Does Class Size Matter in Education?

You do not need to read the whole post to conclude that the answer is yes – class sizes do have a profound impact on school education. You may also know by now that the best schools in Gurgaon maintain smaller class sizes, keeping the student-to-teacher ratio low, as numerous researches have already shown test scores tend to improve when students study in small classes. However, the real question that needs addressing is whether a small class size is the sole necessity to improve performance? And if so, what is the optimal number of students that schools should maintain in each class to ensure maximum effectiveness? Let us delve into these here, discuss more in detail the actual correlations between class size and education.

The arguments for smaller class size

Project STAR that studied over 11,600 Tennessee students for a span of 4 years provides statistical data in favour of smaller class sizes in schools. The study involved students from kindergarten level to grade three and divided them into three categories of classes containing 13-17 students, 22-25 students, and more than 25 students. All were assigned the same curriculum as per their grades and finally tested on standardised methods. The results convinced most educational experts around the world that smaller class sizes are indeed the way forward.

In the classes containing 13-17 students, mathematics scores were 9% better than the other classes. Reading comprehension in the smallest group was also higher by 8%. The dropout rates were meager and going ahead, the students of the smallest class enrolled more for entrance examinations than their peers. Overall, the benefits of the small class size were 5.5% higher than the rest where the students’ lifetime achievements were also taken into account.

The optimal number of students in each class

Going by the above study, the average number of students that should study in each class under a single teacher seems to be 15. But counter-arguments have erupted since the STAR project questioning its viability, both from the students’ and teachers’ side. One survey showed that there was no improvement in teaching quality when the number of students was brought down, say from 40 to 20. Teachers continued to follow their same instructional regime with hardly any modifications.