A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Section H. Accountability

Each State receiving funds will report on Class-Size Reduction activities in the State as part of the report States already file under Title VI of the ESEA. The report is due every two years and is described in section 6202(a)(2)(A) of the ESEA. The first of these reports that includes Class-Size Reduction information will be due in December 2001. The next such report will be due in December 2003;the Department of Education will issue further guidance on the content of this report, but envisions that the information will be similar to the information that these guidelines suggest be included in an LEA application. (See E-3.)

In addition, each State is required to publicly report to parents on:

• its progress in reducing class size throughout the State;

• its progress in increasing the percentage of classes in core academic areas taught by fully qualified teachers within the State; and

• the impact that hiring additional fully qualified teachers and reducing class size has had on increasing student academic achievement within the State.

Each LEA that participates in the Class-Size Reduction Program is also required to publicly report to parents on:

• its progress in reducing class size in the LEA;

• its progress in increasing the percentage of classes in core academic areas taught by fully qualified teachers throughout the LEA; and

• the impact that hiring additional fully qualified teachers and reducing class size has had on increasing student academic achievement across the LEA.

States and LEAs may work out these reporting procedures to meet local needs. The following are some of the items that LEAs may wish to include in their annual reports:

• How class sizes were reduced with funds from this program-numbers of fully qualified teachers hired, grades to which new teachers were assigned, and class sizes before and after the hiring of additional teachers;

• A description of the professional development that was provided through funds from this program, and information about the participants in the training, including staff from private, nonprofit schools within the LEA's boundaries, with numbers of teachers and grades taught;

• Comparison of student performance, and how this was measured, before and after class sizes were reduced.

Any school or school district receiving Class-Size Reduction funds must provide to parents, upon request, the professional qualifications of their child's teacher.

Yes, plans to conduct a national evaluation are being developed. The Department will be notifying States and LEAs about these evaluations and about the requirements of States and LEAs to participate, as necessary. The Department intends to include the basic information that States provided on subgrantees under the first year of the program to compile data on early implementation of the program, and is focusing on a careful measurement of class-size changes together with such issues as methods used by schools to reduce class size, the quality of the teachers hired, recruitment methods, and professional development provided.

[Section G. Flexibility To Meet Local Needs]

[Appendix 1. FY2000 Estimated State Allotments]