Evidence from project star about class size and student achievement

Folger, John K.; Breda, Carolyn S.

doi:10.1080/01619569209538668

Cited by 32 publications

(42 citation statements)

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“…'' The STAR data have been examined extensively by an internal team of researchers. This analysis has found that students in small classes tended to perform better than students in larger classes, while students in classes with a teacher aide typically did not perform differently than students in regular-size classes without an aide (see Word et al [1990], Finn and Achilles [1990], and Folger and Breda [1989]). Past research primarily consists of comparisons of means between the assignment groups, and analysis of variance at the class level.…”

Section: Quarterly Journal Of Economicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Estimates of Education Production Functions

Krueger¹

1997

669

836

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This paper analyzes data on 11,600 students and their teachers who were randomly assigned to different size classes from kindergarten through third grade. Statistical methods are used to adjust for nonrandom attrition and transitions between classes. The main conclusions are (1) on average, performance on standardized tests increases by four percentile points the rst year students attend small classes; (2) the test score advantage of students in small classes expands by about one percentile point per year in subsequent years; (3) teacher aides and measured teacher characteristics have little effect; (4) class size has a larger effect for minority students and those on free lunch; (5) Hawthorne effects were unlikely.

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Section: Quarterly Journal Of Economicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Estimates of Education Production Functions

Krueger¹

1997

669

836

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…In addition, evaluation may provide evidence that a program model works, but it may be a model that is difficult to implement. For example, Folger and Breda (1989) found that children performed better in smaller classes. However, this advice is only useful to schools that have the resources to hire many new teachers who are as well trained and experienced as their present teachers.…”

Section: Limits On Evidence-based Adult Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishing an Evidence-based Adult Education System

Smith¹,

Comings²,

Beder³

et al. 2004

PsycEXTRA Dataset

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“…Small classes made the most difference for student at Preparatory and First Grade level. Folger and Breda (1989) found that small classes assisted low SES students' achievement as much as high SES, and reduced instances of grade retention or repeating classes.…”

Section: Project Star and Sage: Very Different Conclusion Drawn Frommentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Folger and Breda (1989) re-analysed Project STAR data and concluded that small class achievement advantage was found in all kinds of schools: inner city, suburban, rural, and urban. However, the small class advantage was largest, on the average, in inner-city schools 7 , and the effect sizes were larger for numeracy than literacy in all four grades.…”

Section: Project Star and Sage: Very Different Conclusion Drawn Frommentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, for policymakers there are three major questions to answer with the adoption of any change or new program: how effective will the change be; how much will it cost; and what are the problems of implementation, including the support or opposition of the stakeholders -in this case principals, teachers and parents -and those who implement it (Folger and Breda 1989)? The current federal minister of education (Pyne 2012) is on record as declaring:…”

Section: Why Small Class Sizes?mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Class size and academic results, with a focus on children from culturally, linguistically and economically disenfranchised communities

Zyngier

2014

Evidence Base

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The question of class size continues to attract the attention of educational policymakers and researchers alike. Australian politicians and their advisers, policy makers and political commentators agree that much of Australia's increased expenditure on education in the last 30 years has been 'wasted' on efforts to reduce class sizes. They conclude that funding is therefore not the problem in Australian education, arguing that extra funding has not led to improved academic results. Many scholars have found serious methodological issues with the existing reviews that make claims for the lack of educational and economic utility in reducing class sizes in schools. Significantly, the research supporting the current policy advice to both state and federal ministers of education is highly selective, and based on limited studies originating from the USA. This comprehensive review of 112 papers from 1979-2014 assesses whether these conclusions about the effect of smaller class sizes still hold. The review draws on a wider range of studies, starting with Australian research, but also includes similar education systems such as England, Canada, New Zealand and non-English speaking countries of Europe. The review assesses the different measures of class size and how they affect the results, and also whether other variables such as teaching methods are taken into account. Findings suggest that smaller class sizes in the first four years of school can have an important and lasting impact on student achievement, especially for children from culturally, linguistically and economically disenfranchised communities. This is particularly true when smaller classes are combined with appropriate teacher pedagogies suited to reduced student numbers. Suggested policy recommendations involve targeted funding for specific lessons and schools, combined with professional development of teachers. These measures may help to address the inequality of schooling and ameliorate the damage done by poverty, violence, inadequate child care and other factors to our children's learning outcomes.It would be reasonable to ask 'Why another paper on class size?' For most the issue seems to have been settled: smaller classes promote higher achievement, better attitudes, different instructional practices, and higher teacher satisfaction and morale. Technical criticisms of methodology …and less-substantiated criticisms of research …would not change the general interpretation of meta-analyses in this area (Bourke 1986, 558).Many policymakers and political commentators suggest that funding isn't the problem in Australian education. They point to the funding spent on reducing class sizes, arguing that this extra funding does not lead to better academic results.1 The original version of this paper contained references to the work of Dean Ashenden that were not accurate.Version 2 of the paper removed these references. Based on comments that followed since the original publication the discussion in the later sections of the paper has also been expanded and ...

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Evidence from project star about class size and student achievement

Cited by 32 publications

References 1 publication

Experimental Estimates of Education Production Functions

Experimental Estimates of Education Production Functions

Establishing an Evidence-based Adult Education System

Class size and academic results, with a focus on children from culturally, linguistically and economically disenfranchised communities

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