Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/189327 
Year of Publication: 
2005
Series/Report no.: 
Queen's Economics Department Working Paper No. 1046
Publisher: 
Queen's University, Department of Economics, Kingston (Ontario)
Abstract: 
Class size proponents draw heavily on the results from Project STAR to support their initiatives. Adding to the political appeal of these initiative are reports that minority and economic disadvantaged students receive the largest benefits. To explore and truly understand the heterogeneous impacts of class size and student achievement requires more flexible estimation approaches. We consider several semi and nonparametric strategies and find strong evidence that i) higher ability students gain the most from class size reductions while many low ability students do not benefit from these reductions, ii) there are no significant benefits in reducing class size from 22 to 15 students in any subject area, iii) no additional benefits from class size reductions for minority or disadvantaged students, iv) significant heterogeneity in the effectiveness of class size reductions across schools and in parental and school behavioural responses.
Subjects: 
Class size
Academic performance
Project STAR
Economic disadvantaged students
Minority students
JEL: 
I2
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.