Smaller class size doesn't necessarily equal better
achievement: study
The Evening News (New
Glasgow)
Thu 25 Aug 2005
Page: A4
Section: Pictou County
Byline:

Source: Transcontinental Media

There is no evidence that smaller class size equals
better student achievement, a study by the C.D. Howe Institute
reports.

The study called School Class Size: Smaller Isn't Better done by Yvan Guillemette,
found that many Canadian provinces are wasting millions of dollars capping class
size because there is no proof kids' performance in school improves.

Guillemette said reducing class size in Primary and Grade 1 improves student
achievement "modestly," but doesn't help pupils in higher grades.

"In short, class size reduction policies should not be extended beyond Grade
1," he writes.

Nova Scotia will spend $3.5 million in 2005-06 to cap class sizes at 25
students in Grade 2. The province has already spent $6.2 million since 2003
capping class sizes in Primary and Grade 1.

Mike Sweeney, senior executive director of the public schools branch with
Nova Scotia's Education Department, disagrees with the conclusions of the C.D Howe study.

He said other research has clearly shown that class size is a factor in
improving student performance in the early elementary grades.

"There are a number of things that contribute to student success, class size
being just one of those factors," Sweeney said.

"It's renewing curriculum, it's providing the learning resources, it's
support to teachers in terms of professional development, it's support to
individual students who are at risk."

But, he said, the true results of Nova Scotia's efforts won't be known until
the children reach Grade 6.

"We won't see the results of this until we start doing assessments, " Sweeney
said.

The province will compare literacy assessment results achieved by these
children when they reach Grade 6 against those who didn't have the advantage of
small classes.

The department is looking at extending capped classes to grades 3 and 4 in
future.

"The feedback we've had from teachers has been very positive," Sweeney said.

Nova Scotia Teachers Union president Mary-Lou Donnelly said the report's
conclusions "raised a few eyebrows" among teachers.

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