| Survey Finds Overwhelming Support for Class Size Reduction
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by Bill Cirone
 lass size reduction has the overwhelming support of teachers, parents and administrators in Santa Barbara County, according to a comprehensive countywide survey coordinated by the county's Education Office.
Legislation on class size reduction was passed only late last summer -- which meant districts had about seven weeks to organize this formidable undertaking.
The final decision on which grades would take part was determined by the availability of classroom space, the funding available to buy or lease portable classrooms, and the ability to hire more teachers.
All districts in our county reduced class size in at least one grade level. Many were able to extend that to other grade levels.
It was an ambitious effort to improve student achievement and it took a substantial allocation of resources to achieve it. So educators in Santa Barbara County took seriously the need for a self-imposed source of accountability.
A committee of the county's Curriculum Council, led by assistant superintendent Paul Cordeiro, met immediately to discuss ways to evaluate class size reduction. The committee developed a survey to find out how successful class size reduction had been in the eyes of parents, teachers and principals.
It will be some time before test scores can be correlated with smaller classrooms, so the perception of parents and teachers is clearly significant.
The survey was returned by 5,007 parents of students in smaller classes and by 445 educators from the county's 23 school districts.
The highlights follow:
- When asked to grade the effect class size reduction has had on the opportunity for students to reach their full potential, 78 percent of teachers chose "A" and 20 percent chose "B."
- When asked to assess the effect of smaller classes on the quality of the educational program a teacher can offer, 82 percent of the teachers gave an "A" grade and 17 percent chose "B."
- Parents broadly agreed. When asked to grade the effect on the quality of their child's education, 69 percent chose "A" and 26 percent chose "B."
- When asked to assess the effect of smaller classes on the opportunity their child has to reach full potential, 69 percent of the parents voted "A" and 25 percent voted "B."
- Among teachers, 47 percent said class size reduction has created "some increase" in students' academic achievement in basic subjects, while 47 percent said the increase has been "great."
- Parents felt class size reduction has affected their child's academic achievement: 44 percent cited a great increase and 36 percent cited some increase.
- When asked about the time teachers have to get to know students better, 83 percent said there has been a great increase and 13 percent said there has been some increase.
- Teachers seemed to feel class size reduction has not had an effect on student attendance, but has had a positive effect on student behavior in the classroom.
- Parents said smaller classes have affected how much their child likes school, with 45 percent saying there has been a great increase and 27 percent saying there has been some increase.
- Parents didn't think class size reduction has affected their involvement with their child's school, but they did seem to feel it has affected individual communication with the teacher.
- When asked to cite the best thing about class size reduction, the No. 1 response from teachers, by far, was more individual/one-on-one instruction. The next highest responses were: Time for better diagnosis of students needs; time for small-group instruction; more time for meeting individual needs.
- When parents were asked the same question, their answers were similar: more individual one-on-one attention was by far the most common answer. This was followed by: students learn more/better; better classroom control; better knowledge of problem areas students need to concentrate on; fewer distractions/disruptions for students.
- When teachers were asked what they're doing differently in a smaller class that increases student achievement, the majority said "work more one-to-one with students." The next highest responses were meeting more often with small groups and more thorough assessment/monitoring.
While the anecdotal evidence showed immediately that class size reduction was a popular innovation, the research confirms that it has enjoyed widespread support.
Bill Cirone is Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools.
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