Full Text:

PAGE ONE / LIBRARY

The Class Size Debate: Is Less Really More?

B Y A NN M ARIE C OHEN

Nationwide, public school class size averages 25 students. Critics argue that

this average is now too large to provide individualized instruction for the

average student to learn successfully.

Mindful of this criticism, Newtown's Board of Education and school

administrators Schools have looked at ways to keep class sizes as small as

possible whilte school enrollments grow.

The issue has even commanded the attention of political leaders around the

country. Twenty states have passed or are considering passing legislation that

would reduce class size. The task, however, can prove to be costly.

Class size reductions increase the need for more classrooms and qualified

teachers.

President Clinton has proposed shrinking class size to an average of 18

nationwide in grades 1-3 by hiring 100,000 new teachers over the next seven

years, at a cost of $12 billion.

But will all this money buy better learning? The jury is still out.

While over 1,000 studies have been conducted to observe the relationship

between class size and student success, no conclusive evidence has been

established.

Opponents to spending large sums to reduce the number of students in classes

argue that class sizes have been declining for decades. The average ratio

today of students to teachers in public schools is 19 to 1, while in the 1950s

it was about 30 to 1, but an equivalent increase in students' achievement has

not been realized.

And lowering the ratio of student to teachers may not necessarily mean a

reduction in class size. Some guidelines permit officials to include other

educational staff besides the classroom teacher in determining the ratio, such

as resource teachers and aides. Therefore, school districts could increase the

number of teachers without actually reducing the class size.

Since constructing new classrooms can quickly strain a local education budget,

some school systems have sought to solve the ratio problem by adding a teacher

to a larger class.

In a study by Prof Stan Shapson of York University in Toronto, Canada in 1980,

teachers and students in grade four were randomly assigned to one of four

class sizes: 16, 23, 30, or 37 students. In grade five, students were again

randomly assigned and tracked for another year. The following criteria were

rated by trained observers: pupil's achievement, teacher-pupil interaction,

pupil participation, pupil satisfaction, method of instruction, subject

emphasis, physical conditions, use of instructional aids, classroom

atmosphere, and the quality of classroom activity. Most of results found

little correlation between class size and performance in these areas.

Although teachers generally perceived the smaller classrooms to be easier to

manage and to teach, observations revealed very few effects of class size.

Teachers did not change the proportion of their time interacting with the

class, or with groups or individuals in the class.

Educational researchers Glen E. Robinson and James H. Wittebols reported in

1986 that positive effects on students are less likely to occur if teachers do

not change their instructional methods and classroom procedures in the smaller

classes.

Chester Finn, Jr. and Michael Petrelli (Weekly Standard, March 9, 1998)

contend that the problem in the classrooms is not class size, but inadequate

teachers. "Teachers don't do anything differently. The same lessons,

textbooks, and instructional methods are typically employed with 18 or 20

children as with 25 to 30 children. It's just that the teacher has fewer

papers to grade and fewer parents to confer with. Getting any real achievement

bounce from class shrinking hinges on teachers who know their stuff and use

proven methods of instruction."

Supporting Arguments

Data from several recent experimental studies of class size have added to the

research finding benefits of class size reduction in the early grades. Studies

in Indiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Wisconsin have yielded some

important findings.

The largest, most complete study that makes a good supporting argument for

class size reductions comes from research done in Tennessee. Project STAR

(Student-Teacher Achievement Ratio) began in 1985 and continued over four

years. It examined 79 schools, over 300 classrooms, and 7,000 students in

kindergarten through grade three.

STAR compared classes of 13-17 students with classes of 22-26 students both

with and without an additional instructional aide in the larger classes.

Teachers did not receive professional training that concentrated on teaching

in reduced size classes. The study found that students in smaller classes

scored consistently higher than students in regular classes, with or without

an aide.

According to Robert Kuklis, Newtown's assistant superintendent of schools,

"The STAR research indicates that smaller class size in the early grades

allows the teacher to give children more attention, and it is significant.

At the secondary level, if a teacher has five classes of 20 or five classes of

25, the teacher's total workload is increased and there is limited time to

spend on each child. That means 125 children as compared to 100, and 25 more

essays and tests to grade."

Dr Kuklis said the study suggests that if a district can afford smaller class

sizes, it is well worth the money. "We must also consider the nature of the

lesson, if a teacher is using the lecture as a forum to teach a lesson, class

size takes on less importance; but if student participation is the focus, one

needs a smaller class size," he said

Shannon Trew, a third grade teacher at Hawley School agrees. "Obviously it is

a lot easier with a smaller class. When I taught in North Carolina, I had

25-30 in my classroom. It was a military town and it was a given that children

were moving into the school district and out of it. I now teach 20 children

and it is wonderful! The quality of teaching is better and the one to one

attention that I can give is more. Plus, there are not as many discipline

problems because you can get to each child quicker and nip the problem in the

bud."

The US Department of Education issued a report in May 1998 entitled Reducing

Class Size: What Do We Know? The report suggests that successful programs,

such as the STAR project share the following characteristics:

Class size reduction should occur in the early grades, Tennessee students

returning to regular classes as early as grade four continued to attain higher

achievement levels.

The significant effects of class size reduction on student achievement appear

when class size is reduced to a point between 15 and 20 students. If class

size is reduced from a number well over 20 students per class to under 20

students, the related increase in student achievement moves the average

student from the 50th percentile up to above the 60th percentile. For

disadvantaged and minority students, the effects are larger. A small class

setting may make it difficult for the child to withdraw from participating,

and also make it difficult for the teacher to overlook the needs of individual

students.

Students, teachers and parents report positive effects from the impact of

class size reductions on the quality of classroom activity.

Teachers assigned to smaller classes report improved classroom atmosphere,

facility in providing more individualized instruction and more flexibility to

employ various instructional approaches. Class size reduction works best when

coupled with teacher professional development, according to the federal

report.

"When you look at literacy research it has been reported that optimal class

sizes for primary grades fall somewhere between 16 to 18 students," said Donna

Page, principal at Sandy Hook School where dramatic increases in enrollment

have been seen in recent years.

"The Newtown district has shown a strong commitment to keeping reasonable

class sizes of 20-22 students. Given the space constraints we are faced with,

I truly feel that the commitment and support services, enable us to deliver a

quality program for all students," she said.

Virginia King, assistant principal at Newtown Middle School, believes there is

no question that with fewer kids more personalized instruction can be given,

and the more tuned in a teacher will be to each student's individual needs.

"It also depends on whether support services are available, the grade level

being taught, and the teaching approach."

The middle school is where enrollment growth is most acute. Sixth graders

entering the middle school in 1996 numbered 280. That figure has risen to 367

this year. That is an increase of 87 students for the guidance counselors

alone.

Even with a commitment to hire additional teachers to keep class sizes down,

there is the problem of finding the classrooms to put them in. Existing

classrooms systemwide are now near capacity. The school for grades five and

six proposed by Newtown's Board of Education would alleviate projected severe

overcrowding in the middle school.

The new school, at a cost of $25.8 million dollars would accommodate 1,000

students as well as staff and community volunteers.