Class Size - Perceptions of K-3 Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents in a Rural, Midwest State

Oct 15, 2026

Identifying an appropriate class size is a consequential public-school decision balancing budget constraints with effects on student achievement. This study surveyed 97 superintendents, 73 elementary principals, and 264 elementary teachers in South Dakota to examine perceptions of optimal K-3 class size and the degree to which experience, class-size research, financial implications, classroom management, and instructional quality shaped those choices. Teachers estimated smaller optimal sizes than principals and superintendents, while instructional quality was most influential; only superintendents viewed financial implications as predominant.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Study Focus and Rationale

Survey Participants and Perceived Influences

Findings on Optimal Class Size Perceptions

Context for Class Size Policy in South Dakota

Blue Ribbon Task Force and Funding Formula

Student-to-Teacher Ratio Targets and District Variation

Theoretical Frameworks

Expectancy Theory

Class Size: Perceptions of K-3 Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents in a Rural, Midwest State Chad Conaway Lennox School District David De Jong University of South Dakota Susan Curtin University of South Dakota Gabrielle Strouse University of South Dakota Dustin Degen Beresford School District Identifying an appropriate class size is an important decision public schools face as they weigh balancing their budget with the impact class size may have on student achievement. This study examined perceptions of South Dakota kindergarten through third-grade teachers, elementary principals, and superintendents concerning optimal class size and the extent to which they felt the following factors influenced their optimal class size selection: classroom experience, class size research, financial implications, classroom management, and instructional quality. 97 superintendents, 73 elementary principals, and 264 elementary teachers in South Dakota were surveyed. Teachers provided significantly smaller optimal class size estimates for all grade levels (K-3) than principals and superintendents. Teachers, principals, and superintendents revealed class size research had little influence on their choice about optimal class size whereas instructional quality was identified as the most influential factor. Only superintendents identified financial implications to be a predominant factor influencing their optimal class size selection. This research reveals the discrepancies in perceptions among teachers, principals, and superintendents regarding optimal class size and the factors influencing their optimal class size selection. This information has the capacity to provide state governments and school leaders the insight needed to develop class size policies and professional development opportunities to build a common approach to addressing class size while reflecting on best practices identified in class size research. ICPEL Education Leadership Review, Vol. 21, No. 1– December, 2020 ISSN: 1532-0723 © 2020 International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership Identifying an appropriate class size is an important decision public schools face as they weigh balancing their budget with the impact class size may have on student achievement. A vast amount of research has been conducted in this realm with one of the more influential studies being the Tennessee STAR study (Filges et al., 2018; Pate-Bain et al., 1997; Weili & Lehrer, 2011) . Much of the research regarding class size reduction (CSR) does not dispute that smaller class sizes influence student achievement gains. The argument predominantly lies in how large of an impact CSR has on student achievement gains and how small classes need to be to realize gains (Biddle & Berliner, 2008; Bosworth, 2014; Fan, 2012; Filges et al., 2018; Weili & Lehrer, 2011) . In 2015, South Dakota's Governor created the Blue Ribbon Task Force to evaluate the state’s funding formula and to make recommendations on its inadequacies (Soholt & Sly, 2015) . The results of their work laid the groundwork for an entirely new funding formula centered on a student to teacher ratio (Soholt & Sly, 2015; Woodmansey, 2017) . Unlike California’s legislation that specifically targeted funding to reduce class sizes to 20 or fewer students to increase student achievement outcomes, South Dakota took an approach on a student to teacher ratio based simply around creating a new funding formula (Sims, 2008; Soholt & Sly, 2015; Woodmansey, 2017) . South Dakota’s funding formula establishes a target number of teachers by dividing the district’s fall enrollment by the target student-to-staff ratio. South Dakota established the following population ranges to serve as the target student-to-staff ratio: a) less than 200 students equals 12 students to one teacher, b) between 200 and 600 students equals a sliding scale between 12 students to one teacher and 15 students to one teacher, and c) greater than 600 s

FAQs

Which factors did educators report as influencing their optimal class size choices?

The study assessed perceptions of how classroom experience, class-size research, financial implications, classroom management, and instructional quality influenced optimal class size selection.

How did teachers’ optimal class size estimates compare with principals and superintendents?

Teachers provided significantly smaller optimal class size estimates for all K-3 grade levels than principals and superintendents.

What did the results indicate about the role of instructional quality and financial implications?

Teachers, principals, and superintendents reported that class-size research had little influence, while instructional quality was identified as the most influential factor; only superintendents saw financial implications as predominant.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by CatatanPagi