School registration fees (Chicago, Evanston: buy, best school districts, income)

[damba]

Originally Posted by kitty_nina1

I disagree completely. I have family and friends in the NE states, namely MD in NY/NJ, and I hear horror stories about no homework, schools having gone completely digital, everybody on chromebooks starting in 3rd grade, kids not even being able to write their own names in cursive and doing so sloppily in block, some weird 2.0 curriculum in MD (DC suburb) that has everyone doing remedial math with no knowledge beyond some rudimentary basics.

You are starting to drive off the road a little here.


Yes, some teachers/subjects in various programs/grades/districts may not make homework mandatory. But that's a red herring in this discussion, along with anecdotes regarding rogue districts with their own particular curriculum choices. Whether or not learning how to write in cursive impacts a student is debatable. Ditto for districts that utilize iPads/Chromebooks as tools to help students achieve their educational goals. [I'm sorry that you feel your technology fee should be refunded if you don't want your kids to use a Chromebook.]

It is nationwide. Most states are on the Common Core Curriculum, and it is simplified down to nothing. No matter what state you are in.

OK. I hand a hunch you might go there. The merits or drawbacks of Common Core is probably best handled with it's own thread. I sense that perhaps you may not grasp that Common Core doesn't imply that a school district/teacher may only teach in one particular manner or inside an extremely narrow band of resources.

There are excellent schools south of Mason Dixon line, believe it or not. Kids graduate with honors, go on to college, law and med schools and become productive knowledgeable professionals.

I agree and I did not say otherwise. My point was that it's hard to find such a large concentration of good school districts like you find in suburban Chicagoland.

As far as the band instrument goes, music stores usually have good rental plans which allow for purchase of the new instrument at the end of the year. Our previous store deducted the cost of rental already paid from the price of the new instrument. We didn't purchase them because we knew we'd be moving and wanted to make sure that kids' interest in band will continue. If it does and stores here do the same thing we'll purchase next year.

You are preaching to the choir <pointing over at pile of currently unused expensive brass instruments sticking out of open closet>. Depending on what instrument you rent to own, it can take multiple years(!)

[kitty_nina1]

Originally Posted by damba

Of course there are!

My use of the term ´Mason Dixon line’ was a weak reference to the red states of the deep south, not every school district literally south of Pennsylvania. Arguably, you have cherry picked some areas that offer equally high property taxes and fees to support local schools.

There’s a reason teachers still want to work in the various school districts in the areas I mentioned. Even with the State of IL’s financial woes. Beyond the solid programs overall, young teachers get the opportunity to live in or near a world class city without the price tag of SF, LA or NYC.

I am a former Atlanta expat. Property taxes there are LOW compared to taxes here in Chicago. Properties are less expensive and so are taxes. The annual tax bill on a 350K house was $3000, and that's AFTER the tax increase. It hovered around $2400 just 5 years ago. I looked up our former property on zillow.
Here a $600K house has a property tax bill of aroung $12K annually. You really don't see any difference?
No registration fees, no bus fees.

I have lived other places in the south and southeast and nope, no fees there either. There are great schools all over the south and the southeast. It is a misconception that there aren't any there.

As far as teachers wanting to live in SF, LA, NY...Well, doubtful. It is hard to change states and districts and they are where they are for the reason of probabilities being very low that if they change states they'd end up in an equally good school district. Teachers do not leave good schools. New graduates often commute to less desirable schools simply because that's where the jobs are. Not to mention the cost of living. The average teacher salary in IL is $64K/year, toughly the same as in north Atlanta. You can afford a lot more on this salary there.

[kitty_nina1]

Originally Posted by damba

You are starting to drive off the road a little here.


Yes, some teachers/subjects in various programs/grades/districts may not make homework mandatory. But that's a red herring in this discussion, along with anecdotes regarding rogue districts with their own particular curriculum choices. Whether or not learning how to write in cursive impacts a student is debatable. Ditto for districts that utilize iPads/Chromebooks as tools to help students achieve their educational goals. [I'm sorry that you feel your technology fee should be refunded if you don't want your kids to use a Chromebook.]



OK. I hand a hunch you might go there. The merits or drawbacks of Common Core is probably best handled with it's own thread. I sense that perhaps you may not grasp that Common Core doesn't imply that a school district/teacher may only teach in one particular manner or inside an extremely narrow band of resources.



I agree and I did not say otherwise. My point was that it's hard to find such a large concentration of good school districts like you find in suburban Chicagoland.




You are preaching to the choir <pointing over at pile of currently unused expensive brass instruments sticking out of open closet>. Depending on what instrument you rent to own, it can take multiple years(!)

I didn't mention wanting a technology fee refund anywhere on this thread. I am sorry you feel that way. I only said that fees are unnecessary.
I am very well aware that teachers can teach differently irrespective of what common core dictates. But the manner of teaching doesn't change the scope of what's taught. It is pretty much universal across the board.

[damba]

Originally Posted by kitty_nina1

I am a former Atlanta expat. Property taxes there are LOW compared to taxes here in Chicago. Properties are less expensive and so are taxes. The annual tax bill on a 350K house was $3000, and that's AFTER the tax increase. It hovered around $2400 just 5 years ago. I looked up our former property on zillow.
Here a $600K house has a property tax bill of aroung $12K annually. You really don't see any difference?
No registration fees, no bus fees.

I am a little familiar with some of the Atlanta burbs (area by Alpaharetta) after friends relocated there 20 years ago. Yes, RE taxes (and many other taxes) are lower.



I guess I am not so hung up on regional differences on how things are paid for and/or prioritized.

I have lived other places in the south and southeast and nope, no fees there either. There are great schools all over the south and the southeast. It is a misconception that there aren't any there.

Re-read what I wrote again. I did not state that there aren't *any* there. The concentration in suburban Chicago is the noteworthy part.

As far as teachers wanting to live in SF, LA, NY...Well, doubtful. It is hard to change states and districts and they are where they are for the reason of probabilities being very low that if they change states they'd end up in an equally good school district. Teachers do not leave good schools. New graduates often commute to less desirable schools simply because that's where the jobs are. Not to mention the cost of living. The average teacher salary in IL is $64K/year, toughly the same as in north Atlanta. You can afford a lot more on this salary there.

I fear this may have morphed into a reading comprehension issue more than a difference in opinion on how schools/offerings should be funded.


There are a lot of young people (including entry level teachers) who would love to live in world class cities that have all the trappings. Most are extremely unaffordable though. See my previous comment regarding how living near Chicago is more feasible. Of course established teachers don't want to leave good schools. Who is debating that one?

[damba]

Originally Posted by kitty_nina1

I didn't mention wanting a technology fee refund anywhere on this thread. I am sorry you feel that way. I only said that fees are unnecessary.
I am very well aware that teachers can teach differently irrespective of what common core dictates. But the manner of teaching doesn't change the scope of what's taught. It is pretty much universal across the board.

The fees are necessary based on how many of the schools here structure their budgets and balance with what little money now flows in from the state of IL.



What does common core have to do with your complaints regarding the presence of fees in D65?

[kitty_nina1]

Originally Posted by damba

I am a little familiar with some of the Atlanta burbs (area by Alpaharetta) after friends relocated there 20 years ago. Yes, RE taxes (and many other taxes) are lower.



I guess I am not so hung up on regional differences on how things are paid for and/or prioritized.





Re-read what I wrote again. I did not state that there aren't *any* there. The concentration in suburban Chicago is the noteworthy part.



I fear this may have morphed into a reading comprehension issue more than a difference in opinion on how schools/offerings should be funded.


There are a lot of young people (including entry level teachers) who would love to live in world class cities that have all the trappings. Most are extremely unaffordable though. See my previous comment regarding how living near Chicago is more feasible. Of course established teachers don't want to leave good schools. Who is debating that one?

I should have said this two pages ago when I was accused of wanting a refund of the fees paid.

I don't know how living "near" Chicago is more feasible. I find the "near" areas outrageously expensive, too.

[kitty_nina1]

Originally Posted by damba

The fees are necessary based on how many of the schools here structure their budgets and balance with what little money now flows in from the state of IL.



What does common core have to do with your complaints regarding the presence of fees in D65?

I think I've already explained that earlier. I find very little difference across the states in the curriculum, methods and styles of teaching and extracurricular activities offered. Having said that, if there are schools and districts in some parts of the country managing to do all that without fees and high taxes I don't see why fees and higher taxes are all that necessary in the Chicago area to achieve THE SAME THINGS.

I hope this clarifies my point.

[damba]

Originally Posted by kitty_nina1

I don't know how living "near" Chicago is more feasible. I find the "near" areas outrageously expensive, too.

You clearly have never looked very closely at rents or RE prices in SF, NYC or LA.

[damba]

Originally Posted by kitty_nina1

I think I've already explained that earlier. I find very little difference across the states in the curriculum, methods and styles of teaching and extracurricular activities offered. Having said that, if there are schools and districts in some parts of the country managing to do all that without fees and high taxes I don't see why fees and higher taxes are all that necessary in the Chicago area to achieve THE SAME THINGS.

I hope this clarifies my point.

Why you moved to an area without researching all the associated costs we will never know.

That said, your naivete is apparent in failing to acknowledge the reduction of school funding provided by the state of IL.

[kitty_nina1]

Originally Posted by damba

You clearly have never looked very closely at rents or RE prices in SF, NYC or LA.

you can't pay me enough to move there.