For elementary or middle schools, a school is small if it has fewer than 300 to 400 students; a high school can be as big as 600 students and still be considered small.
Is a small school better for your child?
Whether or not a small school is better depends on your perspective. In a small school, teachers and administrators are more likely to know children and be able to keep track of their progress. Some people say that small schools feel more like families, where both students and parents know each other--which could be good or bad, depending on your viewpoint. Some drawbacks to small schools include more limited social opportunities and fewer special programs. At the high school level, these differences may be more relevant as students focus on extracurricular activities and seek special courses such as college prep or vocational education.
A look at the research on small schools
There is a lot of focus these days on small schools. In fact, several prominent philanthropists (including the Gates Foundation) have invested a great deal of money in the effort to create smaller schools. According to some studies, children in small schools have a stronger sense of belonging, which seems to lead to increased effort and higher achievement. At the high school level, students at small schools appear to graduate at a higher rate than their peers in large high schools.
In the end, only you can decide if a small school is the right setting for your child. Be sure to visit small and large schools as you go through the choice process.