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When states and school districts have reduced Kindergarten through third grade class sizes to under 18, students do better in school. Students who have been in classes with no more than 18 students in the primary grades are more likely to read at grade level by 3rd grade, more likely to graduate from high school and more likely to go to college. Small classes can make a big difference and we have the research to prove it. Local data from TUSD and national data from class size reduction initiatives in Indiana, Tennessee, Minnesota, Wisconsin and California shows that reducing class size:
Having smaller classes is especially important in the early grades of K-3. This is when children are taught the foundation upon which the rest of their education will be built. And if we can get it right in the early grades, the research shows that the students reap the rewards throughout the rest of their careers in education. West-Ed’s Policy brief, co-authored by Jeremy Finn, found that as class-sizes shrink, teachers “ spent more time on instruction and less on classroom management. One such study from Australia also suggested that smaller classes allow more – and more protracted – interaction between teachers and individual students. Observations of 52 of STAR’s 2nd grade classrooms showed that teachers could better monitor student reading progress and were more consistent in managing behavior. In a North Carolina study, researchers looking at small and regular classes discovered that in the smaller classes, there was more time spent on teaching and fewer discipline problems. Teachers in Marana who taught in smaller classes in Kindergarten and 3rd grades found that they had completed their year-long lesson plans by January. This gave their students the opportunity to receive four months of more advanced instructional time. (See our article on Public Education Heroes: Wade McClean and Andrew Morrill to see how Marana Unified School Distrcit reduced class sizes) Study after study has shown the benefits of smaller class size. But national and state policy makers are not paying attention! They are supporting policies that have no research behind them: expanding the privatization of public schools and increased testing. Since 2000 Voices for Education has been a leader in class size reduction efforts in Arizona, putting research in the hands of parents, policy-makers and community members and working to hold our legislature accountable for failing our students. Voices for Education is working to reduce class size by:
What's the ideal class size for the primary grades.? The Tennessee STAR study randomly assigned over 7,000 students to different class sizes: 18 and under, 22-25 and 22-25 with an aide. The STAR study found that the children in the classes with fewer than 18 students out performed their peers who were in the larger classes. The STAR study also found that there were "lasting benefits." The students who were in the smaller classes continued to outperform their peers even when they returned to the larger classes. They out-performed them in reading, had less discipline problems and were more likely to graduate from high school and go on to college. While all students benefit from smaller classes, the greatest gains were made by low-income and minority students. While the most research has been done on K-3 class size reduction, in Voices for Education's youth survey, we found that 78% of 7th graders and a whopping 86% of 11th graders would prefer to be in a class with fewer than 24 students. Arizona has some of the largest class sizes in the United States. Only Utah has larger class sizes than Arizona. In a state, where we underfund education, reducing class size may seem like a luxury, but it we want to compete on a global level and live in a economically viable state, we must make this investment. Check out our report on TUSD's efforts to reduce class sizes in Arizona. This district reduced class sizes in Kindergarten in their most at-risk schools--they saw improvements in reading in just 4 months. The improvements were so great, that they expanded the program to small class sizes in all Kindergarten and First grades. This program was stopped after four years due to state budget cuts. It was paid for by 301 money. Check out our reports: Putting Children First: TUSD's Class Size Reduction Initiative and Putting Children First: TUSD's Smaller Class Size Initiative; Year 2. What can you do to help Arizona students receive the benefits of smaller classes? Work with Voices for Education to develop, support and pass a state-wide initiative to reduce class sizes. Work with your districts to ensure that when the economy turns around, a portion of 301 money(check out school finance section of our website) will be used to reduce class sizes. When voters passed Proposition 301, the initiative stated that money collected could be used for class size reduction. (The ads made it seem as if all of the money was going to class size reduction) Tucson Unified School District was able to reduce class sizes to 18 and under in all Kindergarten and first grades with just 3% of 301 money. Join us on facebook (Voices for Education) to keep up with the latest information on efforts to reduce class sizes! # # # Smaller class sizes Superintendent Wade McLean and MEA President Andrew Morrill joined forces to reduce class sizes in Marana Unified School District Small Class sizes Reducing Class size in the primary grades Smaller classes, brighter futures. (C) Voices for Education |