The Old Argument About Class Size: What's Really Important?

Teachers know that smaller classes mean more time for each student. It's logical, isn't it? Shouldn't this mean better achievement? Maybe. Maybe not. Some studies suggest that class size doesn't matter, but for the most part, the research agrees with the teachers: smaller classes are better. A recent article in Education Week discusses a British study that found "students tend to be "off task" more often when they are in larger classes. Another study reported in Education Week found that smaller classes resulted in higher achievement test scores but didn't make much difference when it came to closing achievement gaps. So what's the answer? Campus Report Online has a nice summary of what it calls Class Size Wars. It concludes that we should stop worrying over class size and focus on what we know improves achievement: good teaching. It's the teachers that make the difference; parents and students don't need research to tell us that.