| Research shows a correlation between student achievement and class size, especially in elementary. On a national scale there is concern about how the data shows minority and ELL students are enrolled in larger classes. The diversity of Saint Paul students suggests these concerns may not be locally relevant. Of greater local concern is class size at the secondary level.
WAYS TO MEASURE
- Percentage of Teachers with Classes of 25 or More Students
ADDITIONAL WAYS TO MEASURE
- Percentage of Teachers with Classes of 25 or More Students by ethnicity, free/reduced lunch and ELL
WHAT THE DATA SHOWS
In 2003-04, Saint Paul Public School's:
- Elementary class size averages peaked at 25 students in grades 5-6
- In the Middle School, 94 out of 1,573 classes had over 35 students, primarily in PE, English and the Performing Arts
- In the High Schools, 340 out of 1,836 classes had over 35 students, primarily in Social Studies, Science and Math
It should be a matter of concern that Social Studies, Science and Math represent three out of the four core academic courses.
2003-04 Saint Paul Public Schools Elementary Class Sizes
|
Grade Level |
Number of Students |
Number of Classes |
Average Class Size |
|
|
Half-Day K’garten |
829 |
45.5 |
18.2 |
|
All-Day K’garten |
2508 |
118 |
21.3 |
|
Grade 1 |
2983 |
149.8 |
19.9 |
|
Grade 2 |
2906 |
140.8 |
20.6 |
|
Grade 3 |
2985 |
134.9 |
22.1 |
|
Grade 4 |
3053 |
132.7 |
23 |
|
Grade 5 |
3135 |
123.9 |
25.3 |
|
Grade 6 |
2972 |
119.4 |
24.9 |
2003-04 Saint Paul Public Schools Junior High Class Sizes
|
Subject |
Number of Classes |
AverageClass Size |
Classes over 35 |
| English (regular) |
260 |
24.7 |
16 |
|
| English as a Second Language |
139 |
14.7 |
0 |
|
| Social Studies |
198 |
25.3 |
7 |
|
| Mathematics |
241 |
24.6 |
11 |
|
| Science |
216 |
26.2 |
6 |
|
| World Language |
124 |
25.6 |
9 |
|
| Physical Education/Health |
121 |
28 |
17 |
|
| Fine Arts |
75 |
27.5 |
12 |
|
| Family and Consumer Science |
39 |
28 |
0 |
|
| Industrial Technology |
18 |
22 |
0 |
|
| Performing Arts |
78 |
27.9 |
15 |
|
| Computer Technology and Applications |
23 |
28.8 |
0 |
|
| Other Regular Education |
42 |
22.9 |
1 |
|
| Special Education |
298 |
7.7 |
0 |
|
| |
|
|
|
| District Totals (non-Special Education) |
1573 |
24.8 |
94 |
|
2003-04 Saint Paul Public Schools Senior High Class Sizes
| Subject |
Number of Classes |
Average Class Size |
Classes |
| over 35 |
| English (regular) |
298 |
27.9 |
53 |
|
| English as a Second Language |
93 |
16.9 |
1 |
|
| Social Studies |
270 |
30.9 |
76 |
|
| Mathematics |
269 |
28.9 |
53 |
|
| Science |
239 |
30.4 |
61 |
|
| World Language |
138 |
27.7 |
19 |
|
| Physical Education/Health |
116 |
30.9 |
34 |
|
| Fine Arts |
69 |
28.4 |
3 |
|
| Family and Consumer Science |
63 |
28.8 |
9 |
|
| Industrial Technology |
54 |
23.6 |
4 |
|
| Performing Arts |
60 |
27.7 |
13 |
|
| Computer Technology and Applications |
43 |
23.5 |
0 |
|
| Other Business Education |
33 |
23.2 |
1 |
|
| ROTC |
24 |
25.7 |
8 |
|
| Other Regular Education |
67 |
20.7 |
5 |
|
| Special Education |
272 |
9.9 |
0 |
|
| |
|
|
|
| District Totals (non-Special Education) |
1836 |
27.9 |
340 |
|
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Spring 2007 - Would Reductions in Class Size Raise Minnesota Students' Test Scores? Evidence from Minnesota's Elementary Schools - Reducing class sizes in Minnesota elementary schools would have only very small impacts on student learning as measured by test scores; schools and parents should look elsewhere for policies to improve student learning, CURA Reporter.
March 2001 - 'Would Smaller Classes Help Close the Black-White Achievement Gap?' Princeton University study concludes 'if all students were assigned to a small class, the black-white gap in taking a college entrance exam would fall by an estimated 60 percent.'
March 1999 - Reducing Class Size, What Do We Know?, U.S. Department of Education.
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