tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11455634.post2425794490678053521..comments2023-10-08T04:36:50.656-07:00Comments on Choosing Democracy: Waiting for SupermanDuane Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01437689584657643858noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11455634.post-24288869733605228802010-10-07T15:33:41.486-07:002010-10-07T15:33:41.486-07:00So if paying more for schools isn't the answer...So if paying more for schools isn't the answer, why do so many parents who can afford it send their kids to private schools, starting at about $25,000/year? (I'm sure it's less in some areas, but that's the going rate where I live.) <br /><br />I taught in a public school, a private school, and a charter school, and I have two kids in public school now, who went to private preschools. I attended both public and then private schools, and public and private universities. <br /><br />I think money is the main limiting factor in the quality of education, and it's not just the money available to be spent per-pupil, nor is it only the money paid to teachers, nor is it the money available in the homes of the students, but a combination of those. It's also a school's ability to channel and redirect money (public school funding has a lot of strings attached), principals' and unions' leadership, and teachers' ability to keep striving. <br /><br />The public also puts a lot of demands on education. As a parent, I want my kids' needs and interests served. As a taxpayer, I may vote for a parcel tax for education, and assess schools' performance based on quantifiable outcomes - usually test scores. As a concerned member of the community, I want local schools to take good care of the kids so that we can be good neighbors - that includes their health and safety as well as their education. As a former teacher, I would like teachers to have more opportunities for mentoring, professional development, and career advancement. Business owners want well-trained workers coming from the schools. <br /><br />We expect the schools to act as a panacea - in more ways than I just listed, too - and complain that it takes too much money. <br /><br />Per-student public school spending is close to $8000 here. I wonder where that achievement gap comes from....Steve Sheahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11112362104027669621noreply@blogger.com