Does Class Size Matter?

Policy Brief - Feb 18, 2014

Author(s) - Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, Northwestern University

In a new policy brief, professor Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach points out that class size reduction is an important determinant of student outcomes, one that can be directly determined by policy. Schanzenbach indicates that the evidence suggests that increasing class size will not only harm children’s test scores in the short run, but also their long-run human capital formation. “Money saved today by increasing class sizes will result in more substantial social and educational costs in the future.” Furthermore, Schanzenbach finds that the pay-off from class-size reduction is greater for low-income and minority children. Increases to class-size for those populations will likely be harmful.