Public education in the United States consists of three levels: primary (or elementary) school, junior high school, and high school. Class sizes in elementary school are usually kept fairly small, with the size of the class increasing in junior high and then again in high school. The actual size of a high school class can vary somewhat based on whether the school is located in an inner-city area, an urban area or a rural area.
Inner City Class Size
In the Manhattan area of New York City, the GreatSchools.org website shows an average class size to be around 28 kids in the public schools; however the Chicago School District averages out to be somewhat less at about 22 kids per class. Dallas inner city schools average only 20 kids per class, probably because Texas has implemented a strict class-size reduction program through all grade levels. Minneapolis is another city that has put a lot of money into reducing class size through grade twelve, and their class sizes average around 22 kids.
Class Size in Urban Schools
Again using the GreatSchools.org website, a sampling of public urban high schools from across the country shows an average of 22 students per class. Schools checked were in Beaverton, Michigan; Cedar Rapids, IA; Charlotte, North Carolina; Merced, California; and Allendale, New Jersey.
Class Size in Rural Schools
For the smallest class sizes, rural schools are the best bet, although most of them report their data based on number of students per full-time teacher. Northern Valley High School in Almena, Kansas, for example, shows an average of 7 students per teacher. This is not necessarily the same thing as class size, but since there are only 67 students at the school, it’s safe to assume the class sizes are equally small. Surrounding high schools aren’t much larger, at only 10 or 11 students per teacher. Licking High School in Licking, Missouri, has 15 students per teacher and a total student population of 435 students covering grades 7-12.
Conclusion
Inner city and urban high school class sizes in the United States appear to average around 22 students per class, with some larger classes being found in the largest, most under-funded school districts such as in New York City. The smallest class size can be found in rural schools, of anywhere from seven to 15 students, mainly due to the low-density population in rural areas of the U.S. The difference between a 15-student class and a 22-student class might make it worthwhile to relocate your high school student to either an urban or rural area, depending on what your needs are.