“Under the right conditions, as schools get smaller they produce stronger student performance as measured by attendance rates, test scores, extracurricular activity participation…” 

Neighborhood schools promote more walking/biking to school, and walking in particular is known to improve academic performance: “Children arrive brighter and more alert for their first morning class. In a UK Department for Transport survey, nine out of ten teachers said their students are much more ready to learn if they’ve walked to school. Walking reduces stress and increases creativity, both of which will help a child’s performance at school”

Many studies demonstrate the importance of parent participation in creating a strong educational environment, however, “larger attendance areas create transportation and proximity challenges that discourage family involvement, less intimacy”