How How crowded is crowded is your class?your class?

By: Linzi SimsBy: Linzi Sims

Do you feel like you have to yell Do you feel like you have to yell to have your voice heard?to have your voice heard?

Do you have to compete for Do you have to compete for your teacher’s attention?your teacher’s attention?

Do you leave class without the Do you leave class without the teacher getting to your teacher getting to your questions?questions?

With recent budget cuts, school With recent budget cuts, school are increasing the number of are increasing the number of students in each class. students in each class.

Image from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1004520/Parents-fed-crowded-classes-spend-20-000-primary-school.htmlImage from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1004520/Parents-fed-crowded-classes-spend-20-000-primary-school.html

Larger class sizes can Larger class sizes can cause a decrease in cause a decrease in

student achievement.student achievement.

Style (2011)Style (2011)

““For first through seventh grades…district For first through seventh grades…district student achievement fell as the student achievement fell as the student/teacher ratio increased for every student/teacher ratio increased for every student above an 18 to 1 ratio.”student above an 18 to 1 ratio.”

““Smaller class students substantially Smaller class students substantially outperformed larger class students on both outperformed larger class students on both standardized (Stanford Achievement Tests) standardized (Stanford Achievement Tests) and curriculum-based tests (Basic Skills and curriculum-based tests (Basic Skills First). “First). “

U.S. Department of EducationU.S. Department of Education

Research PurposeResearch Purpose

The purpose of this research The purpose of this research is to address the impact that is to address the impact that class size has on student class size has on student achievement.achievement.

Significance of the Significance of the studystudy

Many school districts are Many school districts are increasing class size due to increasing class size due to budget cuts. budget cuts.

Both students and teachers will Both students and teachers will suffer from larger class sizes. suffer from larger class sizes.

Reducing class sizes will have Reducing class sizes will have many benefits, but most many benefits, but most importantly, an increase in importantly, an increase in student achievement. student achievement.

U.S. Department of U.S. Department of Education believes in Education believes in reducing class sizereducing class size

Small classes were associated Small classes were associated with higher achievement at all with higher achievement at all grade levelsgrade levels

Major benefits of reducing class Major benefits of reducing class size occurred where the number size occurred where the number of students in the class was of students in the class was fewer than 20.fewer than 20.

U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of U.S. Department of Education believes in Education believes in reducing class sizereducing class size

At the fourth-grade level, lower At the fourth-grade level, lower student/teacher ratios are positively student/teacher ratios are positively related to higher mathematics related to higher mathematics achievement. achievement.

At the eighth-grade level, lower At the eighth-grade level, lower student/teacher ratios improve the student/teacher ratios improve the school social environment, which in school social environment, which in turn leads to higher achievement. turn leads to higher achievement.

U.S. Department of

Education

Class size averages among other Class size averages among other countriescountries

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-03-24-small-classes_N.htm

Class size is on the rise

http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NY-AZ016_NYCLAS_NS_20110526184510.jpg

Martinez (2011)

Why smaller classroom Why smaller classroom size is importantsize is important

There are fewer students to distract each There are fewer students to distract each other. other.

Reduced class size also reduces the level of Reduced class size also reduces the level of noise in a class. noise in a class.

Each student in a reduced size class gets Each student in a reduced size class gets more attention on average from the teacher, more attention on average from the teacher, and more time to speak while the others and more time to speak while the others listen. listen.

U.S. Department of Education

ConclusionConclusion

Smaller class sizes can Smaller class sizes can reduce noise and behavior reduce noise and behavior

problemsproblemsIncrease student achievementIncrease student achievement have a positive impact on how have a positive impact on how

students feel about schoolstudents feel about school Increase attendance ratesIncrease attendance rates

ConclusionConclusion

Even with decreasing budgets, there are Even with decreasing budgets, there are ways to for students to have the benefit of ways to for students to have the benefit of smaller class sizes. smaller class sizes.

““ineffective educational interventions can ineffective educational interventions can minimize the cost of smaller classes. Extra minimize the cost of smaller classes. Extra teachers in a school who do not have teachers in a school who do not have regular class assignments are costly and regular class assignments are costly and may not have the same positive impact on may not have the same positive impact on achievement as shrinking class size”achievement as shrinking class size”

Class size: counting students can count (2003)Class size: counting students can count (2003)

CC

Image from www.classsizematters.orgImage from www.classsizematters.org

BibliographyBibliography

           Class size: counting students can count. Class size: counting students can count. (2003).  American Educational Research (2003).  American Educational Research Association (Issue 2, Association (Issue 2, 11). Retrieved from ). Retrieved from http://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/Journals_and_Phttp://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/Journals_and_Publications/Research_Points/RP_Fall03.pdfublications/Research_Points/RP_Fall03.pdf

Class Size Matters. (n.d.) Class size Class Size Matters. (n.d.) Class size matters.org. Retrieved from matters.org. Retrieved from www.classsizematters.orgwww.classsizematters.org

Martinez, B. (2011, May 27). City classroom Martinez, B. (2011, May 27). City classroom size on the rise.size on the rise. The Wall Street Journal.  The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/home-pagefrom http://online.wsj.com/home-page

BibliographyBibliography

     Parents fed up with crowded classes spend £20,000 on Parents fed up with crowded classes spend £20,000 on their own primary school. (2008, April 01). Mail Online. their own primary school. (2008, April 01). Mail Online. Retrieved from Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ushome/index.htmlhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/ushome/index.html

Style, T. (2011). Why class size really does matter. Style, T. (2011). Why class size really does matter. Pomerado News. Retrieved from Pomerado News. Retrieved from http://www.pomeradonews.com/?p=11770http://www.pomeradonews.com/?p=11770

  Toppo, G. (2008, March 24). Size alone makes small Toppo, G. (2008, March 24). Size alone makes small classes better for kids. classes better for kids. USA TodayUSA Today. Retrieved from . Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/http://www.usatoday.com/

     U. S. Department of Education, National Institute on U. S. Department of Education, National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum and Assessment. (1999). Student Achievement, Curriculum and Assessment. (1999). Reducing class size what do we know?. Retrieved from Reducing class size what do we know?. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/ReducingClass/Class_size.htmlhttp://www2.ed.gov/pubs/ReducingClass/Class_size.html