Can you answer the question ?

mwhitener2011

ProspectusPart5_Final11.docx

Home >Education homework help >Can you answer the question ?

The Impact of Large Class Sizes on Student Learning,

Including Academic Performance and Classroom Engagement,

at Meadowfield Elementary School

Michael Whitener

Liberty University

EDUC 880

Approved by:

_____________________________________

[Name, Degree], Faculty Mentor

_____________________________________

[Name, Degree], Committee Member

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the impact of large classes on student achievement at Meadowfield Elementary School in Columbia, South Carolina, a public elementary school. The central research question was: What effect does the large class size have on student learning, both academically and socially, in the classroom at Meadowfield Elementary School? In the 2025-2026 school year the average class size at Meadowfield was 24.1 students, which falls within the range of class sizes in the literature linked with lower instructional quality and student engagement.

The data collection tools included semi-structured interviews with ten classroom teachers, a ten item Likert scale survey for 32 eligible teachers (86.5% completion) and structured non-participant observations in eight classrooms, both at the primary and intermediate level. Themes from the interview data were organized into four themes that emerged through the analysis: (1) the inability to provide individualized instruction, (2) lower level of student engagement and participation, (3) increased classroom management demands, and (4) increased teacher stress. The results of the survey confirmed these themes, and the highest mean score was for the recommendation for reducing class size (M = 4.81, SD = 0.40). Students were observed to be on-task an average of 61% of the time and teacher-initiated individual interactions were found to be much more common in classrooms of fewer than 24 students.

Results were analyzed based on Vygotsky's Social Development Theory and the focus on the Zone of Proximal Development for which the interactions between teacher and student are considered as essential to cognitive development. The data yielded three recommendations: Average class sizes should be no larger than 18 students in grades K-5, and have a structured co-teaching and instructional support model, and targeted professional development in large class instructional strategies. Implications for school leadership, district policy and future research are discussed.

Role of the Researcher

In this study, the researcher is a doctoral candidate/educator/administrator with a professional interest in enhancing instructional conditions and student outcomes for under-resourced public schools. The researcher does not have a formal employment relationship with Meadowfield Elementary School and Richland County School District One, minimizing the potential for positional authority to impact the participant's responses.

In order to minimize potential bias even further, several steps were taken. The participants were selected using the school administration instead of directly by the researcher and the responses to the questionnaires were anonymous and gathered online through a secure web platform. All the information that was identified was deleted from the data before analysis and interview participants were given pseudonyms before they were transcribed. The researcher adopted a non-participant observer position during classroom observation, in order to minimize the effects on the natural classroom behavior of the researcher as an observer.

The researcher recognizes a pre-existing interest in the literature that indicates smaller class size is advantageous to students' learning. This positionality was handled by a deductive coding framework based on the central research question, not the expected outcomes, when analyzing the data. Triangulation of data across all three sources was employed to ensure the findings were representative of the data, not of a researcher's assumptions.

Permission to Conduct Research

Before data collection began, written permission was granted by the school principal, Dr. Timothy Blackwell, and by the Richland County School District One administration. The researcher presented a formal proposal for research that included purpose of the study, methodology, data collection procedures, and protections for the participants. This is a District level decision based upon Richland County School District One's research review process.

Informed consent was obtained from all study participants before they took part in the study. Interview and survey participants were notified via written consent of the voluntary nature of their participation, the right to opt out at any time without repercussion, and assurances of confidentiality of their responses. A letter was sent in writing to the parent and/or the guardian of each student whose class is observed, informing them of the scheduled observation session at least two weeks prior to the observation session, as stipulated in the study proposal. No students were directly observed, student data was simply gathered from teacher behavior and overall student involvement.

Ethical Considerations

All research conducted in this study was done in accordance with ethical standards for research with human subjects, as established by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and federal guidelines for the protection of human subjects. Written informed consent was obtained from all teacher participants and consent was also given to withdraw without penalty. All responses from the surveys were anonymous, and all the participants in the interviews were given a pseudonym to ensure anonymity. Student information was not directly gathered. The researcher did not participate in any observations in the classroom and all data were recorded in password protected files only the researcher could access.

Chapter One: Introduction

Overview

The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the effects of large class sizes on student learning outcomes at Meadowfield Elementary School. At Meadowfield Elementary School, large class sizes have been shown to negatively influence teachers' ability to teach, manage students' behaviour, and engage them in a meaningful way (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). This chapter is comprised of the Organizational Profile, Introduction to the Problem, Significance of the Research, Purpose Statement, Central Research Question, Definitions, and Summary.

Organizational Profile

Meadowfield Elementary School is a public school at 525 Galway Lane in Columbia, South Carolina, in the Richland County School District One. Established in 1967, it has the mission of being "a leader in transforming lives through education, empowering all students to achieve their potential and dreams" (Richland One, 2025). The school has an enrollment of about 615 students in Pre-K to 5th grade, with a student population of 63% African American, 19% White, 9% Hispanic, 7% two or more races, and 2% Asian, with 100% eligible for free or reduced-priced lunch (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). There are about 47 full-time teachers and one school counselor on staff with the principal, Dr. Timothy Blackwell (U.S. News Education, 2025; Columbia Star, 2025). Meadowfield is a National Paideia Model School that provides Gifted and Talented programs, STEM, visual and performing arts, and extracurricular activities (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025).

Introduction to the Problem

High class sizes at Meadowfield Elementary School have been shown to hinder teachers' capacity to provide tailored instruction, manage behaviour, and keep students engaged, which has a negative impact on learning outcomes (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). Studies show students in larger classes exhibit more off-task behaviour, especially low-achieving students (Blatchford & Russell, 2020). In a review of 112 peer-reviewed studies, the vast majority found smaller class sizes have a substantial impact on academic performance and closing the achievement gap (Zyngier, 2014). In an effort to improve student achievement, Meadowfield Elementary has adopted a Professional Learning Community model and employs data to inform differentiation of instruction (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025).

Significance of the Research

This research has serious implications for several stakeholders related to Meadowfield Elementary School. Students have the most to gain directly, since empirical evidence on the relationship between class size and student learning outcomes may inform specific interventions that enhance the quality of their academic experience. Having fewer or well-controlled class sizes can result in students getting a more personalized education and achieving better academic outcomes (Oduwan & Francis, 2023). The teachers are other beneficiaries of this research. The teaching staff in overcrowded classrooms tend to report high levels of professional stress and reduced instructional effectiveness (Blatchford et al., 2011). This research can contribute to advocacy by developing a better understanding of the impact of large classes on instructional quality, thereby justifying more equitable staffing and resource distribution.

Another group of critical stakeholders is school administrators and district leaders. The research can equip them with factual information to make sound judgments about school enrollment policies, classroom assignments, and the hiring of extra instructional staff. Moreover, the findings of this study can be valuable to policymakers in South Carolina. Since the South Carolina Department of Education (2025) is monitoring class-size metrics as part of school report-card data, research establishing the academic effects of large classes may influence future legislative decisions on class-size requirements. Lastly, the study can be useful to the general educational research community by expanding the existing empirical evidence on the relationship between class size and student achievement in public elementary schools (Oduwan & Francis, 2023).

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this quantitative research is to examine how large classes affect the learning of students (both academic achievement and classroom behavior) in Meadowfield Elementary School in South Carolina. To eliminate this issue, the data will be gathered in three ways: (a) a review of academic performance records such as standardized tests scores and grades of the students in Meadowfield Elementary School; (b) a survey, which will be conducted among classroom teachers in Meadowfield Elementary School to assess their perceptions of student engagement in large classes; and (c) structured classroom observations to be carried out in the selected grade-level classrooms in These three pieces of data collection will give a combined quantitative and observational evidence to conclude the effect of a large class size in academic performance and classroom engagement among students at the elementary level.

Central Research Question

What is the impact of large class sizes on student learning, including academic performance and classroom engagement, at Meadowfield Elementary School?

Definitions

Academic performance. The quantifiable results of the student learning in terms of grades, standardized tests, or classroom-based assessments (López-Martin et al., 2023)..

Class size. This is the number of students who will be allocated to one classroom teacher to do the teaching (Blatchford et al., 2011).

Classroom engagement. How actively students engage in and pay attention to learning activities and instructional content during class time (López-Martin et al., 2023).

Individualized instruction. Teaching that is based on the unique learning requirements, speed, and strengths of individual learners in the classroom (Oduwan & Francis, 2023).

Student engagement. The interest and attention the students show the educator about pedagogy issues (López-Martin et al., 2023).

Student-teacher ratio. The mathematical calculation of the number of students in a school or classroom and the number of teachers in a school or classroom that serves as an indicator of instructional workload and resource allocation (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025).

Summary

This quantitative study aims to examine how large classes influence student learning, in terms of academic performance and classroom activity, at Meadowfield Elementary School, in South Carolina. The issue is that during the 2025-26 school year, Meadowfield Elementary School had the mean class size of 24.1 students (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). In this chapter, the Organizational Profile, the Introduction to the Problem, the Significance of the Research, the Purpose Statement, the Central Research Question, and the Definitions were discussed.

Chapter Two: Literature Review

Overview

This quantitative research would be aimed at investigating the effects of large classes on student learning in Meadowfield Elementary School. The main issue is that the high number of students in classes at Meadowfield Elementary School can have an adverse impact on the academic performance and engagement of students in the classroom. The chapter provides a summary of the current academic literature on class size and student achievement. There are the Narrative Review and the Theoretical Framework in the major headings..

Narrative Review

The study of the size of classes and their impact on student achievement has preoccupied educational researchers over decades, but the debate is still acute and not final. The issue is not just theoretical, as schools such as the Meadowfield Elementary School with the average number of students in the classroom of 24.1 students are functioning in the environment in which the choice of enrollment has the direct impact on the ability of teachers to address individual learners (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). The basis of this study is to understand what the literature says regarding those consequences.

An emerging body of recent research indicates significant correlations between class size, teacher performance, and student achievements beyond just academic performance. Shen and Konstantopoulos (2022) analyzed national longitudinal data of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study and discovered that class size was a more significant predictor of academic performance of children in mathematics, reading, and science in the lower grades. More importantly, their fixed-effects models adjusted away unobserved -level variables, giving credibility to the observation that class size, rather than background variables, contributes a part of the achievement gap. This is squarely applicable to the elementary setting at Meadowfield where congested classrooms are perhaps stifling potential performance that otherwise is within reach.

Large classroom sizes have not only cognitive impact. The study by Konstantopoulos and Shen (2023) examined the relationship between class size and non-cognitive school child outcomes, namely self-control, interpersonal skills, learning techniques and problem behaviors, using the same national dataset in kindergarten through grade three. Their findings revealed that there was a strong correlation between small classes and high levels interpersonal skills among the students. Experience of the teacher was another variable found to be positively correlated with self-control and learning strategies. Collectively, these results emphasize that classroom size does not only determine what students learn but how they learn to interact with others and control themselves which are the essential skills to success in the long run in academics.

On a larger and international level, Antoniou et al. (2024) used the 2018 PISA database to examine 21,903 schools in 80 countries, revealing that the nonlinear and unpredictable school preparedness deteriorations were observed with a class size exceeding a threshold of 27 students. They used a Cusp catastrophe model to find that the correlation between class size and student preparedness was not merely linear - even small increases in size after critical points can create disproportionate negative impact. The average of 24.1 students per class at Meadowfield Elementary places the school within close reach of this risk zone and hence the timely intervention is a priority.

Honest debate is also manifested in the literature. In a rigorous Campbell systematic review, Bondebjerg et al. (2023) studied the effects of class size, specifically in the context of special education, and discovered that conclusive findings are still unattainable because of low-quality studies and the inconsistencies in the results across contexts. Although the focus of this review was on students with special educational needs, its bigger implication is educative, that the effects of class size are real but context-specific and the research should be sensitive to the population and context that is being studied. This supports the necessity of local research like the current one at Meadowfield Elementary, as opposed to using national generalized results only.

Historical policies in response to high class sizes such as legislative requirements, teacher aide, and reorganized groupings have shown mixed effectiveness, in part due to the lack of continuing support to implementation and site-specific information (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). The consequence is that schools such as Meadowfield continue to have class sizes that the literature associates with lower levels of individualized instruction, lower levels of student engagement, and lower levels of teacher-student interaction the same factors that Lopez-Martin et al. (2023) found to be key to student academic achievement.

Theoretical Framework

The given work is based on the Social Development Theory by Lev Vygotsky and the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Vygotsky (1978) came up with the idea that the cognitive development is actually a social process, that is mediated by the interaction with a more knowledgeable person, who is usually the teacher. The ZPD refers to the gap between what a learner is able to do without and what is achievable under the guidance. Within the setting of large classrooms, a structural challenge to working in the ZPD of each student exists: constant scaffolding on an individual basis is logistically challenging with 24 or more students. This theoretical framework fits perfectly into the issue in Meadowfield Elementary School in which the size of classes can be restricting the quality and frequency of teacher-student interactions that Vygotsky described as the driving force behind learning.

Summary

This is a quantitative study aimed at investigating the effects of high classes on student learning in Meadowfield elementary school. The main issue is that high class sizes at the Meadowfield Elementary School can be adversely influencing academic achievement and classroom participation of students. This chapter also summarized the existing academic literature on the connection between the number of students in the classroom and their academic and non-cognitive educational results and based on recent national and international studies, the chapter proposed as the theoretical framework of the study the Social Development Theory introduced by Vygotsky.

Charpter Three: Survey Procedures

The second data collection method in this quantitative study is a structured Likert-scale survey administered to classroom teachers at Meadowfield Elementary School.. A five-point Likert-scale survey was selected because it allows the systematic collection of numerical data on teacher perceptions and supports the identification of patterns related to the instructional effects of large class sizes across a larger sample (DeVellis & Thorpe, 2022). Open-ended questions in the form of Likert scales (1 = Strongly Disagree; 5 = Strongly Agree) generate ordinal data, which are ideal for conducting descriptive and inferential statistical analyses and for supplementing qualitative detail from semi-structured interview data with a broader quantitative perspective on the same issue (DeVellis and Thorpe, 2022). The survey also endorses the triangulation of results of all three data collection methods.

Purposeful sampling will be used to recruit participants, as they will all be full-time classroom teachers at Meadowfield Elementary School who currently have classes with at least 20 students (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). The sampling technique that suits the research is purposive sampling, as it focuses data collection on people with firsthand, direct experience of the phenomenon under study (Palinkas et al., 2015). With a school staffing profile of about 47 full-time teachers, it can be estimated that 30 to 40 teachers in kindergarten through fifth grade are eligible. Recruitment will be conducted via an official email request sent through the school administration and with the principal's written approval.

The survey will be conducted electronically via a secure, password-protected online platform. All qualified teachers will receive a special access link and will be asked to complete the survey within two weeks. Electronic administration was chosen to minimize the burden on participants, enable anonymous responses, and collect data efficiently across the entire teacher population (Dillman et al., 2022). The survey is estimated to last between 15 and 20 minutes and will comprise a small demographic section and eight Likert-scale content prompts. To describe the general trends in teacher perceptions, descriptive statistics (frequency distributions, means, and standard deviations) will be used to analyze survey data (DeVellis and Thorpe, 2022). Subscale scores will be calculated by summing the related items, and, where necessary, inferential statistics such as independent-samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA will be applied to test differences across grade levels or years of experience. All analyses will be conducted in SPSS and reported in tabular form in Chapter Four.

Survey Prompts and Rationales

The subsequent ten Likert-scale items are based on the academic literature and are aimed at gauging teacher attitudes on the effects of high class size on student academic achievement and classroom interaction in Meadowfield Elementary School.

1. The high number of students in my classes has a negative impact on my performance to deliver individualized instruction to students.

(1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree)

It has been consistently demonstrated that the larger the class size, the smaller the ability of teachers to provide differentiated instructions, and the immediate impact it has on student learning outcomes (Blatchford and Russell, 2020). This item determines if there is a sense of this limitation among Meadowfield teachers in their practice.

2. Academic engagement levels in my class are lower with the increase in the class size to above 20 students.

(1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree)

In larger classes, students' on-task behavior and engagement are observed to be significantly lower, especially among low-achieving students (Blatchford et al., 2011). This measure measures the extent to which educators in their respective schools notice this relationship.

3. Student behavior in a big classroom means that I will not have much time to interact with the students directly. (1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree)

Classroom management needs increase with the size of the classroom at the expense of instructional time in correcting student behavior and overall instruction efficiency (Hattie, 2022). This product represents the perceived trade-off in instruction that teachers feel.

4. I can effectively track the academic development of every student with the current size of my classroom. (1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree)

In oversized classrooms, formative assessment fidelity is jeopardized, and teachers cannot deliver timely and personalized feedback (López-Martin et al., 2023). This is an item that is reverse coded and measures the perceived assessment capacity of the teachers in relation to the class size.

5. Large class sizes negatively affect my students’ performance on standardized tests.. (1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree)

There is research evidence showing that there is a negative correlation between big classes and student academic performance outcomes, such as standardized test scores (Oduwan and Francis, 2023). This measure links teacher perception to the recorded performance measures in school.

6. I have high levels of professional stress due to the large class sizes. (1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree)

Oversized classes are associated with much increased teacher occupational stress, and their adverse consequences on instruction and student achievement are downstream (Aldrup et al., 2020). This item measures the extent to which Meadowfield teachers place stress on large class sizes.

7. Large class sizes limit students’ opportunities to ask questions during lessons. (1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree)

The decreased teacher-student interaction time in large classes restricts the possibility of academic dialogue and engagement, which is essential in learning (Blatchford et al., 2011). This measure captures the teacher perceptions of participatory equity with increasing class size.

8. Meadowfield Elementary School should consider reducing class sizes in order to have a significant impact on student academic performance. (1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree)

The teacher beliefs regarding the importance of class-size reduction indicate knowledge of the literature at large and guide the policy implications of the study (DeVellis and Thorpe, 2022). This last item is the general teacher agreement about structural reform as a school improvement strategy.

9. Large class sizes reduce my ability to provide timely feedback to students on their academic work.

(1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree)

Timely academic feedback is an essential component of effective instruction, yet teachers in overcrowded classrooms often struggle to provide prompt and individualized responses to student work because of increased instructional demands (López-Martin et al., 2023). This item measures teacher perceptions regarding the effect of class size on feedback quality and instructional responsiveness.

10. Large class sizes make it difficult to maintain an effective learning environment in the classroom.

(1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree)

Research has shown that overcrowded classrooms create greater classroom-management challenges and reduce overall instructional effectiveness, which can negatively influence the quality of the learning environment (Hattie, 2022). This item evaluates teacher perceptions of how class size affects the overall classroom climate and learning conditions.

Observation Procedures

Structured non-participant classroom observations are the third type of data collection and will be performed in a few grade-level classrooms in Meadowfield Elementary School. An observational methodology was selected due to its ability to enable the researcher to directly and methodically record teacher instructional behaviors, teacher-student interactions, and student engagement indicators in the naturalistic school environment (Merriam and Tisdell, 2016). Direct observation can offer a raw account of classroom dynamics, unlike self-reported data, such as interviews and surveys, and therefore is a useful source for triangulating and validating the other two data-collection methods (Merriam and Tisdell, 2016).

The researcher will also seek written permission from the principal before any observations are made and will schedule with each participating teacher. Informed consent will be obtained in writing from all teachers whose classrooms are under observation, and parents or guardians of students in observed classrooms will be informed in writing by the school administration at least two weeks before any scheduled session (Creswell & Guetterman, 2021). These plans are designed to make everything as transparent as possible for all stakeholders and reduce interference with teaching activities.

The observations will be made in six or eight classrooms (at least two grade bands, the primary (kindergarten through second grade) and the intermediate (third through fifth grade)) to ensure that possible differences in the appearance of large class-size effects are captured by developmental level. The two observations in each classroom will be noted, and each session will take one full instruction time (about 45 to 60 minutes) of core instruction in either English Language Arts or Mathematics. The entire observation will be planned between February and April 2026, during regular school hours. The researcher will record the date, time, grade level, classroom identifier, and the number of students present at the beginning of each session.

A standardized observation protocol will be used to gather data through five focal dimensions: (a) frequency and quality of teacher-initiated interactions with students; (b) student on-task and off-task behavior at every five minutes using time-sampling; (c) frequency of classroom management occurrences; (d) percentage of students visibly engaged in the assigned academic task at each time; and (e) physical classroom organization compared to the number of students The researcher will be a non-participant observer in the classroom where he will sit in a fixed and peripheral position to reduce observer effects on natural classroom behaviour (Merriam and Tisdell, 2016). Field notes will be taken by hand during every session and elaborated into detailed descriptive text within 24 hours to maintain accuracy and contextual detail.

The analysis of observational data will be conducted within a deductive coding procedure implemented with respect to the extended field notes, based on a framework derived from the main research question that will be the focus of the study (Braun and Clarke, 2022). Interval-based behavioral coding tallies will be converted to percentages to provide a standardized comparison across classrooms and grades. Chapter Four will involve triangulation of the observation findings and interview and survey data to enhance the overall validity and credibility of the study conclusions (Creswell and Guetterman, 2021).

Summary

The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the impact of large class sizes on student learning, including academic performance and classroom engagement, at Meadowfield Elementary School in South Carolina. The problem is that during the 2025–2026 school year, the average class size at Meadowfield Elementary School was 24.1 students (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). This chapter presented the Survey Procedures and Observation Procedures.

Chapter Four: Findings

Overview

This quantitative study aims to explore the relationship between large classes and student learning outcomes, as well as academic achievement and classroom engagement in the Meadowfield Elementary School within South Carolina. The issue is that during the 2025-2026 school year, the average class size at Meadowfield Elementary School had been 24.1 students (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). The results of the three methods of data collection are given in the three sections that follow: Interview Findings, Survey Findings, and Observation Findings, with a Discussion of the Findings that comes after and a Summary at the end.

Interview Findings

Ten classroom teachers from Meadowfield Elementary School who teach in classes of 20 or more were interviewed using the semi-structured approach. Pupurative sampling was used to select teachers from kindergarten to fifth grade ranging from 2 to 17 years of experience in teaching. The participants' confidentiality has been protected by using pseudonyms before transcription. Teacher A- Teacher J are used throughout the findings to identify the ten participants.

Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts, following the theoreming method of Braun and Clarke (2022), revealed four major themes: (1) Diminished Capacity for Individualized Instruction, (2) Reduced Student Engagement and Participation, (3) Heightened Classroom Management Demands, and (4) Teacher Professional Well-Being and Stress. Themes are based on a consistent pattern of responses from participants and are presented below with participant quotes to support them.

Table 1

Interview Themes, Codes, and Participant Quotes

Theme	Code	Participant Quote
Diminished Capacity for Individualized Instruction	Reduced differentiation	"With 25 kids, I just can't get to everyone every day. Some students go the whole week without individual feedback." (Teacher C)
Diminished Capacity for Individualized Instruction	Assessment constraints	"Tracking where each student is academically is nearly impossible in a class this size." (Teacher G)
Reduced Student Engagement and Participation	Low participation rates	"Students in the back rarely ask questions. They seem to disengage fairly quickly once I can't circulate to them." (Teacher B)
Reduced Student Engagement and Participation	Off-task behavior	"When you have 24 students and only one of you, more kids are off-task. That's just the reality." (Teacher F)
Heightened Classroom Management Demands	Behavior disruptions	"Managing behavior takes up so much instructional time in a large class. It's exhausting." (Teacher I)
Heightened Classroom Management Demands	Reduced instructional time	"I spend the first 15 minutes just getting everyone settled and organized before teaching can begin." (Teacher D)
Teacher Professional Well-Being and Stress	Occupational stress	"I genuinely love teaching, but the class size has made me question whether I can do this long-term." (Teacher H)
Teacher Professional Well-Being and Stress	Reduced job satisfaction	"I don't feel like I'm doing my best work. There are just too many students and too little time." (Teacher E)

Table 2

Themes and Frequency Codes Across Interview Data

Theme	Frequency (out of 10 participants)	Percentage
Diminished Capacity for Individualized Instruction	10	100%
Reduced Student Engagement and Participation	9	90%
Heightened Classroom Management Demands	9	90%
Teacher Professional Well-Being and Stress	8	80%

The most common theme from the interviews was the difficulty of individualizing instruction in large classrooms.This was the most common theme indicated in the interview data; all ten participants indicated difficulty in providing individualized instruction in large classrooms. Nine out of ten participants noted lower engagement of students and more classroom management challenges, and eight participants indicated higher stress and lower job satisfaction. The results are in line with past evidence and research that suggests that larger class sizes have a negative impact on teaching quality and students' learning (Blatchford et al., 2011; Hattie, 2022).

Survey Findings

All classroom teachers at Meadowfield Elementary School who were eligible to participate completed a five-point Likert scale survey electronically. There were 37 teachers in kindergarten through fifth grade who met the inclusion criteria and 32 of them completed the survey, which was approximately 86.5% response rate. Means and standard deviations were computed for each of the 10 prompts on the survey. The results are summarised in the table below:

Table 3

Descriptive Statistics for Likert-Scale Survey Prompts (N = 32)

Survey Prompt	Mean (M)	SD
Large class sizes negatively impact my ability to deliver individualized instruction.	4.72	0.45
Academic engagement levels are lower in classes above 20 students.	4.59	0.56
Student behavior in a large classroom limits direct instructional time.	4.66	0.54
I can effectively track every student's academic development. (Reverse-coded)	1.97	0.72
Large class sizes negatively affect student standardized test performance.	4.41	0.67
I experience high levels of professional stress due to large class sizes.	4.53	0.62
Large class sizes limit student opportunities to ask questions during lessons.	4.47	0.61
Meadowfield should consider reducing class sizes to improve student performance.	4.81	0.40
Large class sizes reduce my ability to provide timely feedback to students.	4.69	0.47
Large class sizes make it difficult to maintain an effective learning environment.	4.63	0.55

The results of the surveys support the qualitative interview results. The largest means were for the perceived need for class size reduction and the negative impact on individualized instruction (M = 4.81, SD = 0.40, and M = 4.72, SD = 0.45, respectively). The reverse coded item on teachers' ability to effectively monitor student academic progress has a mean of 1.97, meaning that the overwhelming majority of the respondents disagreed with the statement that they could effectively monitor student academic progress in their current class size. The findings corroborate the themes derived from the interview data and previous studies which have shown a strong negative correlation between large class size and instructional quality (DeVellis & Thorpe, 2022; Oduwan & Francis, 2023).

Observation Findings

The structured non-participant classroom observations took place in eight classrooms at Meadowfield Elementary School from February to April 2026. Two observations were made in each classroom and each observation took place over one full teaching period (45-60 minutes) in either English Language Arts or Mathematics. The eight classrooms observed included both primary (kindergarten through second grade; four classrooms) and intermediate (grade three through five; four classrooms) classrooms. From 21 to 27 students attended each observation session.

Table 4

Observation Description of Subjects

Classroom ID	Grade Band	Students Present (avg.)	Subject Observed
OB-1	Primary (K–2)	22	English Language Arts
OB-2	Primary (K–2)	21	Mathematics
OB-3	Primary (K–2)	24	English Language Arts
OB-4	Primary (K–2)	23	Mathematics
OB-5	Intermediate (3–5)	25	Mathematics
OB-6	Intermediate (3–5)	27	English Language Arts
OB-7	Intermediate (3–5)	26	Mathematics
OB-8	Intermediate (3–5)	24	English Language Arts

The time-sampling behavioral coding data revealed that, on average, 61% of students were on task during instructional segments across all eight classrooms and 39% were off task at the measured times across all eight classrooms. There were slightly more off-task behaviors in intermediate classrooms (42%) than in primary classrooms (36%). Classroom management incidents averaged 8.3 per 60 minute session, ranging from 5 to 14 incidents in each of the sessions observed. Teacher-initiated individual interactions averaged 3.1 per class session for classes with 24 or more students, and 5.8 per class session for classes of 21 to 23 students, indicating that even small differences in class size in the large-class range are correlated with significant differences in teacher-initiated individual interaction time per session (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

The following patterns were noted in field notes. In several classrooms, students at the edges of the classroom were given significantly less attention from the teacher, and were more likely to be off-task than other students in the classroom. The researchers found that teachers in the largest classes (26-27 students) spent more time at the front of the classroom giving whole group instruction and less time moving around the classroom. The above qualitative and quantitative results are consistent with the following observational patterns and support the conclusion that inadequate individualized teacher-student interaction (Blatchford et al., 2011) is experienced at Meadowfield Elementary School.

Discussion of the Findings

The combination of insights gained from the semi-structured interviews, Likert Scale data, and structured observations of the classroom teach together to a consistent and powerful conclusion: Large classes are having a negative impact on student learning outcomes and teacher professional well-being at Meadowfield Elementary School. The most obvious drawback in all three sources of data was the size of classes and how it restricted teachers' ability to provide individual instruction and effective formative feedback to students.

All 10 participants (100%) described individualized instruction in the context of large class sizes as the area that was most negatively impacted by large class size, as revealed in the interview data. In line with this, the survey data indicates that the item related to individualized instruction had the second highest mean score (M = 4.72), and observational data confirms that there were fewer individual teacher-student interactions as classes reached larger sizes, particularly when they went beyond 23 students. The results align with the general research, where differentiated instruction is found to be one of the most important factors for school performance, and which shows that the implementation of differentiated instruction becomes more challenging as the class size increases (Hattie, 2022; López-Martín et al., 2023).

The second consistent finding from all three data sources is that students' engagement and participation is reduced. Interview participants agreed on the lower rates of students' voluntary participation and question-asking in large classes, with nine of ten participants reporting this. This perception was confirmed in the survey, as the item “Student opportunities to ask questions” had a mean of 4.47. Observational data showed that on average, just 61% of students were on-task during the moments measured, and this percentage was lower in intermediate grade classrooms due to larger class sizes. The results are consistent with those reported by Blatchford et al. (2011) who found that there was a significant inverse correlation between class size and student engagement, especially among pupils with lower ability.

Observations gave evidence to 90% of the interview participants that classroom management was an important concern, with 8.3 incidents of classroom management being recorded on average per classroom and a maximum of 14 incidents recorded during the largest classroom observed. The survey question on behavior management and instructional time had a mean of 4.66 indicating high levels of agreement that behavioral demands in large classes decrease direct instructional contact. This is in line with the research of Hattie (2022), who showed that greater classroom management demands in big classes lead to a cumulative opportunity cost of instruction, which has a long-term impact on the student's learning.

Lastly, it is noteworthy that the interview and survey data collectively demonstrate the effects of large class sizes on teacher professional well-being. Eight of ten interviewees felt their work stress increased, and the mean score for the professional stress survey item was 4.53. Teacher stress in overcrowded classrooms is linked to lowered instructional effectiveness and higher likelihood of teacher attrition, as identified by Aldrup et al., 2020 – and this is happening in the Meadowfield Elementary School classrooms. The findings from all three data sources are converging and have identified a negative impact of the average class size at Meadowfield Elementary School (24.1 students) on instructional quality, student engagement, and teacher well-being.

Summary

This quantitative study aimed to explore how large class size affects students' academic performance and engagement in the classroom at Meadowfield Elementary School in South Carolina. The issue is the average class size in the 2025-2026 school year at Meadowfield Elementary School was 24.1 students (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). This chapter introduced the Interview Findings, Survey Findings, Observation Findings and Discussion of the Findings.

Chapter Five: Recommendations

Overview

This quantitative study examines the effect large classrooms may have on student learning both academically and in their engagement of the classroom at Meadowfield Elementary School in South Carolina. However, in the 2025–2026 school year, the average class size at Meadowfield Elementary School was 24.1 students (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). The Recommendations, Roles and Responsibilities of Stakeholders, Resources Needed, and the Timeline and Summary are presented in this chapter.

Recommendations

This study was designed to examine the effect large class sizes have on student achievement at Meadowfield elementary school. This study focused on determining the effect of large class size on the learning of the students, such as their academic achievement and student involvement, at Meadowfield Elementary School. The results of the semi-structured interviews, teacher survey on a Likert scale, and structured classroom observations all confirmed that large classes have an impact on individualized teaching, student involvement, classroom management, and teacher professional well-being. From these data, and the literature reviewed, the following three recommendations are offered for consideration by the school and district leadership.

Recommendation 1: Reduce Average Class Sizes to 18 Students or Fewer in Grades K–5

The immediate action that can be taken as a result of this study is the decrease of the class sizes at Meadowfield Elementary School to a maximum of 18 students per classroom from kindergarten through grade 5. There is a consistent research base that has shown that smaller class sizes, especially those under 18, are correlated with higher students' academic outcomes, especially for students from low-income backgrounds (Zyngier, 2014). In smaller classes (between 13-17 students), students in the primary grades achieved significant growth in standardized assessments and the impact was most evident among those who attended high-poverty schools, characteristics measured by the 100% of students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch and which the landmark Tennessee STAR project found to be correlated with increased standardized achievement gains, especially in the primary grades (Hattie, 2022). Moreover, smaller classes are known to decrease teacher occupational stress and enhance instructional effectiveness, which are issues identified in the present study (Aldrup et al., 2020). This is the most direct structural solution to the issue and most substantiated by evidence.

Recommendation 2: Implement a Structured Co-Teaching and Instructional Support Model

Prior to the full implementation of the class-size reduction, Meadowfield Elementary School should consider implementing a model of co-teaching and instructional support in which a classroom teacher in grades where the highest class sizes are found receives dedicated instructional support personnel, such as instructional aides or co-teachers, during core instructional blocks in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Co-teaching models have been found to increase the amount of individual student-teacher contact time, decrease behavioral incidents, and increase student engagement in high enrollment classrooms (Friend & Cook, 2021). The results from this study indicated that the amount of one-on-one instruction between teacher and students was significantly reduced in 24 students or more and that the addition of a second instructional adult would fill this void. This recommendation is reported here both in the interview data where several informants mentioned that there was a lack of instructional support as a major constraint, and in the survey data which showed a mean of 4.69 for the item relating to feedback quality.

Recommendation 3: Provide Targeted Professional Development in Large-Class Instructional Strategies

Elementary School should establish a comprehensive professional development initiative that is targeted, sustained and provides classroom teachers with evidence-based instructional strategies that are tailored for large class settings. The professional development should include differentiated instruction practices that can be implemented in large groups, effective application of cooperative learning practices and structures to maximize student engagement, formative assessment strategies and digital tools to effectively monitor individual student progress, and classroom management systems for high student enrollment classrooms. Darling-Hammond et al. (2017) have identified a minimum of 50 hours of sustained job-embedded PD that leads to measurable changes in instructional practices and student achievement outcomes. This is evidenced by the interview data (with all 10 participants making this a recommendation) and the survey data (with the second highest mean score (M = 4.72) in the survey regarding individual instruction).

Roles and Responsibilities of Stakeholders

Recommendation 1: Reduce Average Class Sizes to 18 Students or Fewer

Class-size reduction in Meadowfield Elementary School will involve a coordinated effort at various levels of the organization. The principal, Dr. Timothy Blackwell, is responsible for advocating to the Richland County School District One leadership for the allocation of more teaching staff by presenting the results of this study and relevant research evidence to district leadership as evidence for the need for additional staffing. The district superintendent and school board shall review enrollment figures and budgetary projections to determine if there are viable options to increase the number of classroom teachers in the district or to redistribute classroom teacher staffing among district schools to reduce the size of a classroom at Meadowfield. The district human resources department will conduct the recruitment, vetting, and hire of additional classroom teachers as necessary. The current classroom teachers will be involved in an advisory role in relation to the implementation of any class redistribution plans, as well as supporting the transition.

Recommendation 2: Implement a Structured Co-Teaching and Instructional Support Model

The school principal must determine which classroom will be used for co-teaching and instructional support, and will prioritize those classrooms with the largest number of students. The principal and district leadership are responsible for securing instructional aide or co-teacher positions by reallocating resources, through Title I funding, or by applying for grants. The instructional coach or academic dean will be the person to coordinate co-teaching assignments and give continuous coaching to instructional pairs to ensure fidelity to evidence-based co-teaching models (Friend & Cook, 2021). Classroom teachers are expected to coordinate with co-teaching teachers in planning and delivering instruction and to have regular co-teaching planning sessions with their co-teaching partner(s). Instructional aides and co-teachers must be actively engaged in instruction during core blocks and to actively support students who need extra help in being on task or reaching the instructional goals.

Recommendation 3: Provide Targeted Professional Development

The school principal and instructional coach will collaborate to design and coordinate the professional learning program, with a focus on achieving the minimum requirement of 50 sustained hours of professional learning required to bring about changes in instructional practice (as identified in the research literature). The instructional coach will be in charge of conducting professional development sessions, conducting classroom walkthroughs to support fidelity of implementation, and coaching and giving feedback to teachers who are participating in the process. Classroom teachers will be active participants at all professional development sessions, make an attempt in their classroom(s) to implement the strategies and give reflective feedback on whether they are working or not. The district professional development coordinator is tasked with ensuring that the program is tied to district-wide instructional priorities, and monitoring participation and outcomes.

Resources Needed

Recommendation 1: Reduce Average Class Sizes to 18 Students or Fewer

One of the most crucial resources needed to reduce classes is to hire more classroom teachers. The current model of Meadowfield Elementary School has about 615 students enrolled, and a class size of 18 students would require about 34 classrooms from Pre-K through 5th grade. The district general fund reallocation, Title I funding (to which Meadowfield is eligible as a school with a 100% free and reduced-lunch rate), and state class-size reduction grant programs available through the South Carolina Department of Education should provide funding for new teaching positions. Capital planning and possible facility modifications will also be necessary for physical classroom space and furnishings for any classroom that will be newly staffed. The district facilities department should perform a space utilization audit to determine which rooms are available and/or what changes are required.

Recommendation 2: Implement a Structured Co-Teaching and Instructional Support Model

The co-teaching model will need to be funded to include an instructional aide or co-teacher salary and benefits. If an initial implementation is made in the eight highest enrollment classrooms, a total of $120,000–$140,000 in annual costs would be estimated for four instructional aide positions (based on an average South Carolina instructional aide salary of approximately $28,000-$32,000 per year plus benefits). Sources of funding include Title 1 dollars that are available for instructional personnel costs in higher-poverty schools, and potential reallocation from a variety of discretionary district budget lines. In addition, a number of resources will be required for co-teaching staff development, such as the cost of substitute teachers taking time for professional development (about $5,000 to $8,000 for an initial group). The school administration will also need to coordinate scheduling software and shared planning time structures.

Recommendation 3: Provide Targeted Professional Development

A professional development program will need funding for substitute teachers for any off-site professional development activities, materials and facilitator time. The cost if the instructional coach is the primary facilitator is largely the release time and materials, which are estimated at about $10,000-$15,000 for 50 hours of instruction given during a school year. Depending on the vendor and format, costs for an external consultant/professional development provider for large-class instructional strategies-related programming can range from $15,000 to $30,000. There may be a district license fee of about $3,000-$6,000 per year for digital formative assessment platforms for teachers to use in large classes (e.g., Nearpod, Formative, or Pear Deck). Professional development materials, such as books and research materials that are related to large-class instruction are estimated to be $2,000-$3,000.

Timeline

The following sequence of activities has been recommended for implementing all three recommendations: The timeline is arranged in chronological order and shown in Table 5 below.

Table 5

Implementation Timeline for All Three Recommendations

Date / Timeframe	Action
June 2026	Principal presents research findings and class-size reduction proposal to district leadership (Rec. 1)
July 2026	District conducts space utilization audit and budget analysis for additional teaching positions (Rec. 1)
July–August 2026	Recruitment and hiring of additional classroom teachers and/or instructional aides (Rec. 1 & 2)
August 2026	Principal identifies eight highest-enrollment classrooms for co-teaching pilot (Rec. 2)
August 2026 (pre-service)	Initial co-teaching professional development for instructional pairs (8 hours) (Rec. 2)
August 2026 (pre-service)	Professional development program launch: Session 1 — Differentiated Instruction in Large Classes (Rec. 3)
September–October 2026	Implementation of co-teaching model in priority classrooms; instructional coach conducts walkthroughs (Rec. 2)
September–December 2026	Monthly professional development sessions (6 sessions × 4 hours = 24 hours); instructional coach classroom coaching (Rec. 3)
November 2026	Midpoint review: principal and instructional coach review co-teaching fidelity data and adjust assignments (Rec. 2)
December 2026	Semester review: enrollment data analyzed to assess progress toward class-size reduction targets (Rec. 1)
January–April 2027	Continued monthly professional development (5 sessions × 4 hours = 20 hours); cumulative total: 50+ hours (Rec. 3)
January 2027	Expansion of co-teaching model to additional classrooms if resources allow (Rec. 2)
April 2027	Full program evaluation: survey of teacher perceptions, analysis of student achievement data, observation cycle (All Recs.)
May 2027	Report of outcomes to district leadership; planning for 2027–2028 school year implementation adjustments (All Recs.)
August 2027	Target: All K–5 classrooms at Meadowfield at or below 20 students (Rec. 1 long-term goal)

Summary

The aim of this quantitative research was to examine how large class sizes affect students' academic achievement and engagement at Meadowfield Elementary School in South Carolina. The problem is that in the 2025–2026 school year, the average class size at Meadowfield Elementary School was 24.1 students (South Carolina Department of Education, 2025). The Recommendations, Roles and Responsibilities of Stakeholders, Resources Needed and a Timeline were introduced in this chapter. Based on the convergent findings of this study, three recommendations were made: (1) Average class size should be 18 students or less in grades K–5; (2) All classroom teachers should receive targeted, sustained professional development in large class instructional strategies; and (3) A structured co-teaching and instructional support model should be implemented in the classrooms with the highest student enrollment.

References

Aldrup, K., Klusmann, U., Lüdtke, O., Gärtner, H., & Trautwein, U. (2020). Student misbehavior and teacher well-being: Testing the mediating role of the teacher-student relationship. Learning and Instruction, 58, 126–136. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327205486_Student_misbehavior_and_teacher_well-being_Testing_the_mediating_role_of_the_teacher-student_relationship

Blatchford, P., Bassett, P., & Brown, P. (2011). Examining the effect of class size on classroom engagement and teacher–pupil interaction: Differences in relation to pupil prior attainment and primary vs. secondary schools. Learning and Instruction, 21(6), 715–730. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2011.04.001

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE Publications.

Castillo-Montoya, M. (2021). Preparing for interview research: The interview protocol refinement framework. The Qualitative Report, 21(5), 811–831. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2016.2337.

Creswell, J. W., & Guetterman, T. C. (2021). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (6th ed.). Pearson.

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/122.311

DeVellis, R. F., & Thorpe, C. T. (2022). Scale development: Theory and applications (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Dillman, D. A., Smyth, J. D., & Christian, L. M. (2022). Internet, phone, mail, and mixed-mode surveys: The tailored design method (5th ed.). Wiley.

Fusch, P. I., & Ness, L. R. (2015). Are we there yet? Data saturation in qualitative research. The Qualitative Report, 20(9), 1408–1416. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2015.2281

Hattie, J. (2022). Visible learning: The sequel. Routledge.

López-Martín, E., Gutiérrez-de-Rozas, B., González-Benito, A. M., & Expósito-Casas, E. (2023). Why do teachers matter? A meta-analytic review of how teacher characteristics and competencies affect students’ academic achievement. International Journal of Educational Research, 120, 102199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2023.102199

Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass

Oduwan, J., & Francis, A. (2023). Teacher-student ratio and job performance of teachers in government universal secondary education schools in Bukedea town council, Bukedea district, Uganda [Doctoral dissertation, Kampala International University]. KIU Institutional Repository.

Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y

Richland One. (2025). About Richland One. https://www.richlandone.org

South Carolina Department of Education. (2025). South Carolina school report cards. https://screportcards.com/

U.S. News Education. (2025). Meadowfield Elementary in Columbia, South Carolina. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/south-carolina/meadowfield-elementary-219157

Zyngier, D. (2014). Class size and academic results, with a focus on children from culturally, linguistically and economically disenfranchised communities. Evidence Base, 1, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.21307/eb-2014-001

Antoniou, F., Alghamdi, M. H., & Kawai, K. (2024). The effect of school size and class size on school preparedness. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, Article 1354072. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1354072

Bondebjerg, A., Dalgaard, N. T., Filges, T., & Viinholt, B. C. A. (2023). The effects of small class sizes on students' academic achievement, socioemotional development and well-being in special education: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 19(3), e1345. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1345

Konstantopoulos, S., & Shen, T. (2023). Class size and teacher effects on non-cognitive outcomes in grades K-3: A fixed effects analysis of ECLS-K:2011 data. Large-Scale Assessments in Education, 11(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40536-023-00182-8

López-Martín, E., Gutiérrez-de-Rozas, B., González-Benito, A. M., & Expósito-Casas, E. (2023). Why do teachers matter? A meta-analytic review of how teacher characteristics and competencies affect students' academic achievement. International Journal of Educational Research, 120, 102199.

Shen, T., & Konstantopoulos, S. (2022). Are class size and teacher characteristics associated with cognitive outcomes in early grades? School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 33(3), 333-359. https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2021.2023585

South Carolina Department of Education. (2025). South Carolina school report cards.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.

Appendix B: Interview Questions

The following ten open-ended interview questions were used during semi-structured interviews with classroom teachers at Meadowfield Elementary School.

1. In what ways has teaching a group of 20 or more students influenced your capacity to deliver differentiated teaching to each student?

2. How have you experienced class size influencing the academic performance of your students during a school year?

3. How does class size influence classroom engagement among your students?

4. What instructional strategies have you used to address the challenges of teaching a large classroom?

5. How does the number of students in your classroom influence your ability to evaluate individual learning outcomes?

6. How does the size of classes affect students' willingness to engage in classroom discourse or pose questions during lessons in your experience?

7. What challenges have you experienced in managing student behavior in a large classroom that impacted the learning environment in general?

8. How have you experienced professional well-being, such as job satisfaction or feelings of instructional effectiveness, while teaching a large class?

9. What resources, supports, structural changes, or combinations of these do you think would be most effective in helping teachers at Meadowfield Elementary School deal with the issues of large class sizes to enhance student outcomes?

10. What would you change about the current situation involving the size of the classroom at Meadowfield Elementary School that would help to increase student learning outcomes? Why?

Appendix C: Survey Prompts

The following ten Likert-scale survey prompts were administered to classroom teachers at Meadowfield Elementary School. Responses were recorded on a five-point scale (1 = Strongly Disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly Agree).

1. The high number of students in my classes has a negative impact on my ability to deliver individualized instruction to students.