PREDICTORS OF HIGH-SCHOOL ACADEMIC COURSE OFFERINGS - THE ROLE OF SCHOOL SIZE

Relationships between high school structural characteristics and curri cular offerings are examined in this study using survey data from High School and Beyond. Emphasis is placed on the role played by high scho ol size. The study's central thesis is that the effects of school size on the curriculum will vary depending on subject area, the character of the course being offered (e.g.. advanced versus remedial), and the setting in which the school is located. The influence of other structu ral features, most notably socioeconomic status (SES), unionization, u rban location, and grade configuration, are also examined. Findings ar e consistent with the basic proposition that the effects of size are d ifferentiated within high schools. The findings have implications for assessments of equality of educational opportunity as well as for the renewed debate over optimal high school size.