School Taxes

Can anyone name ANYTHING the government controls that gets CHEAPER every year?

jpete wrote:You can't have a free market where government is involved.

The only government involvement would be collecting the funds and insuring the schools meet some basic standards e.g you have to teach math and English. I'm no sure setting specific mandates would be necessary because the schools would have to provide quality education to attract students.

I Even suggested in the other thread we allow parents to home school under same system, this too would require some standard to insure we don't encounter the same problem we have with welfare where people are gaming the system to get their hands on the money.

jpete wrote:Can anyone name ANYTHING the government controls that gets CHEAPER every year?

Agree but the system is broke and I think this is what we need to fix it.

I'm already "allowed" to home school and in fact do. The last thing I want/need is government involvement in that too. If you give them power over you through $$$, you give them permission to tell you how to run your railroad.

And that's why I pulled my kids out of school. Because I didn't like their ideas on what aqnd how my kids should learn.

Trying to "fix" this system is like trying to maintain a Chevy Vega. It was a bad investment to start with and any attempt to keep it running is just throwing good money after bad. Crush it and move on to something else.

jpete wrote:I'm already "allowed" to home school and in fact do. The last thing I want/need is government involvement in that too.

You'd have the option to opt out of government funding altogether. As I said in the other thread the intentions of home schoolers that are doing it now is without a doubt in the best interests of the student. Once there is a big pile of money on the table you need some accountability. Certainly if you were able to get the cash with little government interference you would take it? It's not like welfare, I think every student deserves tax money for education.

I think one of reasons for failing school systems is that the power of discipline has been stripped from the teachers "teaching tools"
When I was in school, if you were acting up, you'ld get the ruler across the knuckles. When you got home, you'ld get your fathers leather belt
across your ass.

heartofcoal wrote:In fact, Education Department figures show that the average private elementary school tuition in America is less than $2,500. The average tuition for all private schools, elementary and secondary, is $3,116, or less than half of the cost per pupil in the average public school, $6,857. A survey of private schools in Indianapolis, Jersey City, San Francisco, and Atlanta shows that there are many options available to families with $3,000 to spend on a child's education.

A very large percentage of that is going to catholic schools which are subsidized by the church so the real amount is not going to be fully represented.

jpete wrote:Can anyone name ANYTHING the government controls that gets CHEAPER every year?

Social Security payments?
Medicare payments?
Veterans benefits?

Those would be less and less each year.
maybe that's not what you meant.

Not misplaced on me my friend. Well put

jpete wrote:Can anyone name ANYTHING the government controls that gets CHEAPER every year?

politicians

Richard S. wrote:

heartofcoal wrote:In fact, Education Department figures show that the average private elementary school tuition in America is less than $2,500. The average tuition for all private schools, elementary and secondary, is $3,116, or less than half of the cost per pupil in the average public school, $6,857. A survey of private schools in Indianapolis, Jersey City, San Francisco, and Atlanta shows that there are many options available to families with $3,000 to spend on a child's education.

A very large percentage of that is going to catholic schools which are subsidized by the church so the real amount is not going to be fully represented.

In Maryland school systems are organized by county. My county's proposed budget for next year is $325,519,525. That's for 27,721 students. A cost of $11,742.70 per student. Much higher than many private schools would charge. But when you look into the details the high cost comes from the special ed students. Special ed students are those with disabilities, some severe. Of the $325 million, slightly more that $49 million is spent on approximately 162 special ed students. That's $304,480.72 per student. Those that promote private schools or vouchers conveniently ignore those costs. In addition a significant cost is the athletic program, the debt service for the athletic program stadiums, etc. Add to that the school bus transportation costs, costs frequently not included in non-public school comparisons. It costs a lot to comply with the George Bush, mandated "No Child Left Behind" act.

heartofcoal wrote:

Poconoeagle wrote:how bout why do those people who dont have children have to pay out of control school taxes???

My wife and I have discussed this issue many times
Our town collects 18 million in property tax each year...... 8 million of that goes to the public school system
Well....... WE DON'T HAVE KIDS! Down town is loaded with welfare folks riding the gravy train. It's their kids that WE pay for

I really dont have a problem with having to pay school taxes but ever since I was a youngster myself I could not understand why those with no children have to pay the same or more in school taxes than people with multiple children?
I think if you want something you have to pay for it, so if you want more than 2 kids then you should have to pay more in school taxes!
I,m allso not very fond of the way taxes are based on the value of ones home. This in short means some of us pay more for the same system/services than the next guy and that just isnt right in my book!

Yanche wrote: slightly more that $49 million is spent on approximately 162 special ed students.

So about $330K per student? Does it really make sense to spend huge sums of money on kids that most likely will ever have any meaningful contribution to society? Don't get me wrong here, I'm not suggesting we kick them to the curb but it's just not right to be spending the most money on the students that will be the least productive in society.