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CLASS SIZE MATTERS
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 202169746 · Form 990EZ · FY2020 · NTEE B05 · Education · Micro (<$100K) · classsizematters.org
revenue
$68K
expenses
$39K
net assets
$96K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

01. GENERAL EXPLANATION ATTACHMENTPRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION:CLASS SIZE MATTERS IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE SIGNIFICANT ANDWIDE-RANGING BENEFITS OF SMALL CLASSES TO BOOST STUDENT LEARNING, ENGAGEMENT, ANDGRADUATION RATES, AND LOWER DISCIPLINARY REFERRALS, PARTICULAR FOR AT-RISK CHILDREN. WEALSO ADVOCATE FOR REDUCING CLASS SIZES AND ALLEVIATING OVERCROWDING IN NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS,WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE DISADVANTAGED BY THE LARGEST CLASS SIZES IN THE STATE. IN ADDITION,WE WORK FOR MORE PARENT DECISION-MAKING IN THE AREA OF EDUCATION POLICY, INCLUDING THEABILITY OF PARENTS TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN'S PRIVACY AND CONTROL THE DISCLOSURE OF THEIRPERSONAL STUDENT DATA.

profile · synthesized from sources

Class Size Matters is a nonprofit organization based in New York City dedicated to advocating for smaller class sizes in public schools, particularly to benefit at-risk and low-income students. The organization emphasizes research showing that reduced class sizes improve student achievement, engagement, and graduation rates while narrowing the achievement gap. It focuses on policy advocacy and public education to influence education reform in New York and beyond.

named programs · 2 · from sources

What they call their work

Advocacy for Education Policy Reform
Engages in public advocacy to reduce class sizes in NYC public schools and promote parent decision-making in education policy, including student data privacy.
Class Size Reduction Research
Compiles and disseminates peer-reviewed research on the academic, behavioral, and long-term benefits of smaller class sizes, with a focus on equity and achievement gaps.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Education Policy Advocacy & Reform 4 activities
    • Advocacy for class size reduction in NYC public schools
      Leads advocacy efforts to reduce class sizes in New York City public schools through policy campaigns, public testimony, rallies, and petitions. Played a leading role in advocating for the passage of the 2022 New York State law mandating phased implementation of smaller class sizes across all grades in NYC, and continues to monitor compliance and push for full implementation via letters, appeals, and coalition actions.
    • Advocacy for moratorium on AI in public schools
      Organizes and leads campaigns calling for a moratorium on the use of artificial intelligence in PreK–12 public schools, particularly in NYC, citing risks to student privacy, learning quality, and environmental impact. Engages in petition drives, rallies, public letters, and coalition-building with over 200 organizations and experts to halt AI adoption until robust safeguards are established.
    • Filing formal complaints and appeals regarding education policy compliance
      Files formal legal and administrative complaints with state education authorities challenging NYC DOE’s noncompliance with class size mandates and lack of parental consent for online learning, often supported by parent affidavits and coalition partners.
    • Providing expert testimony to legislative and city bodies
      Delivers formal testimony to the New York State Legislature, State Assembly, and New York City Council on issues including class size reduction, school infrastructure, capital planning, and educational equity to influence policy and budget decisions.
  • Parent-Led Education Advocacy 1 activity
    • Parent and community engagement in education policy
      Empowers parents and community members to participate in education decision-making by organizing testimonies, collecting public comments, and facilitating advocacy strategies. Submits formal input from hundreds of stakeholders to city and state officials on class size plans and other education policies.
  • Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
    • Public education and outreach through media production
      Produces the weekly "Talk out of School" radio show and podcast discussing public education issues in NYC, New York State, and nationally, providing a platform for parents, educators, and advocates to discuss policy, equity, and reform.
  • Education Policy Research and Analysis 1 activity
    • Research and publication on class size and school overcrowding
      Conducts and disseminates research on the benefits of small class sizes and the impacts of school overcrowding. Produces reports, fact sheets, research briefs, and interactive data tools summarizing evidence on class size reduction, its effects on student outcomes (especially for disadvantaged populations), and systemic issues in NYC school planning, including lost classroom seats and facility utilization.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Development and maintenance of data visualization tools for school capacity
      Creates and maintains interactive webmaps that visualize classroom utilization and enrollment data in NYC schools using official Department of Education reports, enabling public transparency and supporting advocacy around overcrowding and space allocation.
    • Oversight of NYC DOE budgeting and contracting practices
      Monitors and critiques New York City Department of Education contracts and budget decisions, conducting analyses of audit records and exposing questionable agreements, contributing to significant cost savings and improved accountability for taxpayer funds.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2020
revenue
Total revenue$68K
Contributions & grants$22K32%
Program service revenue$46K68%
Investment income——
Other revenue$4
expenses
Total expenses$39K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$23K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$103K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$96K
1 years on record · 2020–2020
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2020

Who runs it

board members · 3
  • CYNTHIA WACHTELL — BOARD MEMBER
  • DIANE RAVITCH — BOARD MEMBER
  • LEONIE HAIMSON — EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
relationships · 30

Who they work with

  • AQE Partner — Co-signed a letter with Class Size Matters, UFT, and the NAACP to Commissioner King regarding the DOE’s C4E public process.
  • BTU Partner — References class size caps in Boston Teachers Union contract
  • Diane Ravitch Partner — Honored and collaborated with in events and public discussions on education policy.
  • Education Commission of the States Partner — Cites state class size policy data from the Education Commission of the States
  • Education Law Center Partner — Co-signed a letter with Class Size Matters urging the State Commissioner to require NYC DOE to comply with the class size law.
  • Education Law Center Partner — Collaborated on a letter urging the State Commissioner to require NYC to abide by the class size law.
  • Education Law Center Partner — Jointly submitted comments to the NYC Department of Education on class size reduction policy.
  • Education Week Partner — References a class size policy map produced by Education Week
  • Fairplay for Kids Partner — Collaborated on a coalition letter calling for a five-year national moratorium on AI in PreK-12 schools.
  • Jamaal Bowman Partner — Featured speaker at the organization's Parent Action Conference.
  • Los Angeles Unified School District Partner — Provided research support for the district's 2013 resolution to reduce class size.
  • NAACP Partner — Co-signed a letter with Class Size Matters, UFT, and AQE to Commissioner King on the DOE’s C4E public process.
  • NYC Education Committee Partner — Participated in hearings chaired by Council Member Mark Treyger to advocate for class size reduction.
  • National Education Policy Center Network — Collaborates with and cites research from the National Education Policy Center.
  • Network for Public Education Partner — Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters, serves on the board of the Network for Public Education.
  • New York City Council Government — Engages with the City Council through formal testimony on school siting, planning, and capital budgeting.
  • New York City Department of Education Government — Monitors and critiques the DOE's capital planning, class size policies, and compliance with education mandates.
  • New York State Allies for Public Education Coalition — Member of a coalition that led the “opt-out” movement in New York State.
  • New York State Assembly Government — Provides testimony and advocacy input to the State Assembly on education infrastructure and policy.
  • Parent Coalition for Student Privacy Network — Class Size Matters houses the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy as a project, co-founded and co-chaired by its Executive Director.
  • Parents Education Panel (PEP) Government — Monitored and influenced decisions on AI contracts and educational policies through public advocacy.
  • Parents across America Coalition — Founding member of a national parent advocacy network.
  • SDEA Partner — References union contract and class size caps established by the San Diego Education Association
  • School Construction Authority Government — Engaged in public testimony and advocacy regarding school infrastructure and class size planning.
  • UFT Partner — Jointly submitted a letter with Class Size Matters, the NAACP, and AQE to Commissioner King regarding the DOE’s C4E public process.
  • UFT Partner — References class size limits outlined in United Federation of Teachers contract for New York City
  • UTLA Partner — References union contract and class size reductions negotiated by UTLA in Los Angeles
  • University of Colorado Network — Hosts research cited by the organization through the National Education Policy Center.
  • WBAI Partner — Collaborates with WBAI to broadcast the "Talk out of School" radio show.
  • WBAI Partner — Hosts the "Talk out of School" radio show and podcast on WBAI 99.5 FM and its online platform.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Civic Empowerment Through Accessible Advocacy and Information Sharing
    methodology: civic-engagement-empowerment
    By equipping parents and community stakeholders with research, tools, and simplified actions—including public briefings, media outreach, and petition campaigns—the organization increases civic engagement in education policy because informed and mobilized communities can effectively demand accountability and structural change.
  • Equity-Centered Advocacy to Address Systemic Disadvantages in Education
    methodology: equity-focused class size reduction
    By targeting class size reduction as a policy intervention for disadvantaged and high-needs student populations, the organization advances educational equity because overcrowded classrooms disproportionately harm marginalized students and reducing class size narrows achievement gaps.
  • Policy-Controllable Class Size Reduction for Improved Student Outcomes
    methodology: evidence-based advocacy
    By advocating for policy-driven class size reduction, the organization produces improved student learning, engagement, and equity outcomes because smaller classes are a research-backed, systemic lever that directly enhances educational effectiveness—especially for at-risk students.
  • Precautionary Protection of Human-Centered Education Against AI Expansion
    methodology: precautionary_moratorium
    By advocating for a moratorium on AI in schools and promoting human-centered alternatives, the organization protects student privacy and educational quality because unregulated AI poses documented risks to well-being and undermines equitable, relational learning environments.