Improving the Quality of Public Education

Improving the quality of public education has emerged as one of the nation's

major concerns. And no where are these concerns more evident than in America's 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 teacher's 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

America's 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"