Teachers spend most of their time in school in classrooms, and their instruction and teaching practices may be affected by classroom context such as class size. We examine whether teacher effects interact with classroom context such as class size. Specifically, we seek to determine whether teacher effects are more pronounced in small classes than…

Researchers have long investigated whether smaller classes improve student achievement. Their conclusions suggest that class size reduction (CSR) can result in greater in-depth coverage of subject matter by teachers, enhanced learning and stronger engagement by students, more personalized teacher-student relationships, and safer schools with fewer…

Teacher's perceptions of their experiences in teaching small classes or with a full-time teacher's aide are discussed in this report. The study reported was part of Tennessee's Project STAR: a 4-year, longitudinal demonstration policy study. Analyses were conducted on interviews with 86 teachers of small second grade classes, 54 teachers of second…

During the 1989-90 school year, Tennessee established Project Challenge in 17 of Tennessee's poor and educationally low-performing counties. The program applied the results of Project STAR, a longitudinal experiment causally linking class size to student achievement. This paper presents findings of a study that evaluated Project Challenge by…

Effects of teacher-pupil ratio on kindergartners' mastery of reading readiness objectives were studied. The study was part of Tennessee's Project STAR, a 4-year study of class size. About 2,850 students in 38 elementary schools that served 4 types of communities: innercity, suburban, urban, and rural, in 26 Tennessee school systems participated.…

This document provides the final summary report of Tennessee's primary school class size study, called Project STAR. Sections of the report concern: (1) background; (2) organization to conduct the study; (3) sample selection; (4) data collection plan and data base; (5) general operating guidelines; (6) teacher orientation; (7) study design; (8)…

The relationships among factors reported on report cards developed for local school districts in Tennessee were studied, offering information about how the selected factors relate to student outcomes. Each year Tennessee's State Board of Education produces a report card on each school district using data provided by the district and the State…

Tennessee's Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio project (Project STAR) was designed to study the effects of class size on pupils in primary (K-3) grades. Responses of Project STAR teachers (N=1,003) to the annual Teacher Exit Interview are summarily reported for 1986 through 1989. Generally, the perceptions of teachers in small classes, in regular…

This report presents results of Tennessee's 4-year longitudinal class size project: Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR). The study analyzes student achievement and development in three class types: small classes with 13-17 students per teacher; regular classes with 22-25 students per teacher, and regular classes with 22-25 students per…