Elementary Class Size Review

Summary of Research on Class Size Reduction of Primary Classes

• The studies in support of class size reduction indicate:

– Leads to increased academic achievement – Academic gains are sustained through elementary school– Results in fewer retentions– Support additional teacher-student time– Result in fewer behavior disruptions– Support increased student participation– Optimal class size is 15-17

Summary of Research on Class Size Reduction of Primary Classes

• The studies that refute the impact of class size reduction indicate:

– Cited flawed research in major CSR studies – No significant increase in reading scores– Greatest gains of most studies were with low income minority

students– Gains students made were not sustained over the years– Single most important determinant in student achievement is the

quality of the teacher

The Council Rock Journey to Class Size Reduction

• Class Size Committee Report of 1999– Recommended phasing in a reduction of class sizes from numbers of:

Kindergarten 28 to 25First 28 to 25Second 30 to 25Third 30 to 26Fourth 32 to 28Fifth 32 to 28Sixth 32 to 28

Other Recommendations include

• Changes to how additional sections are assigned

• Staff Classes until July 1• (Practice at that time staffed sections until the first day of school)

• Enroll students in the class that had the lowest number of students at time of registration and provide transportation

• Later amendment to recommendations included adding an assistant to oversized classrooms

Moving the CSR Initiative Forward

• May 2000 – Board approved implementing class size reductions in grades K-2 beginning in school year 2000-2001

• July 2000 Board approved phasing in of additional grade levels over future years as long as the budget allowed for such

• June 2003, Grade 3 class size was implemented• Grade 4 followed thereafter

Class Size and Student Achievement

• A Look at Class Sizes in CR and other Districts

• A Look at SAT averages in CR and other Districts

• A Look at PSSA proficiency in CR and other Districts

Class Size MaximumIn CR and other Districts

Grade Council Rock Central Bucks North Penn Lower

Merion Pennridge Pennsbury

Kindergarten 25 15-24 22-25 21 25 22

First 25 18-28 23-26 23 27 24

Second 25 18-28 23-26 23 28 24

Third 26 18-28 23-26 24 28 24

Fourth 28 20-30 25-29 26 30 24

Fifth 30 20-30 25-29 26 30 26

Sixth 30 20-30 25-29 * * *

SAT Scores 2012-2014 2014 2013 2012

School Name Verbal Math Writing Verbal Math Writing Verbal Math Writing

CENTRAL BUCKS HS EAST 559 582 575 557 576 567 543 567 549

CENTRAL BUCKS HS SOUTH N/A N/A N/A 525 553 537 522 548 534

CENTRAL BUCKS HS WEST 546 554 536 534 559 534 548 567 548

COUNCIL ROCK HS NORTH 560 579 565 557 577 558 552 573 559

COUNCIL ROCK HS SOUTH 524 557 523 538 565 534 521 556 523

SAT Scores 2012-2014 2014 2013 2012

School Name Verbal Math Writing Verbal Math Writing Verbal Math Writing

HARRITON HS 565 599 560 581 593 576 581 603 585

LOWER MERION HS 606 621 606 566 574 550 582 589 568

NORTH PENN HS 529 551 519 529 551 518 529 552 527

PENNRIDGE HS 518 529 497 514 536 503 508 529 499

PENNSBURY HS 526 537 519 522 536 513 517 534 505

PSSA Data 2011-2012Grades 3-5

Council Rock Pennsbury Central Bucks Pennridge Lower Merion North Penn

2012 PSSA - 3-5

Math 83.5 82.5 89.3 83.7 90 83.5

Reading 88.8 88.4 92 89.1 94 89.5

2011 PSSA - 3-5

Reading 81.9 82.9 88.4 83.7 91.4 85.4

Math 88.6 88.4 92.7 90 94.4 90.5

PSSA Data 2011-2012Grades 6-8

Council Rock Pennsbury Central Bucks Pennridge Lower Merion North Penn

2012 PSSA - 6-8

Reading 89.2 87.1 92.4 86.3 92.4 86.6

Math 88.7 81.7 92.2 87.3 91.4 88.4

2011 PSSA - 6-8

Reading 90.4 84.9 92.2 87.3 91.5 86.7

Math 88.2 79.1 91.9 88 93.3 88.9

PSSA Data 2011-2012Grade 11

Council Rock Pennsbury Central Bucks Pennridge Lower

Merion North Penn

2012 PSSA - 11

Reading 82.4 79.3 87.3 82.7 85.8 83.1

Math 77.4 66.7 82.1 77.7 85 82.2

2011 PSSA - 11

Reading 86.4 80 89.4 82.1 87.8 79.5

Math 78.9 68.8 83.3 76.9 83.1 78.5

Average 2012-2014 SAT Scores Correlated to Sixth Grade Class Size Maximums

PENNRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL - 30

COUNCIL ROCK HS NORTH - 30

COUNCIL ROCK HS SOUTH - 30

NORTH PENN HIGH SCHOOL - 29

PENNSBURY HIGH SCHOOL - 29

LOWER MERION HIGH SCHOOL - 26

440

460

480

500

520

540

560

580

600

620

Verbal Average Math Average Writing Average

Average 2011-2012 PSSA Scores (Grade 3-5) Correlated to Third Grade Class Size Maximum

Pennridge - 28 Central Bucks - 28 Council Rock - 26 North Penn - 26 Pennsbury - 24 Lower Merion - 2480

82

84

86

88

90

92

94

Math Average Reading Average

Proficiency Percentage

Average 2011-2012 PSSA Scores (Grade 3-5) Correlated to Fourth Grade Class Size Maximum

Pennridge - 30 Central Bucks - 30 North Penn - 29 Council Rock - 28 Pennsbury - 26 Lower Merion - 2680

82

84

86

88

90

92

94

Math Average Reading Average

Proficiency Percentage

Comparison Between 2001 and 2012 PSSA Scores in Council Rock

2001 200870

72

74

76

78

80

82

84

86

88

Reading - Grade Five Math - Grade Five

Proficiency Percentage

Addressing Enrollment Spikes 2012-2013 4 Reserve - .5 added

SFE – KindergartenSFE – ThirdNES – FirstNES – ThirdGES - First

Sister School 11

2013 – 20144 Reserve - 1 added

HOL – Kindergarten .5HCE – Kindergarten .5CES – ThirdRHE – FirstMMW – FirstNES – FifthSister School 15

2014-20153 added; Asst. added

HCE – FirstNES – FirstSFE – SecondWES – Assistant

Sister School 4

Average Class Size by School and Grade2014-2015

K Max 25

1Max 25

2Max 25

3Max 26

4Max 28

5Max 30

6Max 30

CES 21 (3) 22 (4) 23 (4) 25 (4) 28 (3) 30 (4) 29 (4)

GES 21(4) 25(4) 24(5) 21(5) 24(5) 25(4) 26(4)

HCE 24(2) 20(4) 24(3) 23(3) 27(3) 27(3) 25(3)

HOL 16(2) 23(2) 19(2) 20(2) 25(2) 28(2) 22(3)

MMW 20(3) 21(4) 21(4) 25(4) 26(4) 28(3) 25(4)

NES 23(3) 21(5) 23(5) 21(4) 26(4) 29(4) 24(4)

RES 19(2) 21(2) 17(3) 25(3) 23(3) 24(3) 23(3)

ROL 23 (2) 23 (3) 18 (3) 21 (3) 20 (3) 20 (3) 32 (2)

SFE 20 (3) 22 (4) 22 (5) 23 (4) 26 (4) 27 (4) 30 (4)

WES 14 (2) 24 (2) 27 (2) 22 (2) 24 (2) 29 (2) 23 (2)

Dist. Avg. 20.2 22.0 21.6 22.4 24.8 26.6 25.7

Number in parenthesis equals number of sections per grade

And the Data Shows…

• Council Rock is comparable to most school districts in class size maximums

• Student achievement is comparable with other districts with similar class sizes as Council Rock

• In a given year some sections will have fewer students than other sections

• Spikes in enrollment by school/grade impact class sizes• Council Rock’s process for assigning additional sections is similar

to that of most districts

What the Data Doesn’t Show

• Fewer behavior notices• Fewer school suspensions• More optimal use of physical space• More opportunity for small group instruction • More opportunity for one:one instruction – meeting individual

student needs

Next Steps

• Determine and update practice for assigning sections

• Establish clear cut off date for summer registrations

• Update School Board Policy 126

References• Chingos, Matthew M. "The False Promise of Class-Size Reduction." Center for American

Progress, 2011: 1-13. Print.• Grantham, Madeline K. “Impact of Small Class Size on Achievement” Mississippi State

University, 2000. Print• Hood, Art. “A Parent’s Guide to Class Size Reduction.” Southeastern Regional Vision for

Education (SERVE), 2003. Print• Johnson, Kirk A. “Do Small Classes Influence Academic Achievement?: What the National

Assessment of Educational Progress Shows.” Washington, D.C.: Heritage Foundation, 2000. Print

• Pate-Bain, Helen, C. M. Achilles, Jayne Boyd-Zaharias, and Bernard McKenna. "Class Size Does Make a Difference." Phi Delta Kappan 1992: 253-55. Print.

• Schanzenback, Diane Whitmore. “Review of Class Size: What Research Says and What it Means for State Policy.” National Education Policy Center, 2011