In a message dated 11/12/2001 11:18:32 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> ...Project STAR (Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio) looked at a lot of > Tennessee students (various aspects looked at anywhere from 7,000 to > 11,600) in kindergarten through third grade between 1985 and 1989 in > about 75 schools in 42 school systems. It compared student achievement > in: > --small classes (13 to 17) > --regular-size classes (22 to 25) > --regular-size classes with teachers aides. > > The smaller classes seemed to show significant benefits over either of > the other models, and it led to class size reduction strategies in at > least 25 states. Some notes on the study: > > -- Children who gained most were minority students in inner-city > schools. It showed in lots of areas, from test scores to retention to > graduation to taking advanced courses to going on to college. Project STAR researchers concluded that adding a teacher's aid to a regular size classroom doesn't affect test scores. Cutting class size does affect test scores. Perhaps the district's class size reduction program didn't improve test scores in most of the high poverty schools because it was abandoned in most of those schools. On the other hand, the district had at least a couple of model, high poverty schools, including North Star elementary, which, a few years ago, posted scores on academic achievement tests above the district average. North Star reportedly reduced its average K-3 class size to below the districtwide goal of 19. Reports to the board suggested that most of the North Star teachers were likely to stay put for a while. Aside from the direct benefits of small class sizes, there appear to be indirect benefits, such as a lower rate of teacher turnover, which reduces the concentration of inexperienced teachers over time. > -- Later analysis seemed to indicate that students did better in math > classes taught by teachers of their same race. Did the researchers offer any explanation for why students seemed to do better in math classes taught by teachers of the same race? Who did this later analysis? Who funded it? Where can one locate it? Why is it significant? What are the policy implications? > -- Researchers are adamant in saying that you cannot generalize to sizes > above 17 (and folks doing a similar study in Wisconsin have argued that > class size reductions that leave classes larger than 15 are unlikely to > show the same gains.) Minneapolis never promised class sizes smaller > than 19. It is true that one cannot expect to replicate the results of a study if one does not replicate the conditions under which it was conducted. However, the district claims that high poverty schools have the option of replicating those conditions. The district achieved an average of 19.5 students per K-3 classroom in the 1994-1995 school year. It was a little closer to 19 by 1999. However, the average class size for high poverty schools increased during the period from 1994-1999. High-poverty schools are getting compensatory money, and many high poverty schools are using that money to buy down class sizes, according to Catherine Shreves, who cites Lincoln Elementary School as an example of a high poverty school that uses compensatory money to buy down class sizes and is "beating the odds" ([Mpls] Re: K-12 Schools; 31 October 2001). > -- There is disagreement whether gains can be sustained if the time in > smaller classes is less than 3 years...which makes it a questionable > strategy unless coupled with efforts to keep students in the same school > system for 3 years....the argument for stability. Any strategy to boost student achievement employed by the district will be of dubious value to students who are not continuously enrolled in the district. The stability argument can be used against any and all strategies the district might employ. I'm sure that there are highly mobile students in the state of Tennessee, including some who were followed in the Project STAR study. The presence of mobile students didn't prevent students who were continuously enrolled in small class rooms from reaping the benefits of small class sizes. > -- Minneapolis teachers think they are more effective teaching smaller > classes, and this is no small thing, regardless of research findings in > Tennessee. > > I remain unclear about what Mr. Mann intended when he wrote that there > was a misappropriation of funds for class size. > > He quotes hallowed sources to the effect that the term > “misappropriation” may or may not connote something illegal. OK. But > since at least some readers will suspect the allegation has legal > implications, it might serve discussion well to use different language > when it is a question policy as opposed to suggestions of outright > illegal behavior. > > It would help if Mr. Mann stated clearly which of the definitions is his > using. > > Small class size is a good idea, but it is far from a certain bet and is > only one of several possible strategies to help students. Several > alternatives have been offered on this list. I would not suggest that > schools should abandon all other strategies in the name of class size. I > would not call pursuing those other strategies thoughtfully to be a > misappropriation of funds, regardless of the definition. > > Dennis Schapiro > Linden Hills > School board member-elect In order to reduce class sizes, one not only pays more for teachers salaries, one also has to pay for more classrooms. What did the board do with the money it had for more class rooms? If the some of the money needed to carry out the class size reduction program was used for other purposes, that money was "misappropriated." The alternatives to class size reduction used in most of the high poverty schools are clearly less effective as a means to improve student performance. By sticking with policies that do not improve student achievement, and rejecting policies that do, the board is certainly acting in an irresponsible and unethical manner. The board is carrying out policies that benefit one class of students at the expense of another. If there isn't a law on the books against that, there ought to be. -Doug Mann, King Field Doug Mann for School Board web site: http://educationright.tripod.com _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
