THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CLASS SIZE REDUCTION.

Class size reduction is a popular but expensive educational reform. However, it pays off in terms of academic achievement and is easily controllable by local officials. The pay-off is greatest for low-income and minority students, which are the very students most likely to not enjoy lower class sizes. Thus, it is a cost effective strategy that demonstrates dividends in school as well as in lowered social and educational costs in the future. Generally class sizes between 15 and 18 are recommended but can validly vary considerably by subject matter. A key factor is that teacher's pedagogical methods change from a large-group lecture format to more personalized instruction as class size gets smaller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]