Abstract
This qualitative ethnographic case study explored the evolution of a public urban high school in its 3rd year of small school reform. The study focused on how the high school proceeded from its initial concept, moving to a small school program, and emerging as a new small high school. Data collection included interviews, observations, and document review to develop a case study of one small high school sharing a multiplex building. The first key finding, “Too Many Pieces, Not Enough Glue,” revealed that the school had too many new programs starting at once and they lacked a clear understanding of their concept and vision for their new small school, training on the Montessori philosophies, teaching and learning in small schools, and how to operate within a teacher-cooperative model. The second key finding, “A Continuous Struggle,” revealed that the shared building space presented problems for teachers and students. District policies remain unchanged, resulting in staff and students resorting to activist approaches to get things done. These findings offer small school reform leaders suggestions for developing and sustaining a small school culture and cohesion despite the pressures to revert back to top-down, comprehensive high school norms.
Highlights
The state of the American public high school in urban communities is a matter of great concern for parents, students, educators, and policy makers
This yearlong ethnographic case study conducted in 2009 marked an attempt to explore how one urban high school, a new small high school housed in a multiplex, evolved from a concept, to a program, and to a new small high school
This study addressed two overarching questions: 1. In what ways have the original ideas behind this new small high school in an urban setting evolved and taken shape from its initial concept, to a program, to a new small high school?
Summary
The state of the American public high school in urban communities is a matter of great concern for parents, students, educators, and policy makers. As a result, increasing numbers of large public urban districts are seeking more efficient alternatives to the traditional comprehensive high school. In response to this problem, high schools across the country are focusing on reorganizing into smaller learning communities. Research conducted over the past 20 years supports that small schools are better for students academically, and they are safer too (Supovitz & Christman, 2003) This “small is better” reform movement has concluded that smaller high schools have better attendance and performance on reading and writing assessments, and higher graduation and collegegoing rates, despite serving a more educationally disadvantaged population of students (Bryk, Easton, Gladden, Kochanek, & Luppescu, 1999; Howley, 2002; Lee & Smith, 1994; Lee, Smith, & Croniger, 1995; Mitchell, 2000).
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