Let's Put Kids First, Finally : Getting Class Size Right

How can we put into action what parents and teachers have known for years? Small classes for young children just make sense, and now research proves it. This accessible book provides the evidence to bring common sense into the classroom.

In this clear and concise book, Achilles offers:

• Interpretation of findings from a solid foundation of research: the Student Teacher Achievement Ratio (STAR); the DuPont Study; and the Lasting Benefits Study (LBS)
• Vignettes, stories, and observations by practitioners on the front line that demonstrate specific applications of teaching and learning activities in small classes
• Positive effects and lifelong outcomes of small classes
• Insights into the impact of class size on social problems, physical and monetary considerations, and environmental conditions
• Evidence to back up supporters who advocate small classes in school

This book is designed for school leaders, teachers, administrators, students, and anyone who cares about the future of education in America. Don′t let good research go to waste. Small classes may come just in time to save the next generation of children.

Charles M. Achilles is Professor of Educational Leadership, College of Education, Eastern Michigan University (EMU). He received his doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Rochester and worked briefly at the (former) U.S. Office of Education, for 21 years at the Bureau of Educational Research and Service, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, for 6 years at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; and since 1994 at EMU.