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5 <br /> The USDOE application cites research that supports the following benefits of <br /> smaller high schools: <br /> Smaller schools support academic achievement <br /> a Smaller schools promote academic equity <br /> • Smaller schools prepare students for the future <br /> • Attendance is higher and dropout rates lower,in smaller schools <br /> • Student attitudes and behaviors are more pdsitive in smaller schools <br /> e Extracurricular participation rates are higher in smaller schools <br /> • Smaller schools reduce alienation <br /> A major focus of the Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation is support for creating <br /> small high schools. The Foundation's website(www.gatesfoundation.org,)has a wealth <br /> of information and research on the topic. <br /> Research suggests that the potential advantages of small schools will not be <br /> realized if size is the only element that is changed. Consequently,we expect these <br /> schools to differ programmatically from the current comprehensive high schools. A <br /> .disadvantage of a small high school is that it cannot offer a curriculum that is quite as <br /> comprehensive nor can it easily support the same level of co-curricular and athletic <br /> opportunities. On the other hand,we envision that these smaller schools might have <br /> smaller classes,increased differentiation within classes, longer periods of instruction, <br /> more flexibility with respect to scheduling of classes,more web-based course offerings, <br /> greater integration with the community,more off-campus instruction,more collaboration <br /> with community colleges and,possibly,other higher education institutions,and stronger <br /> ties to career exploration and preparation. In short,we would like to incorporate the <br /> recommendations of the many recent studies on high school reform into these new <br /> schools,paying particular attention to those aspects that would likely benefit students <br /> who,traditionally,have not been well served by the current high school model. <br /> Because these smaller high schools would be different from our comprehensive <br /> high schools,we expect to offer students with choices about which schools they want to <br /> attend. It also might be anticipated that more students might,start at the comprehensive <br /> high schools and transfer to the smaller schools once their interests become better <br /> defined. <br /> Obviously,we must be attentive to the cost-implications of this proposal. At this <br /> time,we believe that the capital and operating costs for these smaller high schools will be <br /> comparable to the costs associated with comprehensive high school programs. This does <br /> mean that some academic offerings may be scaled back and that some non-academic <br /> aspects of the traditional high school might not be replicated. For example,a school <br /> might have a very limited interscholastic sports program,focusing instead on intramurals <br /> or personal fitness or alternative recreational activities. It may be time to consider <br /> providing alternative high school models that are not driven by athletics,bands, <br /> yearbooks,proms, and other traditions that have remained essentially unchanged for most <br /> of the last century. The new model might be driven by technology and distance leaming, <br />