When considering various options for buying the perfect family home, one of the most important questions will be whether small school districts are better than larger ones. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that smaller is better when educating children, so it’s certainly something to consider.

In the 1990′s the rash of school violence made officials take a second look at school size. Some believed that the larger schools were not able to provide the personalized attention a troubled child might need to prevent a tragedy. It was also believed that minorities would do better in small schools due to smaller class size and increased attention to their needs.

However, small school districts may have some drawbacks, too. For the family who is looking for more education options, the small school may be limited. Foreign language classes may be one or two options with one being Spanish. Sports programs may be limited to the most popular activities, such as football and basketball. Therefore a child who loves soccer or swimming may be limited in this area. If diversity is important, it’s less likely to exist in a small school. If a child does not feel comfortable with the mainstream culture, a larger school may give that individual more chances to find a good friend group.

On the positive side, small school districts may give a child a better since of placement because there are only 300 – 400 children in the school. The teachers may be able to give more individualized attention due to smaller class size. The relationship between teachers and their community will be more prevalent. Violence and behavioral problems will likely be less tolerated, so the quality of the school environment may be better. Truancy is easier to track. This leads to better morale in the teachers, so the quality of instruction may be better.

Look at the pros and cons before deciding which is best for your family.