Compelling evidence demonstrates that reducing class size, particularly for younger children, has a positive effect on student achievement overall and an especially significant impact on the education of disadvantaged children. The American Federation of Teachers is a strong advocate for reducing class size to help raise student achievement, especially in high-poverty, at-risk schools. In addition to increasing student achievement, smaller classes:

• Improve classroom atmosphere, students receive more individualized attention and teachers have flexibility to use different instructional approaches/assignments.
  
  
• Have fewer students to distract each other; lower level of noise.
  
  
• Enable teachers to know the students better and can offer more extra help; recognize learning problems/special educational needs.
  
  
• Have fewer discipline problems. By spending less time on discipline, teachers report spending more time on instruction.

Class size reduction is most effective when:

• Classes are between 15 and 19 students;
  
  
• Particular schools are targeted, especially those with low-achieving and low-income students;
  
  
• There is an adequate supply of qualified teachers; and
  
  
• There is adequate classroom space.

Critics of small class size believe that the costs associated with implementation are too high because the impact on student performance, they contend, is minimal. Their concerns are not completely groundless. Simply cutting class size does not guarantee significant increases in performance for all students.

Nonetheless, critics do not refute that small class size increases achievement—instead they believe that other initiatives would better serve the goal of increased achievement. But even the most outspoken critics acknowledge that: "There are likely to be situations—defined in terms of specific teachers, specific groups of students, and specific subject matters—when small classes could be very beneficial for student achievement." Eric A. Hanushek, The Evidence on Class Size, February 1998.


Supporting Research

Project STAR
Tennessee's Project STAR (Students-Teacher Achievement Ratio) was designed to determine the short- and long-term effects of small class size in grades K-3 on student performance. Findings

Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) Program
SAGE began in Wisconsin in 1996 by phasing in class size reduction in grades K-3 in school districts serving high-poverty students. The aim is to achieve a student/teacher ratio of 15:1. Findings

Rouse Study
The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program is a publicly funded voucher program. In her study, Rouse compares the achievement of Milwaukee voucher students and students in three types of Milwaukee Public Schools: regular schools, magnet schools, and schools participating in the Preschool to Grade 5 Grant Program (P-5 schools). Findings

Wenglinsky Study
Educational Testing Services (ETS) researcher Harold Wenglinsky compared 1992 fourth- and eighth-grade NAEP math results to class size and other policy initiatives. For purposes of the analysis, Wenglinsky defined small class size as fewer than 20 students. Findings

Class-Size Reduction (CSR)
During the mid-1990s, the California Legislature passed the Class-Size Reduction (CSR) incentive program, which provided funds to schools statewide that set class size to 20 students in grades K-3. Findings