**Disclaimer** I have two children in private school
But...as to level playing fields....
(I also don't mind paying for the education of our young...I just mind being TOLD where and how it will be done....with MY money)
The Christian School my girls attend costs slightly more than half what the public school gets per student. And yet their classes are smaller and the cirriculum is tougher...
Sure...they don't have a football team but...I have girls!
Since My kids are not in public school, BUT I pay a bundle in property taxes....my school money goes to the general fund...lucky Government.
So...while vouchers would give me back MY MONEY to pay for my childs education, it would allow kids from any economic background a chance to go to a better school...but only a chance...
Colorado now offer vouchers to kids that are in really bad schools and doing poorly.
But...having a voucher does not get you into private school....at least not all of them. Poor students (knowledge, not $) can't pass the entrance exam...and discipline problem children don't make it either.
Oh...by the way....if they do get in, the parents get the voucher from the public school.....for some amount less than the normal state budgeted amount....so the school district REFERRING the student gets the balance....
While it is not level.....it is certainly tipped in the balance towards the public school.
Because the voucher comes FROM the tax roll, it evens things quite well....I would get the same voucher as somebody that pays half the taxes I do.
I see HUGE public schools sitting empty and I cringe at the thought at how much better the ebb and flow of students could be handled by the private sector..
Look at (for profit) charter schools....they are not huge brick monuments to the teachers union...they are simple...functional buildings...built simply for the purpose of teaching...for money...it CAN be a beautiful thing!
But...as to level playing fields....
(I also don't mind paying for the education of our young...I just mind being TOLD where and how it will be done....with MY money)
The Christian School my girls attend costs slightly more than half what the public school gets per student. And yet their classes are smaller and the cirriculum is tougher...
Sure...they don't have a football team but...I have girls!
Since My kids are not in public school, BUT I pay a bundle in property taxes....my school money goes to the general fund...lucky Government.
So...while vouchers would give me back MY MONEY to pay for my childs education, it would allow kids from any economic background a chance to go to a better school...but only a chance...
Colorado now offer vouchers to kids that are in really bad schools and doing poorly.
But...having a voucher does not get you into private school....at least not all of them. Poor students (knowledge, not $) can't pass the entrance exam...and discipline problem children don't make it either.
Oh...by the way....if they do get in, the parents get the voucher from the public school.....for some amount less than the normal state budgeted amount....so the school district REFERRING the student gets the balance....
While it is not level.....it is certainly tipped in the balance towards the public school.
Because the voucher comes FROM the tax roll, it evens things quite well....I would get the same voucher as somebody that pays half the taxes I do.
I see HUGE public schools sitting empty and I cringe at the thought at how much better the ebb and flow of students could be handled by the private sector..
Look at (for profit) charter schools....they are not huge brick monuments to the teachers union...they are simple...functional buildings...built simply for the purpose of teaching...for money...it CAN be a beautiful thing!