The Class Size Trade-Off

Founder of Harlem Success Academy Charter Schools, Eva Moskowitz, thinks like an economist and discusses the trade-offs involved in determining class size in her Washington Post opinion piece titled The cost of small class size. Here is her conclusion:

Overspending on class-size reduction is particularly unconscionable in tough fiscal times. We need to invest in ways that will help teachers be more effective, such as professional development, technology, school leadership and abundant curricular materials. Spending in these areas, already too low, should not be cut further in blind adherence to the cult of small class size.

While I don't agree with every point that she makes in the article, I am encouraged by her sound economic thinking. We need more administrators and policymakers to think like she does. There is not a one-size-fits-all strategy when it comes to education. For example, decreasing class size in a school with a high proportion of rookie teachers may have a greater impact on learning than decreasing class size in a school with mostly veterans.

In another scenario, if a school has a strong academic culture where behavior management is not a big issue, then increasing class size could make economic sense if it frees up funds for a new computer lab, teacher training, new curriculum, field trips, etc. Class size could also be varied within a particular school based on the course, the time of day, and the teacher's ability.

For more from Eva Moskowitz, she also spoke on NPR today about class size.