H.C.R. 11

1

RESOLUTION PROMOTING MODERATELY
2 SIZED SCHOOLS
3 2003 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: David N. Cox
6 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor encourages local school
7 boards, to the extent feasible, to build more moderately sized, simple, community-based
8 neighborhood schools.
9 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
10 WHEREAS, research indicates that smaller school size is the second most important
11 factor in creating positive educational outcomes, after socioeconomic status;
12 WHEREAS, large schools are expensive to individuals, their communities, and the
13 nation because there are many hidden transportation and security costs;
14 WHEREAS, there are also higher costs per graduate, as well as societal costs for
15 increased crime rates;
16 WHEREAS, smaller school size promotes learning and improves grades and test scores
17 of students, especially minorities and low income students;
18 WHEREAS, research shows that school dropout rates decrease in smaller schools;
19 WHEREAS, student behavioral problems, including truancy, classroom disruption,
20 vandalism, aggression, theft, alcohol and substance abuse, and gang participation, occur more
21 often in larger schools;
22 WHEREAS, creating smaller schools and smaller learning communities within larger
23 schools promotes school safety;
24 WHEREAS, smaller schools, including schools with wider grade configurations, reduce
25 the feeling of isolation, allow students to form closer relationships with teachers, and create a
26 sense of student loyalty to and pride in the school;
27 WHEREAS, researchers have concluded that the first step in ending secondary school

28 violence is to break through the impersonal atmosphere of large secondary schools by creating
29 smaller learning communities within large schools;
30 WHEREAS, research demonstrates that students who attend smaller schools are more
31 likely to participate in extracurricular activities and to participate in a greater variety of
32 extracurricular activities;
33 WHEREAS, large schools contribute to negative teacher attitudes and low staff morale;
34 and
35 WHEREAS, smaller schools can be established in a cost-effective manner, as the sheer
36 size of larger schools requires more administrative support:
37 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
38 Governor concurring therein, encourage local school boards, to the extent feasible, build more
39 moderately sized, simple, community-based neighborhood schools.
40 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge the State
41 Office of Education to foster the spread of research for furthering innovative ways of creating
42 smaller schools.
43 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to each school
44 board in the state of Utah, the Utah State Board of Education, and the Utah State Office of
45 Education.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-4-03 8:49 AM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel