This research abstract is based on two studies: first, "Student and Instructional Outcomes under Varying Student-Teacher Ratios in Special Education" and, second, "A Case Study Analysis of Factors Related to Effective Student-Teacher Ratios", both by Martha L. Thurlow and others. The studies investigated the effects of various student-teacher…

Researchers on the Lasting Benefits Study (LBS) are tracking students who participated in Tennessee's K-3 Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR) Project (1985-89) as they continue into later grades. Project STAR was a statewide experiment conducted to demonstrate the effects of reduced student/teacher ratios (15:1) on student achievement…

The goals for a Chapter 1 program are to help children succeed in the regular program, attain grade level proficiency, and improve achievement. Students have attained these goals in both pull-out and in-class programs. Most research suggests that the model used is not as important as the degree of coordination between the Chapter 1 and the regular…

This is a report of student perceptions of differences between English study in high school and college in Japan. The survey showed that students are not concerned about class size, but express fairly consistent opinions about the curriculum. They are primarily concerned with obtaining useful English skills. They do not feel that such English…

Laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to school attendance and student accounting in North Carolina are presented in this document. Chapter 1 identifies who is eligible to attend state public schools, and chapter 2 outlines the state board of education rules and regulations that govern compulsory school attendance and student accounting.…

This paper compares the achievement of first and second grade students in reduced size classrooms with the achievement of previous groups taught in larger classrooms in a Mississippi community. It also examines a longitudinal class size effect through the analysis of student achievement for two years. The subjects involved in the study were 371…

How can a writing program administrator (WPA) implement the "Statement of Principles and Standards for the Postsecondary Teaching of Writing," known as the Wyoming Resolution? Most administrators know that something like the resolution needs to be implemented, but they also know that the Statement lacks the wholehearted support of…

Language teachers have responded to the special pedagogical needs created by large language classes as they arise rather than addressing them comprehensively. This may result from both guilt about the relatively small size of even the large language classes, and fear that expression of concern might be mistaken for trying to find an excuse for…

The report by the National Assessment of Educational Progress entitled "Poor Writing Performance Blamed on Scant Writing Practice" makes it clear that little progress has been made in the improvement of students' writing. This is true in part because the conditions for teaching writing are unsatisfatory. The time has come to undertake a…

Intended for administrators and policymakers as well as teachers, this digest reports on the relationship between class size and writing achievement. The digest first reviews the contradictory findings of class size research, then examines results of meta-analyses of these studies, and subsequent responses. The digest then explores the…

A policy of reducing class size seems sensible, but might have costly, far-reaching implications for students, teachers, and public support for schools. The purpose of this research brief is to summarize 100 class size research studies from 1950 to 1985 and to regroup them into 18 areas of concern. The cluster analysis approach was designed to…

The teaching practices, the materials used, and professional and personal characteristics of 49 effective teachers were studied to determine what effective teachers do to promote learning in reading and mathematics. The students of the selected teachers ranked in the top 15 percent of scaled score average gains in reading and mathematics. A…

The Tennessee legislature sponsored a study on the effects of class size (Project STAR). The design and measurement techniques of this study are discussed. The establishment of the basic elements of the design is examined, followed by the recruitment of schools and school systems to participate in the study. The process of setting up smaller…

This study investigated the effectiveness of Project PRIME TIME on student learning in rural Indiana schools. Project PRIME TIME, a state-supported program to reduce class size in kindergarten through third-grade classes, was implemented in Indiana schools during the 1984-85 academic year. Subjects were first-graders enrolled in rural schools in…

This synthesis of research on class size provides an overview of the development of class size research, a summary of findings on class size and achievement, and a discussion of factors that interact with class size to influence academic achievment. It is concluded that while the overall research picture offers ample evidence of achievement gains…