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Report On Class Sizes Prompts School Bd Discussion On The Need For Space

BY MICHELE HOGAN

In response to a recent report on the effect of small class sizes, Newtown

Board of Education plans to rethink space requirements in the schools, and

soon.

The study under review, "The Tennessee Study of Class Size in the Early School

Grades," involved over 3,000 students over a four-year period.

The research strongly supports the idea of reducing class sizes to 13-17

pupils per class, at least in the grades studied, kindergarten to third grade.

To follow these recommendations, even in just the early grades, would require

many more classrooms than local elementary schools could come up with.

According to the report, "After four years, it was clear that smaller classes

did produce substantial improvement in early learning and cognitive studies."

State Commissioner of Education Theodore Sergi, who sent information on the

study to school boards, wrote that "a second phase of the study found that the

students in the smaller classes continued to perform better than their

grade-mates ... when they were returned to regular-sized classes in later

grades."

In Dr Sergi's recent letter to Newtown's Board of Education, he said that

"this study is of particular importance because it is a controlled educational

experiment rather than an analysis of a survey."

Susan Hills, vice chairman of the Board of Education, supports the idea of

smaller class sizes. She said, "As class sizes decrease, so do behavioral

problems."

Mrs Hills also said that a lower teacher-pupil ratio should be especially

helpful for children with special needs.

Superintendent of Schools John Reed said that if you add four teachers, you

need four rooms. Future space needs and class size are connected. He went on

to say that California mandated class sizes of 18.

Robert Kuklis, assistant superintendent of schools, said that in the study,

the students in the large classes performed at a lower level than students in

the smaller classes, even when the larger classes had a teacher's aide.

Dr Kuklis remarked, however, that the study did not detail the training given

to the teacher's aides, and this could be an important variable.

Combine the goal of smaller class sizes with soaring enrollment and schools

already close to full capacity, and issue of finding additional space arises.

The Board of Education questioned the advisability of converting the Board of

Education offices at the Newtown Middle School to classrooms, if the Newtown

district is likely to need a new school anyway.

If a new school is required, new decisions of whether it should be a central

fifth- and sixth-grade school, or an additional elementary school, or some

other option need to be considered.

The Board of Education discussed the formation of a task force to advise the

board on projected space needs. The Board of Education has a lot to consider

and a short timeframe for doing so. Amy Dent, Board of Education chairman,

drew attention to the urgency of these discussions because Newtown would need

to get in line for state funding for school construction reimbursements by

June.

Mrs Dent said that it is essentially a cost-benefit question: "How much more

are you willing to pay for a better education?"