I am a fan of public schooling but have always hated the way it’s funded. School taxes based on property always means that some districts will be flush with cash while others will struggle. Poor neighborhoods will always have poor schools. Each school in the state needs to receive the same base amount per student. Then the state can add more for additional special needs — like feeding hungry students, after school help for kids with no support at home….
It has been shown over and over that more money does not equal a better education (aside from breakfast programs, current books etc), but parent involvement does.
Fun fact! Some private schools can be cheaper than public, if you qualify for financial aid. Also, boarding schools for teenage boys can be very cost effective, since you don’t have to feed or clothe him while in school. Less economic for girls, since ON AVERAGE boys eat more and grow more in the teen years.
Seriously, my parents were poor, and they were considering sending us to boarding school – for my brother, it was a great deal, but not so much for me (short girls are cheap to feed). They decided against it because sending him away while keeping me at home would have been unfair.
So, they need to send the kid to a nice boarding school!
The state should give each parent a voucher for the same amount of money, and parents could choose the school they prefer. Privately run, but publicly funded, since most parents can’t afford to give their kids a decent education.
cubswin2016 over 5 years ago
Dad makes a good point.
dlkrueger33 over 5 years ago
How about home schooling?
cdward over 5 years ago
I am a fan of public schooling but have always hated the way it’s funded. School taxes based on property always means that some districts will be flush with cash while others will struggle. Poor neighborhoods will always have poor schools. Each school in the state needs to receive the same base amount per student. Then the state can add more for additional special needs — like feeding hungry students, after school help for kids with no support at home….
Spiny Norman Premium Member over 5 years ago
It has been shown over and over that more money does not equal a better education (aside from breakfast programs, current books etc), but parent involvement does.
sew-so over 5 years ago
Fun fact! Some private schools can be cheaper than public, if you qualify for financial aid. Also, boarding schools for teenage boys can be very cost effective, since you don’t have to feed or clothe him while in school. Less economic for girls, since ON AVERAGE boys eat more and grow more in the teen years.
Seriously, my parents were poor, and they were considering sending us to boarding school – for my brother, it was a great deal, but not so much for me (short girls are cheap to feed). They decided against it because sending him away while keeping me at home would have been unfair.
So, they need to send the kid to a nice boarding school!
BWR over 5 years ago