In his 2023 piece Reforming our school budgets, county executive candidate Evan Glass emphasizes the importance of funding and reducing classroom size as a primary pathway to improved school performance.
As I talk with parents, educators and residents, there is common agreement on the need to ensure that the money we allocate to Montgomery County Public Schools goes directly to reducing the size of our classrooms, hiring more educators, offering competitive wages, and expanding learning opportunities for all students.
Applying critical reasoning, something public schools never teach, we easily conclude that this is nonsense. Complete nonsense.
By far, studies reviewing contributions to school and student success rank inputs other than class size or funding. Here are just a few.
Factors Contributing to School Effectiveness: A Systematic Literature Review — Strong leadership, effective teaching practices, positive school culture, parental involvement.
9 Effective Strategies for Improving School Performance — Stimulating educational environment, role of the teacher, motivating students, encouraging participation, individual support, communication with parents, use of technology, time management, mental and physical health.
The “Nation’s Report Card” Is Out — Mayors assume control of schools and eliminating boards of education, stop incorrectly labeling students with disabilities, fund schools based on performance, school choice.
The list goes on and on. The preponderance of studies shows class size is a factor, but far from the most important factor. Take a test drive: submit “what are the most influential factors for improving schools” into your favorite AI engine.
(In his autobiography, CM Will Jawando expresses thanks and admiration to his fourth-grade teacher for placing him on a path toward academic excellence. Jawando never mentions class size as a factor in his struggles or successes.)
Mr. Glass is by no means uninformed. He is no doubt aware that after some point class size has little to do with students’ performance. He is also no doubt aware that the entire narrative of reducing class size, hiring more teachers, shelling out raises to failing teachers and no-show bureaucrats, and “expanding learning opportunities” is 256-bit encryption for one objective: making MCPS and its teachers’ union ever more engorged. That has nothing to do with student success. Mr. Glass can demonstrate great sincerity in his transparency demands by placing emphasis on the students and less on bloat.
