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Advice for ParentsIn classrooms, size matters
By Leanna Landsmann
Q: Our district may increase class size to deal with budget cuts. One school-board
member insists that there is no proof that children do better in smaller classes.
He says that students learn when's there's good teaching and parenting. I believe
strongly that small classes are better. Give me some ammunition!
A: The
effect of class size on student achievement is one of the most widely debated
topics among education policymakers. The theory is that fewer students in a classroom
means more individualized instruction from the teacher and therefore higher student
performance. Most researchers agree that small classes in the early grades
can help boost achievement. The study cited most often is Tennessee's STAR experiment
(Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio). From 1985 to 1989, more than 11,000 students
in kindergarten through grade 3, and 1,300 teachers took part. The goal was to
learn whether small classes of 13 to 17 children did better academically than
students in classes of 22 to 26 students. Overall, students in small class sizes
in grades K-3 had better high school graduation rates, higher GPAs and were more
likely to attend college than students in the larger classes. "All
other things being equal, class size matters," says Dr. Larry Hedges, professor
of statistics and social policy at Northwestern University's Institute for Policy
Research. "Kindergarteners in a class of 15 with one qualified teacher will
have an advantage over those in a class of 23 with an equally qualified teacher.
But the variables are rarely equal. Some teachers are better than others; some
students require more individual attention than others. Some students come to
school less prepared than others." Then there's the law of unintended
consequences, notes Hedges. "California implemented a statewide reduction
in kindergarten through grade 3 classes in 1996. Some districts could not find
enough qualified teachers and hired poorly prepared ones. This defeated the intent
of the policy in many schools." Districts looking for savings should
be wary of blanket solutions, says Hedges. Instead, he urges school boards and
administrators to "provide district guidelines that let each school's faculty
respond to conditions on the ground. The principal and staff know their students,
and it should be up to them to weigh what we know about what helps students be
successful with what resources are available." What considerations are key? One,
early intervention is important, especially for at-risk students. The biggest
impact of smaller classes is in the early grades, so any increase in class size
should probably start at the upper elementary levels before the primary levels. Two,
faculties must consider teacher quality. Extensive research shows that good teachers
are critical for student achievement. "It's better to have classes of 23
students taught by qualified teachers than classes of 20 or fewer if you're compromising
on teacher quality," says Hedges. Three, evaluate pullout programs
and other nonmandated supports. Teachers without classroom assignments, those
in pullout programs, for example, may not boost student achievement as much as
reducing class size. "A persistent puzzle over the years is that while the
pupil/teacher ratio (the number of students and all teachers in a school) has
decreased substantially over the last 30 years, this has had little effect on
test score gains," Hedges notes. School boards need to be careful about
general prescriptions, says Hedges, in the tough times ahead. "The best solution
is for cuts to be made at the school level on a case by case basis by the people
closest to the problem. If they help devise the solution, they'll be better able
to implement it." Do you have a question about your child's education?
E-mail it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com.
Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher.
She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe
best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City. Copyright
2009, United Feature Syndicate, Inc. A-PLUS ADVICE FOR PARENTS 1-5-09 Submission
inquiries? Contact Stacey Pusey at 856-241-7772. | 
