By the numbers

Somewhere out there is a school district where the enrollment is not too large and not too small—and maybe Goldilocks is the superintendent.

In the real world, public school systems are subject to the ebbs and flows of enrollment figures, and no one can say with certainty what size is “just right.” Is it the massive New York City school system with more than a million students? Is it a district that encompasses an entire state, like Hawaii? Is it one of the more than 6,800 school systems in the United States with fewer than 500 students?

In Vermont, where only one of the state’s 119 districts has as many as 4,000 students, the sentiment appears to be that those school systems are too small. A state task force is working now to recommend a reorganization and consolidation of Vermont’s schools that would reduce the number of districts to between 10 and 25, each of which would have between 4,000 and 8,000 students.

Advocates of larger districts of similar sizes envision school systems operating more efficiently and resources distributed more equitably. Whether Vermont lawmakers can take those recommendations and navigate the bureaucratic and political obstacles to approve such an overhaul remains to be seen.

But large districts aren’t always the answer. Many patrons of the Alpine (Utah) school district felt that the 87,000-student system had become too big and its bureaucracy was not as responsive to the needs of students and their families as a smaller district would be.

In November 2024, voters decided that Alpine’s days as one of the nation’s largest school systems were over. Two different ballot questions were approved that carved out a central district and a west district from the Alpine district; the part of the district left behind will become a third district labeled the south district.

The three smaller districts will begin operations in 2027.

So whether a district is too large or too small depends on your vantage point. The annual AS&U 100 that appears in this issue makes note of the largest school systems. Their sheer size means they operate more schools, spend more money and affect more people. But the list makes no conclusions about which size is “just right.”

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American School & University is the publication for thought leaders shaping school and university facilities. The November 2025 Architectural Portfolio issue is the guidebook for those planning interior learning environments. Q&A pages are a unique, cost-effective way to show your expertise in this special magazine devoted to the best in educational interiors and facility planning.

Contact Heather Buzzard at [email protected] or visit SchoolDesigns.com for information.