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Just the Facts - Key Economic and Social Indicators for New York State

Pupil-Teacher Ratio in Public Schools, 1999

Table 46
Rank State Amt.   Rank State Amt.
1 California 22.4   25 North Carolina 15.8
2 Utah 22.1   28 Louisiana 15.7
3 Washington 20.2   28 Montana 15.7
4 Arizona 19.0   30 Oklahoma 15.5
5 Nevada 18.7   30 South Carolina 15.5
6 Michigan 18.6   30 Wisconsin 15.5
7 Oregon 18.5   33 New Hampshire 15.3
8 Colorado 18.4   34 Texas 15.2
9 Idaho 18.3   35 Iowa 15.0
10 Florida 18.0   36 Kansas 14.7
11 Alaska 17.6   37 Massachusetts 14.6
12 Indiana 17.1   38 South Dakota 14.5
12 Maryland 17.1   39 Missouri 14.4
14 Hawaii 17.0   39 Nebraska 14.4
15 Tennessee 16.9   39 North Dakota 14.4
16 Mississippi 16.8   39 West Virginia 14.4
17 Illinois 16.5   43 Wyoming 14.2
17 New Mexico 16.5   44 NEW YORK 14.1
17 Ohio 16.5   44 Virginia 14.1
20 Kentucky 16.4   46 Maine 14.0
20 Pennsylvania 16.4   47 Connecticut 13.9
22 Arkansas 16.2   48 New Jersey 13.3
23 Alabama 16.0   49 Vermont 13.2
23 Delaware 16.0   50 Rhode Island 13.0
25 Georgia 15.8   U.S. average 16.6
25 Minnesota 15.8   N.Y.S. % below avg. 15.1%
Source: National Education Association
If every teacher in New York were running a regular classroom, average class size could be cut by roughly one-third.