Even if students learn more when the average class size is 15 rather than 30, we should ask if a similar expenditure on
(1) extending the school day or year
(2) paying more to attract better teachers
will yield bigger or smaller gains (and if the incremental learning from any of the options is worth the money).
A summary of some research on class size is
http://knowledgecenter.csg.org/kc/content/reducing-class-size-it-worth-investmentReducing Class Size: Is it Worth the Investment?
By Tim Weldon
February 3, 2011
Consider the following conclusions reached in two policy studies: In a report published in the American Education Research Journal, Jeremy Finn and Charles Achilles wrote, “This research leaves no doubt that small classes have an advantage over larger classes in reading and math in the early primary grades.” Another study by Chester Finn and Michael Petrilli, however, stated, “There is no credible evidence that across-the-board reductions in class size boost pupil achievement.”
Those conflicting research findings pose a dilemma for legislators and other state policymakers in making critical decisions regarding class sizes. Without clear-cut evidence demonstrating students in smaller classes achieve at a higher rate than those in larger classes, some policymakers might wonder whether investing in smaller classes is worth the cost, particularly during a time of increasingly tight budgets.
