I think Vouchers would be great. The public school system does not seem to be very efficient at all in my opinion... I think that Vouchers should be offered for either materials for homeschooling or for private education.
(I sort of meant to call the thread "Private School...Vouchers") I had homeschooling on the brain.
Being against the concept of publicly-funded education, vouchers seem like a reasonable means of recouping some of your tax fee to apply it the way you, as a parent, see fit for your child(ren).
__________________
__________________
February is PALIN-FREE month. Whatever you do, don't mention Sarah Palin's name. Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Sarah Palin.
Public schooling is quite effective and the only means that most people will ever get an education. Attending schools are more then just the education but it is about getting along with other people, building social skills and gaining different points of view, a parent cannot teach that
I guess you are right, dollar for dollar the results are astounding..
We currently spend a ridiculous amount of money on public education. I believe that if you look at the results, the correlation between quality of education and money spent is quite limited. Efficiency has to be present and the government is generally not efficient.
And as far as the socialization aspect, that is what homeschooling "groups" are for. (I do agree that a certain level of social interaction is necessary.)
I also believe that the vouchers would allow those who currently don't make enough money to pay for private schools to have access to them. I believe that more options for the taxpayer and less government "efficiency" is usually the best route. I think that it is also more fair for all.
I guess you are right, dollar for dollar the results are astounding..
We currently spend a ridiculous amount of money on public education. I believe that if you look at the results, the correlation between quality of education and money spent is quite limited. Efficiency has to be present and the government is generally not efficient.
And as far as the socialization aspect, that is what homeschooling "groups" are for. (I do agree that a certain level of social interaction is necessary.)
I also believe that the vouchers would allow those who currently don't make enough money to pay for private schools to have access to them. I believe that more options for the taxpayer and less government "efficiency" is usually the best route. I think that it is also more fair for all.
for $9300 per student in an average school that seems pretty cost effective for what we get.
Quote:
# Average per-student spending in public school. In 2004-2005 (the most recent school year for which data are available), an average of $9,266 was spent per pupil in American public schools.[6] This means that a student entering first grade in 2004 could expect approximately $111,000 to be spent on his or her elementary and secondary Education if the student completes high school.[7]
The big problem with vouchers is that you can't confuse an "average" with a students actual cost, there are many special needs situations that greatly add to student costs, so if you give vouchers they would have to be based on far less then what the national average is, otherwise all the regular students would go to for-profit schools as a typical student could probably be better served for that price and then the school system would be left with all the very expensive special needs students...
If you want to look at where uncomfortably high costs per students lie look at the special needs classes at schools, I don't know about the school you went (or when that was) but at the high school I went to the mentally disabled kids were still still kept at the high school or middle school as is they progressed despite whatever elementary level if that they were at, they also have a VERY high faculty to student ratio. But they can't fail to provide these services or have them all at one school due to the disability laws
From the information I have seen, it seems that countries that far outperform us (in education) spend less than we do per pupil. I believe it is as much as 1/2 to 2/3 the amount we spend. And they manage to outperform us considerably.
I understand that the cost for students with special needs is higher (and I understand the complications associated with that). Perhaps the voucher could be based proportionately on what the average cost for that particular student would be.
I believe that with thoughtful coordination it could work.
From the information I have seen, it seems that countries that far outperform us (in education) spend less than we do per pupil. I believe it is as much as 1/2 to 2/3 the amount we spend. And they manage to outperform us considerably.
I understand that the cost for students with special needs is higher (and I understand the complications associated with that). Perhaps the voucher could be based proportionately on what the average cost for that particular student would be.
I believe that with thoughtful coordination it could work.
yes but you have to adjust that proportionally and adjust for hidden costs.
In a lot of developing countries in asia the pay is a lot less, plus the demands from parents is a lot different (tiger moms for example), In some places parents are even expected to bribe teachers (they have a different word for it but essentially a bribe) to get the teacher to spend the effort to teach the student.
I would expect once you adjusted it for the average salary comparatively for example if the average worker makes 50% less then we do then you reduce what we spend by 50% we would likely be similar, plus in a lot of countries the special needs issue is a family problem, NOT a state problem. The limitation in china of only having one kid as a retirement plan (since the kid supporting the parents is more customary over there) is a BIG incentive to push them hard
when you compare us to similar cultures f similar economic conditions we aren't doing bad, but we aren't exceeding either.
There are some truly wonderful public school districts that do a great job of churning out roundly-educated high school graduates. There are also some truly awful ones that have a dismal graduation rate of 50% or less. Most of those schools with lousy grad rates are in urban areas catering to lower-income kids. Based on personal observation, the single biggest issue is lack of parent involvement or the parents even caring whether their little darlings even show up for class. Money isn't the problem, nor are resources or teachers.
My son currently attends a private school that costs $7400/year which is substantially less than the amount spent on public school students on average. I mention this only to highlight that a lack of money isn't the problem.
So while graduation rates in nicer suburban schools might be at or close to 100%, I'd probably opt to send my kids to a public school if its academic programs were comparable to those of private schools I could afford. But if I lived in a district with less-than-desirable schools, I'd take advantage of the voucher if it were available.
As for parents settling for a worse education for their kids in order that schools not go under or that special-needs kids have the funding they need, I can't go along with that. Altruism and I don't get along.
One huge problem noted by many teacher friends of mine is the absurd policy of mainstreaming special needs kids in with regular classes. This doesn't help anyone.
__________________
February is PALIN-FREE month. Whatever you do, don't mention Sarah Palin's name. Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Sarah Palin Sarah Palin.
im not a parent but homeschooling seems extreme. school is a learning experience that kids should enjoy the company of their friends and the opportunity to enjoy a school dance or soccer game or even a field trip. some schools are pretty terrible but for the most part its the childs responsibility to care....even if their parents arent there to scold them
Linear Mode
