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A study released Thursday (January 18, 2001) confirms the wisdom of Wisconsin's investment in a pioneering class-size reduction program, according to WEAC officials.
The fourth annual report on the Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) program found student performance continues to climb in participating schools.
"Students in SAGE schools are outperforming students in non-SAGE schools by significant margins in reading, language arts and math," WEAC Teaching and Learning Director Katie Schultz Stout said. "The study is also showing the benefits are lasting over time. SAGE students are seeing increased achievement in each grade in each year."
Stout said the review confirms the importance of expanding the program even further.
"Smaller class sizes in the lower primary grades work," she said. "These annual evaluations are proof of that fact. The Legislature should take a close look at these results and make sure more children benefit from this program."
Stout said evaluations of the program over four years have consistently found significant improvement in student achievement.
"Smaller classes allow for more individualized instruction, where teachers can focus on each student's needs," Stout said. "SAGE is a common-sense program that helps districts create great schools with great teachers and classrooms that work. We all know that great schools benefit an entire community."
The program focuses on schools where there is a high concentration of low-income students. SAGE began in the 1996-1997 school year with 3,267 students in 30 schools. Schools sign five-year contracts with the state, receiving $2,000 per low-income child to reduce class sizes to 15 in kindergarten through the 3rd grade. The program has now grown to 566 schools and 60,00 students.
WEAC's 2001-2002 Legislative Agenda calls for decreasing class sizes in the 6th and 7th grades in math, science, English and language arts; making the SAGE program permanent; and increasing funding for administration of the program.
The Department of Public Instruction is seeking an additional $59 million in the upcoming state budget to continue funding SAGE contracts.
"The nation is looking to Wisconsin for its leadership on class size reduction," Stout said. "SAGE has proven that lowering class sizes in the primary grades improves student performance. It is now time to build on the success of SAGE and give more children the opportunity to learn in classrooms that work so well."
The evaluation was conducted by Alex Molnar, Philip Smith and John Zahorik of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The report can be found on the Web site of the UWM Center for Education Research, Analysis and Innovation.
Resource page on SAGE and class size reduction
Posted January 18, 2001