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30 is the standard in the UK - it is the maximum but most primary schools are operating at capacity.

Normally they have two people in the classroom, a teacher and a teaching assistant.

The point has been made that parental support/involvement at home is the single most important explanatory variable for school performance, but that's not something that the educational system can throw resources at, therefore concentrating on things like expenditure per pupil and teacher to pupil ratios, which are weak explanatory variables.

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sun May 11th, 2008 at 08:12:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]
It varies a great deal by state and school district here, but thirty kids in a class is ridiculous.  California has a lot of kids and a severe budget constraint, unfortunately.  A lot of Florida schools, which don't have very many kids (being a very old state) are constantly doing construction, though, simply because they're allocated construction money every year that they don't need.

Cal is also at an unfair disadvantage, because it has so many kids from immigrant households, so the kids have to be caught up on English in addition to all of the other topics.

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sun May 11th, 2008 at 11:51:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]
It would seem like London has a lot in common with California...

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sun May 11th, 2008 at 01:35:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The cultural divide is, I suspect, much wider in London than in California, though.

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Sun May 11th, 2008 at 01:38:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Florida schools are funded by a locally based tax, a "Millage rate" that produces revenue based on the wealth of the community. Therefore, the richer the community, the better funded the schools. The opposite is equally true- the poorest communities in Florida get Jack Shit. Keeps them "Others" out of the turf of their betters. These under-funded schools are the ones that fail-- so they get punished--to "motivate them, of course.
Ten years ago, Florida schools rated 45th in the nation in terms of funding per pupil. Yet rich areas had a lot of dough--yes.
In Land--o-lakes and MANY other Florida areas, that "
new construction" was shabby house trailers with gravel walkways between them. When it rained,(a lot) everyone got soaked going between classes.
Each day before school (two sessions a day), the hired black guy would go thru the "campus" with a bamboo pole jigging the grass under the trailers. Guess why?

"There is mysterious music in democracy, when people decide to believe in themselves." ---Bill Greider, The Nation.
by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Sun May 11th, 2008 at 04:25:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]
These under-funded schools are the ones that fail-- so they get punished--to "motivate them, of course.

This is very much like the prevailing narrative about labour markets that you have to pay the plebes less to make them work harder, while you have to pay the patricians more to make them work harder.

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 05:49:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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