OPINION: When Bigger Isn’t Better: Rethinking Elementary School Expansion
How big should schools be? For elementary schools, there's a compelling case that smaller is better.
By Lydell Fortune
GUEST COLUMNIST
When it comes to public education, there are no “no-brainer” decisions—especially when those decisions affect the daily experience of hundreds of young children.
As our region continues to grow, school capacity is becoming increasingly urgent. Expanding an existing elementary school can seem like a straightforward answer. But the real question is not how to fit more students into a building—it is how to ensure that every child has the environment they need to succeed.
That requires more than a quick solution.
Elementary school is where the foundation of a child’s education is built. It is where students develop not only academic skills, but also confidence, relationships, and a sense of belonging. In appropriately sized schools, students are more likely to be known by the adults around them, and teachers and staff can build relationships that support learning.
As enrollment approaches—or exceeds—900 or 1,000 students, that dynamic begins to change. The scale of the school starts to shape how students experience their day: how they move through the building, how they interact with staff, and how connected they feel to their school community. Size, in this context, is not just a number; it is a defining feature of the educational environment.
Research does not suggest that larger elementary schools cannot succeed. But it does show that larger schools face greater challenges in maintaining strong student outcomes, particularly when systems and supports are stretched. Smaller schools are often better positioned to identify learning gaps early, maintain a cohesive school climate, and ensure that each student receives the attention they need.
This matters even more for schools that are already working to improve outcomes. When a school has been identified as needing intensive support, the focus must be on strengthening instruction and deepening relationships. Any decision that significantly increases enrollment should be evaluated through that lens: will this make the work of improvement easier—or more difficult?
At the same time, schools that are currently right-sized and performing well offer an important reminder: scale is often part of what makes success sustainable. Altering that balance should be approached with caution, particularly when no existing performance concern drives the change.
Across our region—including Fredericksburg and surrounding counties such as Spotsylvania, King George, Culpeper, and Orange—elementary schools are typically designed to serve well below 900 students. That pattern reflects a long-standing understanding that school size plays a critical role in supporting effective instruction, strong relationships, and a positive school climate.
For example, national analyses such as those by the National Center for Education Statistics have found that smaller school environments are associated with stronger student engagement and more favorable learning conditions at the elementary level.
Larger schools also bring practical challenges that families experience every day. More students mean more complex schedules, additional lunch periods, and crowded transitions. Arrival and dismissal take longer, and shared spaces are used more intensively. These are not minor inconveniences; they directly affect how much time students spend learning and how smoothly a school operates.
Another critical factor is the condition of the building itself. Many older schools carry years of deferred maintenance—aging HVAC systems, outdated electrical infrastructure, and general wear and tear. Expanding a school without addressing these issues can compound existing challenges. Adding more students to a facility that already requires significant maintenance places additional strain on systems that are already stretched.
In some cases, the question is not simply whether a building can hold more students—but whether it should.
None of this is to suggest that expansion should never occur. In many cases, it is necessary. But it should never be treated as automatic.
Decisions about school capacity are not simply construction decisions; they are educational decisions. School boards, alongside superintendents and educators, are uniquely positioned to assess how those decisions impact student learning, school climate, and long-term outcomes. That perspective should remain central in any discussion of expansion.
When a school is already working to improve outcomes, when a building carries existing maintenance challenges, or when a school is currently right-sized and functioning well, the stakes are too high for oversimplification.
There are no “no-brainer” decisions in public education—only choices that require discipline, evidence, and a clear-eyed focus on what is best for students, not just the easiest path forward.
Lydell Fortune is Chair of the Caroline County School Board. The views expressed here are those of the author in his individual capacity.
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