As our country continues to grow, so do our classrooms in which our future

is grown. Crowded classrooms can make it difficult for children to learn and can

increase stress to pass a class. Reducing class sizes at an early age can "improve

student learning" by their being exposed to more one on one attention with a

teacher (Class-Size Reduction Program). To achieve this goal, the Class-Size

Reduction Program calls for more and better-qualified teachers with more classrooms.

Some might see this as a great expense with an increase of taxes. Yet, Congress

has already approved $1.3 billion last year to help reduce our schools’ class sizes.

The goal to is to bring down the average size classroom of 25 students to about 18

students per teacher. In those schools that have already taken advantage of this

program, students have shown a great deal of improvement in grades and on tests

(U.S. Department of Education 1 and 2).  Though expensive, class size reduction is a

necessity  because research has shown that children are more successful in

learning environments which have fewer students.

        In 1998, Bill Clinton paved the way for the Class-Size Reduction Program

when he said

to reduce class sizes to 18 student in a classroom, in 1999. Then in 2000, Congress

increased it to $1.3 billion, and in 2001 it was increased to $1.75 billion. With this

increase in funding, the Class-Size Reduction Program was able to hire about 49,000

teachers over the next seven years to help reduce class sizes to reach the national

average of 18 students in grades one to three (U.S. Department of Education 13).

Even with this increase of financial support, the State of Arizona still claims to not

have enough money to reduce class sizes. According to reports from the Arizona

Department of Education, it will cost $150.2 million just to bring class sizes down to

20 students (Flannery 2). Surely some of the $24 million that the U.S. Department of

Education gives to Arizona can help hire a handful of teachers to help reduce some

of the class sizes in the younger grade levels (Final FY 2001 1). Yet, there are still

those who believe that the size of a class doesn’t affect the way students learn.

There have been other programs besides the Class-Size Reduction Program that

support and prove that smaller classes help students learn better. For example

the Tennessee Project STAR (Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio) and the Wisconsin’s

SAGE (Student Achievement Guarantee in Education) have shown that having 13 to 17

students, compared to 25 students, in classrooms from kindergarten to third grade

can help children do better in math and reading. With all this evidence, hopefully we

will continue to reduce class sizes to help better educate our children and improve

their future.

        No matter at what age, children in overcrowded classrooms often tend to

do poorly in class and struggle more with reading. Before 1999, only 14% of classes

had 18 students or less, 38% had 19 to 22 students, 29% had 23 to 27 students, and

19% had 27 or more students in a classroom (U.S. Department of Education). In smaller

class sizes, such as 18 or less, children are able to receive better help from teachers

that are also able to manage their class better and can cover more material in class.

One teacher from West Middlesex, Pennsylvania had this to say in favor of smaller

classes: " 'Each child also had more time to share his thoughts and ideas in both oral

and written form . . . ; there also were few behavior problems . . . ' " (qtd. in U. S. Department

of Education 8). In Wisconsin, The SAGE program, which helps schools reduce its

kindergarten to third grade class sizes down to 15 students per teacher, has shown

great success since it started in 1996. Students have been more eager to learn in

this new environment where the students have a better opportunity get more one on

one help from the teacher (U.S. Department of Education 9). The U.S. Secretary of

Education, Richard W. Riley, says, " 'Smaller class sizes allow our teachers and students

to do the best they can. Teachers do not teach most effectively when they are

hampered by the burden of too many students in the classroom.' " (qtd in U.S. Department

of Education 8). Without continued financial support for these beneficial programs,

we may be letting down our children for the opportunity to learn and be successful

in school and in life.

        Today’s overgrown schools can no longer be acceptable for our children. Government

financial support, through programs like Class-Size Reduction, can help Arizona and

other states to hire teachers and add more classrooms to help reduce overcrowded

classes. Reducing class sizes from kindergarten through third grade greatly shapes

the way students learns, which will carry on through their life. This may cost more

money, but it benefits everyone. New jobs are created for teachers and other staff

members, students get a better education, students are able to learn more with the

time that is saved from fewer behavior problems which would interrupt class, and we

pave the way for better and brighter leaders of our future generation. Nothing could

be more comforting than knowing that our children will have the proper education to

improve their world around them. We should continue to support these programs that

enrich our children, who are the leaders of tomorrow. Parents must investigate their

child’s school to find out what the class sizes are before sending them there and

perhaps even get involved in the PTA. They should educate themselves about their

state’s education funding and always vote when possible. We have the funding and

the government’s support to reduce class sizes for the benefit of our children’s

education. More dollars for fewer students in the classroom and more dollars for

new, well trained teachers are key ingredients in the recipe for student success.

Class-Size Reduction Program.  <http://ed.gov/offices/OESE/ClassSize/index.html>

Class-Size Reduction Program. Myths and Realities. 7 Oct. 2001

           1 Oct. 2001. 8 Oct. 2001. <http://www.arizonarepublic.com/cgi-bin/print.php3>

U.S. Department of Education. Final FY 2001 Class Size Reduction State Allocations.

           7 October 2001. <http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/ClassSize/CSAllocation/cs-

            usa.html>

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