School Size and Middle School Students' Perceptions of the School Environment

The effects of school size on 945 middle school students' perceptions of school satisfaction, teacher support, and school safety were examined using data from a national probability sample of middle and high school students. Students in schools with enrollments of 800 or more scored lower than students in smaller schools on the three school environment variables. The findings suggest that the negative relationship between school size and student outcomes documented in the literature may be the result of the detrimental effect of high enrollments on the school environment. Implications for school social work interventions are discussed.