High schools: Too little knowledge about the consequences of closures

Researcher Lea Louise Videt. Photo: Marta Anna Løvberg

– To have so much focus on closing high schools, we know too little about the consequences, says Lea Louise Videt at Nordland Research Institute .

On behalf of Trøndelag County Council, Nordland Research Institute prepared the report "Consequences of school structure changes in upper secondary schools - A knowledge summary on school centralization, travel routes, dormitory living and alternative models for upper secondary education".  

– Overall, there is a need for more research on the consequences of structural changes and school closures in upper secondary education in the Norwegian context, says Videt. 

“In this knowledge summary, we have looked at existing Nordic studies. Here, the school systems are more comparable than in countries outside the Nordic region,” she says.  

Temporary negative effect 

So what are the consequences for students who experience their high school being closed or the course they are attending being moved to a larger school? 

– There are no clear answers. The consequences vary between different regions and different student groups. Studies at the primary school level show that some students will do better in a larger school, but other students need the security found in smaller schools, says Videt.  

– Nevertheless, some studies point to a disruption effect, that school closures have a temporary negative effect on school performance. But other studies do not find this effect and no studies show a long-term negative effect throughout the further course of study.  

The researchers see that the distance to the school has an impact on school choice and choice of major.  

“This is shown quite clearly in studies from Denmark. The significance is surprisingly large, even though the distances are small compared to Norway,” says Videt. 

– There are very few studies on this in the Norwegian context, so we need more research here.  

Little dormitory research in Norway 

If a high school is moved or closed, the protests in the local community are often massive. Experience from our neighboring countries shows that good dialogue and open processes can mitigate resistance. But the knowledge summary also shows that centralization can have negative consequences.  

– Aspects such as increased travel distances, students having to move away from home and increased risk of dropout among vulnerable students are examples of possible negative effects, says Videt.  

Dormitory living is a central theme in the report from Nordland Research Institute , but there is a lack of research on Norwegian conditions.   

– It is very surprising that there are not more research projects that deal with the consequences of living in dormitories in Norway, says Videt. 

– In Norway, it is much more common to move to a dormitory than in other Scandinavian countries, due to the large distances. However, we have not found any national surveys, only some local ones.   

Recommends supportive measures 

Living in a dormitory also has its pros and cons. The research that exists shows that many people thrive and do just as well academically as those who live at home.  

– But some studies show that dormitory dwellers can experience increased loneliness and acquire unhealthy lifestyle habits. The biggest challenge is often poor finances, says Videt.  

– Measures to support dormitory residents could therefore include better financial arrangements, increased focus on diet and health, and access to social community and personal follow-up.  

Lack of national overview 

The knowledge summary also addresses alternative training models, which are particularly relevant within vocational subjects.  

– If you close a high school in the district, you have to think of alternatives in order to be able to offer rural youth education of the same quality as their peers closer to the big city have access to, says Videt. 

In the search for alternative training models, researchers have found several examples, including:   

• The "stepping stone model". Students are placed in a company from day one and receive a salary from the start until they receive their vocational certificate four years later.

• The 8-13 model – combined middle school and upper secondary school.

• Distance learning. The pandemic forced the concept forward. Everything from purely online courses to hybrid solutions that combine digital platforms and physical gatherings.  

– These models can provide increased flexibility, reduced dropout rates and more relevant and locally adapted teaching, but we have limited knowledge about the long-term effects, says Videt.  

– Furthermore, there is a lack of a national overview of which alternative models exist. In order to exploit the potential opportunities that alternative training models offer, there is a need for systematic collection of experience, which will require independent research.