The Political and Institutional Origins of a Randomized Controlled Trial on Elementary School Class Size: Tennessee's Project STAR

Abstract

The randomized experiment known as Project STAR exemplifies the type of high quality research needed to systematically evaluate programs and reforms in education. As a result, it is instructive to examine the origins of Tennessee's STAR and derive lessons for educational research. This article explores the initiation of Project STAR and asks what was unique about Tennessee in the mid-1980s that fostered the development of this exemplary educational experiment. After investigating the story of STAR by analyzing the legal proceedings and conducting interviews with key actors, we found that this groundbreaking project resulted from the serendipitous connection between the research world and the political world.