1. NYC class sizes updated with Nov. 2016 data and long-term trends
Leonie Haimson
Class Size Matters
November 2016

2. Data sources: DOE class size reports
All class size data is posted on DOE website from 2006 on at
We use DOE November reports for each year based on the October register.
The updated February reports include class size data from January which tend to be smaller especially in high school because many students have dropped out by then
These class size averages include data for general education classes, ICT (inclusion classes) and gifted classes, but not self-contained special education classes capped by state law
For the long term trend, for years before , we employ data from the NYC Independent Budget Office which received it from DOE

3. In Nov. 2016, class sizes changed relatively little from the previous year, according to DOE, ranging from a decrease of .5 student per class in Kindergarten to an increase of .1 student per class in grade 8.
Source: DOE Nov class size summary posted at

4. Average K-3 class sizes fell by
Average K-3 class sizes fell by .4 students per class in 2016 at a rate would take 11 years to reach original C4E goals

5. Average class size grades 4-8 declined by
Average class size grades 4-8 declined by .1 student per class; would take 37 years to reach original C4E goals

6. Average HS class sizes declined by
Average HS class sizes declined by .2 students per class; would take 10 years to reach original C4E goals

7. Class sizes in K-3 were larger than they were in 1999-2000 LT trend class size K-3 1998-2016
Data sources: Independent Budget Office & NYC DOE

8. Class sizes in grades 4-8 were larger than in 2004-5 LT trend class size grades 4-8
Data sources: Independent Budget Office & NYC DOE

9. Queens & Staten Island have largest class sizes on average (Nov
Queens & Staten Island have largest class sizes on average (Nov DOE data)

10. More than 43,000 K-3 students in classes of 30 or more

11. More than 300,000 NYC students in classes of 30 or more in all grades