Student–teacher ratio

[4] In primary education, the average student–teacher ratio among members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is just below 16, but ranges from 40 in Brazil to 28 in Mexico to 11 in Hungary and Luxembourg.

Commonly, the schools with lower student–teacher ratios are more exclusive, have a larger number of white students and are in non-inner urban areas and/or fee-paying (non-government) institutions.

[6] The manifold arguments and controversies of funding and student–teacher ratios have been the basis for a multitude of studies and debates.

Yet many economists have gathered data showing that students who attend well-endowed schools grow up to enjoy better job market success than children whose education takes place in schools where resources are limited.

Longer periods in small classes resulted in more increases in achievement in later grades for all students.

The benefits of small class sizes reduce the student achievement gap in reading and science in later grades.

[8] In contrast, in East Asian countries like Japan, larger class sizes are valued for the opportunities they give children to rub shoulders and socialize in the group, especially at the lower levels, and particularly preschool.