The Detroit News recently offered an extensive look at the size of Michigan public school classrooms. A reader could be excused for coming away from the article with the mistaken impression that class sizes have an enormous effect on student achievement.
"Despite pleas from parents and local school officials who want the class sizes lowered to improve student academic achievement, Michigan still has no cap on the number of students in a classroom in K-12 schools,” the article explains. It continues, noting that there is also no plan to introduce “reduction programs to reduce crowded classrooms," despite the state's well-documented academic struggles.
Much further down in the story, Michigan Department of Education spokesman William DiSessa challenges the thesis: "The research supporting the use of funds for reduced class size as an effective strategy is minimal." He is correct, even if obliquely, about the state of the research. Only a handful of studies have suggested the effectiveness of the popular class-size reduction policy: fewer students in a class leads to improved student performance. But those benefits are mostly limited to certain situations, namely for elementary students of less advantaged backgrounds.
The research of large-scale initiatives aligns with DiSessa. Two states that set official statewide limits on class sizes saw practically no return from a huge taxpayer investment. Florida has spent more than $40 billion since 2003 to restrict class sizes, even though a rigorous 2010 study found "no detectable benefit" for student learning. In 2013 California gave up its program after 16 years and after spending over $25 billion, finding "no definitive research" to bolster the goal of improving student achievement through smaller class sizes.
The lackluster results can be explained in part by recognizing the tradeoffs that come with class-size reduction. Getting more certified teachers to watch over smaller classrooms entails dipping deeper into labor pools, producing only diminishing returns in terms of quality instructors. That difficulty applies even more here, as many Michigan school district officials say they have a hard time filling teacher vacancies, in part because a strong economy gives potential candidates more appealing job opportunities elsewhere.
But we should be asking if the perception that Michigan's classrooms are becoming more crowded is even realistic.
Cause for confusion in the News article springs from the presentation of the underlying data. Within one section of the story, the number of pupils for every Michigan teacher was separately identified as being 17.5 and then later 23. Both numbers come from the 2016-17 school year, but they rely on different definitions of whether a staff member is considered a teacher.
The narrower definition encompasses only teachers of basic programs in grades K-12. (Presumably, the broader definition also includes teachers in special education and career programs, as well as other licensed specialists assigned to work with students.) Michigan's ratio of 23 students for each teacher has trended down slightly the past five years, after three years of growing in the wake of the recession. The most recent student-teacher ratio is only about 2.5 percent higher than the pre-recession low of 2009.
For at least the last decade, classroom teachers have consistently made up only about one-third of the employees working in Michigan's public schools. In 2016-17 one public school employee represented each 7.7 students enrolled, a number only slightly higher than late last decade.
Consider what would happen if we accepted the article’s assertion and pushed to reach a student-teacher ratio of 20:1. That goal would require hiring more than 10,000 full-time teachers. Based on an average compensation rate, the cost in combined extra salary and benefits would top $900 million.
A more cost-effective approach would be to have schools reallocate dollars spent on other nonteaching staff or other expenses. This option would also benefit from the fact that local education officials don't need to wait for Lansing to do anything to make it happen.
But even if they achieve their goal, they can't count on it to move the needle on student achievement. For that, schools should be less concerned with how many students are sitting in a classroom and more concerned with who’s standing at the front of it. In other words, the research strongly suggests that teacher quality matters much more than class sizes.

Spitfire slumped over and trudged out of the arena.
His worldview had been altered severely.
Not once in his life had he ever thought about giving an opponent respect on their deathbed.
But there was just something about that fight that shook his head for him.
He ended his round the least injured of anyone before him.
An incredible feat considering the two before him were amongst the strongest skylanders.
But not only that, round 3 had left the arena in the best state so far.
Not many wounds lay upon the battlefield this time giving the cleaners a well deserved break after the catastrophic damage caused in the first 2 rounds.
Ambush sat in the stands blown away by what he had just witnessed, other skylanders, mabu and greebles were loudly discussing the outcome.
A large and intimidating figure loomed towards ambush.
When it reached him a gruff yet booming voice greeted him.
“AMBUSH MY GOOD FRIEND ITS NICE TO SEE YOU, WHAT DID I MISS?” Is what the man said.
Ambush slightly startled turned to the man knowing exactly who he was.
“Tri tip… ive told you countless times that you need to use your inside voice more often” ambush responded.
“BUT AMBUSH MY GOOD FRIEND, THIS IS NO TIME FOR SILENCE, THIS IS TIME FOR UPROAR!” Tri tip countered.
“Yes yes i suppose an event this exhilarating doesnt happen every day… now you asked what you missed correct?”.
“YEYUP”.
“Well that spitfire just turned our fellow miss boom bloom into past tense”.
“WHAT?”.
“I forget you're not the brightest… ahem, boom bloom is dead, spitfire killed her”.
“WOAH, SOMEONE ACTUALLY BEAT A SENSEI? AMAZING!” tri tip seemed very happy for someone who had just lost a colleague and friend.
“Disturbing priorities aside how is king pen doing?”.
“OH YEAH I JUST SAW HIM, HE SHOULD BE SHIP SHAPE BY THE END OF THE NEXT ROUND HE SAID”.
“Brilliant, i may have to fight again soon, i dont want him in the hospital for that”.
“SO WHO’S UP NEXT?” Tri tip questioned.
“Well if you had ever learnt to read you would see the notice board over there” ambush pointed to a large board hovering above the arena as if by magic.
“WHEN ONE IS AS IN TOUCH WITH THE POWER OF THE CLUB AS I AM READING PALES IN COMPARISON MY FRIEND”.
“Oh no doubt” ambush mocked “well it says the next to fight are night shift and knight light”.
Tri tips eyes widened “NO WAY! THE KNIGHT LIGHT? YOU MEAN…”.
“I do… the only knight i have ever trained, to surpass me…”.
“WOW! I MEAN JUST WOW! WITH A MAN LIKE THAT FIGHTING MY CLUB WANES FOR MY ROUND EVEN MORE!” Tri tips joy could not be contained and exploded out into a destructive little dance that he performed so carelessly that he accidentally trampled a mabu or two yet failed to notice.
Suddenly a voice echoed throughout the stadium.
“ATTENTION VIEWERS OF THE MOST EXTRAVAGANT EXTRAVAGANZA TO GRACE THIS WORLD IN CENTURIES!” The voice seemed to be coming from speakers placed around the stands.
“ROUND 4 OF THE TOURNAMENT WILL BEGIN SHORTLY! DONT FORGET TO PLACE YOUR BETS AND PLEASE MAKE SURE ANY CHILDREN WITHIN THE VICINITY ARE VACATED IMMEDIATELY”.
“That’s the que tri tip…” ambush said.
tri tip abruptly stopped his dance and swung himself onto one of the benches and yelled “OH SWEET! I CANT WAIT”.
“No need to, looks like the fighters are already stepping up to the plate” ambush pointed out.
“BRILLIANT! THEY REALLY DID MEAN SHORTLY WHEN THEY SAID SHORTLY!”.
“Excellent observation…” ambush said as he rolled his eyes.
Before anyone knew it the fighters of round 4 were staring each other down just like the six others before them.
Knight light brandished his traptanium scimitar with a stoic expression on his face and night shift was shadow boxing the air inbetween the both of them.
Both fighters took their professions before becoming skylanders very seriously.
One was an all star in the ring, revered and highly admired amongst the viewership.
The other was a knight like no other, an angelic swordsman that wore armour fashioned by the most esteemed blacksmiths and craftsmen skylands had ever known.
Even with all of this being popular lore amongst skylands, no one could have forseen what would take place the millisecond the bell rang, no one except the two in the ring.
Thats right, a ring, the very place night shift was the reigning champion in for most of his life, until he was forced out due to the officals having to ban his signature techniques.
Thats right, they had to ban his fighting style to give anyone a chance.
But in this ring…
He was free.
He could do anything he wanted to the man that stood before him.
And night shift displayed his understanding of this once the bell rang…
The vampiric boxer opened with a swift chomp to knight lights shoulder.
And to everyones suprise…
It broke through his armour…
The same armour that had never been pierced, not even by the most divine weapons in skylands.
Knight light was the only person who was unfazed.
“Impressive…” Knight light praised.
“You’re impressed by this, boy? Trust me this is nothing compared to what you have yet to see…” night shift stated condescendingly but truthfully.
“Is that so? Then please, show me…” Knight light said confidently.
Night shift smiled and responded with a technique he liked to call the over underhand.
A powerful attack that ended 86% of his fights during his hayday.
This involves throwing a simple over hand punch at range, then when the opponent least expects it, using his teleportation he would instantly move in close and throw a powerful under hand strike that embodies the true damage of the technique as opposed to the diversion the first hit is meant to be.
So when he performed this on knight light you best believe it did some real damage.
Knight light attempted a block on the over hand like so many did in the past.
However he simply could not react to the under hand just like everyone else.
The resulting damage from the attack left a boxing glove sized hole in knight lights armour revealing his stomach.
“Remarkable, i never thoug-” knight light started before being interupted by a lightning fast barrage of punches that were thrown at him.
Each punch dented his armour and spread cracks across its surface.
Just after a few seconds of the barrage happening knight light had decided that he had had enough…
He lifted his hand and bent his fingers like he was holding a sphere before launching a bright flash of light at night shift.
“Fighting dirty are we? I can do that too…” knight light said as his opponent was violently blinded.
Night shift still had his guard up however, so when knight light swung his scimitar with enough strength to cleave a mountain in two it was not a lethal blow.
His knuckle had a chip in it and a tear in one of his coveted gloves was made but overall no problematic damage was taken.
An impressive display of a boxing champions instinct that shocked the crowd.
“WOW! THIS SHIFTY GUY HAS SOME REAL SKILLS” tri tip yelled to ambush over the cheering audience.
“Indeed, however knight light isnt even attempting to win yet…” ambush responded.
“WHAT!? THIS IS LITERALLY A FIGHT TO THE DEATH WHAT COULD HE BE WAITING FOR??” tri tip replied in a perplexed manner.
“He knows that night shift is not just all stats”.
“WHAT?”.
“Sigh night shift has a trump card and knight light is trying to bait it out” ambush explained.
“AHHH SO HE’S USING HIS BRAIN TO FIGHT! I NEVER REALLY GOT USED TO THAT” tri tip said honestly.
“That is unfortunately excruciatingly evident…”.
“YEAH WELL YOUR BIG FANCY WORDS HAVE NOTHING ON MY CLUB!” Tri tip yelled defensively.
“Yes im sure thats the case, now lets just focus on the match” ambush redirected.
“FINE! BUT ONLY BECAUSE THAT ONES THROWING A HAYMAKER!!”.
and sure enough if you were watching the fight in that very moment you would see a still blinded night shift throw a devestatingly powerful punch that made a perfect connection with the skull of his opponent.
A large shockwave was created by the impact and the tiles of the arena crumbled but more importantly knight lights helmet shattered into a thousand pieces.
The man who's face had not been seen ever since his duty of protecting the starlight began…
Had eyes cast upon that very face for the first time since then.
Underneath he was not a gruff viking or an ascended immortal, instead he was just a person, like everyone else.
All of the legends that were told about him had clouded everyones view of such a figure.
The revealing of his face made knight light feel more human, it grounded him for the first time in a while, like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
So the act came off, the veil was lifted and he spoke… “you shitty old man…”.
At the very sight of hearing such words from this man the crowd silenced themselves.
“Do you really think anything you have done so far is impressive?” He continued
“Do you really think someone like me could ever be compared to you?”
“Well… i thought those things too, until that punch just now” knight light smiled a comforting smile
“All of my battles and feats placed me on a pedestal that i wasnt worthy of in my eyes”
“But you have just brought me down into a sport”
“A place i can be myself and not the stoic hero everyone thinks i am”
“So for that i thank you”
“Ya done squirt?” Night shift grumbled obviously just regaining his eyesight.
“I am” knight light responded.
“Good, because all of this character development is real nice n’ all but i want to know why, even after everything i’ve thrown at you…”
“You’re still in the same spot you started the match in”
The crowd remained silent but in response to night shifts statement the silence grew louder.
No one had realised it but even after taking hits that easily broke his armour not once had knight lights feet ever left the ground, not once had he ever been knocked backwards, not once had he cried out in pain and whats more? Not once had he bled.
“Well you see… my armour is moreso for theatrics, batman has his outfit, superman has his and so does wonder woman” knight light answered.
“Are you sassing me compadre?” Night shift snarled.
“Not at all! It is strong armour no doubt but my armour is never what made me strong, no no you see my bones and muscles were enhanced by the starlight itself, after a millenia within its proximity, intern granting me enormous power”.
“You talk like your blood is gold and honestly that makes my blood boil but what you're telling me scares me…”.
“Why’s that?”.
“Because if what you said was true that means… that swing you took at me whilst i was blind, was your absolute weakest possible attack”.
“Atleast it wasn’t obvious” knight light chuckled.
The crowd began getting loud at the changing tides, this fight just went from fairly even to a massive mismatch.
However an interesting development in knight lights demeanour was noticeable as it was no longer pompous and gallant but he was a lot more lax despite still displaying faint hints of those aforementioned traits.
“Since a funeral is gonna have to happen soon its best we get back to the fight” night shift yawned.
“We probably should but don’t dig your own grave like that, its unbecoming of a champion”.
“Oh i wasn’t talking about me pal… ive got no one to attend my funeral”.
“Ah a lonely road you’ve paved i take it?”.
Night shifts eye twitched with irritation “let’s just box, im sick of hearing shakespear”.
“As you wish” knight light obliged and opened with a brutal yet glamorous attack.
This attack wasn’t even initiated by so little as a gesture.
It simply started with light pouring out of knight lights body.
This light was very water like and flowed gracefully before sharpening and becoming rigid.
Once solid it wrapped around night shift before he had any hope of reacting to such an attack.
It then pulled him towards knight light who began to charge up a special type of swing.
One that follows through beyond all the way.
This technique was one that had slain many elderitch horrors in the past and its name was “the celestial vortex”.
Once night shift was stunned, helpless and in range knight light let loose…
He swung his scimitar, but not just regularly, like i said, beyond all the way.
The second half of the celestial vortex consists of a 1080 degree spin with the traptanium scimitar.
This means the attack encompasses the full area around knight light and strikes three seperate times with powerful blows.
And so that is exactly what happened to night shift…
The first hit ripped through his ghastly body, the second shattered his mortal bones and the third killed him.
Or so everyone thought because although his body laid lifeless on the ground moments after the incredible attack, a coffin manifested around it out of nowhere.
This coffin had an ominous aura that swirled in demonic fury around it.
But not long after appearing it burst open and a good as new night shift was there ready to settle the score.
“Suprise, im immortal” he said with an astonishing amount of hubris for a man who just got diced in three seperate ways.
“So thats it is it?” Knight light in the arena and ambush in the audience understood the event at the same time and prefaced this with the exact same words.
“THATS GOTTA BREAK SOME KIND OF RULE RIGHT!?” tri tip roared in signature sportsfan fashion.
“Well surely an opponent that can’t die has a supreme advantage in a battle to the death yes, however there may be ways around it we are currently unaware of” ambush tried to approach the situation with logic and reason.
“NA THIS GUY IS GONNA WIN THE ENTIRE THING, THIS JUST GOT BORING IM OUT” tri tip angrily hopped out of his seat and turned to leave the stadium.
Instead he bumped into an individual almost as large as himself.
It was king pen, still bandaged up a tad but overall he seemed in good health.
“Now now tri tip, did the club not teach you patience?” King pen persuaded.
“WHA- KING PEN YOU’RE BACK UP AND RUNNING ALREADY!?” Tri tip was startled by the sudden appearance of his leader, mentor and friend.
“Why yes i am, and im glad to say i did not miss too much of this spectacular match”.
“BUT YOU SAID YOU’D BE READY BY THE END OF ROUND 4”.
“Oh silly tri tip, always being so dense, thats what i love about you, theres no bigger picture in your mind. Can’t you see the round is already coming to a close?” His words sounded harsh but they were comforting and professional in a strange way.
“I- IT IS?”.
“Just watch, my friend” king pen put a hand on the shoulder tri tip did not have his club over and guided him back into his seat then sat peacefully beside him.
Night shift was still, his guard was raised and his eyes were focused.
Knight light was obviously brain storming, desperately trying to find a way he could overcome immortality.
But it wasn’t possible…
There isn’t a way to kill an opponent that can’t die…
All he could do was smile softly.
“There may be nothing i can do to you vampire… however! I will put up my very best against you!” He said confidently.
“Id expect nothing less” night shift replied in agreement with his philosophy.
And so knight light engaged with a heavy swing downwards onto night shift who swiftly teleported out of the way.
Knight light spun around with another ferocious swing that again was dodged easily.
The powerful shockwaves from these attacks tore apart the arena violently.
Many more swings were performed and each successive one had more power than the last.
After 12 or so more attacks night shift performed his final dodge.
Not to say he got hit no, he simply began charging up a powerful punch in response to knight lights onslought.
This was no ordinary punch however.
The way he tensed his phantom muscles was very unique.
He held the power that he would normally release into one of his jabs.
This subsequently multiplied the force that the punch would exert.
But the main problem was that he had to hold the punch for a while.
A feat that wasn’t easy with an actively attacking opponent.
So when knight light began another swing, night shift tapped into a power that would majorly help him.
This power allowed him to constantly teleport to every location simultaneously within a small area around knight light.
This made him virtually unhittable.
He called it “the ghost gods ring”.
Knight light was completely perplexed by the sight of such an ability.
His attacks halted and his brain was scattered in thought.
But again everything has a downside and this technique drained night shifts stamina incredibly fast.
At the very least he had to throw this powerful punch with enough energy to not make it a dud.
However he only had this one chance to do it…
It was an all or nothing approach but it was the only way he could ever hope to win.
So he channelled both techniques for an entire minute.
A minute is what he assumed to be the perfect amount of time but really he had no clue.
A constant minute of being omnipresent in a specific section of the arena…
A constant minute of having his very internal forces gestate and multiply within his muscles…
This was an incredibly risky play to make, if he didnt end this with this attack he was absolutely done for.
His body would be destroyed internally and he would be forced to die over and over again until he had regained enough energy to try it again.
But now was the time to launch it…
He methodically stopped his rapid teleportation behind knight light.
Then he released all of the pent up force he had been holding in, into a full fledged super punch.
The punch radiated power, it generated shockwaves just by existing.
Reality warped and light bended around it.
The size of the fist grew to a humongous size as if by the will of the universe.
This attack was called “The pinnacle of punches” and it ended 1% of night shifts matches back in the day.
It came into contact with knight light before he even realised what was happening.
Steam was being let off in every direction and the surrounding section of the arena was levelled completely with nothing built by mabu remaining.
Knight lights last few pieces of armour turned to dust.
All that survived was his boots and his pants.
Night shift struggled to keep the punch thrown.
His vision swayed and his energy dwindled but he kept holding out for the win.
Well he did until…
His fist exploded.
The sheer pressure of the clash was too much for his hand to take.
Everyone including both fighters were absolutely gobsmacked with this development in the fight.
But what they were to see next would set the precedent…
that this fight was unwinnable…
Knight light appeared to have taken zero damage from that attack.
And whats worse was the fact that his feet were still in the exact same spot they had been in the entire fight.
The first person to realise the match was a lost cause was none other than night shift himself.
“So thats it huh…” he said in a hushed tone
“You are one hell of a guy”
“You took the best i had…”
“And you’re not just still standing…”
“You didn’t even budge, you didn’t even bruise”
“The only one who got hurt by that hit was me”
“And honestly i’d be pissed if it didn’t…”
“That was the strongest punch i have ever thrown and im proud of it”
“But more importantly im concerned about this match now…”
“Neither of us can kill the other, i can’t put a dent on ya and you can’t put me down for good”
“So what’re we gon’ do?” He finished
“While i appreciate your praise and your power i actually did think of a way to kill you” knight light confessed.
If everyone wasn’t already silent from shock they were now.
“You did?” Night shift asked intrigued.
“Yeah but before i show you i just wanted to say a few things”
“I’ve never had such an intense fight”
“Its been a real rollercoaster and to be quite honest at the beginning i thought you were just a grumpy old fart”
“But you exceeded every expectation i had of you”
“And just for you im gonna try to talk normally from now on” he finished the sentence with one last comforting smile
“Hehe… i’d say your doing a great job, i understood every word you said just fine” night shift chuckled.
The whole crowd was dying to know what knight light had in store for them.
No one could believe a way to kill the unkillable existed.
But little did they know…
Knight light was about to invent one…
“Alright!” He yelled to gather everyones attention
“Observe! For you won’t see a more impressive attack as long as you venture within this realm!” He said raising his arms, one holding his scimitar
“So much for talking normally…” night shift mumbled.
All of the spectators viewed intently only to see…
Knight light doing the unthinkable before doing the even more unthinkable.
He stepped forward…
For the first time in this match he had moved out of his starting position.
A thing that would be commonplace in any other fight had become suprising to see in this one.
But he didn’t step forward for no reason no, he took a stance with his scimitar over his head in the air.
He was slightly crouched and he held his free hand outwards like he was stopping someone.
His wings outstretched themselves as if ready to take flight.
Now that all of the preparation was done he inhaled slowly then exhaled even slower…
Suddenly a pool of light formed around his feet and expanded to encompass a large area around him.
Then his body began to glow with a radiant light, like that of the sun.
The very same light encircled his sword and began to wrap around it like a web that flexed and vibrated in a helix pattern.
“Your fighting style reminded me of something…” he began
“The way you made yourself seem numerous and the fact that every punch you threw was stunningly beautiful”
“It just brought stars to my mind”
“And what was around before the stars?”
“Nothing”
“So thats exactly what this attack will do”
“Not nothing, but it will completely erase anything in its path, wiping anything from the face of reality”
The crowd loudly discussed this revelation.
Ofcourse it was so simple yet no one else had ever thought of it.
The crowd seemed to understand the weight of these statements.
But one question was asked numerous times within their discussions.
Could an attack really remove something from the world for good?
Well…
Knight light would be about to answer that question…
For when he swings his blade…
The truth will be evident.
“In a way this attack will be named after you…” knight light was still talking as the attack was charging
“You inspired it…” the light danced around him in the air and shimmered on his body
“And Im going to name it after the inspiration” his scimitar was glowing with a very volatile and unstable light that shifted tones so much no one could determine its colour
“It must be an honour having to be killed this way…” his muscles tensed in response to the light moving on his body as if they were soaking it in like a plant
“Likewise its an honour having to kill you this way…” the very air in the stadium began to sparkle like glitter
“That’s why im calling this ability, the highest possible grade of attack that can ever be reached, “the brightest constellation” as soon as he finished those words knight light jumped into the air
“I couldn’t have had a better opponent in this here match today… thank you” night shift heroically stood proud ready to embrace death as he said his final words.
The jump knight light performed broke the sound barrier and created a sonic boom that sent people in the stadium flying off of their seats.
The liquid light that covered the floor of the arena attempted to follow him up into the sky, this created a bunch of pillars that were formed out of this light.
Once knight light reached the apex of his jump he began hovering in place with his wings.
“I thank you too…” he muttered knowing that only he could hear anything he had to say.
Then he readied his scimitar and began a skydive back down to the arena.
Light encompassed his body like a cacoon.
It swirled enchantingly around him.
On the otherhand the light on his blade began to erupt with an unsettling degree of colour.
Before he knew it he was nearing the ground.
In preparation he held his sword in the swinging position.
Then when he was within the boundaries of the stadium again he swung his blade horizontally towards night shift with the momentum of his skydive included.
All of the light within his blade, surrounding him and on the floor of the arena shot at night shift.
He landed shortly after.
Before reaching night shift the light transformed into stars that were linked together by lines, they resembled constellations incredibly well.
But they didn’t last long because shortly after coming into creation they detonated and discharged a beyond blinding amount of light.
Everyone in the audience could not see as a result of this.
The attack was the mother of all flashbangs and everyone going wild in the stands proved it.
The fact that they could not see meant they could not know what happened to night shift.
And that was the main focus right in this moment.
Everyone NEEDED to know what had happened.
But no one would get an answer until the first few viewers regained their eyesight.
After 19 excruciatingly long and chaotic minutes the very first people able to see again witnessed the state the arena was in.
The entire third of the arena night shift was stood in…
Had been decimated…
It looked as though it had been carved right down to nothing, it boasted a weirdly smooth and eerie shape.
Almost like within a radius of that attack, things had indeed been set to zero.
But no one knew how.
No one except knight light.
Who was smiling with a tear in his eye.
he grimly said with a catch in his throat “i’ll come to your funeral night shift…”.
THE WINNER OF THIS BOUT IS KNIGHT LIGHT, THE EXALTED SERAPH!