Starting The Kindezi School was an act of faith. There was no successful mode out there with six students per class we could replicate. Furthermore, the scientific research on class sizes smaller than 10 was and is almost non-existent.

Meanwhile, the class size research that compares classes of 15 to 25 does not
show great benefits. Yet here we were trying to start a charter school that would sacrifice a great deal financially in order to have family-sized classes. We had to have faith that, even without scientific research to give us confidence, we were not wrong in thinking that a school with classes of six would be better for many kids.

After one year, it is still too early to start making any bold scientific claims. However, it is time at least to begin addressing the question: Are children more likely to achieve their potential in a school with family-sized classes? I think the answer is yes. Obviously, I am biased but some irrefutable facts do support that opinion. Parent satisfaction, student satisfaction, and "before and after" academic assessments all support that claim.

According to our end of year survey, 100% of our parents stated they are pleased with their child's educational experience at Kindezi. Also, 100% agreed that their child has a positive relationship with his/her teacher. 100% stated that their child looks forward to going to school everyday. Our targeted satisfaction rate was 90% in the first year because we knew it would be our hardest year. We significantly surpassed our own expectations.

Academically, the happy kids were making tremendous advancements according to the DRA, ITBS and CRCT. The Developmental Readin g Assessment (DRA) is an individually administered assessment that measures all elements of reading from fluency to comprehension. It then simplifies the student's performance to a grade level equivalent. According to DRA results, our students jumped up nearly one and a half grade levels in just one year. For a group that was making less than a year's worth of progress each year, that is strong growth.

On the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, which compares our students to students around the country, our students started the year slightly below average and jumped up to well above average in just one year. In Reading our fall 2010 score was 51st percentile but it went up to 61st percentile in spring 2011. For Language, 47th percentile in fall turned into 59th percentile in the spring. In Math, our 49th percentile jumped up to 62nd percentile by spring.

Then there's the dreaded CRCT. While fear of the CRCT is driving many Georgia schools to cut recess, to cut programs like music, drama, and art, and to avoid con structivist approaches like "project-based learning", The Kindezi School is doing the opposite. Our students had an hour of break time each day, one hour of project-based learning, and specials like art, music, and PE each day last year and still we performed exceptionally well on the CRCT.

Our CRCT scores were higher than the average Atlanta and Georgia scores in all subjects. We scored among the top performing charter schools in the city after just one year of teaching these students. Not a single Kindezi student had to do summer school because 100% of them passed the Reading portion of the CRCT.

At a time when financial restraints are causing schools to increase their class sizes, The Kindezi School has reduced them to six students. This is made possible largely by the sacrifices of our staff. We could all make more money elsewhere and wear fewer "hats" but we care about answering this important question. Would it make a positive difference if all parents could choose a family-sized class for their child? That answer may take a long time to answer with scientific rigor. But those of us who work here and send our children to The Kindezi School lready know the answer.