of students coming out of their buildings.
In the literature, there is some discussion as to the benefits of having all students at a particular grade
level in the same school. These include cross-team planning, collaboration and mentoring, as well as
facilitating the provision of elective, exploratory and enrichment classes (Paglin & Fager, 1997; Vann,
1998). Having all same-grade level classes in one building facilitates the matching of student-teacher
learning styles, separating students who do not get along, grouping students by ability, putting an equal
number of students in each classroom, balancing ethnic and socioeconomic composition, and focusing on
specific developmental needs (Paglin & Fager, 1997; Vann, 1998).
School Size
The federal government that is providing grant money to districts wanting to reduce their schools’ sizes is
advocating for small schools. Research on the benefits of small schools was compiled by the Small
Schools Workshop (www.smallschoolsworkshop.org). This research has mainly been conducted on rural
and urban schools, and is predominantly a discussion. Mentioned pros of small schools include raising
student achievement, less violence or disruptive behavior, less student anonymity and isolation, higher
attendance and graduation rates, and better teacher satisfaction and school climate. Inter-personal
relationships between teachers and students are another discussed benefit of small schools, one that keeps
students from feeling anonymous, lost or ignored (MacIver & Epstein, 1992), forcing them to be
accountable and responsible for their academic achievement and behavior. Cotton (1996) listed other pros
of small schools, including higher personal and academic self-concepts, higher self-esteem, more parent
involvement, and higher college enrollment. In small schools, students tend to have classes with the same
students over time, a factor that MacIver and Epstein (1992) mentioned allows students to feel attached to
a group of peers. Students in smaller schools do tend to participate more in clubs, offices and teams
(Cotton, 1996). The more students participate in school activities, the higher attendance rates are, the
fewer students drop-out, and the higher students perform academically (Alspaugh, 1998; Howley, 1994).
One factor that research has shown again and again over time, is the fact that the lower the socioeconomic
status of the school’s community, the more pronounced the benefits of small schools, regardless of
urbanity. When studies held socioeconomic status constant, or when large high schools in affluent
neighborhoods were compared to small rural schools, academic achievement and attendance rates were
similar (Howley, 1994).
- 30 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Cost-effectiveness of school sizes
Bickel (2000) examined the cost effectiveness of different grade configurations, and found that districts
with fewer schools and more grades per school, spent less money per pupil. the most cost-effective school
configuration is a one-school district with all grade levels in the same building. The larger the school,
the less money was spent per pupil’s education, up to a certain point. Bickel (2000) did not indicate what
school size that “point” represented.
Summary
Research specific to the elementary school level grade-span configuration is lacking. No studies have
been conducted specific to the effects of school-to-school transitions between elementary buildings, but
developmental psychologists recommend minimizing these, based upon what is known about transitions
and young children in general. The effects of transitions on academic achievement are yet unclear.
Similarly, no research has been conducted on the benefit of having more versus less elementary grades
per building, but has been conducted on longer versus shorter grade spans and the outcomes at the middle
and high school level. This research points towards having more as opposed to less grades in a school
building. In addition, research on optimal school size in a suburban school district that is not
predominantly a low socioeconomic community has not been done, but the research in general, points to
keeping schools small. Finally, research does indicate that the larger the school, the less money spent per
pupil, but the ideal size is not provided.
Recommendations
Keep transitions down as much as possible at the elementary school level, with more as opposed to less
grades per building, while keeping the number of students per building down.
The following are recommendations in the literature that have been published by administrators
who have gone through the reorganization process.
Administrators, who have gone through district reorganization or grade reconfiguration, have published
several recommendations. These include finding out what parents, teachers, and administrators want with
regards to grade configurations, as their support seems necessary for smooth and successful changes. It is
recommended that communication between these groups of people be two-way, with a broad-based
committee that has lots of planning time, and is flexible and willing to make changes to plans as
information presents itself. Vann (1998) recommended that schools be examined to determine whether
they are practically and physically suited to the grade levels that they will house. He also recommended
that a list of modifications be made to ensure that buildings are readied for the different grades they will
serve. Other recommendations include the discussion of the following topics: cost of bus transportation;
inequity of school buildings; would school boundaries need to be re-drawn every couple of years; and
how will resources be affected. Questions that administrators recommend committees ponder, include the
best configuration for the provision of special education services, and what might maximize those
resources. Also, might teacher burnout might be reduced by the variability introduced when there are
more grades per school.
- 31 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Addendum #3
Experience of Other Communities: Summary Table
- 32 -
Grade Configuration Study
November 1, 2001
Addendum #4
Transportation Information from Other Communities
- 33 -
The Process - Albany Central School District
MEET OUR
PLANNING TEAM:
WHAT'S
DECIDED?
How to configure the
schools
Ideal school sizes
One high school or two
Renovate or build
Avoiding the chaos of
construction
If this facilities project seems large,
the planning process was even larger.
It began four years ago with the
hiring of CannonDesign, an
architectural firm in Grand Island,
NY, to conduct an engineering study
of every building in the Albany City
School District.
Their conclusion: Only one building,
the Albany School of Humanities on
Whitehall Road, is meeting the needs
of its students. Twelve of the
remaining schools need to be
completely replaced or substantially
remodeled, while four need
renovations and some additions.
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Architectural advisor
Educational Program
Specialist
Architectural firms
Construction manager
Historic
preservationist
The Process - Albany Central School District
Finding acceptable sites
Buying and disposing of
property
WHAT'S NOT
DECIDED?
Enrollment issues
Initially, the architects worked with a district Facilities Planning
Committee made up of staff and community residents to develop a $300
million master plan for upgrading the district’s facilities. However, as the
district grappled with a variety of issues, it was able to scale the plan back
to a more affordable figure. The total cost of the project to go to the voters
is $174.6 million.
The planning process has included not only a lot of internal discussion but
also a great deal of public input on a whole variety of issues. Indeed,
community meetings have been held at various steps along the way,
beginning in October 1998, and continuing right up until the present. In
total, there have been well more than 100 public meetings over the last
four years at which the facilities plan has been shaped and reshaped.
Here is a look at all the issues that have been discussed, including those
that have been resolved and those that are still to be decided.
ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RESOLVED
HOW TO
CONFIGURE
THE
SCHOOLS
Grade configuration –– Deciding on how to configure the schools was
basic to the rest of the facilities plan. Very early in the process, the
architects, district staff, the board of education, and the community looked
at various ways to structure Albany’s schools. These included:
● K-6, 7-8, 9-12 (the current organization)
● K-6, 7-9, 10-12
● K-4, 5-8, 9-12
● K-2, 3-6, 7-9, 10-12
● K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
● K-8, 9-12
● K-5, 6-8, 9-12 (the one that was finally selected)
The major problem with the current organization is that it produces very
large elementary schools and a very large high school, which goes counter
to the idea of having small learning environments. It also means that
middle school students stay in one place for only a short time, making it
harder for many of them to adapt to their new surroundings and to succeed
academically.
Most of the other configurations investigated were either expensive,
impractical or both. One alternative that has attracted a lot of attention is
K-8, 9-12, especially given the public’s concern about sending their
children to the middle schools. This would not only be costly, requiring
the district to put middle school type laboratories in every elementary
building, but it would also produce extremely large schools.
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The Process - Albany Central School District
In the end, the district chose the configuration that most other school
districts in the state and country have already gone to: K-5, 6-8, 9-12.
However, the Board of Education has agreed to design School 20 as a K-8
school.
This new configuration will allow the elementary schools to be reduced in
size. It will also allow the district to make the sixth grade curriculum more
challenging and better prepare students for the rigors of high school.
IDEAL
SCHOOL
SIZES
The ideal elementary school size –– The discussion of school size
happened in tandem with the discussion on grade configuration. The
district determined that the ideal elementary school is 300-450 students,
because it is small enough to make sure every student is well-known, yet
large enough to be managed in a cost-effective way. With a K-5
configuration, the district will be able to maintain three sections per grade
level at eight of its elementary buildings, and two sections at four of its
elementary buildings. This will help to prevent teacher isolation, by
allowing for a lot of communication and collaboration among those who
are teaching at the same grade level. Less isolation, more communication
and collaboration, in turn, always contributes to a stronger educational
program.
The ideal middle school size –– The board of education decided that the
ideal size for a middle school is 600-650 pupils broken down into smaller
teams of about 100-115 students each. The combination of a small school
and small teams are particularly important in an urban environment,
because they give teachers an opportunity to get to know the needs of each
and every child. It also makes it easier for teachers to maintain good
discipline, which leads to a safer, more secure learning environment for all
students.
The ideal high school size –– The ideal size of a high school is 1,600
pupils. However, this is not achievable in Albany. The current 9-12
enrollment is about 2,200, and it is expected to rise to about 2,400 over the
next several years. The district looked at the idea of building a second high
school but rejected it. For more on this, read on.
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The Process - Albany Central School District
ONE HIGH
SCHOOL OR
TWO
One or two high schools –– At one point, the district was projecting an
increase in the high school enrollment from its present 2,200 students to as
many as 3,200 students (an estimate that has since been scaled back to
2,400). This spurred discussion of building a second high school
somewhere else in the city and splitting the population in two. But district
officials only had to look at the controversy created in one nearby
suburban community over splitting high schools to come to the conclusion
that one is better than two. Many community residents who came out for
public meetings also stressed that they preferred one Albany High School.
If the original enrollment estimates had held steady, the district probably
would have considered building a brand new, larger high school
somewhere else. But now that those estimates have been scaled down, the
district has opted in favor of keeping its present high school but expanding
it slightly and renovating it to be able to break it down into four houses of
600 pupils each. These smaller houses seem particularly ideal in an urban
environment, where there are a significant number of students who need a
lot of motivation and attention.
Nature of the high school houses –– Once it was decided that "houses"
are the way to go at the high school, the next discussion centered on what
those houses should be like. Ultimately, it will be left up to the high school
staff and parents to develop the details of the house plan, but a committee
of district and community representatives was set up to develop
guidelines. They recommended that:
● The houses should be separate and autonomous, although flexibility
of movement should be built in for students who do not need as
much structure.
● The Abrookin Vo-Tech Center should be moved on campus into a
facility of its own and should function as one of the four houses,
with the possibility of turning it into a full-day, grade 9-12 career
academy.
● Team teaching should be employed in grades 9-10 to allow for
teachers to get to know the students better.
● The houses should not be based on themes or employ a lottery
method for entry.
● AP/Honors, special education and alternative education programs
should be offered in every house.
● Opportunities for greater parent involvement and student mentoring
should be built into the house plan.
Most of the high school portion of the plan has been postponed for further
discussion and is not included in the facilities project, as it currently
stands.
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The Process - Albany Central School District
RENOVATE
OR REBUILD
Which schools to renovate, which ones to rebuild –– A major decision
in the process was whether to renovate some of the older buildings or tear
them down and completely rebuild them. The architects rated every
building on its suitability for the educational program, its structural
soundness, its mechanical and electrical infrastructure, its
telecommunications system, and the quality of its site. Most of the schools
came out with a poor rating. Some came out with a fair rating. Only one,
Albany School Humanities, came out with a good rating. In the end, it was
decided that in the interest of cost-effectiveness, Schools 16, 18, and 26
should be completely replaced; Schools 19, 20 and 27 should be expanded
and remodeled; Schuyler should be replaced with two smaller elementary
schools elsewhere (one to be located in a renovated and expanded School
21 and the other to be located in a brand new building at the Harriet
Gibbons site); and Livingston and Hackett should be completely
renovated. The remaining schools were considered worthy of remodeling
and upgrading, including Arbor Hill, Thomas O'Brien Academy, Giffen
(which will get a new cafeteria), and Sunshine School (in Lincoln Park).
The design of urban schools –– Even with rebuilding some of the
schools, the architects saw right away that many of the sites were too small
to be able to create the suburban model of a school. Besides, the
community made it very clear they wanted their schools to reflect the
urban environment in which they are located. The architects, therefore, set
out to create building designs that rise up rather than spread out. The
community cautioned the architects that they do not want every school to
be a "cookie-cutter" replica of the next one. They indicated that they prize
individuality and diversity not only in their students but also in their
school buildings.
AVOIDING
THE CHAOS
OF CONSTRUCTION
Shielding students and staff from the construction work –– Building
new schools or reconstructing old ones is all well and good. But what
happens to the students and staff while the work is going on. During the
community input sessions, parents made it clear that they don't want to see
the students in any one building split up and sent to several different
places. The district also learned from the reconstruction at ASH in 1995
that you can't have students learning amidst the chaos of construction.
For this reason, the district has decided that transitional buildings are
needed throughout the construction process. Whole student bodies will be
transferred to those transitional schools (in most cases for one year only)
while their buildings are being constructed or renovated. Philip Schuyler
Elementary School and the current Montessori Magnet School (leased
from the Catholic Diocese) have been tentatively designated as transitional
buildings.
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The Process - Albany Central School District
FINDING
ACCEPTABLE
SITES
Finding an acceptable site for a third middle school –– This has
probably been one of the most agonizing tasks of the entire planning
process. The architects and district officials have looked at 30 sites, most
of which have been found unacceptable for a variety of reasons.
In the eleventh hour of the planning process, the Mayor of Albany came
forward with the proposal that a third middle school be built on the edge of
Westland Hills Park off Central Avenue. The location is ideal in many
ways. There currently is no middle school in that part of the city, and it is
one of the few spots in Albany that is large enough to meet the state's
acreage requirements for a middle school.
Many neighborhood residents have expressed concern about giving up
parkland to a middle school. It is important to point out, however, that
Westland Hills will still remain a park. In fact, the "footprint" of the
school, or the actual land on which it sits, will only occupy two acres in
total – one acre of the 26-acre park and another acre of private land next to
the park to be purchased by the district. Some confusion has existed over
the fact that the Albany City Council recently recommended "alienation"
(or setting aside) of up to 4.5 acres of parkland for the project. Besides the
one acre on which the building will sit, some of the parkland will be
needed for a roadway, a bus turnaround and possibly an access road from
the school to Central Avenue (which would be used only for emergencies).
Much of this 4.5 acres will still remain as green space, but the alienation
process requires that the district legally designate a maximum acreage to
be used.
In the meantime, the district is planning to contribute $1 million to the
City of Albany to upgrade the park, including its Little League fields,
wading pond and playground. Neighboring residents will also have access
to school facilities such as an indoor pool, gym, library and meeting
rooms.
Finding a site for the Montessori Magnet –– The current Montessori
program is located in cramped quarters at Park Avenue and Eagle Street
leased from the Catholic Diocese for $200,000 a year. The district would
like to move the program into a larger facility that it owns. Two sites were
seriously considered:: 1) the Sunshine School site in Lincoln Park; or 2)
the School 26 site on Tremont Street. In the end, the Board of Education
chose the School 26 site so that it could keep an elementary school in that
neighborhood. The site also is near Westland Hills Park, as well as the
Albany Pine Bush, giving the Montessori teachers plenty of natural
resources to carry out their curriculum, which is very hands-on and often
nature-based.
Relocating the alternative programs –– The district has several off-site
alternative programs that will need to be relocated as part of the building
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The Process - Albany Central School District
project. One of these is the Harriet Gibbons Alternative High School,
which is located in a building on Sheridan Avenue leased from the
Catholic Diocese. The district would like to purchase that property, raze
the building and construct a new school there to serve part of the Schuyler
Elementary population. This would present an opportunity to not only
relocate but also rethink the alternative high school. One idea under
serious consideration is to establish a "school-to-work" alternative that
offers students a half-day of academics and a half-day of internships in
local businesses. This program would be located somewhere along Central
Avenue where many of the city's businesses reside.
Other off-site alternative programs include:
● The Sunshine School in Lincoln Park – This program for students
who are transitioning back from penal and psychiatric institutions
will remain where it is, and the building will undergo modest
renovations.
● The Middle School Alternative Program (MAPS) – This program
which is located at the Adult Learning Center on Western Avenue
will be relocated to the Philip Schuyler building.
● Tutorial Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) – This
program, which serves middle and high school students on
short-term suspension, will move from the Adult Learning Center to
the Philip Schuyler building.
● Adult Learning Center – This program will move to the Philip
Schuyler building.
Relocating the district offices –– The board of education has decided to
move the district offices, now located downtown in Academy Park, to a
wing of Livingston Magnet Academy once it is renovated. This will allow
the district to make good use of the extra space there freed up by the
reduction of the number of students in the building. It will also open of the
possibility of selling Academy Park and using the revenues to offset some
of the cost of the facilities project.
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The Process - Albany Central School District
BUYING AND
DISPOSING
OF
PROPERTY
Purchasing additional property –– The proposed facilities plan calls for
purchasing additional properties to locate new schools and to expand the
amount of land around existing schools. The district was originally
looking to purchase 35 sites, but has since scaled that back to the
following sites around five schools in the interest of saving on costs. These
are as follows:
● Property along Colvin and Central Avenue for the proposed new
middle school.
● Property on Sheridan Avenue (site of the present Harriet Gibbons
Alternative High School) for the Schuyler "B" elementary school.
● Two parcels adjacent to School 18 to accommodate a larger
building.
● Four properties near School 21 on Clinton Avenue (which will
become Schuyler "A").
● Two parcels adjacent to School 27 to accommodate an addition on
the building.
It should be noted that before going out to purchase new land, the district
looked carefully at all its existing property to see how it might be best
used. Early in the process, the board of education also decided that if
additional property is needed, that property will not be taken by eminent
domain. In other words, the district would only purchase property from a
willing seller. Furthermore, the board asked that other alternatives be
considered in case a piece of property was offered for sale at too high a
price.
Disposing of unneeded property –– While purchasing additional
property, the district also will be able to dispose of some property or
convert it to other uses. This includes:
● Moving the Montessori Magnet School out of its rented building
downtown possibly to the School 26 site, thus saving the district
$200,000 a year in leasing costs.
● Converting Schuyler Elementary into space to house the Adult
Learning Center, the Middle School Alternative Program (MAPS),
and Tutorial Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS).
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT ISSUES
STILL TO BE DECIDED
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ERIC/CEM - Research Roundup 16, 3
Clearinghouse on Educational Policy and Management
College of Education · University of Oregon
Research Roundup 16, 3
(Spring 2000)
Grade Span
by Ron Renchler
Despite the likelihood that grade span, or grade configuration,
has a significant influence on the success of school systems and
the students they serve, empirical research on the topic in the
last decade has been very sparse.
A few studies have attempted to gauge the influence of various
grade configurations on academic achievement of students at
the state and local levels, but most reports are anecdotal or
qualitative in nature and describe the perceived benefits and
drawbacks of various grade configurations. Studies on the
relationship of grade span to other measures of school success,
such as students’ socialization skills or teaching effectiveness,
are also scarce.
Perhaps the dearth of empirical research stems from the fact
that grade configuration is to some degree out of the hands of
administrators who run the schools. The exigencies of
geographic location, student populations, limited financial
resources, and community preferences, among other factors,
may often dictate the grade spans within a school system, hence
the wide range of different grade configurations across the
nation.
Statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics
reflect the current predominance of traditional elementary and
middle-school configurations in U.S. public schools. As shown
in the accompanying table, of the 45,601 public
primary/elementary schools, 25,480 schools (56 percent) are
configured to transition students into either middle schools or
junior high schools by the end of fifth grade. Another 15,578
schools (34 percent) make the transition after the sixth grade.
Only about 4,500 schools (10 percent) carry students from the
earliest grades through the eighth grade.
At the intermediate level, NCES statistics show that in the
1996-97 school year 10,499 schools were configured as
traditional middle schools (grades 4, 5, or 6 to grades 7 or 8).
Another 3,707 schools followed the junior-high model with
grades 7-8 or 7-9.
Catherine Paglin and Jennifer Fager provide an overview of
issues and concerns related to grade spans at all levels and
provide profiles of eight Northwest schools with varying grade
spans.
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ERIC/CEM - Research Roundup 16, 3
David F. Wihry and colleagues report on their empirical study
of the influence of grade span on the academic achievement of
eighth-grade students in Maine.
David L. Hough briefly surveys the history of grade
configuration in public schools and cites research indicating
that "elemiddle" schools–that is, schools containing both
elementary and middle-school grades–may be most appropriate
for meeting the educational and social needs of young
adolescents.
Charlene Tucker and Gilbert Andrada present research results
from a study measuring sixth-grade students’ academic
performance on the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) in
relation to student enrollment in schools having K-5 or K-6
configurations.
John Alspaugh looks at the influence of grade span and related
factors on dropout rates in high school.
U.S. Public Primary/Elementary School Grade
Configurations–Number of Schools and Percentages of
Configurations, 1996-1997
Pre-K,
K, or
grade 1
to
grades
3 or 4
Pre-K,
K, or
grade 1
to grade
5
Pre-K,
K, or
grade 1
to grade
6
Pre-K,
Total
K, or
grade 1
to grade
8
Number 4,910
of
schools
20,570
15,578
4,543
45,601
% of
total
schools
45.1
34.2
10
100
10.7
Source: Digest of Education Statistics, 1998. Chapter 2.
Elementary and Secondary Education. Available online at
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs99/digest98/d98t099.html
Paglin, Catherine, and Fager, Jennifer. Grade Configuration:
Who Goes Where? Portland, Oregon: Northwest Regional
Educational Laboratory, 1997. 43 pages. Available from:
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Document
Reproduction Service, 101 SW Main, Suite 500, Portland, OR
97204-3297. (503) 275-9519. Free.
Every grade configuration has its own strengths and
weaknesses relative to the context in which the grade span
occurs, the authors note in this publication that includes profiles
of eight Northwest schools with seven different grade spans.
School size and, by extension, grade configuration, are often
dictated by geographic location of the student population. By
building on the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses found
within every grade configuration, school administrators can
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ERIC/CEM - Research Roundup 16, 3
provide effective educational services regardless of the
particular grade span being used.
The authors discuss three central issues related to grade span:
(1) the appropriateness of grouping certain grades together, (2)
the number of grades included in a school and the number of
classrooms within each grade, and (3) the number of school
transitions students will be required to make in their K-12
educational experience.
Critical factors that typically come into play for schools with
broad grade spans include the nature of the role-modeling
younger students receive from older students, the school staff’s
training and experience, and building size. Schools with very
narrow grade spans experience frequent student turnover,
which can influence the school’s identity and sense of
community. Narrow grade spans also impose on students the
stress of frequent school transitions.
In a section entitled "Historical Trends in Grade
Configuration," Paglin and Fager note that since the 1970s the
number of junior high schools has been in decline, signaling a
conceptual change away from the junior high school as a
"preparation for high school" and toward the middle school as a
"child-centered institution" that affords opportunity for "team
teaching, advisory programs, and flexible scheduling."
The authors conclude that "no particular sequence of grade
spans is perfect or in itself guarantees student achievement and
social adjustment." The key, they say, is to focus on developing
the positive potential within any given grade configuration.
Wihry, David F., Coladarci, Theodore, and Meadow, Curtis.
Grade Span and Eighth-Grade Academic Achievement:
Evidence from a Predominantly Rural State. Journal of
Research in Rural Education 8, 2 (Summer 1992): 58—70. EJ
464 589. Availability: Not available from publisher.
In one of the few empirical studies on grade span in the past
decade, Wihry and his colleagues used data from an annually
administered standardized test, the Maine Educational
Assessment (MEA), to measure the influence of grade span on
the academic achievement of eighth-graders. After statistically
analyzing the scores of eighth-graders in schools with different
grade configurations, the researchers concluded that
eighth-graders learning in elementary settings (K-8, K-9, and
3-8) outperformed eighth-graders in schools with other grade
configurations. Eighth-graders attending school in junior/senior
school environments (grades 6-12, 7-12, and 8-12) performed
less well than eighth-graders in all other grade configurations.
"Full-scale" achievement and reading achievement were more
related to the grade-span variable than was mathematics
achievement.
The question of why Maine eighth-graders in schools with
elementary grade spans outperformed other eighth-graders
remains unanswered, prompting the authors to call for more
research in this critical area. They suggest that "such
considerations as instructional specialization (e.g.,
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ERIC/CEM - Research Roundup 16, 3
departmentalization), tracking, and within-class ability
grouping, as well as staff recruitment and training practices,
expectations of student performance, and sensitivity to
individual differences among students" should be considered as
potential explanations for this group’s superior academic
performance.
The complex relationship among these difficult-to-quantify
variables presents an especially challenging research problem.
But the authors note that study in this area is of critical
importance because their findings "call into question any
simplistic assertion regarding the superiority of (nominally)
middle-level schools."
Hough, David L. "The Elemiddle School: A Model for
Middle Grades Reform." Principal 74, 3 (January 1995):
6—9. EJ 496 194. Availability: Not available from publisher.
Hough proposes the label "elemiddle" for schools following
"the current trend toward aligning middle schools more closely
with elementary programs." He characterizes these schools as
including a focus on serving students between the ages of 10
and 14, typically in grades 5 through 8. This grade sequence is
predominantly contained in K-8 schools, but also appears in
schools having configurations of grades 4-8, 5-8, and Pre-K-8.
Hough credits recent research on "school programs, practices,
and policies" with engendering a change in the educational
perspectives on this student age group. While noting that
empirical research has not identified an optimal grade
configuration, Hough nevertheless believes that the
philosophies of elementary-school education contained within
the elemiddle school may well serve the needs of young
adolescents better than the newer middle-school structure
(grades 6-9) or the traditional junior-high structure (grades 7
and 8 or grades 7-9).
The impetus for establishing the primary-secondary school
structure predominant in the 19th century was economic; it
helped "facilitate the movement of children into the labor
force," Hough explains. The development of the three-tiered
elementary, junior high, high school structure has a similar
history: Child labor laws in the early 20th century required that
adolescents be better prepared for high school since they
couldn’t immediately become part of the work force. Although
middle-school grade spans began to emerge during the 1960s
and 1970s, it was not until the 1980s, Hough says, that true
educational reform took place at the middle-school level.
Despite the changes in educational programs and philosophies
in middle schools, Hough still believes that "elemiddle schools,
which include both primary and middle grades, may more
easily facilitate the child-oriented programs conducive to young
adolescent learning." He cites several studies showing that
critical differences in educational programs and practices do
exist among elemiddle, middle, and junior high schools.
Tucker, Charlene G., and Andrada, Gilbert N. Accountability
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ERIC/CEM - Research Roundup 16, 3
Works: Analysis of Performance by Grade Span of School.
Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American
Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL, March 24—28,
1997. 23 pages. ED 411 278. Available from: ERIC Document
Reproduction Service, 7420 Fullerton Rd., Suite 110,
Springfield, VA 22153-2852. 800-443-3742. $4.46 plus
shipping and handling. Web Site:
http://www.edrs.com/default.cfm
Since 1985, Connecticut has used the Connecticut Mastery Test
(CMT) to measure student achievement in reading, writing, and
mathematics at the fourth-, sixth-, and eighth-grade levels. The
CMT has also been used as a de facto accountability measure
for schools whose students are taking the test. Three basic
grade configurations are used at this level in Connecticut: K-5
and 6-8 (Type I), K-6 and 7-8 (Type II), and K-8.
Until 1994, the K-5 schools were not accountable for the
achievement levels of students who had attended Type I
schools but had moved on to the sixth grade at a new school,
while the K-6 schools were accountable for the achievement
levels of their sixth-grade students.
In 1994, a change in testing and reporting procedures required
sixth-grade students from Type I schools to identify the K-5
school they had attended. This allowed the researchers to
compare CMT data from this group of sixth-graders with data
from sixth-graders who were still at their original K-6 school.
The researchers hoped to learn whether students attending
schools with a K-5 grade span performed as well as their K—6
cohorts.
The results indicated that in all subject areas the performance of
sixth-grade students at the Type II schools was better than the
performance of sixth-grade students from Type I schools.
Tucker and Andrada pose three possible explanations for this
outcome:
1. There were less incentive and little opportunity for the
school administering the sixth-grade portion of the test to
prepare Type I students (who had just arrived at the
school after completing fifth-grade elsewhere) for the
CMT because the administering school would not
receive credit for Type I students’ performance.
2. Type I schools had no incentive to prepare their
fifth-grade students for the sixth-grade portion of the
CMT because those Type I schools were not being held
accountable for their graduates’ performance at the
administering school.
3. Information about the nature and importance of the
sixth-grade portion of the CMT was not being made
available to students and teachers in Type I schools;
therefore, the teachers were not familiar with the best
methods for preparing their fifth-grade students
adequately for the sixth-grade portion of the CMT.
This study demonstrates the subtle ways in which grade span
can work for or against students learning within a particular
school system. The authors conclude by noting that, as shown
in the Connecticut example, school-level policies and practices
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ERIC/CEM - Research Roundup 16, 3
can vary dramatically depending on the grade span used within
a school.
Alspaugh, John W. The Interaction Effect of Transition
Grade to High School With Gender and Grade Level Upon
Dropout Rates. Paper prepared for the American Educational
Research Association, 1999. 17 pages. ED 431 066. Available
from: ERIC Document Reproduction Service, 7420 Fullerton
Rd., Suite 110, Springfield, VA 22153-2852. 800-443-3742.
$4.46 plus shipping and handling. Web site:
http://www.edrs.com/default.cfm
Alspaugh has conducted several previous research studies
investigating the effects of grade span on student achievement
and other educational outcomes. In general, he has found that
students suffer achievement loss during each transition year
they experience–that is, the transition year between elementary
school and middle or junior high school, and the transition year
between middle or junior high school and high school.
Alspaugh also found that students typically gain back the
achievement loss in the year following the transition year.
In this most recent study, Alspaugh looked at the effect of
transition year, student gender, and grade span on high school
dropout rates. Using a sample of 45 high schools–15 with
students in grades 10-12, 15 with students in grades 9-12, and
15 with students in grades 7-12–he analyzed the relationship of
the transitional year and other factors to the dropout rate within
the groups of schools.
Alspaugh’s analysis revealed that students who made the
transition to high school at grade 7 (that is, those who attended
high schools with the 7-12 grade configuration) dropped out
significantly less often than did students making the transition
at either the ninth- or tenth-grade level. Dropout rates were
highest for students who made the transition at the tenth-grade
level.
Overall, boys dropped out more frequently than girls, but the
transition grade was still a significant factor among female
students–girls who transitioned at grade 7 dropped out less
frequently than girls who transitioned at either grade 9 or 10.
Students in this study dropped out most frequently at the
eleventh grade, regardless of the year in which they transitioned
to high school.
Alspaugh suggests that the high dropout rate attributed to
students transitioning to high school at grade 10 may occur
because of the achievement loss experienced by many students
during a transitional year.
Ron Renchler is a research analyst and writer for the ERIC
Clearinghouse on Educational Management at the University
of Oregon.
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Grade Organization Study Committee
Committee Report
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Background
Process
Recommendation
Supporting Documentation
●
Review of Literature
●
Grade Organization
●
School Size and Program
●
Developmental Assets
●
Educational Program/Design
●
Childcare
●
Special Education
●
Desegregation
●
Diversity
●
Licensure
●
Curriculum and Instruction
●
Transportation
●
Athletics
●
Demographics
●
Survey Results Summary
Community Input
Implementation of New Grade Organization
●
Plan
●
Timeline
●
Budget
●
Issues
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●
Other Considerations
References
Appendices
● A. Historical Information on Bloomington Schools
● B. Newspaper Articles on School Closings
● C. Grade Organization Study Committee Membership
● D. Desegregation Document
● E. Survey Results
Executive Summary
The new proposed Mission Statement says: In partnership with our world-class, diverse community, the
Bloomington Public School System assures that each of our learners will develop the knowledge, skills,
and ethics necessary to achieve educational excellence and thrive in a rapidly changing world by
providing dynamic learning experiences in a supportive environment and by integrating Bloomington's
unique local and global assets.
This mission statement, along with the beliefs and objectives, outlines a bold new direction for our
district. The words and phrases are strong and depict a school system that seeks to excel and focus on
learner success. The nature of our work, preparing learners for our diverse, global society, compels us to
organize our systems to better meet their needs.
One system studied this fall by a committee of teachers, parents, and administrators was our grade
organization. Our charge was to determine whether or not the current grade organization was the best as
we look at the future needs of our learners and our educational program. This report provides a summary
of the literature reviewed, research conducted, and process used to reach a recommendation regarding the
grade organization of the Bloomington Public School System.
Background
The historical perspective on grade organization in the Bloomington Schools is very interesting. (See
Appendix A) Prior to 1987, the general organization of the grades was K-6, 7-9, and 10-12. During the
1987-88 school year, the Bloomington administration and School Board realized there was a need to
review how the facilities were used in light of declining enrollment and limited resources. In February of
1987, the School Board decided that the district would be organized on a K-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-12 basis. As a
result of this decision, fifth and sixth graders would attend the former Oak Grove Junior High School,
and the seventh and eighth grade students would attend Olson Junior High School. Also, Riverside,
Hillcrest, and Northgate elementary schools were closed. (See Appendix B)
Following the decision to change the grade organization, time was spent to identify and develop the
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programmatic and facility needs of the middle level learners. The administration, staff, and parents at
Oak Grove Intermediate School and Olson Junior High School have continued to work to meet the needs
of the learners and families. These efforts have resulted in teams and specialized programs at both
schools. Olson Junior High adopted a middle school philosophy in 1995-96 and became Olson Middle
School.
In 1991-92, Hillcrest Community School was opened as a K-6 districtwide school choice. Then in
1993-94, BRAVO! Middle School was opened for seventh and eighth graders at the Bloomington
Education Center. Also, Jefferson and Kennedy High Schools moved to block scheduling and the
elementary buildings improved their programs to offer choices and be more responsive to learner needs.
As can be seen, while the grade organization of the Bloomington Schools remained primarily K-4/K-6,
5-6, 7-8, 9-12 throughout the past decade, significant changes continued within each level. Our
standards-based curriculum, the nature of work, our diverse, global society, and our children yearning for
adult relationships and attention require that how we prepare students for the 21st century will be very
different than how we prepared them for the 90s.
So, we return to the question: How should we organize our schools to ensure students the best
opportunities for success in the 21st century?
Process
The following process was used by the Grade Organization Study Committee. (See Appendix C) The
committee members started their work by discussing the purpose of the committee and reviewing the
history and background of grade organization in the Bloomington Schools. The committee then reviewed
current research regarding grade organization, the needs of middle level learners, school size, etc. The
review of the literature resulted in the development of Statements of Rationale -- eight statements which
led to the creation of our grade organization scenarios. These rationale statements were:
Statements of Rationale for Determining Grade Level Scenarios:
We agree:
● that grade configuration will have greater success when based on the values and beliefs of the
community, therefore, any changes will consider the results of a community survey.
● that effective programs and practices have a greater impact on achievement than grade
configuration, therefore, our strongest focus needs to be on quality programs within our schools
that meet the developmental needs of our students and maximize student achievement.
● that building transitions have a negative effect on student achievement, although students may
recover the loss in following years, therefore, grade configuration should minimize the number of
building transitions.
● that diversity enriches the community, therefore, diversity is a factor to consider in grade
organization.
● that the Bloomington Schools are accountable for measuring student progress toward district and
state standards, therefore, grade organization must provide the continuity of curriculum and
instruction for students to successfully complete each level.
● that school proximity, parental access to transportation, time and opportunity, school climate, short
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●
●
stays, large schools, and age of students are all elements which impact the likelihood of parental
involvement, therefore, they are factors to consider when designing grade organization.
that approximately 3,000 Bloomington students are attending alternative learning settings
(alternatives to our basic K-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12 schools), therefore, grade organization and
programs need to provide choices for parents to maximize student success.
that there is compelling evidence that school size affects student achievement, therefore, school
size is a factor to consider when designing grade organization.
The committee then brainstormed many possible grade organization scenarios. Applying the rationale
statements, the committee forwarded the following three scenarios for a more detailed analysis and
consideration.
Scenario 1
● Status Quo
Scenario 2
● K-5
● K-8 community school
● 6-8
● 9-12
Scenario 3
● K-5 neighborhood schools with some choice
● 6-8 attendance areas and possibly choice
● 9-12 attendance areas and possible choice
The next step was for the committee to hear reports on the following topics:
● Educational Program/Design
● Facility Capacity
● Curriculum and Instruction
● Diversity
● Demographics
● Licensure
● Transportation
● Special Education
● Developmental Assets
● Childcare
● Athletics
In addition to these reports, a survey of over 400 community residents, parents, and staff members was
completed to determine the community's opinions of the current grade organization and the other two
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scenarios. In addition, information from the survey was received regarding respondents' opinions about
neighborhood schools and the value of districtwide schools.
Following the synthesis of the research, the reports, and much discussion, the committee made a decision
to recommend a change in the grade organization of the Bloomington School System.
Recommendation
The Grade Organization Study Committee reviewed the research, heard reports, and engaged in
discussions. Compelling reasons for change to a new grade organization, focused primarily on the needs
of elementary and middle level learners, emerged from these activities. These reasons include:
1. The developmental needs of students require fewer transitions and sustained adult relationships.
2. Smaller schools and fewer transitions encourage stronger ties among schools, students, and parents.
3. The change in grade organization allows for better continuity in curriculum with fewer gaps and
overlaps.
4. Applying research about school size and instructional practices will ensure students the best
opportunities for success because in smaller schools:
a. Student attitudes are better.
b. Students experience a greater sense of belonging.
c. Students participate in extracurricular activities at higher levels.
d. Regarding dropouts, the holding power is greater.
e. Knowing and caring about one another and parent involvement is possible to a greater degree.
In addition, the development of programmatic options which meet the needs of high school learners and
maximize their success is an important part of this recommendation.
Therefore, the Grade Organization Study Committee recommends a K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grade
organization for the Bloomington Public School System to ensure students the best opportunities for
success in the 21st century.
Supporting Documentation
The supporting documentation provides a summary of the research conducted by the Grade Organization
Study Committee. This information provided the basis for the decision to change our grade organization,
as well as gave valuable information for the upcoming transition and implementation phase.
A. Review of Literature
1. Grade Organization
The research about how grades are organized in the metropolitan area comes from a document, "Grade
Configuration, School Size, and Program Organization Study for Bloomington Public Schools, July,
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1998" compiled by Dr. James Petersen, former Assistant Superintendent of the Bloomington Schools. He
writes, "At the elementary level, grade configurations come in many varieties. There are districts who
have primary schools with grades K-2, K-3, 4-5, 4-6, as well as other combinations. There are districts
with kindergarten centers. There are districts, such as Bloomington, that have K-4 elementary schools.
There are many types of grade configurations at the elementary level and, within those grade
configurations, may be other programmatic considerations, such as: multiaging; looping, which involves
teachers following students for more than one grade; departmentalization; and teaming. The most
prevalent grade configurations in the metropolitan area are K-5 and K-6. Many times it is based on the
facilities available and what the community will accept.
"At the middle level, the grade configuration usually affects students from grade five through grade nine.
School districts are including students at the fifth and sixth grade level in middle education, and fewer
and fewer are including grade nine. In the metropolitan area, grade configurations break out as follows.
This information represents data from the districts of Anoka Hennepin, Burnsville, Chaska, Columbia
Heights, Eden Prairie, Edina, Elk River, Forest Lake, Fridley, Hastings, Hopkins, Inver Grove, Lakeville,
Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Mounds View, North St.. Paul/Maplewood, Osseo, Richfield, Robbinsdale,
Rosemount/Apple Valley, Roseville, St. Louis Park, St. Paul, South Washington County, Spring Lake
Park, Stillwater, Wayzata, West St. Paul, and White Bear Lake."
Grade Configuration
K-6
K-5
K-4
Other
6-8
5-8
6-9
7-9
7-8
7-9
7-8
10 - 12
9 - 12
K - 12
9 - 10
11 - 12
Number of Schools
Elementary Schools
141
124
8
11
Middle Schools
47
2
2
1
3
Junior High Schools
21
7
Senior High Schools
13
40
1
1
1
Percentage of Total
42%
37%
2%
3%
85%
4%
4%
2%
5%
75%
25%
23%
71%
2%
2%
2%
Dr. Petersen continues, "Based on the metro area schools' grade configuration at the middle level, it does
tend to vary, but suggests that a 6-8 configuration is the most predominate. 'Research has indicated that
middle schools with 6-8 grade spans, and K-8 schools are most likely to implement child-centered
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programs, practices, and policies than schools with 7-9 or 7-12 grade spans.' (Hough, 1995) McEwin and
Jenkins stated that the majority of middle schools cited in nationwide research reflect a 6-8 level
configuration.
"Senior high schools are configured either as 10-12 or 9-12 schools in larger communities. In the rural
areas, many times there will be a 7-12 or a K-12 school. Usually the difference between 9-12 and 10-12
is one of space, as opposed to program considerations. Generally, grade configuration has been based
more on facility availability than for program reasons. When the opportunity presents itself to look at
grade configuration, then school districts will look at questions of size and program organization."
2. School Size and Program
The most compelling evidence found by the committee was not specific to grade organization, as much
as school size and programming. Dr. Petersen found in his research that there is a growing body of
evidence that suggests that reducing school size will improve student outcomes. Data collected by
researchers at the universities of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois, suggest that small school size not
only improves student performance on grades and test scores, but lowers dropout rates, reduces violence
and drug abuse. (Hallett, 1996) The National Middle School Association states that the optimum school
size at the middle level is approximately 600-800 students. Further, the Carnegie Foundation's task force
on education of young adolescents reported that middle school students would benefit most from being in
small learning communities staffed by teachers who are expert at teaching that age group. (Maeroff,
1990)
Research also indicated many other advantages of smaller schools. For example, student attitudes in
smaller schools are better. "Compared to students in large schools, both the personal and the academic
self-concepts of students in small schools are more positive." (Rutter, 1988; Stockard & Mayberry, 1992)
Also, students experience a greater sense of belonging in smaller schools. There is significant evidence
of increases in social bonding to teachers and school. "People in small schools come to know and care
about one another to a greater degree than is possible in large schools, and the rate of parent involvement
is higher." (Cotton, 1996) Another advantage is that students participate in extracurricular activities at
significantly higher levels in small schools than in large ones. (Cotton, 1996; Fowler, 1995; Stockard and
Mayberry, 1992) Furthermore, students who would benefit the most from small schools are economically
disadvantaged and minority students. (Cotton, 1996; Fowler, 1995; Howley, 1994; Lee & Smith, 1996)
This research clearly indicates that smaller schools are better for learners than larger schools. Currently,
Bloomington has K-4 buildings ranging from 330 students (Ridgeview Elementary) to 519 students
(Valley View). Many of these
K-4 buildings are using every available space with current enrollments while other buildings have the
luxury of available space. Oak Grove Intermediate, our primary 5-6 building, has an enrollment of 1538
students. Olson Middle School has an enrollment of 1569, while our two high schools each have an
enrollment of 1700 students.
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However, small schools alone will not create successful schools. Research also shows that site
programming is a significant factor in the effectiveness of schools. Factors such as shared central values,
effective principal leaders, developmentally appropriate instructional strategies, and site organization
(flexible class schedules, team teaching, etc.) are important for learner success. It was determined by the
committee that while a "school within a school" concept can have a similar effect on students as small
schools, the large physical buildings and frequent transitions (changing schools three times between
grades four and nine) are detrimental to many learners.
As mentioned above, our current organization causes multiple transitions in the adolescent students'
lives. The effect of these transitions can cause lower student achievement during the transition years, less
school attachment, and less parent involvement. Two of these factors were illustrated in the results of the
Search Institute survey given to a random sample of over 1500 Bloomington students in grades 6, 8, 10,
and 12. The results indicate that parent involvement decreased as the students got older. While this trend
is predictable, the loss of 21% (from 6th to 10th grade) of parent involvement as reported by the students
might be slowed with fewer transitions and as parents become familiar with the schools and involved in
the activities. Also, only 49% of the 6th grade students and 48% of the 8th grade students report bonding
to school, compared with 61% of the 10th grade students. (Only 51% of the seniors reported bonding to
school. However, the timing of the survey, in May, could have something to do with this response.)
B. Developmental Assets
The committee reviewed the developmental assets and the results of the survey, "Profiles of Student Life:
Attitudes and Behaviors." Peter Benson, President of Search Institute, through extensive research, has
identified forty assets which affect a student's ability to grow and learn. Developmental assets can give
the support, skills, and resources that will get students where they want to go. The assets protect and
empower youth. The more assets students have, the less likely they are to struggle, and the more likely
they are to succeed in life. The research indicates that students need 30-40 assets to maximize their
chance for success. The survey results indicate that 17% of our students report 1-10 assets, 41% report
11-20 assets, 34% report 21 30 assets, and only 8% report 31-40 assets. Some specific results as they
relate to this report include:
1. Only 44% report having support from adults other than parents.
2. Only 30% report their school as a caring, encouraging environment.
3. Only 33% report parents being actively involved helping them achieve in school.
4. Only 55% report feeling safe in home, school, and neighborhood.
5. Only 40% report school as having clear rules and consequences.
6. Only 30% report having positive adult role models.
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7. Only 44% report having parents and teachers with high expectations.
8. Only 65% report being motivated to do well in school.
9. Only 65% report being engaged in school.
10. Only 49% report having one or more hours of homework per day.
11. Only 52% report they care about their school.
The average number of assets per student by grade is as follows:
Grade 6
20.9
Grade 8
18.5
Grade 10
18.7
Grade 12
17.9
Of the forty assets, the ones listed above are some of the assets we, as a school system, may be most able
to positively influence. The correlation of these survey results with the small school research provides a
compelling rationale to change grade organization. For example, research indicates smaller schools offer
more students support (#1, 2, & 6 above); are more socially and academically engaging
(#8 & 9 above); and students have a greater sense of belonging in smaller schools
(#11 above). Therefore, smaller schools provide an environment in which the students will develop more
of the assets increasing the likelihood of a successful life.
C. Educational Program/Design
The Educational Program Draft Report is written to be a compass for school staff and sites as they move
forward with making educational program decisions for learners. The draft document was developed by
Bloomington educators. The specific standards (statements based on research and Bloomington best
practices) serve as the framework and resource for a systemic approach to program design and school
improvement. Several standards support our grade level organization recommendations:
1. Schools that are impersonal with rapidly changing schedules must be transformed into smaller, more
personal units that banish anonymity. (NASSP, 1996)
2. Schools will be organized into units small enough to create a warm, safe community that ensures
positive relationships and a sense of belonging, since large school settings have been associated with
lower achievement. (Alspaugh, 1998)
3. Transitions, including students moving from school to school as they get older, as well as students
moving from room to room within schools, will be minimized and those necessary will be carefully
planned to prevent disruptions to student learning. (Harnischfeger, 1980; Harter, et. al., 1992)
4. We will encourage student and parent choice by providing a variety of programs and options for
learners.
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D. Childcare
Over the past decade, the number of women in the workforce has dramatically increased which has
resulted in the need for additional childcare options for families. The Bloomington School System has
been a leader in the state in creating quality care programs for children before and after school and in the
summer, as well as providing programmatic options. A new concept which extends the academic
learning beyond the typical school day, as well as assisting with social and emotional growth, was started
approximately three years ago and is now blossoming in our schools. The change in grade organization
would lead to the following opportunities for K-5 and 6-8 learners. (Preschool programs are not largely
affected unless Pond and/or Southwood become elementary schools.)
Opportunities for grade K-5 learners:
1. Age-appropriate activities.
2. Children in program longer.
3. Mentor and junior leader programs.
4. Grade 5 learners have increased opportunities to use gym space after school.
Opportunities for grade 6-8 learners:
1. Supportive and safe environment.
2. Enriching and age appropriate activities.
3. Structured with defined participant attendance.
4. Internship experiences in care program.
E. Special Education
Approximately 10.3% of the Bloomington School learners receive special education services. A change
in grade organization would offer the following advantages for learners with special needs:
1. Fewer transitions are better for learners with special needs.
2. The proposed organization would be more developmentally appropriate.
3. The large size of the buildings overwhelms students, three middle schools would be ideal.
4. More space would be available to better meet the needs of existing learners and perhaps enable us to
pull more learners back into the district now being served in more restrictive programs out of the district.
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F. Desegregation
A review of the new desegregation document seems to indicate that the proposed changes would be in
compliance with the spirit and letter of the regulation. However, the committee recommends that
particular attention be given to this area as the rules could dramatically change over the next several
months. (See Appendix D)
G. Diversity
Bloomington's definition of diversity is "the many ways we differ." One of the goals of the Diversity
Department is to assist with creating safe school environments characterized by demonstrating kindness
and respect to all people. While merely putting together people doesn't make respect happen, the
likelihood of respecting people with differences is enhanced when people interact with people different
from themselves.
Also, while the proposed changes in the grade organization do not significantly impact diversity as
defined above, the proposed changes could impact the socio economic and cultural diversity of the
middle level schools. The way elementary schools are paired to feed into middle level schools could
minimize this impact.
H. Licensure
As we consider moving to grades 6-8 middle schools, there is a question of teacher licensure. Our
research indicated that there is a middle school license, but this will not be a barrier to having qualified
teachers in the 6-8 buildings. Options include having sixth grade teachers primarily teach 6th grade
students, and likewise for 7th and 8th grade students. Specialist staff are licensed for K-12, so licensure is
not an issue with these staff members. Also, there are licensing rule exceptions that can be accessed with
a letter of approval or a waiver. We would also anticipate partnering with area universities to provide
on-site classes for teachers wishing to receive a middle school license. Furthermore, this licensure issue
only applies to current teachers. New teachers starting in year 2000 will be licensed K-8 or 5-12.
I. Curriculum and Instruction
After reviewing the curriculum and instruction implications of a change in grade organization, it became
apparent that curriculum articulation will be easier with three grade groupings. The new organization will
allow for more continuity and mastery of curriculum. Restructuring our grade organization also offers the
opportunity to reexamine what we deliver and how we deliver it. The following statements provide a
synopsis of our findings:
Enrollment/Registration: Registration in elective courses may change the availability of offerings in 8th
grade.
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Gifted/Talented: Splitting 6th grade G/T students among three 6-8 buildings will require reconsideration
of how G/T services are delivered. G/T services for elementary students will need to be redesigned for
the new organization. The task force recommendations from 1996 will assist with this issue.
Industrial Tech/FACS/Art/Media/Science/Health: Special facilities and materials for these programs will
need to be provided for each grade level in the three 6-8 buildings.
Curriculum Standards: The K-5, 6-8, 9-12 grade organization will provide an opportunity to paint a
better picture of the educational effectiveness of each school site. The curriculum standards will be more
effectively delivered with this grade organization as it matches the way in which the state standards are
designed and the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments and Basic Skills Tests are organized.
Music: Preparatory standards for music instruction are grouped into K-3 and 4-5, thus there would be
many positive effects with this grouping. For instance, the 5th graders will provide positive role
modeling for the younger students. Instrumental instruction at the K-5 and 6-8 buildings will require
additional equipment and creative staffing.
Phy.Ed.: The curriculum for fifth grade will need to be modified to reflect the change in accessibility to
tennis courts, gymnastic equipment, and swimming pools.
Technology: The need for technology has increased at all grade levels. Change in facility and grade
organization will open the door to needed technology enhancements in all areas.
J. Transportation
The recommended grade organization will have a positive effect on our transportation system. More
grades in a building means the bus can pick up more students when passing through a neighborhood.
Fewer districtwide schools mean shorter bus routes. These factors should result in shorter bus routes. The
school start times will need adjusting with the implementation of the new grade organization.
K. Athletics
The current configuration offers limited opportunities for participation and competition for the middle
school learners. Three middle schools would offer more opportunities for participation.
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L. Demographics
A demographic study, completed in December 1998, indicates a stable population with a slight decline in
enrollment. The number of students not choosing the Bloomington Schools is projected to stay about the
same. We presently have the opportunity to stabilize or increase enrollment by creating schools and
choices that will bring back some of these students. Our greatest area of opportunity is to attract and
retain our kindergarten population.
M. Survey Results Summary
At the time Bloomington's present configuration was developed in 1987, the biggest factors were
declining enrollment and budget constraints. The two feasible options given the existing buildings were
to have an intermediate and junior high, or to have two 5-8 middle schools. It did not appear that the
middle school concept was possible to implement at that time.
A survey was conducted in November and December, 1998, by Decision Resources, Inc. Community
residents, parents, and staff members were asked their opinions about preferences of grade organization.
Major themes emerged from the responses which included:
· Support for neighborhood schools at the elementary and middle school levels.
· Support for program choice for high school students.
· Support for small schools for students.
In addition, the results of the survey showed that:
· Of the parents surveyed, 46% preferred the status quo, while 49% preferred one of the two different
scenarios both of which included 6-8 middle schools.
· Of staff surveyed, 34% preferred the status quo, while 65% preferred one of the two scenarios, both of
which included the 6-8 middle school concept.
· Of the random community members surveyed, 45% preferred the status quo, while 53% preferred one
of two different scenarios which included 6-8 middle schools.
While the results of the survey appear to suggest some support for the current grade organization, other
results support the concept of neighborhood schools and indicate strong support for small schools. Dr.
Bill Morris, President, Decision Resources, Inc., confirmed the inconsistencies of these results. He
suggested that the responses to the open-ended questions offer some interesting insights. A theme that
emerged was the concern for frequent school changes with the current organization. For example, after
rating the first scenario regarding the current grade organization, 10% of the community residents, 10%
of the parents, and 13% of the staff felt that there was too much changing of schools. In addition, 4% of
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the community residents, 5% of the parents, and 13% of the staff felt that it was disruptive to move every
two years for middle school. Further, 2% of the community residents, 5% of the parents, and 12% of the
staff do not like the 5-6 and 7-8 grade organization. It appears through the open ended responses that
respondents were concerned with the frequent school changes in our current organization.
The committee reviewed the results of the survey. The recommended change grade organization is in
alignment with the views of the community. (See Appendix E)
Community Input
Community input in this process was very important and employed in three ways. First, the committee
was comprised of representatives from the major stakeholders (parents, teachers, and administrators).
The committee represented all geographical areas of Bloomington, including members from both high
schools, the three schools serving middle level learners, and three of the elementary schools.
Second, Decisions Research, Inc. conducted a survey of over 400 community members, parents, and staff
members. The survey results are discussed in the previous section. (Section M - Survey Results
Summary)
Third, there was communication to the school community through a note that went home and/or school
newsletters. Information was also published in the Sun Current to keep people up to date with the
committee's progress.
Board Action Schedule Options
Option A: If the Board is content with this level of community input into the recommended change in
grade organization, the Board action schedule could look like this:
1. Publicize through schools.
2. Public dialog by Board during January 11 meeting.
3. January 25 Board Meeting make decision.
Option B: If the Board is interested in seeking additional feedback from the community, here are
additional strategies that can be used:
1. Seek feedback from groups
● a. PTAs
● b. SECAC
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●
●
c. PER
d. Other
2. Conduct neighborhood school forums coordinated by PTAs and principals.
3. Schedule
● a. Publicize through schools.
● b. Hold forums January 5 - 21.
● c. Information forwarded to Assistant Superintendent by Friday, January 22 for processing.
● d. Present information at January 25 Board Meeting.
● e. January 25 Board Meeting make decision.
Option C: Additional feedback can also be gained as follows:
1. Publicize through schools.
2. At the Board meeting on January 11, the GOSC will make a public report and receive verbal and
written feedback.
3. January 25 Board Meeting make decision.
Implementation of New Grade Organization
Grade Organization Study Committee
Target: Fall 2000
A. Plan:
1. Convene a transition team consisting of major areas that will be involved in the change of grade
organization. This team will include a leader from the following areas:
a. Educational Program
b. Curriculum and Instruction
c. Assessment
d. Technology
e. Special Education
f. Community Education
g. Human Resources
h. Staff Development
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i. Educational Program
j. Middle School Research
k. Transportation, Start Times, Attendance Boundaries
l. Facilities
m. Athletics
n. Community (Parents, Business Partnerships, Higher Education)
o. Other
2. Team leaders will form teams to assist in the transition process
3. Tasks include:
a. Identify issues to be resolved
b. Research
c. Develop recommendations
d. Develop resource needs and budget
4. Present recommendation to Assistant Superintendent
B. Timeline
Timeline
Board Workshop
Board Meeting
Convene Transition
Team
Identify Team Members
Team Work Begins
Recommendation to
Design Transition
Implement Transition
New Grade Organization
Planned Start
2/1/99
2/8/99
Planned Finish
2/1/99
2/8/99
2/9/99
2/19/99
2/22/99
3/8/99
8/15/99
8/15/99
9/30/99
9/1/00
3/5/99
8/15/99
8/15/99
9/30/99
8/31/00
9/1/00
C. Budget
Cost of the Change - The approximate costs of the change will be outlined by each area of the transition
team. These areas of the transition team are itemized in Implementation of New Grade Organization Section I.A. It is expected that there will be widespread participation in the process of planning for the
change in grade organization. Also, it is anticipated that many activities and needs will be covered by
reallocating current resources.
Each transition area (as itemized in Section I.A) has specific issues to identify and seek resolution. Some
of these considerations for each area are mentioned under Supporting Documentation.
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D. Issues
1. We value neighborhood schools and diversity. How do we get three diverse middle schools in
Bloomington?
2. The parent survey of 1997-98 indicated that 21% of parents of K-8 students would send their students
to a year-round school. Should we consider a year-round school?
3. If the Bloomington Education Center becomes a middle school of 800 students, what happens to the
administrative offices?
4. Potentially problematic is students from three middle schools going to two high schools. How do we
deal with this issue?
5. Choices need to be provided at all levels. What choices? How many choices?
6. The recommendation of the committee to have three 6-8 middle level schools is the ideal. If facilities
are a challenge, how do we move toward the ideal?
E. Other Considerations
1. Hillcrest, BRAVO!, Oak Grove Intermediate, and Olson Middle School, as current entities, cease to
exist. We need a process to review middle school research and take the best ideas and practices from
these schools and create an enhanced design of the middle school in Bloomington.
2. Hillcrest Community School has a couple of options:
a. Neighborhood K-5.
b. Community choice K-5.
c. Develop a west side and east side elementary choice -- Hillcrest would be one of these schools.
d. Develop a choice in each of the three 6-8 middle school attendance areas - Hillcrest would be
one of these schools.
3. The transition will be carefully and thoughtfully planned to minimize disruption for students, parents,
and staff.
4. The needs of staff will be thoughtfully considered as staff members will be on transition teams.
Resources such as planning time and staff development will be devoted to accomplish the transition task.
5. Communication among all stakeholders is extremely important. Our School Public Relations Specialist
will be involved in developing a communication plan. Also, informal communications will need to focus
on correct information to avoid the pitfalls of rumor and assumptions.
6. Other.
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Grade Level Center Discussion 'Dormant' For Now In Dist. 23
IN THE NEWS: Wednesday, April 30, 2003
Grade Level Center Discussion 'Dormant' For Now
In Dist. 23
The topic of grade level centers in Prospect Hts. School Dist. 23 remains "pretty dormant" at this point in time, according
to Supt. Ronald Bearwald.
There have been no further discussions of the grade center feasibility report since two new members joined the school
board earlier this month. Bearwald said the new members are familiarizing themselves with the report, and he believes the
board will eventually decide whether to hold more public discussions on the report or include it in future planning.
There are no plans to even consider grade centers as an objective for the 2003-2004 school year as the change in how
students are housed will take much more time to implement if the plan is implemented at all.
Bearwald did say that results of a community survey asking families about their feelings on grade level centers will be
published in a special newsletter that will be mailed to all homes in the district at the end of May. Approximately 1,200
surveys were mailed out to Dist. 23 households in February and about 350 were completed and sent back to the district.
The survey results are also included in the final grade level center report compiled by a consulting firm hired by the
district.
If Dist. 23 did change to a grade center format, each school would consist of two grade levels, causing the most dramatic
change at Eisenhower School which currently houses kindergarten through fifth graders.
Many parents expressed concerns and objections to grade level centers during community discussions held earlier this
year.
Back to top of page
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Ashkum Elementary
ASHKUM
ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL
THE LITTLE SCHOOL WITH THE BIG
HEART
203 North Third
Ashkum, Illinois 60911
Phone: 815-698-2212
Fax : 815-698-2635
Ashkum Elementary School is part of Central
Community Unit District #4. In the spring of
2002 the Board of Education voted to reorganize
the school district into grade level centers.
Ashkum Elementary School, now called Ashkum
Early Literacy Center, was assigned to be the
Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten building. The
1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students were all assigned
to the Chebanse Elementary School. The fourth
and fifth graders attend the Clifton Elementary
School. Our sixth, seventh, and eighth grade
students now attend school at Nash Middle
School, while the high school students remained
at Central High School.
The main focus of the Ashkum Early Literacy
Center will be in the area of early literacy in both
reading and mathematics. The school
concentrates on early identification and
intervention for all students. We are aligning our
skill statements to the Early Learning Standards
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Ashkum Elementary
and introduction of Early Elementary Standards.
The administrator and a teacher from each level
are attending workshops to help lead the school
in this mission. Teachers with the help of a
consultant are developing and writing skill
statements in each learning area.
Parental contact and communication are essential
to the success of our school. Teachers maintain
weekly contact through class newsletters and the
principal communicates at least monthly via a
newsletter with all parents. Parental groups meet
regularly to help identify and address the needs of
their school. Parents as Partners, the Box Top
committee, and the Campbell’s Labels committee
are avenues where parents are helping. A
monthly parent meeting time has been established
to help with the communications between the
home and school. Parents also have active
involvement with Family Fun Nights,
conferences, and special events that they plan and
carry out.
Each classroom has computers in them and
teachers use supplemental software for skill
development and review. Each classroom is
connected to the Internet for the expanded
resources that are available. All students receive
contact experience with technology during their
instruction at the Ashkum Early Literacy Center.
A reading specialist is present at the school to
assist students and teachers to master the early
literacy skills necessary for future success. A
teacher works with the kindergarten daily for
introduction to Fine Arts and Motor
Development, which is coordinated with regular
kindergarten instruction for reading and
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Ashkum Elementary
mathematics readiness.
Top of Page
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