Research on Class Size Gene Glass and Mary Lee Smith (1978) meta-analysis of class size research: –Reduced class size can produce increased academic achievement

STAR Project Helen Pate-Bain Lamar Alexander (governor) Tennessee Board of Education and a consortium of universities in Tennessee Studied the effects of small class size on primary grades students’ academic achievement

How might smaller class sizes contribute to academic achievement ? Better contact with parents. Closer and more personal contacts with students. Greater flexibility in choice of instructional approaches. Better classroom management and discipline. Other reasons?

Nye, Hedges, and Konstantopoulos (2001): effects of class size on the academic achievement of disadvantaged students in the STAR study minority and non-minority economically disadvantaged students math and reading achievement benefit to minority students in reading; no benefit to disadvantaged students overall

Problems with STAR Project Lack of full randomization Attrition Cross-over effects Factors within and outside classrooms and schools

Other class size studies: Indiana: PRIME Wisconsin: SAGE California Other states ETS US Department of Education

Class size research (U.S. Dept. of Ed., 1998) Smaller class sizes increase student achievement In TN study, students continued to outperform peers after returning to regular size classes in Grade 4

Class size research Smaller classes increase instruction time, reduce discipline problems Effect size larger when small classes combined with change in instructional methods and classroom procedures

Class size research Smaller classes have greatest impact in the early grades A national study of 4 th and 8 th grades found greatest impact of small class size on students in urban schools

Class size research Achievement effects increase when students are in class 100+ hours and when assignments carefully controlled Professional development needed so teachers take advantage of smaller class sizes