Effect of Class Size on Grades

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The Effect of Class Size on Student Performance
and Retention at Binghamton University Jack
Keil Peter J. Partell
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Motivation for Study

• Preliminary Audit by NYS Comptrollers Office
  recommended SUNY Campuses increase class sizes
  (faculty productivity)
• Majority of research on subject conducted at
  elementary secondary levels
• Gauge effect of auditors recommendation at
  Binghamton University

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Hypothesis 1 Student Performance

• There is an inverse relationship between class
  size and student performance.

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Binghamton University - Institutional Setting

• 9,300 Undergraduates
• 2,700 Graduate Students
• Highly Selective
• Outstanding retention and graduation rates
• Often cited among top universities in the U.S.

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Colleges Within the University

• Decker School of Nursing
• Harpur College of Arts Sciences
• Management
• Watson School of Engineering
• Education Human Development (no freshmen)

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Data Sample Performance

• Freshmen entering Fall 1996
• ? First-time
• ? Full-time
• ? Degree-Seeking
• Fall 1996 Spring 1997 Semester Courses
• One record per student per course

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Dependent Variable Grade in Course

• End-of-Semester Course Grade
• Collapse s and -s
• ? Convenience
• ? No difference
• Assign Numeric Values (0-4)

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Distribution of Grades in Sample

• As 33
• Bs 39
• Cs 20
• Ds 4
• Fs 4

(n9345)
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Explanatory Variable Class Size

• End-of-Semester Enrollments
• Cross-listed Courses
• Average 142
• Linear versus Non-Linear Specification

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Possible Form of Relationship Between Class Size
and Grades

Negative Linear
Grade
-
-

Class Size
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Possible Form of Relationship Between Class Size
and Grades

Negative Log
Grade
-
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Characteristics of Negative Log
Grade
Negative Log
90
80
70
69
10 20 60 70
Class Size
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Ordered Logit Regression

• Categorical Dependent Variable
• More than 2 categories
• Categories are ordered

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Effect of Class Size on Freshman Grades
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Additional Variables of Interest
Variable Significant? Direction EOP Students
n SAT Verbal y SAT
Math y High School Rank y
Science and Math y -
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Additional Variables (contd)
Variable Significant? Direction Subsection
y - SubsectionClass Size y Subsection
(Sci./Math) y Sub. (Sci./Math) Class
Size y -
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Hypothesis 2 Student Retention

• Students with high average class sizes are less
  likely to be retained.

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Data Sample Retention

• Freshmen entering Fall 1996
• ? First-time
• ? Full-time
• ? Degree-Seeking
• Fall 1996 Spring 1997 Semesters

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Dependent Variable Retention

• Check Fall 1997 Enrollment
• If yes, Retained 1
• If no, Retained 0
• Distribution
• Not Retained 9
• Retained 91

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Explanatory Variable Average Class Size

• Students Average Class Size Across Fall 1996
  Spring 1997 Semesters
• Average 99
• Linear versus Non-Linear Specification

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Effect of Class Size on Freshman Retention
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Additional Variables of Interest
Variable Significant? Direction EOP Students
n SAT Verbal n SAT
Math n High School Rank n
Sci./Math n First-Year GPA y

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Summary of Findings on Performance

• Negative relationship between class size and
  student performance (grades)
• Probability of getting an A decreases at a
  decreasing rate

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Summary of Findings on Retention

• Negative relationship between average class size
  and freshman retention
• Probability of being retained decreases at an
  increasing rate

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Contributions of Study

• Analyzes effects of class size at a
  post-secondary institution
• Tests the effect of class size on variable other
  than student performance retention
• Large n analysis

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Future Research

• Add data from multiple institutions
• ? Current results apply to
• Binghamton University only
• Add faculty variables, e.g., Rank
• Test sensitivity of results by using mid-semester
  enrollments