Reducing
Elementary Class Size in the Neelyville R-IV School District
Partnership Butler County Community Partnership
Site Neelyville
R-IV School District
Partners Neelyville
R-IV School District, Caring Communities
Core Results
·
Children & Youth Succeeding in
School
·
Reducing the class size of the Neelyville R-IV School
Distict's elementary grades K-3 to 20 students or less by the year 2003.
Budget
Categories
·
Educational Enrichment
Problem or
Issue Class Size
Reduction: The Neelyville School
district is experiencing an increase in student enrollment and both elementary
schools are experiencing overcrowding in the classrooms. The district simply has no available space
to house additional students.
Studies
have shown that smaller class size results in increased student achievement,
reduction in discipline problems, increased instructional time for teachers,
and more individualized attention.
Research shows that primary grade children can benefit significantly
when class size is reduced from an average of 25 to an average of 15. (1998 U.S. Dept. of Education report,
Reducing Class Size: What Do We Know?). The goal of the district is to reduce the
class size of each grade one year at a time, beginning with the 2000-2001
school year so that the district's elementary grades K-3 will meet the desired
state standard classroom size of 20 children per classroom. All other grades K-3 in both the Hillview
and Neelyville elementary meet the minimum standard classroom size of 25 or
less.
Strategies Class size reduction: The school district will begin reducing class size with priority
given to grades K-3 in both the Neelyville and Hillview elementary
schools. The implementation will begin
in the 2000/2001 school year. Further
plans to construct additional classrooms are being discussed and planned. Implementation of this strategy is the
responsibility of the school district.
Results Class size
reduction: Beginning with the 2000/2001 school year the district focused on the
first grade class at the Neelyville elementary in which 30 students were
enrolled. The district hired an
additional teacher and created an additional classroom utilizing the last
available space in the building. The
class size has been reduced to 15 students per classroom in the first grade of
the Neelyville elementary meeting the goal of the district and well below the
desired state standard of 20 per classroom.