Interessant, de OESO publiceerde net een literatuurstudie rond optimale schoolgrootte waarbij ze kijken naar voor- en nadelen. Omdat we in Nederland en Vlaanderen ogenschijnlijke tegenovergestelde bewegingen hebben (schaalvergroting in Vlaanderen, zeg maar post-schaalvergroting in Nederland), zeer actueel.

De conclusie van de studie is ontnuchterend. Het is namelijk niet zo eenvoudig te stellen dat er een optimale schoolgrootte is. Soms zijn scholen noodgedwongen klein, wegens afgelegen, maar kunnen ze de beperking van een kleine schaal (minder kansen tot professionalisering, minder ondersteuning, minder specialisatie) wel opvangen door bijvoorbeeld bovenschoolse samenwerking of online ondersteuning van de lesgevers. Iets wat ik zelf ook al zag bij projecten waarbij ogenschijnlijk ’te kleine’ scholen (cfr New York) toch zeer effectief bleken.

Ik neem even dit stuk over uit de eigenlijke conclusie als samenvatting, aandachtspunten voor iedereen die over schaalvergroting (of -verkleining) nadenkt.

One of the arguments that has appeared more consistently throughout this paper is that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution in school size policies. Even if consolidation may improve school quality and efficiency in some contexts, it is unfeasible in others, mostly due to geographical isolation. Other alternative forms of organisation have proven effective in counteracting the disadvantages of small remote schools, without having to remove the school institution of its community. School clusters and school federations, and other more informal forms of cooperation, have allowed smaller schools to obtain specialised teachers and courses, to organise larger groups of students for certain classes, and also to create a wider professional community for teachers and principals. For those cases where interaction with other nearby schools is unfeasible, information and communication technologies provide an innovative tool to combat isolation, and positive experiences of their implementation show that they could be a useful tool for very remotely located schools.

Any decision on changes in school size must be made carefully, and it needs to be exhaustive in including all of the mechanisms and variables that mediate size effects. In that respect, existing studies have insufficiently reflected on the possible interaction effects between size and other school and context related variables. Grade level and social class have proven to be two strong mediators of size effects. This indicates that policy-makers need to carefully consider which student populations will benefit or suffer from different school sizes. Changes in size policies should be conducted through an open and transparent process that permits the participation of the affected communities, and that clearly presents the arguments for changes in the school structure