Research on School Size: Small School Districts & Economies of Scale (pdf). Prepared by the Louisiana Department of Education's Division of Planning, Analysis, and Information Resources (May 14, 2003). This thoughtful report examines the pros and contains of the debate over optimal school size. It includes a summary of research on both sides of the issue. The Small Schools Project and The Small Schools Workshop. These two organizations' web sites contain a comprehensive listings of resources focusing on the benefits of small schools. The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities provides an annotated list of publications and articles dealing with the impacts of school size. John Bailey, The Case for Small Schools, Center for Rural Affairs, 2000. A good non-technical summary of some research findings. Kathleen Cotton, School Size, School Climate, and Student Performance, School Improvement Research Series Close-Up #20 (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 1996). Karen Irmsher, School Size, Educational Resources Information Center Digest 113 (1997). Craig Howley and Robert Bickel, Smaller Districts: Closing the Gap for Poor Kids (manuscript, 2001).