$5000 tax credit for homeschoolers and private schoolers (interview, stats, Hispanics)
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If you are homeschooling your child, and they aren't meeting or exceeding national standards, then you are no longer allowed to homeschool your child. Then they will either have to go to a private teacher, school, or the public school in the area.
I think it's also important to allow the parents to completely opt out, this testing would only be done for those receiving funds. Any homeschooler that wanted to continue without public funds would be free to do it.
I'm shocked that anyone in this day and age would advocate against high school graduation.
(1) Here are my cites for the reference to large families (feel free to post statistics contradicting them if you can find any):
"Hispanic and Latino Americans accounted for almost half (1.4 million) of the national population growth of 2.9 million between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006.[17] Immigrants and their U.S.-born descendants are expected to provide most of the U.S. population gains in the decades ahead." U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050 - Pew Hispanic Center
"A report by the U.S. Census Bureau projects a decrease in the ratio of Whites between 2010 and 2050, from 79.5% to 74.0%." (Table 4. Projections of the Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States: 2010 to 2050" (Excel). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2010-10-2).
"At the same time, Non-Hispanic Whites are projected to no longer make up the majority of the population by 2042, but will remain the largest race. In 2050 they will compose 46.3% of the population. Non-Hispanic whites made up 85% of the population in 1960." (U.S. Hispanic population to triple by 2050, USATODAY.com)
"The report foresees the Hispanic or Latino population rising from 16% today to 30% by 2050, the African American percentage barely rising from 12.9% to 13.0%, and Asian Americans upping their 4.6% share to 7.8%. The U.S. has 310 million people as of October 2010, and is projected to reach 400 million by 2039 and 439 million in 2050. ("Projected Population by Single Year of Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States: July 1, 2000 to July 1, 2050". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2009-12-08; White Americans no longer a majority by 2042; U.S. to Grow Grayer, More Diverse; Pew Research Center: Immigration to Play Lead Role In Future U.S. Growth)
It is further projected that 82% of the increase in population from 2005 to 2050 will be due to immigration. (Whites to become minority in U.S. by 2050, Reuters)
Of the nation's children in 2050, 62% are expected to be of a minority ethnicity, up from 44% today. (An Older and More Diverse Nation by Midcentury, U.S. Census Press Releases, 14 August 2008 (archived from the original on 2008-08-2)
(2) I didn't say we shouldn't have high school graduation. I said if the people choosing to have the children bore a greater proportion of the cost of schooling them, the nation might start to equalize from the oversupply of labor that has stagnated wages for the past 40 years. If you choose to have 5 kids, you should contribute to the minimum of $100,000 you are costing the school system every year--instead of having towns force every retired person without a pension out of their homes as property taxes hit $15,000 and more every year.
why? so many kids attend public schools and can't pass the tests. why would you only allow govt to fail and not parents?
The schools should become a non issue, you're introducing competition between them for funding. Parents aren't going to send their kids to failing school.
I have said all along that we should take the money each child receives from the state and federal government, then apply that to a voucher.
If a parent home schools their child, then that voucher could be cashed in by the family and used as extra income. This could mean a mother could quit her job, and stay home raising her children.
If a parent finds a cheaper/better private school or tutor, then they could use that money for that purpose, and keep the extra.
It would all hinge on how you judge the progress of the children in learning. If that means you are judging by tests, or whatever, thats what it would all hinge upon.
I seriously doubt this will happen though. The Democrats are in the pockets of the teachers unions, and there are several Republicans as well, not to mention the special interests from those who run large private schools that don't want this to happen that donate to Republicans.
If you want the tax break then get it at state or local level where the taxes for K-12 schooling actually fund the schools.
Vouchers are not about education, they are about greed, power, and advantage.
Wrong, as I already mentioned the evil Republicans in my state are targeting just low income students in the worst schools in the state initially. This is about providing a better education for everyone, not just the wealthy.
Ideally as I've posted previously every student gets a voucher for the full amount of their education. The schools will now be accountable to the parents, you either provide a good education or go bye bye.
(1) Here are my cites for the reference to large families (feel free to post statistics contradicting them if you can find any):
"Hispanic and Latino Americans accounted for almost half (1.4 million) of the national population growth of 2.9 million between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006.[17] Immigrants and their U.S.-born descendants are expected to provide most of the U.S. population gains in the decades ahead." U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050 - Pew Hispanic Center
"A report by the U.S. Census Bureau projects a decrease in the ratio of Whites between 2010 and 2050, from 79.5% to 74.0%." (Table 4. Projections of the Population by Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States: 2010 to 2050" (Excel). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2010-10-2).
"At the same time, Non-Hispanic Whites are projected to no longer make up the majority of the population by 2042, but will remain the largest race. In 2050 they will compose 46.3% of the population. Non-Hispanic whites made up 85% of the population in 1960." (U.S. Hispanic population to triple by 2050, USATODAY.com)
"The report foresees the Hispanic or Latino population rising from 16% today to 30% by 2050, the African American percentage barely rising from 12.9% to 13.0%, and Asian Americans upping their 4.6% share to 7.8%. The U.S. has 310 million people as of October 2010, and is projected to reach 400 million by 2039 and 439 million in 2050. ("Projected Population by Single Year of Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic Origin for the United States: July 1, 2000 to July 1, 2050". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2009-12-08; White Americans no longer a majority by 2042; U.S. to Grow Grayer, More Diverse; Pew Research Center: Immigration to Play Lead Role In Future U.S. Growth)
It is further projected that 82% of the increase in population from 2005 to 2050 will be due to immigration. (Whites to become minority in U.S. by 2050, Reuters)
Of the nation's children in 2050, 62% are expected to be of a minority ethnicity, up from 44% today. (An Older and More Diverse Nation by Midcentury, U.S. Census Press Releases, 14 August 2008 (archived from the original on 2008-08-2)
(2) I didn't say we shouldn't have high school graduation. I said if the people choosing to have the children bore a greater proportion of the cost of schooling them, the nation might start to equalize from the oversupply of labor that has stagnated wages for the past 40 years. If you choose to have 5 kids, you should contribute to the minimum of $100,000 you are costing the school system every year--instead of having towns force every retired person without a pension out of their homes as property taxes hit $15,000 and more every year.
Wow, what will happen if the American Indians start to increase their population. One day they might take over the whole country.
What is more important here, educating students or who gets the money? If the private school can do it better what is the issue?
The issues are twofold:
Accountability
&
Living in a nation were all are basically educated
You will never get accountability from this program, because "private" schools want to set their own agenda - they are private after all. Homeschoolers want to have the right to teach whatever they want. Or not. Better by whose standards? especially when it comes to all the philosophical and moral issues parents want schools to teach. The standards of parents who send their kids there? What if the parents are OK with no history, or math, or whatever -- is that OK? What if the school teaches armed rebellion against the government is the right thing to do, is that OK if the parents who give their tax credits to the school are fine with it??? Public schools don't come up to everyone's standards, but they are measured against someone's. There are funding consequences if they don't measure up. Private schools should not want government funds, which is essentially what this is no matter how you name it, because then the government is a stakeholder and can set agendas. That's why this convoluted voucher thing was invented - to try to escape the accountability that comes with getting government $$$. Careful what you wish for.......
The decision to provide a basic education at taxpayer expense was made after thought into what was best for the nation as a whole, not each individual person. Each individual person can decide if that basic education addresses their needs. If not, they can pay for better or go yell at their local school board, sit in their child's classroom, provide enrichment at home. Get personally involved instead of just paying someone else to do it and washing your hands of it.
If every parent who sends their kid to private school or wants to, got personally involved in their child's public education, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
What if the parents are OK with no history, or math, or whatever -- is that OK? What if the school teaches armed rebellion against the government is the right thing to do, is that OK if the parents who give their tax credits to the school are fine with it???
You set some basic standards and I'll emphasize the word basic here. If the private school is accepting public funds they will have to meet these standards. Math, history etc. Other than you leave them the flexibility to do what they want.
You want to have that flexibility so you can create an environment where the schools are catering to different needs of different students; music, sciences, etc. Imagine an explosion of smaller private schools focusing on the abilities of different students. By putting the funds into the hands of the parents you make that possible.
Wrong, as I already mentioned the evil Republicans in my state are targeting just low income students in the worst schools in the state initially. This is about providing a better education for everyone, not just the wealthy.
Ideally as I've posted previously every student gets a voucher for the full amount of their education. The schools will now be accountable to the parents, you either provide a good education or go bye bye.
Again -- a good education in a private school setting or homeschooling is purely subjective. And no I don't trust that parents will vote with their feet. & no I don't trust that Joe Blow down the street is the best judge of quality in education or even cares as long as his kid is sitting somewhere 6 hours a day & he doesn't have to do anything for it.
Vouchers are a means to get public funds to private entities through a 3rd party, so the private entities are not subject to the regulations and standards direct government funding entails.
No I don't see these idealistic private schools popping up all over. I see the same mess that corporate "universities" perpetuated over the last 10 years.
A nation either has public education or it doesn't. You want to privatize primary education, fine. When the private educators decide it is not in their financial or philosophical interest to teach your kid math or science or kicks Johnny out so they can continue to draw their funding and keep their stats nice, don't come crying back to the financially gutted public schools.
Step up people. Educating a child is a 24 hour job, not set it and forget it. Your public schools are failing because you don't give them any more involvement or support than voting on their budget once a year, if that.
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