School Vouchers

[Anonymous]

Is it bad A teacher doesn’t know what school vouchers are? Asking for a teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely against vouchers. You want to send your kid somewhere else—that’s totally fine. School choice is something you already have. It’s not on me to pay for your choices.

+1

Especially when those "choices" disenfranchise the most vulnerable.

HARD PASS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What good are vouchers with no open spots? How on earth could private schools absorb all these unsatisfied people?

If there is demand there will be supply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What good are vouchers with no open spots? How on earth could private schools absorb all these unsatisfied people?

How can they add classes if they don't physically have the space? Parents would be waiting years for the private school market to grow in NoVA.

+1 And they're not going to buy new buildings for what may only be a temporary spike in enrollment. The other option is to increase their classroom size, but that's going to piss off their regular customers who chose private for the small class size.

Vouchers are also not for full tuition costs, so even if the state diverts funding, parents will still be paying for school - especially in this area, unless you're willing to go parochial school, you're looking at $20-40K/kid, which the state will not cover fully.

Maybe more churches would open schools. They usually have space. And larger class sizes.

Or newly established privates could rent church space. I know our private did when it began 50+ years ago. It has its own building today though.

Or start a co-op, such as River Farm. All kinds of possibilities.

Get resourceful. They’re your kids. And the public school system is FAILING them. This pandemic could last another 24 months. Read up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think vouchers could work with s tiered funding system. Average kid would get a $10,000 voucher. ESL $20,000 Voucher. SpEd $20,000-40,000 voucher depending on code. Thus private schools would have incentive to accept some esl and SpEd kids. Public schools would be well funded too if they ended up with mostly esl and Spec. Ed. There would be less inequalities and better schools since there would be competition. Further, specialized schools designed to serve special needs, minorities, gifted, etc. could open and serve those students previously unable to afford it. Class sizes would be reduced. There would be no requirements attached to the vouchers unless a family chooses to homeschool. Everyone wins?

But those numbers you just quoted. Parents would be receiving closer to 25-30% of that amount

The money is available though. Fcps just paid how much for that racism speaker? Plus we have a democratic administration now. Democrats like to spend money on these things. Folks talk about giving more money to schools all the time. Giving parents choice via a tiered systen would be the best way- especially for vulnerable students. Everyone would benefit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What good are vouchers with no open spots? How on earth could private schools absorb all these unsatisfied people?

How can they add classes if they don't physically have the space? Parents would be waiting years for the private school market to grow in NoVA.

+1 And they're not going to buy new buildings for what may only be a temporary spike in enrollment. The other option is to increase their classroom size, but that's going to piss off their regular customers who chose private for the small class size.

Vouchers are also not for full tuition costs, so even if the state diverts funding, parents will still be paying for school - especially in this area, unless you're willing to go parochial school, you're looking at $20-40K/kid, which the state will not cover fully.

Religiously affiliated cost far less. Wonder whether there’s a potential partnership....?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I realize this is a Republican talking point. I'm a democrat who has never supported this in the past. But now I'm starting to see the value in it since my public school can't educate my children. My wealthier neighbors already send their children to private school. This year has been so expensive in terms of additional child care and tutoring costs - I will go bankrupt if this continues another year.

What do you mean your public school can’t educate your children? Are you doing distance learning or not?!? Mine are and they are learning just fine.

Congrats. How old are they? And even then not everyone is having a good go of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, vouchers will only make it that much more difficult for public schools to recover from the pandemic.

If you want to remediate, public schools need more money, not less.

No. They need to push the unions out of the way. Otherwise, it’s time to go elsewhere with tax dollars

[Anonymous]

What is this? Republican day? Haven’t you Rs effed up the country enough?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think vouchers could work with s tiered funding system. Average kid would get a $10,000 voucher. ESL $20,000 Voucher. SpEd $20,000-40,000 voucher depending on code. Thus private schools would have incentive to accept some esl and SpEd kids. Public schools would be well funded too if they ended up with mostly esl and Spec. Ed. There would be less inequalities and better schools since there would be competition. Further, specialized schools designed to serve special needs, minorities, gifted, etc. could open and serve those students previously unable to afford it. Class sizes would be reduced. There would be no requirements attached to the vouchers unless a family chooses to homeschool. Everyone wins?

But those numbers you just quoted. Parents would be receiving closer to 25-30% of that amount

The money is available though. Fcps just paid how much for that racism speaker? Plus we have a democratic administration now. Democrats like to spend money on these things. Folks talk about giving more money to schools all the time. Giving parents choice via a tiered systen would be the best way- especially for vulnerable students. Everyone would benefit.

Or... invest all that money in the public schools to make them better. Build more schools to reduce class size. Pay public school teachers more money to attract and retain the best talent. Upgrade technology. Give every child from K-12 a laptop. If we make our public schools as good as private schools, there will be no need for random new private schools to be built. Can you imagine all of the fighting over applications to get into the best private schools? Equity issues, having to drive your kid a half hour each way to school because that was the closest private school you could get into?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New schools can and will open.

Imagine all the pop-up, strip mall private schools. No thanks.

Not everyone would open such. Some open in church basements, etc. pick the aesthetic of your choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely against vouchers. You want to send your kid somewhere else—that’s totally fine. School choice is something you already have. It’s not on me to pay for your choices.

You’d pay the same amount you currently do as a tax payer. Read up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is this? Republican day? Haven’t you Rs effed up the country enough?

I'm the OP and a hardcore democrat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is this? Republican day? Haven’t you Rs effed up the country enough?

Nope. I’m a D. Just tired of the teacher union BS.

[Anonymous]

Some might open in office buildings. Some already are. Plenty of office space likely coming on market.