District Spending in Small and Large High Schools

Do districts have to spend more to create small schools? This report finds that three large urban districts spend more on small high schools than on large high schools—but they don’t necessarily have to. While this higher spending is not necessarily undesirable, it is also not always sustainable, particularly given today’s economic climate.

This report shows that by rethinking how they allocate resources, districts can minimize extra spending on small schools. District and school leaders looking to create and sustain high-performing small schools will benefit from the findings and policy considerations in this report.

District Spending in Small and Large High Schools full report (PDF)

District Spending in Small and Large High Schools executive summary (PDF)