Anonymous wrote:DC already has tons of charters, and had a voucher program before which didn't really impact private or public schools much. Only 4.5% of the MCPS budget, for example, comes from federal funds so her impact will be limited. What impacts are you anticipating that would encourage applications to private schools?

DC voucher program was a disaster and it did have an impact on the public schools. Why do you think the charters are so wide spread now? Which perhaps would be OK if they were any good. There are a handful that are but by and large they are just as bad if not worse than the DCPS schools.

Anonymous wrote:Doubt it. I think big impacts will be for kids with special needs who get support in the public schools. I'd also worry if I were in a good public school system - she seems opposed to them out of hand, not just in districts that are struggling.

I'd love to be wrong, though.

Wouldn't this suggest that people who can afford alternatives might jump ship creating an impact on private schools?

Anonymous wrote:Maybe, but if you think you will get it paid for by taxpayers, think again.

Who is expecting to get anything paid for by taxpayers? We can afford to send DC to a $40K private. I am simply asking is if there will be a larger pool of applicants now that some students will have vouchers (and conceivably able to afford private school).

It is hard to say what she will or won't do because so far it doesn't appear that she has a clue what the job is. The biggest fall out will occur if she acts like Trump and just starts spouting policy and issuing regulations without process or thought. That could have immediate and serious repercussions that will have wealthy families fleeing the public system. But it really depends on what she actually does. Kids with special needs who don't have money for private services are in the most danger from her ignorance.

Certainly if she decides guns are allowed in public schools (and DC is not allowed by Congress to legislate that locally), then yes, you will see a TON of applications to private, and a huge increase in private tuition. And the thousands who don't get spots will move. Segregation in DC will become worse than it already is. The DC economy will tank. Crime will increase. Corruption in local government will increase. Private schools in DC will need heightened security and will start losing students to suburban private schools.

But maybe no one will notice.

Anonymous wrote:No. None of the private schools in the top or middle tier are going to take these vouchers. #BelieveMe

Why wouldn't they? Sorry, I don't have any past experience with them so I'm just trying to understand what would be the turn off if its guaranteed money?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe, but if you think you will get it paid for by taxpayers, think again.

Not arguing for vouchers. But if there were vouchers, why wouldn't you be able to carry your $5000 or whatever they offer over to an elite private school?

Of course, it's quite possible everyone will just raise tuition by this amount. But in theory it might help a little.

I have been saying this the entire time. Tuition is just going to increase.

Why do people think that getting in a school is easy? There are a lot of families willing to drop 40k to get there kids in nursery school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe, but if you think you will get it paid for by taxpayers, think again.

Not arguing for vouchers. But if there were vouchers, why wouldn't you be able to carry your $5000 or whatever they offer over to an elite private school?

Of course, it's quite possible everyone will just raise tuition by this amount. But in theory it might help a little.

The problem with the previous voucher program was that the amount was very small compared to independent school tuition so didn't make much of a dent. There were some parochial schools that benefitted. And I recall that Rock Creek International got in financial trouble because they accepted a lot of voucher students but it wasn't enough to fund operations.

Most cabinet members have an infinitesimal influence on my life. I expect her to be no different.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe, but if you think you will get it paid for by taxpayers, think again.

Not arguing for vouchers. But if there were vouchers, why wouldn't you be able to carry your $5000 or whatever they offer over to an elite private school?

Of course, it's quite possible everyone will just raise tuition by this amount. But in theory it might help a little.

DC already has tons of charters, and had a voucher program before which didn't really impact private or public schools much. Only 4.5% of the MCPS budget, for example, comes from federal funds so her impact will be limited. What impacts are you anticipating that would encourage applications to private schools?

Doubt it. I think big impacts will be for kids with special needs who get support in the public schools. I'd also worry if I were in a good public school system - she seems opposed to them out of hand, not just in districts that are struggling.

I'd love to be wrong, though.

Maybe, but if you think you will get it paid for by taxpayers, think again.

No. None of the private schools in the top or middle tier are going to take these vouchers. #BelieveMe

What if any effect do you all think it will have on the number of applications to private school? My DD is currently in public and the plan was to stay there though 8th grade and then apply to private school. Debating if we should jump for middle before whatever the fall out will be from DeVos' taking over the Dept of Education.