HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO REDUCE CLASS SIZE BY ONE STUDENT?
This OECD analysis shows that often smaller class sizes means lower pay for teachers—however, there isn’t much evidence that it brings better results.
Reducing class sizes has been a popular policy in many countries, often supported by parents, politicians and teachers.
Class sizes fell on average by 6% between 2006 and 2014 in the lower secondary school years in member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
This includes more than 30 of the most developed countries, including most of western Europe, Japan, Australia and the United States.
The expectation was that smaller class sizes would mean a more personalised education, with improvements in behaviour and learning. And when all other factors are equal, test results show there are better outcomes from smaller classes.
However, when education budgets are focused on cutting class sizes, the figures show there are usually reductions elsewhere—in particular in lower increases in teachers’ pay.