Nonlinear Class Size Effects on Cognitive and Noncognitive Development of Young Children

Marie Connolly and Catherine Haeck

No 18-01, Working Papers from Research Group on Human Capital, University of Quebec in Montreal's School of Management

Abstract: We estimate the nonlinear impact of class size on student achievement by exploiting regulations that cap class size at 20 students per class in kindergarten. Based on student-level information from a previously unexploited and unique large-scale census survey of kindergarten students, this study provides clear evidence of the nonlinearity of class size effects on development measures. While the effects are largest on cognitive development, class size reductions also improve noncognitive skills for children living in disadvantaged areas. These findings suggest that sizeable class size reductions targeted at disadvantaged areas would achieve better results than a marginal reduction across the board.

Keywords: class size; cognitive development; noncognitive development; kindergarten; nonlinear effects (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C31 I21 I28 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 63 pages
Date: 2018-06, Revised 2020-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-knm, nep-neu and nep-ure
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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https://grch.esg.uqam.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/ ... eck_GRCH_WP18-01.pdf Revised version, 2020 (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: Nonlinear Class Size Effects on Cognitive and Noncognitive Development of Young Children (2022)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:grc:wpaper:18-01

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