Dr Ben Carson's amazing speech last week

[PopeyeJones]

And government is an inefficient distributor of needed things to the needy.

If it costs the government $20,000 per year per child to educate them in public schools, and you could put your kid in private school for $12,000 per year, do you really think the government is dominating in the efficiency department on entitlement programs?

Okay, so by $20,000 you're saying you actually meant $10,000, and by $12,000 you're saying you want to instead use what you claim to pay in tuition at the school your kid goes to and to treat that as per-pupil spending for private schools.

Gotcha.


Hey guys, the private school by my house in Lawrenceville NJ costs $43,000 dollars a year! That is proof that private schools are inefficient!

[ThankGod4Walsh]

And what context are the numbers in? That's the point I'm trying to make. What would the cost/pupil be if your kid's private school had to have ESL classes and extra help for 25% of their students being non English speaking? What would their cost be if they had extra teachers to teach special needs kids?

Now I'll argue that limited private school/charters has actually been a good thing, because it makes the top public schools raise their game to compete for students.

But to say we can do away with public schooling and privatize it all? Naive.

It would put more $$$ in the private economy and filter less through an inefficient government. Period.

If you don't think markets would arise for special needs schools, classes, etc. then I don't know what to say.

[ThankGod4Walsh]

Okay, so by $20,000 you're saying you actually meant $10,000, and by $12,000 you're saying you want to instead use what you claim to pay in tuition at the school your kid goes to and to treat that as per-pupil spending for private schools.

Gotcha.

I was using high-end figures for both. High school spending is where the highest per student cost comes into play for private or public. You could click the link I posted and read it if you wanted. :)

My anecdotal evidence is just my anecdotal evidence. My first-hand experience with the topic should mean something.

[PopeyeJones]

I was using high-end figures for both.

No you weren't. As I edited in above while you were posting this, the private school by my house costs 43K a year. So, even your anecdotal evidence was wrong. It's one of several reasons why I said your "if" was remarkably deceptive.

[CalgaryHawkFan]

It would put more $$$ in the private economy and filter less through an inefficient government. Period.

If you don't think markets would arise for special needs schools, classes, etc. then I don't know what to say.

So where are they?

Some kind of hybrid is going to be the best system. You're as usual looking at this in an all or nothing way.

[CalgaryHawkFan]

No you weren't. As I edited in above while you were posting this, the private school by my house costs 43K a year. So, even your anecdotal evidence was wrong. It's one of several reasons why I said your "if" was remarkably deceptive.

When I got the sales pitch from this school I did the work for, they talked about how they accept some students that can't pay the whole freight. That's the only way I'd even be able to dream about putting my kid in there. A good clue is the parking lot when parents come to pick up the kids. Lexus, BMW, Range Rover, Jaguar etc. My banged up Versa stood out like a sore thumb.

Accepting a few kids at lower rates gives them cover when they are accused of being only for the privileged.

And don't get me wrong, this place was incredible. They bring in international calibre entertainment talent, and have possibly the 4th best stage/theatre setup in the city, behind the 2 universities and the downtown perfroming arts centre. Far cry from the four broken down 1k lights and a dimmer panel with shorting issues like my HS had.

[PopeyeJones]

When I got the sales pitch from this school I did the work for, they talked about how they accept some students that can't pay the whole freight. That's the only way I'd even be able to dream about putting my kid in there. A good clue is the parking lot when parents come to pick up the kids. Lexus, BMW, Range Rover, Jaguar etc. My banged up Versa stood out like a sore thumb.

Accepting a few kids at lower rates gives them cover when they are accused of being only for the privileged.

And don't get me wrong, this place was incredible. They bring in international calibre entertainment talent, and have possibly the 4th best stage/theatre setup in the city, behind the 2 universities and the downtown perfroming arts centre. Far cry from the four broken down 1k lights and a dimmer panel with shorting issues like my HS had.

Oh yeah, I'm accepting of the fact that "elite" private schools charge about the median family income in the U.S. for a year of school. I do, however, think that it's completely batty for parents who send their kids there to think that "quality of instruction" or an increased education performance from their children is what they're actually paying for. Over the course of lifetime income I'd actually be really surprised if these schools weren't somewhat close to being "worth it" (although most economists who have studied this stuff disagree), but that has to do with almost everything EXCEPT quality of instruction and improved student performance (which really just aren't part of the equation).