|
State
(Date Began)
|
Policy Intent, Elements |
Funding
(1999-00 School Year) |
Target |
Level of Implementation |
Implementation Issues |
Alaska
(1997, 1998) |
Mandate
Enacted in 1997, amended in 1998. Legislation authorizes formation of
smaller classes and provides funding for those schools choosing to do so.
|
$1.58 million. |
K-4 |
K-4—20 students per class |
Approximately 20,000 new teachers were needed,
so state relaxed teacher certification requirements. Other concerns include
a surge of teachers moving from "less-advantaged" to more desirable districts
to fill the newly created positions; a shortage of substitute teachers;
supervision and training of noncertificated teachers. |
California
(1996) |
Class Size Reduction Program. Goal is to improve
early literacy by lowering K-3 class size to 20.
Voluntary. Incentive dollars offered for each pupil in K-3 class of no
more than 20.
Professional development required, using existing funds.
|
$1.53 billion. |
All K-3 students, a total of approximately
1.3 million
Implementation occurs in 1st grade, then 2nd, then
K and/or 3rd. |
1997-98: 84% |
Intense public pressure to implement quickly.
Not enough qualified teachers (21% of 1996-7 new hires on emergency permits).
Not enough classroom space.
Enrollment boom.
Equity.
|
Florida
(1996) |
Goal: 20 students per teacher. |
$100 million. |
K-3 with a priority on K-1. |
|
|
Illinois
(1981, 1988) |
Initially a pilot program. Now statewide,
mandatory. |
$5 million. |
In 1988-89: K-1—18 students, 2-3 grade—20
students. |
|
Teachers have reported improved student behavior,
higher test scores, more efficient classrooms.
Program evaluations, however, indicated a weak relationship between lower
class size and student achievement, but significant improvement in teachers'
morale and attitudes. |
Indiana
(1981) |
Prime Time Program. Programs are decided
at local level; funds are allocated at district level. |
$106.7 million. |
For 1995-99: 18-20 students. For 1999-00:
15-18 students, depending on at-risk index. |
Of 293 districts, only 3 do not participate. |
|
Iowa
(1999) |
Goal. Reduce K-3 class size to 17
for basic skills instruction. Great flexibility: districts can reduce class
size, add kindergarten, hire paraprofessionals, provide professional development. |
First year (1999-00) $10 million, second
year $20 million, third year $30 million, fourth year at least $30 million.
|
K-3 |
All districts have established goals for
the program. |
Not enough dollars for some districts to
hire new teachers. Lack of space in some buildings to add classrooms. |
Louisiana
(1986) |
Districts that meet requirement not to exceed
20 students in K-3 classes can use CSR funds to hire certified teachers
for other grades. |
$31.94 million. |
K-3 classes not to exceed 20 (unless authorized
in writing by superintendent). |
All districts (except one small rural district)
and all Type II charter schools are participating. |
Difficulty locating and hiring certified
teachers. Lack of classroom space. |
Maryland
(1999) |
Learning Success Program.
Goal is to reduce class size in grades 1 and 2 to 20 students, particularly
in reading. |
$11.6 million. |
Requires school systems to set performance
targets; has a goal of hiring 1,000 teachers. |
All districts will participate. |
|
Minnesota
(1993) |
Learning and Development Program.
Goal is to reduce class size in grades K-6 to 17 students. |
$134.8 million, plus $2.9 million from another
program. Additional funding of $98 million over 1999-00 and 2000-01 school
years is directed at K-3 grades. |
K-6 classes not to exceed 17 students. |
|
|
Nevada
(1989) |
Mandatory
Phased-in program to lower early-grade size from average of 25 to 16.
|
$82.9 million. Funding for 1998-99 could
be used to reduce 3rd grade to 19:1, or to adopt proven comprehensive
programs for achievement.
Funds teachers, not facilities. |
Grades 1 & 2, at-risk K, and some 3. |
Began with 1st grade and some
at-risk K, and expanded to 2nd in 1991-2. |
Not enough classroom space. Enrollment boom. |
New York
(1999) |
Class Size Reduction Program. Goal
is to reduce class size in grades K-3 to 20 students. |
First year (1999-00) $75 million; second
year $150 million; third year $225 million. |
Funds can be used for teacher salaries and
benefits and for one-time startup costs for each new classroom; funds can't
be used for professional development or for new buildings. |
|
Few problems, the most pressing of which
is lack of space for new classrooms. |
Oklahoma
(1990) |
Mandate
Fiscal and accreditation penalties for noncompliance.
Physical education, music, vocational not subject to penalty. |
Funding addressed through foundation program. |
K, 1-3, 4-6. No more than 20 students in
class. |
|
|
| Ohio (1999) |
To reduce class size in grades K-1. |
$131 million. |
K-1 |
30% of school districts qualify for state
funding. |
Districts have complained of having difficulty
locating classroom space and certified teachers. |
| South Carolina (1997) |
Matching grant program (districts match state
funds based on their ability to pay). Priority is given to districts with
most critical needs and to districts with higher percentages of students
qualifying for free or reduced-fee lunches. |
$34.16 million. |
1-3. Goal is to reduce student-teacher ratio
to 15-1 over time. |
84 of 85 districts participating. |
Facilities (state is addressing the issue
through a $750 million school facility bond bill for FY 2000). |
| Tennessee (1985) |
Mandate
Class size in grades K-3 may not exceed 20. Districts have until 2002
to comply. Districts are allocated additional teachers to reduce pupil-teacher
ratio to 15:1 for one-third of students on free and reduced lunch. |
Total cost is state funded (no figure available). |
K-3 |
In 1996-97, 98.2% of public school classes
were at or below the class size maximums for individual classrooms. |
Study showed greatest gains in inner-city
small classes.
Classes with teacher aides achieved slightly higher scores than regular
classes, but differences were not statistically different. |
| Texas (1984, 1995) |
Mandate
Districts may not enroll more than 22 students per classroom, with a
ratio of not less than 1 teacher to each 20 students in average daily attendance.
Some exceptions apply. |
Funds are not allocated specifically to CSR,
which is required by law and funded through general aid to education. |
K-4 |
|
|
| Utah (1990) |
Goal: Focus on reading. Lower class
size to 10 in K and to 15 in grades 1-3.
Funding: Distributed: 80% per student, 20% to low income on a per-school
basis. Evolving toward 100% allotment on per student basis. |
$67.03 million. |
Initially K-4 (with half of district allocation
to focus on K-2).
1996-7: Expanded to K-6.
1998-9: Expanded to K-8. |
Most K-6 classes now number 21-25 students.
Greatest reductions have taken place in K-4. |
Not enough classroom space in nonrural areas.
Enrollment boom (now leveling off). |
| Virginia (1996) |
Voluntary |
State funding, based on incremental cost
of providing lower class sizes. Districts must provide matching funds. |
K-3 schools with high or moderate concentrations
of at-risk students. |
|
|
| Washington (1986) |
To enhance staffing in grades K-4 by funding
an additional 4.2 certificated instructional staff (CIS) per 1,000 FTE students
in grades K-3 (over the minimum of 49 CIS) and an additional 7.2 CIS in
grade 4 (over the minimum of 46 CIS). |
$99 million. |
K-4 (Prior to 1999-00, targeted grades were
K-3). |
In 1998-99, participation rate was 96.4%. |
Most common reason districts give for not
using the maximum available funding is lack of classroom space. |
| Wisconsin (1996) |
Student Achievement Guarantee in Education
(SAGE). Goal is to improve academic achievement through four methods,
one of which is small classes of no more than 15 students in grades K-3.
Originally limited to high-poverty schools, the SAGE law was changed this
school year to allow any school to apply. |
$18.2 million. 2000-01: $58.5 million. |
K-3 |
Implementation takes place in waves. First
wave of schools began in 1996-97 at K-1 grades, then added grade 2 in 1997-98
and grade 3 in 1998-99. Second wave began in 1998-99. Third wave will start
in 2000-01. |
|
| Wyoming |
Education code says each district "shall
endeavor to maintain when practicable" an average class size of no more
than 20 students per teacher in grades K-3. |
State funding mechanism encourages districts
to achieve goal of reduced class size. |
K-3 |
|
|
