A combination class is formed when students from two adjacent grades are placed in one classroom under the supervision of one teacher. Two recent studies indicate that combination classes may contribute to lower student achievement in multitrack year-round schools. (eight references) (MLF)

Research indicates that the relationship between class size and instructional effectiveness depends on a multitude of related variables, such as age level of students, subject matter taught, and instructional methods used. Recent statistical syntheses of this research reveal that the instructional benefits of smaller classes are most significant…