Decreasing class sizes, even by as little as one student, comes with a price tag. It is possible to "pay" for this increase by compensating with one of the other factors influencing the salary cost of teachers: lower teachers' salaries, less required instruction time for students or more teaching time for teachers. Across OECD countries…

A substantial amount of controversy surrounds the issue of class size in public schools. Parents and teachers are on one side, touting the benefits of smaller class sizes (e.g., increased academic achievement, greater student-teacher interaction, utilization of more innovative teaching strategies, and a decrease in discipline problems). On the…

From a cost-benefit viewpoint, investing school revenues in small K-3 classes has great potential for improving productivity. Statewide class reduction initiatives in Indiana, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin have positively influenced student achievement, behavior, citizenship, and development. Districts cannot afford to ignore this mounting…

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…

Most education research has confirmed that small classes yield benefits. Research also has revealed nuances about how and when small classes will work best, where an investment will result in maximum return, and exactly how many students a "small" class should have. The details of these findings can help policymakers strike a practical…

Estimates the operational costs of nationwide class-size-reduction programs under various policy alternatives, including the specified class size, flexibility in implementation, and whether the policy is targeted toward at-risk students. Depending on the options, estimated costs range from about $2 billion per year to over $11 billion per year.…

Although second- and third-year evaluations of California's K-3 class-size reduction program show modest achievement gains, these improvements have had large costs. Interdistrict inequities have been exacerbated as the teacher work force increased 38 percent, qualifications dropped, and implementation costs soared. Recommendations are discussed.…

A survey of one national and three statewide studies (in Tennessee, Texas, and Alabama) of class-size achievement effects revealed no consistent pattern across various subjects and grade levels. However, smaller classes can improve student achievement, particularly in early grades and when teacher quality remains constant. (Contains 36 footnotes.)…

This analysis outlines the generally inconclusive nature of class size research. In the area of achievement as it relates to class size, the research is demonstrated to be especially inconclusive. In addition to analyzing the problems and weaknesses of class size research, this paper summarizes the effects of class size on the educational process…