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An investigation of the effect of class size on student academic achievement

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  • Melvin Borland
  • Roy Howsen
  • Michelle Trawick

Abstract

Despite the existence of a considerable and current educational literature concerned with the effect of class size on student achievement, the results of attempts to empirically identify the relationship between the variables class size and student achievement are mixed at best. These attempts have typically been hindered, however, by the existence, at least, of one of four factors: (1) the use of a student/teacher ratio as the measure of class size resulting in measurement error; (2) the estimation of a mis-specified model resulting from the failure to control for family effects (i.e., student innate ability); (3) the general failure to take into account the endogeneity of class size with respect to student achievement; and (4) the employment of an incorrect functional form when specifying the relationship between class size and student achievement. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of class size on student achievement, unhindered by the existence of the four factors typically associated with prior attempts. The results of this reinvestigation suggest that the relationship between class size and student achievement is not only non-linear, but non-monotonic.

Suggested Citation

  • Melvin Borland & Roy Howsen & Michelle Trawick, 2005. "An investigation of the effect of class size on student academic achievement," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 73-83.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:edecon:v:13:y:2005:i:1:p:73-83
    DOI: 10.1080/0964529042000325216
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    1. Kedagni, Desire & Krishna, Kala & Megalokonomou, Rigissa & Zhao, Yingyan, 2021. "Does class size matter? How, and at what cost?," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    2. Toni Mora & Josep-Oriol Escardíbul & Marta Espasa, 2010. "The Effects Of Regional Educational Policies On School Failure In Spain," Revista de Economia Aplicada, Universidad de Zaragoza, Departamento de Estructura Economica y Economia Publica, vol. 18(3), pages 79-106, Winter.
    3. Opatrny, Matej & Havranek, Tomas & Irsova, Zuzana & Scasny, Milan, 2023. "Publication Bias and Model Uncertainty in Measuring the Effect of Class Size on Achievement," CEPR Discussion Papers 18159, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Jorge Calero & Josep-Oriol Escardíbul, 2007. "Evaluación de servicios educativos: el rendimiento en los centros públicos y privados medido en PISA-2003," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 183(4), pages 33-66, december.
    5. Funkhouser, Edward, 2009. "The effect of kindergarten classroom size reduction on second grade student achievement: Evidence from California," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 403-414, June.
    6. Joakim Westerlund, 2007. "Class size and student evaluations in Sweden," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(1), pages 19-28.
    7. Surianshah, Sarimah, 2022. "Who Gains from Class Size Reduction? Another Look at Malaysia’s “Lost Boys Phenomenon†in Student Achievement," Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, vol. 56(3), pages 119-143.
    8. Xu, Bin & Ma, Qingxuan & Yu, Qianbin, 2024. "Does the proportion of rural students affect the performance of urban students? ––Evidence from urban schools in China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    9. Fadi Shehab Shiyyab & Hashem Abed Allah Alshurafat & Omar Shaher Arabiat & Sawsan Ismail, 2024. "The Impact of Educators’ Characteristics and Class Size on Students’ Academic Performance," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 13, January.
    10. Escardíbul, Josep Oriol & Calero, Jorge, 2013. "Two Quality Factors In The Education System: Teaching Staff And School Autonomy. The Current State Of Research," Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 13(3), pages 5-18.
    11. Anja Bondebjerg & Nina T. Dalgaard & Trine Filges & Morten K. Thomsen & Bjørn C. A. Viinholt, 2021. "PROTOCOL: The effects of small class sizes on students’ academic achievement, socioemotional development, and well‐being in special education," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), June.
    12. Anja Bondebjerg & Nina Thorup Dalgaard & Trine Filges & Bjørn Christian Arleth Viinholt, 2023. "The effects of small class sizes on students' academic achievement, socioemotional development and well‐being in special education: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(3), September.

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