Improving the Quality of Public Education
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Improving the quality of public education has emerged as one of the nations
major concerns. And no where are these concerns more evident than in Americas Great
City Schools. Urban schools often face challenges that would daunt other organizations,
public or private. The litany of hurdles confronting these schools and the children they
enroll are now familiar, but the solutions to their problems have only recently emerged
from the research: comprehensive early childhood education, extended time for learning
before and after school and during summers, higher academic standards, better teaching
and professional development for teachers, adequate facilities, stiffer accountability, and
smaller class sizes.
Evidence has grown steadily in the last several years that reducing class sizes, in
particular, can have a dramatic and long-lasting effect on student achievement,
particularly the achievement of children in poverty. Reducing class size is shown to give
every student more of the teachers time and more individualized attention to grasp the
academic material to meet high standards. This report is the second in a series of reports
updating the nation on how the federal Class Size Reduction program is being used by
Americas urban public school systems.New studies using the original STAR students are also demonstrating that the benefits
of reduced class sizes continue into high school. For example, preliminary findings
from the “Effects of Class Size Reduction in the Early Grades (K-3) on High School
Performance” study show that students who were in smaller early elementary grade
classes were more likely to graduate from high school on schedule and with higher
class rankings than their counterparts from larger classes. Students from smaller
classes were also more likely to have completed advanced courses than students from
larger classes or from classes with a classroom aide. In addition, the “Effect of
Attending a Small Class in Early Grades on College Attendance Plans” study found
that students, particularly minority and poor students, from smaller classes were more
likely to take a college entrance examination than their peers from larger classes.New studies using the original STAR students are also demonstrating that the benefits
of reduced class sizes continue into high school. For example, preliminary findings
from the “Effects of Class Size Reduction in the Early Grades (K-3) on High School
Performance” study show that students who were in smaller early elementary grade
classes were more likely to graduate from high school on schedule and with higher
class rankings than their counterparts from larger classes. Students from smaller
classes were also more likely to have completed advanced courses than students from
larger classes or from classes with a classroom aide. In addition, the “Effect of
Attending a Small Class in Early Grades on College Attendance Plans” study found
that students, particularly minority and poor students, from smaller classes were more
likely to take a college entrance examination than their peers from larger classes.New studies using the original STAR students are also demonstrating that the benefits
of reduced class sizes continue into high school. For example, preliminary findings
from the “Effects of Class Size Reduction in the Early Grades (K-3) on High School
Performance” study show that students who were in smaller early elementary grade
classes were more likely to graduate from high school on schedule and with higher
class rankings than their counterparts from larger classes. Students from smaller
classes were also more likely to have completed advanced courses than students from
larger classes or from classes with a classroom aide. In addition, the “Effect of
Attending a Small Class in Early Grades on College Attendance Plans” study found
that students, particularly minority and poor students, from smaller classes were more
likely to take a college entrance examination than their peers from larger classes.New studies using the original STAR students are also demonstrating that the benefits
of reduced class sizes continue into high school. For example, preliminary findings
from the “Effects of Class Size Reduction in the Early Grades (K-3) on High School
Performance”