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Excerpt from Sudbury Public Schools' FAQs:

Class size guidelines were set by the Sudbury Public School Committee several years ago in an effort to establish guidelines to aid in budgeting, establish consistency across the district's schools, and reflect a reasonable class size given surrounding districts and the newer instructional practices. After a study of class size research and data, the School Committee set the guidelines at 20 in K; 22 in 1st and 2nd grade; and 24 in grades 3-8. These guidelines are similar to those used in peer districts.

Excerpt from Sudbury Public Schools' FAQs:

Most of the research around the effect of class size has been on achievement (test scores). That research indicates that until you get to very low levels (e.g. 15 or less), student achievement, as measured by standardized test scores, is typically not significantly affected. Educators (and parents of children in crowded classrooms) know, however, that long-term exposure to small classes in the early grades generates substantial advantages for students, and those extra gains increase the longer students are exposed to those classes. What we do know is that smaller classes improve the quality and number of interactions between the teacher and individual students. Because our classes have such a wide variety of learning styles and abilities, smaller class size allows for more differentiation of instruction designed to challenge all students in the class. Smaller classes also reduce the distractions in the classroom, allow for more time for the teacher to spend correcting written homework, spending time communicating with parents and spending less time on management. There are higher levels of student participation, more time spent on instruction, and more positive relations among students when class size is smaller. Finally, the current best instructional practices and the type of teaching we expect to see in every classroom is one where there is an active engagement of students, groups of students working and learning together, and learning occurring in a variety of ways throughout the classroom. The days of straight rows of non-active, non-communicative students are gone. These best practices require space and the physical dimensions of our classrooms limit the size of the classes if good instruction is to take place. A recent survey of average kindergarten class size found that of the 72 districts responding, the range of class size was 14 to 24 with an average of 19.4. Another recent study completed by Lincoln Public Schools looked at 18 communities in the region. The median class size guideline for these communities (including SPS) is: K = 20; 1 = 22; 2 = 22; 3 = 23; 4 = 24; 5 = 24; 6 = 24+; 7 = 25. So where is the SPS in all of this? In the wake of the failure of last year's override requests, the SPS cut just over 22 full-time positions. At the same time, enrollment in the K-5 schools increased by 40 more students than last year. The result of these cuts is that: • 39% (40 of 98) of our elementary school classrooms are at or over class size guidelines; • 92% (13 of 14) of our 3rd grade classrooms serve 24 or more students; • In the Curtis Middle School, 44% (25 of 56) of 6th grade classrooms, 36% (23 of 64) of 7th grade classrooms, and 70% (39 of 56) of 8th grade classrooms serve 24 or more students with 8th grade math and ELA classes ranging as high as 32 and 31 students respectively. In the event that SPS faces significant cuts next year, class sizes, as a function of pure and simple numbers math, will jump at some grade levels from the mid 20s to the mid 30s. How can this happen? If you have, for example, a certain grade level at any of the schools with 100 students and 4 teachers, your current class size is about 25. Cut one teacher at that grade level, and the class size will jump into the mid-30s.

Excerpt from Sudbury Public Schools' FAQs:

Class sizes are determined by the school-based administration and staff who consider such factors as the relative experience of the teachers at a grade level, the needs (including special needs) of the students, and class and student-specific behavior issues. When these issues are considered, it should be apparent that some classes of 17 are as difficult to teach as a larger class. In any event, in an effort to best meet the needs of students, these decisions are properly left to the teachers and administrators at each school who know the staff and students best.