This 15 page paper presents a research proposal for the state of Virginia but the information is applicable to any school district or as a general resource for research on the topic. It begins with a short abstract, and includes a statement of the problem, literature review, hypothesis, significance of the study, participants, instruments to be used, and procedure. There is an abundance of literature addressing the issue of class size and academic achievement but there is still a great deal of controversy. The writer attempts to place the controversy in context and explains some of the reasons for the criticism of research studies addressing this issue. Bibliography lists 15 sources.
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class. The study proposes to use standardized test scores in addition to teachers year-end test scores and anecdotal data from teachers. Scores and anecdotal notes will be reviewed in September
and in June to determine the effects of small class size on academic achievement. Students throughout K-12 grade levels will participate in the study, although a randomized sample of both
students in small classes and students in large classes will be used. Statement of the Problem There is a long and checkered history of research and opinions
regarding the effects of smaller class size on student achievement. Research would seem to support the notion that students in small classes, those classes of 18 or fewer students, have
higher achievement than those in large classrooms. The research has been controversial but the general prevailing opinion is that students in small classes are able to increase their academic
performance. The problem is phrased as a question: Do small classes result in higher student achievement? "Small" is defined as 18 or fewer students per teacher. Literature
Review Numerous research studies have been conducted to determine the effect of class size on student achievement. One of the largest studies about class size and achievement involved the entire
Texas education system, which is comprised of 800 districts and over 2.4 million students (Pritchard, 1999). Ferguson, the investigator found significant relationships between and among class size, teacher quality and
student achievement (Pritchard, 1999). Using the student-teacher ratio as the measure of class size, Ferguson found that in grades 1 through 7 that student achievement dropped for every student
over an 18 to 1 ration, eighteen students per teacher (Pritchard, 1999). In 1996, class size was reduced to 15 in Draper Elementary (Grades 1-4) and Reidsville Intermediate
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