Class-size Reduction: Lessons Learned from Experience, by Joan McRobbie, Jeremy D. Finn, and Patrick Harman (1998)
This Policy Brief addresses some of the key concerns over CSR, including: How and under what circumstances does it affect student achievement; Do the costs outweigh its benefits; Are other alternatives more cost effective; and, What are the implementation trade-offs of differing policy options and how may these affect student outcomes?

California's Class Size Reduction: Implications for Equity, Practice and Implementation, by Edward Wexler, Jo Ann Izu, Lisa Carlos, Bruce Fuller, Gerald Hayward, and Mike Kirst (1998)
This evaluation of California's first full year of its class size reduction effort draws on survey results and interviews with district and school staff to examine how CSR has affected special populations, teacher credentials and distribution, teachers' classroom practices, and parental involvement. The report also examines the implementation challenges schools have faced as they reduce class sizes.

Class Size Reduction: A One-Year Status Check, by Joan McRobbie (1997)
This article reports on the progress of the class size reduction program, offers the latest findings, and asks some provocative questions (as published in ACSA's Thrust for Education Leadership, 9/97).

Smaller Classes Aim to Launch Early Literacy, by Joan McRobbie (1996)
This Focus article examines how the implementation of California's class size reduction efforts are affecting literacy in the early grades. The article also examines the continuing challenges of implementation, including facilities and personnel, and the lessons learned from research.

WestEd's Class Size Reduction Updates (archives)
Previously published updates on class size reduction culled from press reports, other published materials, WestEd’s own research and tracking system, and input from subscribers. These updates concentrate on the Western Region (Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah), but include the best and most helpful knowledge from the nation and beyond.

Other Helpful Research

Class Size Reduction (1997)
This report by California's Legislative Analyst's Office presents findings from its detailed survey of school districts on the implementation of CSR. Additionally, the report makes a series of recommendations.

Early Implementation of the Class Size Reduction Initiative, by David C. Illig (1997), PDF format
For this report, the California Research Bureau report surveyed school districts to determine the initial progress of implementation of the CSR Initiative.

Is Less More? Exploring California's Class Size Reduction Act (1996), PDF format
This report is the result of a seminar sponsored by CSU's Institute for Education Reform and the California Education Policy Seminar to discuss both the immediate questions raised by the rapid implementation of the California Class Size Reduction Act and the larger analytical questions raised by the legislation. The report contains the complete presentations of the two guest presenters, Dr. Jeremy Finn and Robert Slavin.

The Evidence on Class Size, by Eric A. Hanushek, Professor of Economics and Public Policy Director, W. Allen Wallis Institute of Political Economy, University of Rochester (1998), PDF format
This report overviews the research on class size reduction and concludes that "while policies to reduce class size may enjoy popular political appeal, such policies are very expensive and, according to the evidence, quite ineffective" (originally published by Educational Excellence Network).