Nativity schools--there are over forty in urban areas throughout the United States--provide an important alternative to urban middle schools failing to provide their students with an adequate education. Nativity schools, which are privately funded, provide a year-round educational experience for at-risk urban children. They feature small classes,…

Class size is a continuing concern for administrators and teachers in the Mesa Public School system. Research examined findings that reductions in class size can increase student achievement as measured by common standardized tests, but only if size is reduced to something below 20 students per class. Class size also produced changes in…