This map from AAAstateofplay shows the states in the US with the highest and lowest student/teacher ratios. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average student/teacher ratio in public schools in the US is 16:1 during the 2017-2018 school year. In some schools and districts across the US the ratio can be much higher or lower. For instance, we can see on this map that states with lower student teacher averages are in blue and green. These include Maine at 11:1, North Dakota, Wyoming, Massachusetts and New York at 12:1 and Arkansas and Montana at 13:1 just to name a few. A study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that students in smaller classes were more likely to not only graduate high school but also attend college and move on to even earn a higher salary. States in the red for high teacher ratios are California, Nevada and Oregon with 22:1, 20:1 and 19:1 respectively. Louisiana, Idaho, Arizona, Colorado and Utah also have fairly high ratios between 17-18:1. With all the changes that have gone on in schools over the past few years, teachers deserve all the help they can get.
Infographic by: aaastateofplay