There is a long history in the United States of investigating the causes of poor academic performance. Usually, a group that performs below the norm is examined to determine the cause of poor performance. The literature provides a plethora of potential explanations for poor academic performance that tend to vary by gender, subject of study, socioeconomic status, and many more factors. Further, these potential explanations often conflict with one another.
One such factor that has drawn increasing attention as a potential explanation for variations in student academic performance in recent years is class-size. The assumption is that children who are in smaller classes will perform better than students in larger classes will. The limited research conducted for this study supported this assumption.
The major implication of the study results for public policy is that all schools districts should participate in class-size reduction programs. Further, however, smaller class sizes mean increased costs for educational facilities. Another implication for public policy, therefore, is that political support must be developed to fund expanded class-size reduction programs.
I. Introduction to the Study ............... p. 5
The Problem ............................. p. 6
Purpose of the Study .................... p. 8
Research Questions ...................... p. 8
Definition of Terms ..................... p. 9
Theoretical Framework .................. p. 9
Organizational Theories ................. p. 14
Hypotheses .............................. p. 16
Limitations of the Study ................ p. 17
Methodology ............................. p. 18
II. Literature Review ....................... p. 22
Developing Education Goals & Objectives . p. 22
Effective Learning ...................... p. 28
Student Performance Standards ........... p. 31
Outcomes-Based Education ................ p. 40