Quotes are taken from a message written by Melvin to All on 06/08/96...
MB>Any thoughts?
My actual stroll through the research on the effect of class size on 
student success in the classroom (K-12) was about 25 years ago, but even 
at that time, there were a number of well-done studies to research.  The 
problem was, the results were confoundingly contradictory.
Perhaps the varying results are due to the factor you pointed out - the 
ability of teachers and students within a class to work cooperatively 
together - or perhaps the differences were due to any number of other 
factors, including student ability level, teacher charisma, subject 
matter, etc.  In virtually all of the studies, however, the results were 
based on group success rather than individual success - perhaps some 
people work better in small groups, but others work better when they are 
able to hide behind the anonymity of the larger class?
But within the past ten years there is a study so large and so well done 
that there is little doubt that it's findings are important in the 
debate over class size.  Conducted in Tennessee with the blessing of the 
state legislature, a study was conducted all across the state.  Each 
participating school had control groups (classes of 24 or more), 
modified control groups (classes of 24 or more with a teacher and a 
teacher aid) and experimental groups (classes of 15 or fewer.)
Both the short term and long term findings came to the same conclusion - 
the students in the smaller classes made significantly more growth each 
year and remained ahead of their control group classmates throughout 
their elementary school years (though the advantages began to shrink 
once they went back into larger classes, after 4th grade).  Called 
Project Star, the study found greater gains among disadvantaged 
children, but there were significant gains for middle class and average 
children as well.  The researchers concluded that one reason other 
studies might not have produced the same result is that few of the 
studies reduced class size as dramatically as did this one.  They 
concluded that the benefit of having smaller classes would only be felt 
if class sizes were reduced to 15 students or less.
Much has been written about this study - I don't have a report in front 
of me, but there were articles in all of the major news magazines - in 
case you'd like to verify what I've written.
Chuck Beams
Fidonet - 1:2608/70
cbeams@future.dreamscape.com
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