Smaller class sizes increase student achievement

Class size affects student success, especially when children are learning to read. Iowa’s efforts to limit class sizes for kindergarten through third-graders will continue if a bill approved by the Senate Education Committee becomes law (Senate Study Bill 3102).

The—more commonly known as the “class size reduction” program—sets a goal of no more than 17 students per teacher in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms. School districts may use funds from this program to increase the basic skills of students through hiring additional licensed instructional staff, before and after school programs, tutoring, implementing all-day kindergarten and more.

If we want to help Iowa students get the best start possible, we should continue to fund this class-size reduction effort.

Educators and parents have expressed their desire to keep class sizes in check to better ensure the success of our students. They have our support. In the 2009-2010 school year, we saw an increase in average class size at all grade levels, a trend we don’t want to continue.