Class Sizes Jump Again

Nov. 16, 2010
by Maisie McAdoo

The DOE put out its preliminary class size report for 2010-11 without so much as a whisper. OK, a PowerPoint, and data tables, that’s it. No press release, no discussion. Because the news is bad again.
Class sizes citywide rose a average 2 percent, or 0.6 student per class. The increases were especially large in elementary schools, up to 23.7 students per class from 22.9 last year, and middle schools, up to 27 kids per class from 26.1 last year. High schools had a small increase.
The 4.2% budget cut is to blame this year, but this marks the third consecutive year of increases. Through 2008, class sizes were decreasing — very slowly, but they were decreasing.  But since then they’ve been up in every grade every year. Since 2008, the average third grade class has swelled by 13 percent. The average first grade class is 9 percent larger. This wasn’t what the Campaign for Fiscal Equity decision was supposed to bring about.
Class Size Increases, School Years 2008 to 2011

GRADE	2007-08	2010-11	Increase
K	20.6	22.0	+ 7%
1	21.1	22.9	+ 9%
2	21.1	23.2	+10%
3	21.0	23.8	+13%
4	23.5	25.0	+ 6%
5	24.1	25.4	+ 5%
6	25.5	26.3	+ 3%
7	26.2	27.1	+ 3%
8	26.6	27.4	+ 4%
High school	26.1	26.9	+ 3%