African American students gained significantly more then SAGE white students in third grade, closing the achievement gap. Comparison school African American students did not gain significantly from second to third grade. Although they are not statistically significant, there are positive relationships between years of SAGE experience and student performance. Individualization is made possible because having fewer students enables teachers to know students better, it reduces the need for discipline which results in more time for instruction, and it increases teacher enthusiasm for teaching. The individualization that occurs is process individualization rather than substance individualization.
Teachers vary their instruction for individuals, but the curriculum is the same for all students.
The effect of individualization is increased articulation and critique. In the reduced size class students more frequently reveal their present understandings and teachers more frequently correct misunderstandings. A product of individualization in reduced size classes in addition to academic development is student independence, thinking, and responsibility. The reading-language arts and mathematics curricula at all three grade levels are in compliance with national standards. The compliance, however, is slightly greater in reading-language arts than in mathematics.