A Plan for the Evaluation of California's Class Size Reduction Initiative.

Autor/inn/en	Kirst, Michael; Bomstedt, George; Stecher, Brian
Institution	Policy Analysis for California Education, Berkeley, CA.; Rand Corp., Santa Monica, CA.; American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences, Palo Alto, CA.; WestEd, San Francisco, CA.
Titel	A Plan for the Evaluation of California's Class Size Reduction Initiative.
Quelle	(1998), (35 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Class Size; Educational Assessment; Elementary Secondary Education; Evaluation; Evaluation Needs; Information Needs; Models; Program Evaluation; Teacher Student Ratio; California + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Klassengröße; Education; assessment; Bewertungssystem; Evaluierung; Information need; Informationsbedürfnis; Analogiemodell; Programme evaluation; Programmevaluation; Lehrer-Schüler-Relation; Kalifornien
Abstract	In July 1996, California began its Class Size Reduction (CSR) Initiative. To gauge the effectiveness of this initiative, an analysis of its objectives and an overview of proposed strategies for evaluating CSR are presented here. An outline of the major challenges that stand between CSR and its mission are provided. These include logistical challenges, financial challenges, the impact on teaching and learning, unanswered questions in the literature, and the value of a systematic evaluation of the program. The text outlines the design and key research questions that must be addressed by any evaluation plan and recommends six principles that call for a single, integrated evaluation; a comprehensive review; and a summative evaluation. A conceptual model of the evaluation plan is also provided. Overviews of how CSR will affect the following areas are included: state, district, and school policymaking; resource allocation; integration with other reforms; teacher quality, assignment, and training; classroom practices; parental involvement; and student outcomes. It is claimed that students' engagement with schooling, as measured by attendance, promotion/retention, homework completion, and frequency of disciplinary actions, may also change with the introduction of reduced class size and therefore should be assessed as part of the evaluation of student outcomes. A methodology section discusses evaluating the implementation of the class size reduction initiative with discussion on overall design, data collection, sampling, data analyses, an advisory board, and deliverables. Contains 29 references. An appendix discusses the importance of evaluating class size reduction to California educational policy. (RJM)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC