Class Size Matters advocates for smaller class sizes (i.e., smaller teacher-to-student ratios) in New York City’s public schools as well as throughout the United States. It argues that smaller classrooms have great educational benefits as teachers can devote more attention and time to each individual student. It opposes education budget cuts, advocating for greater government spending.

The organization pursues its advocacy through testifying before city and state government bodies and supporting labor unions. It was founded and is led by Leonie Haimson.

Advocacy

Class Size Matters frequently lobbies the New York City government on matters related to school funding, education policies, and general budget allocations. Its major concern is school budget cuts, which it opposes virtually across the board. ¹ In May 2023, it testified before the New York City Council Finance Committee regarding that year’s proposed executive budget of Mayor Eric Adams (D), insisting that the Council support labor union-proposed amendments that would force schools to report individual class sizes, rather than ranges and averages. ²

In addition to testimonies and petitions, Class Size Matters also releases reports and official memos and statements. These usually detail city and state government plans to cut school budgets, trends in class sizes, and support for labor unions. ³ In May of 2023, Class Size Matters published a report that claimed that budget cuts to New York City Schools had reached a total of $649 million in fiscal year 2023—out of a total budget of $12.7 billion (a fact withheld from the report’s title). ⁴

Funding

In 2020, Class Size Matters had a total revenue of $67,898, total expenses of $39,369, and net assets of $96,131. ⁵

Class Size Matters has received funding from Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, Third Sector New England, Fredrick P. and Sandra P. Rose Foundation, and the National Education Association (NEA) teachers’ union. ⁶

Leadership

Leonie Haimson is the founder and executive director of Class Size Matters. She has received awards and recognition for her advocacy, such as the John Dewey Award (named after the famous philosopher and pedagogue) from the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) labor union in 2007 and the Parent Voice Award from Parents Across America in 2014. Haimson is responsible for launching Parent Coalition for Student Privacy, a project of Class Size Matters, which she chairs. ⁷

1. “Testimonies and Comments.” Class Size Matters. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://classsizematters.org/topics/reports_testimonies_etc/testimonies/.
2. “Our testimony on the amazing shrinking teaching force & unacceptable cuts to capital plan.” Class Size Matters. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://classsizematters.org/our-budget-testimony-today-on-shrinking-teaching-force-unacceptable-cuts-to-capital-plan/.
3. “Reports & Memos.” Class Size Matters. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://classsizematters.org/topics/reports_testimonies_etc/reports/.
4. “NYC school budget cuts total $649 million dollars [sic] as of May 22, 2023.” Class Size Matters. May 23, 2023. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://classsizematters.org/total-cuts-to-nyc-school-budgets-as-of-may-22-2023/.
5. Class Size Matters. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990-EZ). 2020. Part I, lines 9, 17, 21.
6. “Full Text Search – Class Size Matters.” Nonprofit Explorer, ProPublica. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=class+size+matters.
7. About Us.” Class Size Matters. Accessed May 29, 2023. https://classsizematters.org/about-us/.