The nested data structure inherent in education (i.e. students nested in schools nested in districts) makes intact school matching an appealing approach in observational studies of educational interventions and policies for both theoretical and practical purposes. This paper provides guidance to applied education researchers who are employing…

Four studies were conducted to ascertain the long term effects of reducing class size in primary grades. Study One compared the effect of class size reduction on one school system when all students' scores were compared. Study Two was a repeated measures cohort study in which the scores of 193 students who had attended reduced size classes in the…

Most teachers and the public believe that children in kindergarten and the primary grades benefit from small classes because of children's need for individualized instruction and teacher attention. This report, part of a comprehensive policy study of early childhood education, presents a review of the research on the effect of class size on…