Some bad ideas never seem to die, despite research showing they do not actually work. It can be hard to spot them at first. Those dispelled education theories that research shot down long ago. They creep up in studies, shuffling around mumbling in the reference lists, or moan loudly in blog posts. The author often stumbles across these…

A decade ago, many education leaders dismissed student achievement data and systematic research as having only limited utility when it came to improving schools or school systems. That was the "old stupid." But now the pendulum has swung the other way. In the "new stupid," data-based decision making and research-based practice can stand in for…

Class-size reduction is the subject of much debate in the education community. Findings from research studies on three top class-size reduction programs can help states and schools decide whether reducing class size will work for them. Provided are background information, research findings, and a prognosis for the future for Indiana's Project…

Research shows that the basic right to equal school education has become a reality since 1956, but has not led to equal achievement. Some of the factors responsible for low achievement levels are low birth weight, frequent changing of schools and class size.

Although class size reductions are often proposed as a way to improve student learning, research does not indicate that smaller classes will necessarily produce improved student achievement. Class size effects on student learning vary by grade, pupil characteristics, subject area, teaching method, and other learning interventions. References…

A personalized education, according to Ted Sizer, means that students are known by adult professionals in the school. Administrators at a California high school with 2,000 students and very large classes initiated an adopt-a-kid program by matching adult volunteers on campus with low-achieving students. This program, along with a successful block…

Tainted by failure, rooted in myth, and marked by questionable practice, public-private partnerships in education are risky. Performance contracting failed miserably in the 1970s. Faulty privatization rationales include myths surrounding SAT test scores and the "bloated bureaucracy" and "money doesn't matter" arguments. Neither…

Criticizes Robert Slavin for failing to recognize the author's proper role in evaluating numerous popular learning interventions, including mastery learning. Slavin's claim of "remarkable progress" with Success for All is unjustified, considering the unsubstantiated evidence given in his single unpublished study. Includes two references.…

Explains difference between class size and pupil-teacher ratio. States that terms should not be used interchangeably. Asserts that effective class-size-reduction efforts must include early intervention, duration, and intensity. Reports results of recent studies of the effects of Tennessee Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project on student…

Discusses national survey of high school teachers and parents of high school students. Finds that while teachers and parents associate small schools with certain positive effects such as low dropout rates and high parent involvement, educators planning to reduce school size must resolve several parent and teacher concerns such as class size. (PKP)

Public opinion surveys conducted by Public Agenda confirm that parents, students, and educators from diverse ethnic groups share the same fundamental aspirations for education and agree on the basic reforms needed in schools. The author, a senior advisor for Public Agenda, describes survey findings that suggest that all groups see education as the…

Indiana spent more than $100 million in past three years on Prime Time, program to reduce class size in the primary grades. Data show that in classrooms with 18 to 22 students, the atmosphere is less hectic, teacher morale is higher, instruction is more individualized, and students (particularly those at risk) are better achievers. Includes five…

In fall 1993, a Colorado high school scrapped its traditional semester calendar for a trimester schedule. The school year now has 3 12-week grading periods corresponding to the seasons; the school day has 5 class periods of 70 minutes each. The result: fewer and longer classes, impressively reduced class sizes, more flexibility, and improved…

Describes several prominent early grades small-class-size projects and their effects on student achievement: Indiana's Project Prime Time, Tennessee's Project STAR (Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio), Wisconsin's SAGE (Student Achievement Guarantee in Education) Program, and the California class-size-reduction program. Lists several conclusions,…

Interviews Bob Slavin, a research director at Johns Hopkins Center for Research on Elementary and Middle Schools. Explains Success for All, an early intervention strategy to ensure that students reach third grade with adequate skills. Critical of Madeline Hunter's mastery learning model, Slavin urges practitioners to demand research-based trials…