The Davis school board is considering moving the ninth-graders to the high school. There are many reasons why this would be a bad idea. Take science classes, for one example. Lab classes are already overcrowded with aging equipment. If classes were loaded at a minimum of 37 students, there would be no way for a student to get the hands-on time needed to work on experiments.

Also, the science teachers use their prep periods to set up equipment. If the ninth-graders move to the high school, the classrooms would be full for all seven periods, making it impossible for them to prepare. Some equipment can’t be moved. The bottom line is that students would not get the access to curriculum that they need to succeed.

Studies show that smaller schools are better. As schools get bigger, student achievement declines and larger schools have higher rates of absenteeism, dropouts and discipline problems. In addition, “Dollars and Sense II,” a 2005 study of 25 different small schools across the nation, found that, on average, small schools spent 17 percent less per student than comparable schools in their districts while achieving equivalent or better results.

Our high school is a top school. It is working for the needs of the current amount of students, for the most part. However, traffic and parking at the school are already harrowing. There is no longer a multipurpose room for the students to meet in or have lunch in. To add another class would be a step backward. Class sizes are already large enough, and to add the ninth grade would be a mistake.

Lee Ann D’Amato
Davis

Comments

comments