Outlined are the importance of school size in relation to school effectiveness and other significant features determining the management of change in small schools. (MD)

Describes a three-semester, self-paced astronomy course for nonscience majors, designed to handle large enrollments with a successful completion rate as high as in a lecture format. (MLH)

This document summarizes the major studies published on class size and composition for the period 1900-96. It begins by examining the various indices that catalogue research on class size and also looks at those that provide abstracts of published articles, monographs, and government documents. These indices were used to compile a select…

This review used meta-analytic techniques to integrate findings from 30 independent studies that compared programmed instruction to conventional methods of instruction at the secondary level. The meta-analysis demonstrated that programmed instruction resulted in higher achievement when compared to conventional methods of instruction (average…

The Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project first investigated the effect of small class size on student achievement with over 6,000 Tennessee primary students in 1985 through 1989. The study found a consistent and significant benefit of small classes for all students, with the greatest advantages for minority, inner-city students from…

This document updates California's 1966 guidelines for school district determination of land size needs to support their education programs. The guide reflects the changes in educational programs that have affected school site usage and size requirements and includes recommended changes in site acreage for very large schools; equal access for…

This study considered the nature of student engagement and its relation to academic achievement, showing that engagement is an essential ingredient of learning and achievement. A review of the literature on class size suggested a strong link between small classes and positive engagement behavior. To examine the potential lasting effect of…

This report is intended to help policymakers understand the benefits of class-size reduction (CSR). It assesses the costs of CSR, considers some research-based alternatives, and explores strategies that will help educators realize the benefits of CSR when it is implemented. It examines how CSR enhances student achievement, such as when the…

This paper analyzes cross-sectional data compiled from Pennsylvania's 501 school districts to investigate which factors influence academic performance. It also examines these factors to determine whether increased spending is the key to improved academic performance. Topics addressed include teacher-student ratios, teacher salaries, and per pupil…

This study examined the impact of the second year of the federal class-size reduction (CSR) program in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), North Carolina. The 23 participating schools in the WCPSS had from 22% to 51% of their students receiving free or reduced-price lunches. In the second year, the CSR program was expanded from grades 1…

In 2001-2002, 23 schools in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), North Carolina, were provided with 40 teacher positions through the Class Size Reduction Program (CSR). Achievement results for students in reduced class sizes were compared with those of similar students in other CSR schools who did not choose the same grade for the project…

This study evaluated the impact of class size on student performance in two introductory courses at Indiana University-Purdue University (Indianapolis) from 1992-1997. Analyses employed archival records of student enrollment and grade performance. In the first stage of the analysis, class size cutoff points were defined for small, medium, and…

This study used data from the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading examination to analyze the effect of class size on academic achievement. The NAEP is administered in 4th, 8th, and 12 grades to measure academic achievement in various fields. Besides providing data on academics, it offers information on student, teacher,…

This volume is a synthesis of interviews conducted with 48 teachers who are infusing their large classes (over 100 students) with small-group activities or are working explicitly to create student communities within large classes. The chapters are: chapter 1, "The Argument for Making Large Classes Seem Small" (James L. Cooper and Pamela…

This study investigated Chinese teachers' attitudes about the benefits of teaching small classes. Researchers administered a survey with open-ended questions to a sample of 54 teachers in a mideast Chinese urban school district. The study investigated their responses on issues related to the functions and benefits of having small classes for both…