If people don’t like their zip code and the irresponsible people who live there and who make having a quality life and education difficult, then they should move to a house or apartment in a better community. School-of-choice is no sure fix because it is largely unable to filter out irresponsible/poor character students from transferring into and poisoning the culture of another school/community. If responsible parents want a better life and opportunities for their kids, then they owe it to their children to do the responsible thing and move completely out of that terrible community.

We should do it as the Europeans do…the money follows the student. I saw a program on TV a year or so ago and the principal of the school said students get to decide what school they want to go to and the money comes with them to that school. If the schools do perform nobody comes to it…just like any other business that is in business to perform a service…you perform or you close. There is always someone wanting your customers and their money. Competition and the free market will work. I heard an “educator” in FL say, “Competition is good but not when it comes to educating the children.” Also, if a kid is a disciplinary problem they are kicked out of school and given a choice to go to an alternative school or drop out. If they drop out, all government assistance the parent(s) is getting is cut off. It’s called taking care of the responsibility for you and your children’s actions. You ask what will happen if the government assistance is cut off? Let the church and neighbors take care of them as was the case before the government started setting out teats for the takers to suck. Maybe an alternative could be to cut the assistance to 50% if the student reeenrolls back in school after 90 days. If the student is no longer a problem after a 90 trial period full 100% would be restored. If the student still is a disciplinary problem…assistance is cut to 0%.

Many home schooled children receive a better education than most in public schools. Nothing is 100%. Responsible home schooling should be encouraged somehow.

Too many times I’ve seen Republicans propose school vouchers and then promise only a fraction of the cost. Public schools in most parts of the country get $8500-15000 per year per student. And timid Republicans promise only $2500 to $5000. Then they wonder why people do not rally to support their plans.

If we are going to do it, do it right. Promise the full amount of at least $10k per student to be used at any school.

Did you know Sweeden has had a voucher program instituted in 1994? There any parent can send their child to any school and government money will follow. If Sweeden can do it, so can we.

Having witnessed the system from the inside, it is clear that the leftists have the educational system they want. It is top-down, bureaucratic, and ensures that power remains with the governing elite. The system is one massive form of indoctrination. It is also a way to pay off their political arm in the various unions associated with education.

To ask them to lay aside their rhetorical arms will bear no fruit.

We must overwhelm them at the ballot box.

I agree with much of what you said. I just do not think we can expect the left to join us. We should be able to sway the people but the leftist elites have too much to lose.

However, the idea that only $2500-$5000 out of $8500-$15000 will gut the school as the teachers unions say is a false argument because $6000-$10000 would be left behind without the requirement to teach a student who is not there and would mean the school is making money. As quill67 says, all the money should go with the child. The teachers unions have done more to ruin this country than anything else in history by turning out generations of uneducated children who in turn produced uneducated children who produced uneducated children all who become takers and not makers. Why send children to a school based on zip code when you don’t shop at a grocery store stocked by the government based on your zip code? Didn’t they do something like that in the old USSR?

However, the idea that only $2500-$5000 out of $8500-$15000 will gut the school as the teachers unions say is a false argument because $6000-$10000 would be left behind without the requirement to teach a student who is not there and would mean the school is making money. As quill67 says, all the money should go with the child. The teachers unions have done more to ruin this country than anything else in history by turning out generations of uneducated children who in turn produced uneducated children who produced uneducated children all who become takers and not makers. Why send children to a school based on zip code when you don’t shop at a grocery store stocked by the government based on your zip code? Didn’t they do something like that in the old USSR?

In many states, school funding is provided primarily from local property taxes. If “money follows the child”, how does that work when students from poorer districts bring say, $4000 a year with them, and students from wealthier suburban district bring $10,000+?

I just don’t understand how these plans work. Often, I see voucher plans and the amounts of money discussed are nowhere near what it costs to pay for private or charter schools. I just don’t see how you really revolutionize public education with free choice while keeping our very fractured public funding scheme intact.

be on target.

To say that 2,000 schools produce the dropouts is not strictly correct. (it may be likely but not certain).

Whats’ certain is that the highest dropout rates are at those schools the reasons may not be all the schools fault. Generally schools are making kids dropout. The conditions may be at fault but even there it still takes a parent and a community attitude that allows that choice to be prevalent.

Much of the reason for dropouts stems from the dropouts themselves. They aren’t learning, don’t care to learn and see school as a waste of time. That’s an attitude that needs to change. That it is prevalent in schools in largely minority neighborhoods also begs the question; who’s at fault? Is it the school system that fails the student or is the political system that fails the school.

All those questions need to be sorted out.

The actual FIRST action that needs to be taken is to remove the largest, most powerful block against reformation of the school; THE TEACHER’S UNION.

Across the board, across the Nation, Unions are the major roadblock to changing the school system and allowing school choice to asset in that change. They spend time and dues to fight school choice legislation everywhere and anytime it’s brought to the public for a vote.

There by the way is most likely the main reason for a school being a dropout center. Unions and Union teachers with tenure.

Millions of dollars are spent all over the country to see that bad teachers and teachers charged with crimes are kept on the payrolls due to union contract rules and union contract lawyers.

It’s also due to the studies being foisted off as education in elementary and high schools.

Most topics taught will do little to aid a student in pursuing a path to a satisfying well paying job.

At a time when jobs are being destroyed the Democrat party, schools poorly preparing students to be in the dwindling workforce is a waste of money.

We would be better off spending the money on trade schools or prisons that continue to fund schools that teach garbage and don’t teach anyone how to live in society or get and keep a job.

good luck with a national effort though as this problem MUST be tackled locally for it to be worthwhile.

Note the decline of schools began in earnest after the creation of the Dept. of Education.

It’s the reverse midas touch of Government. Once Government begins it’s interference, the subject will soon be overrun with costly and worthless regulations that serves more as a job security fountain for bureaucrats.

If he doesn’t want to zing the NEA too hard.

“I refuse to believe that any teacher arrives at their schools…” Seems like his English teacher didn’t assign enough homework! Studies have consistantly shown that Ed Colleges enroll the dregs of the would-be professionals, and graduate the lowest performing of all graduates, by major. Obviously there are some (a few) outstanding and dedicated teachers, but the majority are not capable of instructing at a high, professional level, and are perfectly happy to fit into the dull routine of a one-size-fits-all institutional setting.

The Kahn Academy concept of having video lectures delivered individually by outstanding, inspiring speakers offers hope. This turns the average classroom teacher into a mentor/toutor for individual problem solving which, at least for the lower grades, may be a better match for his capabilities.