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Average class size in public schools, by school level, class type, and selected school characteristics: 2017–18

  Primary schools   Middle schools   High schools   Combined grade schools  
Selected school characteristic Average class size for teachers in self-contained classes   Average class size for teachers in departmentalized instruction   Average class size for teachers in self-contained classes   Average class size for teachers in departmentalized instruction   Average class size for teachers in self-contained classes   Average class size for teachers in departmentalized instruction   Average class size for teachers in self-contained classes   Average class size for teachers in departmentalized instruction  
   All public schools 20.9   26.2   16.6   24.9   16.3   23.3   15.6   18.6  
                                 
School classification                                
Traditional public 20.9   26.2   16.1   24.9   15.8   23.4   13.8   17.5  
Charter school 22.1   26.1   25.5   25.2   25.5   21.5   22.3   22.6  
                                 
Community type                                
City 21.4   28.1   17.6   25.3   17.7   24.5   15.2   20.6  
Suburban 21.3   27.2   15.5   25.5   15.3   24.3   16.1   20.0  
Town 20.5   25.1   18.3   23.9   16.8   21.3   17.1   18.5  
Rural 19.5   23.2   16.0   23.3   15.9   20.8   15.4   17.0  
                                 
Student enrollment                                
Less than 100 14.8   15.7   ‡   17.4   18.3   16.0   8.9   10.2  
100–199 17.7   20.1   20.6   18.7   17.5   15.7   10.6   12.0  
200–499 20.4   24.8   18.6   22.5   19.2   19.2   16.7   16.9  
500–749 21.4   27.9   14.5   24.6   16.9   21.0   19.0   21.3  
750–999 22.3   28.7   16.3   25.7   19.2   22.2   18.7   21.9  
1,000 or more 22.1   26.4   16.5   27.1   14.9   25.0   22.5   23.7  
                                 
Percent of K–12 students who were approved
for free or reduced‑price lunches		                                
0–34 21.0   25.8   16.2   22.8   22.1   20.0   21.5   18.9  
35–49 20.8   24.8   14.5   24.9   14.5   23.2   16.6   18.8  
50–74 20.5   26.1   19.1   24.8   16.4   23.1   14.1   17.3  
75 or more 20.8   26.8   17.2   24.1   15.8   23.5   13.8   19.2  
‡ Reporting standards not met. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater (i.e., the standard error is 50 percent or more of the estimate) or the response rate is below 50 percent.
NOTE: Self-contained classes are defined as instruction to the same group of students all or most of the day in multiple subjects, and departmentalized instruction is defined as instruction to several classes of different students most or all of the day in one or more subjects. Among all public school teachers, 25 percent teach self-contained classes in primary schools, 1 percent in middle schools, 1 percent in high schools, and 1 percent in combined schools; 8 percent teach departmentalized classes in primary schools, 14 percent in middle schools, 24 percent in high schools, and 4 percent in combined schools; 15 percent teach other types of classes, such as elementary subject specialist classes, team-taught classes, and "pull-out" or "push-in" classes in primary schools, 3 percent in middle schools, 3 percent in high schools, and 1 percent in combined schools.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), “Public School Teacher Data File,” 2017–18.

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