Smaller=better?

• Author: Bell, Julie Davies
• Position: Reducing the number of students per class - Includes related article on studies to determine the relationship between class size and student achievement - Cover Story

A wave of popular support has buoyed up the idea of reducing school class sizes across the country. But does it work? Maybe so, maybe not.

Reducing the size of elementary school classes is one of the hottest education reforms to hit state legislative agendas. Nationwide, schools average 23 students per class - too large, some say, to provide the kind of individualized attention students really need to succeed. Using research as a guide, supporters are suggesting that states should focus on creating smaller classes. Now states are figuring out what's involved in getting from here to there. It's a story of huge political potential and huge price tags.

It's hard to find many public policy proposals more popular than reducing class size. A March 1997 Wall Street Journal poll found that 70 percent of adults believe that reducing class size would result in big improvements for public schools. A 1997 Education Week survey found that 83 percent of teachers and 60 percent of principals believed classes should not exceed 17 students. Parents say their children are happier and learn more in smaller classes. Teachers report they have fewer discipline problems, are able to give students more individual help and can cover material faster.

Such strong public opinion numbers rarely surface. Naturally, policymakers everywhere are paying attention. It seems simply to make intuitive sense - children can get a better education in a smaller class, where the teacher can get to know them better and give them more personalized attention. But as legislators get into the issue, they are finding they must proceed with caution. Reducing the size of classes may be the most expensive education initiative they have ever considered. And the research is not at all clear on whether smaller classes translate into improved learning. So, how far should legislators go with something that is politically popular, very, expensive and has uncertain outcomes?

"Lower class size is the argument for the reformation of the public school system," says Michigan Senator Joe Conroy, a passionate supporter of smaller classes. Since 1994, Michigan has funded a pilot program in Conroy's home of Flint. It has cost the state approximately $6 million. Conroy says the results are significant: "Forty-three percent more fourth graders are passing the state reading test, and 18 percent more are passing the state math test." Conroy visits one school building a week in his district. He says he has observed a "sea change" in the way classes are conducted, including greater decorum and teacher enthusiasm. "The train is on the track for more to come," says Conroy. This year he helped to develop the next step for Michigan - a $20 million program for statewide implementation of class size reduction in the neediest districts.

Michigan is among 20 states that have passed or are considering passing bills mandating smaller classes. These programs vary in several ways. Most focus on the early grades - primarily kindergarten through third - but some, like Tennessee's, target all grades. States may prescribe classroom averages that schools and districts must maintain or may impose a maximum number of students per class. Some states, such as Arkansas and Virginia, prescribe an average or maximum student-teacher ratio rather than an average or maximum class size. This allows schools and districts additional flexibility because they are able to use teacher aides and still meet state requirements.

20 STUDENTS MAXIMUM

Typically states are setting averages in grades K-3 at around 20 students. Nevada has the lowest mandated size, requiring no more than 15 students per class. Several states approach class size reduction by offering fiscal incentives. In Michigan, the state provides 75 percent of the funds for poor districts that reduce classes to an average of 17 students with a maximum of 19. Oklahoma began its effort with a grant program, but found implementation cumbersome. The state has now set a five-year schedule to reduce classes statewide to a maximum of 20 students per class in grades K-6.

President Clinton has also jumped on board, adding momentum to the already popular movement. In his 1998 State of the Union address, he announced a...