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Education "vouchers" solve the fiscal crisis, and also lead to economic recovery?
Simply open up K-12 education to the market place, with government only playing a role by financing the students with a yearly education check of $8000.
*www.usagovernmentspending.com shows American local governments spending $458.3 billion for K-12 education in 2012.
*(Sir Ken Robinson says this education system is a complete failure)
*The new education cost of $8000 education check to 50 million K-12 students is $400 billion per year
*This saves $58.3 billion
*(a $6000 check would save $158.3 billion)
*The yearly education check allows students(and their parents) to choose how, when, where, and what they learn, and also who teaches them
*The yearly education check of $8000 opens up a $400B/year market to entrepreneurs, teachers, and creatives
*($6000 check opens up a $300B/year market to entrepreneurs, teachers, and creatives)
State fiscal crisis solved, federal fiscal crisis solved, and the new education market leads America's economic recovery.
Thoughts everyone?
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Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Mary M. 100+
Parents already have the ability to choose how, when, where, and what their kids learn. It is called home schooling. There are thousands of families in each state who homeschool their children.
And, even though homeschooled children are not using the public school funds, their parents continue to pay taxes that fund public education. You would think that this extra money floating around would help with the economy right?
Petar Ivanov
With vouchers, home schooling parents with 2 students would be getting that $16000 of voucher money going directly into their pocket every year. That $16,000 is likely to be spent by the parents on their children.
I think putting $8000 of education money into the hands of the parents and students opens a $400B/yr market for education.
Do you think home schooling parents would benefit if they received $8000/yr/student to assist in their education efforts?
Mary M. 100+
I'll tell you a quick experience from when I started my career.
The state I live in decided to promote the idea of a lottery. Do you know how they got the voters to pass the law allowing lotteries? The "powers that be" promised the voters that the money collected from the lottery would help fund education, and that every teacher would have the materials she needed to teach effectively. Schools would lack nothing!!! All the teachers and parents were so excited, and they all got in line to vote for a lottery.
Well, guess what? The lottery law passed.....it's been over 20 years since our state has a lottery.
Sadly, the education system is now worse than ever. Because as soon as the money started coming in from the lottery, the budget for education was reduced.
It's like the prices on goods in the stores during the early part of the year. All the merchants know people will be getting tax refund checks, so what do they do? They raise the prices on merchandise.
This also happens at the beginning of each month, when people get their food stamps and welfare checks. Food prices magically go up the first week of each month....hmmmm I wonder why?
We live in a selfish world, run by imperfect humans. Power corrupts, money corrupts, and although your idea is a wonderful one Petar, I know you gave it alot of thought. Nevertheless, money is just that, money. It comes and goes. And education is a life long thing, not dependent on schools.
Homeschooling families are very special. Parents take on the task to homeschool motivated by love of their childen, not by a check from the government. A homeschool education is in a sense, "priceless".
Thank you for letting me share my personal view on your topic.
Petar Ivanov
I am quite certain the $8000, $16000, $24000 would have greatly assist in educating your children. Would you misappropriate it as a homeschooler?! Cheat your own children?!
The government should stop fleecing home schoolers, but respect and assist homeschoolers by sending a check that represents the amount$/child not used in public schooling.
Your story with the lottery is another great example of what happens when politicians are given money! If that lottery money was distributed evenly to all K-12 students and added on top of the $8000 voucher, more money to parents and students that would likely go to education.
Power corrupts, and money corrupts, yes I completely agree. More money, more power, more corruption. That is why it is absolutely necessary to get $458.3 billion dollars of education money out of the hands of a few politicians! Power and money belong in the hands of the people, not in the hands of politicians!
Mary M. 100+
In reality, this might not be the case at all.
Brock Hardwood
"out of the hands of a few politicians..."
We elected those politicians, and they gave us an education system that costs half the price of private schools, achieves similar results, all while having transparent curriculum standards.
Petar Ivanov
One student: $8000
Two students: $16000
Three students: $24000
$8000 per student.
Are you being paid to post by a teachers union? Who is paying you to spin, spread lies and post misinformation here?