Dear Chancellor Klein: We, the undersigned parents, teachers, and other concerned members of the community, urge you to make class size reduction a priority and an integral part of your plan to improve our public schools. As ample research has shown, smaller classes are one of the most effective ways to increase learning in the classroom and reduce the achievement gap, by ensuring that students benefit from more attention and individualized instruction from their teachers. Class size reduction also increases parental involvement and reduces teacher attrition. At least 31 states across the country are now reducing class size. Meanwhile, public school students here in New York City are severely disadvantaged by being packed into the largest classes in the state. Our children also need and deserve the benefits of smaller classes, to have a better chance to learn and succeed in life. Respectfully yours,