Tips for Parents: Class Size | PDF

A common approach to school budget shortfalls has been to hire fewer teachers and increase class size.  However, it has become widely accepted that the smaller a class size is, the greater the learning in the classroom.  Smaller class size, or student-to-teacher ratio, means that each individual student receives more one-on-one time from the teacher and that means increased academic success.

Nationally, most classrooms average between 22 and 25 students.  The National Education Association supports class sizes of 15 or smaller.  Class size has decreased somewhat, but experts say that the student-to-teacher ratio must be meaningfully smaller to optimize student learning.

For more information:

US Department of Education’s A Descriptive Evaluation of the Federal Class-Size Reduction Program

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