Within each classroom in every building in the country, there are thousands of factors that impact the quality of education that each child receives. Experience of the teacher, the subject of the class, the mindset of peers, the supplies provided, the passion of the teacher, and willingness to learn are just a few examples of the elements that control our learning experience every day. Arguably above all, however, is the size of the class that students attend. As the education system takes more steps forward into the future, class sizes are a vital variable that should be examined and reviewed.

With each additional student that is added to a class, more stress and work is placed upon a teacher. Even if it is inadvertent, eventually, if a class has too many students in it, the quality of learning that each individual receives will begin to decrease. Simply put, it is unfair to both the teacher and the student for districts to overload classes.

This is in no way a direct message to FHC or the district of Forest Hills because we are fortunate enough to hold class sizes that work well for students and the learning environment that has been created for us. In fact, us students should consider ourselves very lucky to attend classes of below thirty almost every hour. Rather, this is a push for governments to push class size reduction initiatives for districts and schools all over the state and country. If properly executed, these programs could continue the work of strategies already established to reduce class sizes nationwide.

According to Brookings.edu, since the turn of the century, at least 24 states have mandated or incentivized reducing class sizes in public schools. These class-size reduction initiatives acknowledge the vast benefits found in smaller class sizes and strive to impose limits on the number of children to be allowed in one classroom. These strategies have not gone unnoticed, because in the last twenty years, class sizes have, on average, decreased by 21%.

As a result from smaller class sizes, student engagement almost immediately increases. As the National Council of Teachers of English reported, students in smaller classes were more engrossed in their learning and performed better on assessments than their peers enrolled in larger classes. Should governments continue the efforts to downsize class sizes, positive steps towards bettering education would continue to occur.

One could understand and acknowledge that simply reducing class size is easier said than done. In California in 1996, attempts to reduce class sizes from 30 to 20 students statewide required far more than the $20 billion budget set for the project. However, simply recognizing the need for class size cutback strategies in schools and spreading awareness are steps in the right direction.

While it may take years or even decades, eventually, more class size reduction initiatives could reinvent the public school system and make every student’s future even brighter.