本研究之目的一方面探討美國各州州政府有關小學班級人數立法規定之異同； 另 一方面研究教師對於在小班級制學生所獲得之益處為何；同時探究教師本身若在一個較少學 生人數班級裡之教學工作，其好處又為何；再一方面探知身為一校之長，他瞭解在減少班級 人數中之學生與教師獲益為何，而他在執行此政策所面臨的困難又何在。 本研究採用描述方法。收集美國三十七州主管教育行政機關對小學班級人數之立法或法令規 定，加以分析此政策之信念，適用之班級人數及整個系統的邏輯性。由一百份樣本中回收之 七十一分問卷內容搜集教師對小班級制之意見與看法。並訪談其中五所學校之校長，以便瞭 解他們對實施小班制度之整體考量。 研究發現如下：第一，大部分州政府主管教育行政機關，不但對於班級學生人數皆有特別之 規定，並且對於地方學校均有支持及協助之制度與方案。第二，此研究之結果與其他研究有 類同吻合之結論。教師們均察覺到將班級學生減少所預見之好處。然而，教師們卻不全然認 同學生因此而獲益。第三，校長們發覺小班制學生所得之效益大於教師。實施小班制最大的 難處在於財務問題。 由上述之發現提出下列建議：首先，州政府除了在法規或法令中明定班級人數外，應該提供 更多之財力支持及其他有關支持，如教師在職訓練，以協助地方學校建立制度。其次，減少 班級學生人數只是影響學生學習因素之一，宜運用多元化講授及教學技巧來配合小班制，或 許可提供學生一個更理想之學習環境。 The purpose of this study was to investigate the similarities and differences of the state legal regulations related to class size; what benefits teachers perceive a student would gain from small classes; what benefits teachers themselves could obtain by reducing class size; and what the principals perceive students and teachers could benefit from reducing class size; and the problem of implementing small classes the principals face. This was a descriptive study. Thirty-seven State Education Department's regulations or acts about class size were collected to analyze the philosophy of reducing class size, the adopted number in class sizes, and the logistic of the systems. Seventy-one questionnaires of 100 samples were collected to survey teachers' opinions about smaller class size, and 5 school principals were interviewed to understand the general considerations of implementing reducing class size. The findings of the study were as follows, first, most of state regulations have specific numbers with regard to class size, and have supporting system and strategies to help local school systems. Second, the results matched with other studies. Teachers do perceive there are benefits from reducing class size. However, teachers do not agree strongly and completely on the advantages which their students could gain from reducing class size. Third, the principals perceived that small class size had a greater effect on students than on teachers. The most difficult issue of implementing smaller classes is financial problems. From those findings, several suggestions are given. In addition to putting numbers on regulations or acts, state governments should provide more financial support and other support programs such as teacher training to help local school systems. Reducing class size is only one of the factors which influence students' learning. Employing various instructional and teaching strategies along with reducing class size might provide a better learning environment to students.
