This brief summarizes findings on class size from over 25 years of work on the Tennessee Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) randomized, longitudinal experiment, and other Class-Size Reduction (CSR) studies throughout the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, Sweden, Great Britain, and elsewhere. The brief concludes with recommendations. The…

Evidence from Project STAR has suggested a considerable advantage of being in small classes in early grades. However, the extra benefits of additional years in small classes have not been discussed in detail. The present study examined the additional effects of being in small classes for more than 1 year. We find that once previous grade…

In Project STAR, 11,571 students in Tennessee and their teachers were randomly assigned to different classrooms within their schools from kindergarten to third grade. This paper evaluates the long-term impacts of STAR using administrative records. We obtain five results. First, kindergarten test scores are highly correlated with outcomes such as…

According to Tennessee's 4-year study of class size, smaller classes (13 to 17 students) have an advantage over larger classes in reading and mathematics in the early primary grades. Another study showed that fourth graders previously enrolled in Project STAR classes out-performed non-STAR students. Benefits are greater when teachers possess…

Discusses Project STAR, a four-year study of class size reduction on student achievement in the early elementary grades. The paper reviews research on class size, puts Project STAR in context, describes its design and introduces several articles noting research implications for policy debate about class size. (SM)

Tennessee's Project STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Ratio) randomly assigned 7,000 K-3 students to small classes (13-17 pupils), regular classes (22-26 pupils), and regular-with-aide classes. Small classes ameliorate large schools' effects, reduce grade retention and discipline problems, benefit minority students substantially, allow students…

Summarizes a major longitudinal study (Project STAR) conducted in Tennessee between 1985 and 1989, provides some results updating STAR findings through 1992, and suggests research-based courses of action. Class-size research in primary grades is showing the efficacy of small classes of 1:15. Application of early experimental results in 17 poor…

This article reports the Project STAR interview study that examined changes in K-3 teacher perceptions after teaching for a year in small classes or regular classes with aides. Teachers believed small classes or aides changed teaching and learning. They became more effective and satisfied and provided more individual attention. (SM)

Tennessee's four-year Project STAR provided one-third class size reduction in early elementary school. Small class students in all types of schools scored significantly higher than regular class students in reading and math. The article discusses lessons learned and cost-effective ways to reduce class size. (SM)

This paper begins by describing the basic design and scope of Tennessee's Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (Project STAR), which began in 1985. The project was designed to determine the effect of reduced class size on the achievement and development of students in kindergarten through grade three. Findings that demonstrated that students in…

Paper summarizes policy and research implications of several studies on Project STAR, noting relationships between class size and student achievement, class size and teaching, and theories of class size effects. It recommends using class reduction to improve achievement and suggests future research on teaching styles, curriculum objectives, and…

This study investigated the possible causes of the contradiction between the results of two projects. Indiana's Prime Time project compared the achievement of students in large (averaging 26 students) and small (averaging 19 students) classrooms in grades 1 through 3. Results indicated that 3 years in smaller classes had little effect on student…

Tennessee's Project STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Ratio), a large longitudinal project involving students in kindergarten through third grade, has provided important information about class-size effects on pupil achievement and development. The project showed that small classes provided higher student outcomes and better student behaviors than…

Article reanalyzes and expands upon data from Tennessee's Project STAR which examined the effects of class size reduction on student achievement in the primary grades. It describes six competing theories of class size impact on achievement and test performance, settling on the student group/modeling interpretation of study data. (SM)

Between 1985 and 1989, the Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project studied the effect of class size on student achievement in Tennessee schools. The study examined: (1) small classes of 13 to 17 students per teacher; (2) regular classes of 22 to 25 students per teacher; and (3) regular classes with a teacher's aide. The sample included…