Obama deprive Washington DC kids of education his girls have? (military, cost)
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Obama *himself* has said that every parent in America should be able to have the same educational choices that he and Michelle have. Most of the people in D.C. love the Obamas. He should put his money where his mouth is and let the children of D.C. go to school with his girls - with vouchers at Sidwell.
I disagree. You would have to prove that every supporter of school choice/vouchers has that motive, and you can't do that.
Come on, I just stated that your characterization of some voucher supporters as being more nobly motivated was accurate. But that is not even close to being some sort of total eclipse of the fact that the entire voucher movement was born of a strategy to get free taxpayer-funded handouts in exchange for private school decisions that had already been made. Twenty years on, and the same story is still true.
By the way, did I note that the DC pilot program has produced no measureable differences in student test scores or academic assessments? Did I mention that while surveys of the parents of participating students show that they believe their children are now in better and safer schools, surveys of the students themselves show that they do not feel that their new schools are either any better or any safer than their old ones were? This is not a unique result. There are as the result critics of voucher programs who will contend that they do much more to improve the situations that parents perceive than they do to improve the situations that students actually experience.
As you Rs keep saying, it's not the president's money.
My school taxes on both of my houses are paid to the local school board.
This is not a federal issue, but Obama might want to look at the waste of "No Child Left Behind" policies.
BTW, I have no kids and have no problem paying my school taxes for the PUBLIC sector.
Obama *himself* has said that every parent in America should be able to have the same educational choices that he and Michelle have. Most of the people in D.C. love the Obamas. He should put his money where his mouth is and let the children of D.C. go to school with his girls - with vouchers at Sidwell. Time to walk the walk Mr. Obama.
Time to wake up, Springfield. What do you think Sidwell Friends will have to do first before it can accept and educate 70,000 new students? Hint: They currently have about 1,100 students.
Time to wake up, Springfield. What do you think Sidwell Friends will have to do first before it can accept and educate 70,000 new students? Hint: They currently have about 1,100 students.
Make it fair and do a lottery for all incoming students. Easy. Everyone has equal chances.
Come on, I just stated that your characterization of some voucher supporters as being more nobly motivated was accurate. But that is not even close to being some sort of total eclipse of the fact that the entire voucher movement was born of a strategy to get free taxpayer-funded handouts in exchange for private school decisions that had already been made. Twenty years on, and the same story is still true.
Why would parents choose private school for their children before they even start kindergarten? Would it have something to do with the fact that it's common knowledge in various locales that the public schools undereducate students, not to mention the weak curriculum and low test scores parents have investigated? Or are you asserting that ALL of those parents are religious isolationists?
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By the way, did I note that the DC pilot program has produced no measureable differences in student test scores or academic assessments?
Hmmm...
"The only study so far, funded by the federal Department of Education, found positive but "not statistically significant" improvements in reading and math scores after the first year. But education experts agree it takes a few years for results to start showing up. In other places that have vouchers, such as Milwaukee and Florida, test scores show notable improvement. A new study on charter schools in Los Angeles County finds big academic gains when families have expanded choices for educating their kids." Putting Children Last - WSJ.com
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Did I mention that while surveys of the parents of participating students show that they believe their children are now in better and safer schools, surveys of the students themselves show that they do not feel that their new schools are either any better or any safer than their old ones were? This is not a unique result. There are as the result critics of voucher programs who will contend that they do much more to improve the situations that parents perceive than they do to improve the situations that students actually experience.
Refuted by the above, at least academically, by that bastion of religion , The Wall Street Journal.
This is not a federal issue, but Obama might want to look at the waste of "No Child Left Behind" policies.
Chief among NCLB's problems is that it is far too weak, and easily manipulated by the states. States construct/commission their own NCLB tests and set their own 'passing' scores. This has resulted in manipulations that make it look like schools are getting better, when in reality the majority of students in many states are far below acceptable levels of proficiency. In some cases, there's as much as a 70 percentage point difference in proficiency levels between state achievement tests and the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) tests.
If you want to see your state's reported proficiency level vs. the NAEP proficiency level (to see if your public schools are being honest about providing an adequate education), check here: NAEP Researchcenter - NAEP and State Equivalent Percent Table
For each grade level, the first column lists the percentage of students scoring as proficient (meets or exceeds state standards) on the state test; the second column lists the percentage of students scoring as proficient on the NAEP (National test).
Not one single state listed educates even 50% of their students to the proficienct level on the NAEP.
Let me first acknowledge that policies vary among states and school districts. That said, let me give an example of where vouchers work and can work:
In areas like where I reside, we have multiple school districts. Each sets their own curriculum. If where a parent resides requires their child to go to school A, that parent cannot simply decide to move their child to School B if School A is not performing without School B approving. Nor can that parent move their child outside of their school district - period.
Now, say the parent is in School District Bravo and School District Lima has an outstanding Math or Science or the Arts program. School District Bravo has no such programs. A Voucher would allow that Parent to move their child to School District Lima so their child can get the benefit of their outstanding programs.
Unlike what some here are trying to portray, vouchers are not merely to be used for a private school - they can also be used for Public Schools.
As you Rs keep saying, it's not the president's money.
My school taxes on both of my houses are paid to the local school board.
This is not a federal issue, but Obama might want to look at the waste of "No Child Left Behind" policies.
BTW, I have no kids and have no problem paying my school taxes for the PUBLIC sector.
Think education is expensive, try ignorance.
I'm not sure it has anything to do with being Rs as opposed to Ds. I generally agree with you but on this topic, not at all.
I agree with the voucher system wholly. Getting involved with the school board is a joke. I live in FL, I pay 5 figures in property taxes, much of which goes to the public schools. The schools here are several years behind, it has nothing to do with parental involvement, if they are teaching 4th grade level in the 6th grade honors class and that is the curriculum, there is nothing you can do to change things now for your children.
Some of us must do private, not because of our neighborhoods, but because our entire city/county has schools with poor curriculum. Options are good, and vouchers would give families and children more options.
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. Everyone has equal chances.
, The Wall Street Journal.
