Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 12:54     Subject: Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:But the Trump transition people, DeVos and some in Congress want to take a portion of the federal education budget and fund MORE vouchers that woudl be available to anyone, regardless of income.

That's definitely now how DC's current program works. The funds are in addition to the amount DC gets for all its public schools, and eligiblity is based on income.

What they are hoping to do would be much more disruptive to DCPS and the charters and the details are important to follow.


On average, federal dollars account for 10% of a school district's total funding. The rest is covered by state and local sources. Of that 10%, almost all of it is funneled to schools for use by specific populations such as special education students, ESL students, and students living in poverty (i.e., Title I). The ESEA was just reauthorized last year. There is zero percent chance that congress will overhaul that bill to redirect funding to the general population. Now what congress COULD do, is decide to take ESL, SPED and Title I funding and mandate that it be used to provide vouchers for those targeted populations.

Congress could also pass a bill authorizing a second pot of money (i.e. totally new funds) that could be distributed through a federal voucher program. However, what is the overall likelihood of our current congress boosting federal education spending by billions and billions of dollars?

What congress and the president CAN'T do is require that states use their own state and local funding on a voucher program. Of course, states that are interested in creating their own state-funded voucher program are free to do s. In fact, many states have done either that or provided a tuition tax credit. You can be assured, however, that DC will not be passing any legislation offering locally-funded vouchers to the average MC family.


It is all the more pertinent that DC is not a state and its budget is the whimsical playtoy of the president and congress.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 12:07     Subject: Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
I am PP. Here is a list of state voucher programs to give everyone a sense of the types of kids generally eligible for state vouchers.

http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/voucher-law-comparison.aspx
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 11:55     Subject: Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:But the Trump transition people, DeVos and some in Congress want to take a portion of the federal education budget and fund MORE vouchers that woudl be available to anyone, regardless of income.

That's definitely now how DC's current program works. The funds are in addition to the amount DC gets for all its public schools, and eligiblity is based on income.

What they are hoping to do would be much more disruptive to DCPS and the charters and the details are important to follow.


On average, federal dollars account for 10% of a school district's total funding. The rest is covered by state and local sources. Of that 10%, almost all of it is funneled to schools for use by specific populations such as special education students, ESL students, and students living in poverty (i.e., Title I). The ESEA was just reauthorized last year. There is zero percent chance that congress will overhaul that bill to redirect funding to the general population. Now what congress COULD do, is decide to take ESL, SPED and Title I funding and mandate that it be used to provide vouchers for those targeted populations.

Congress could also pass a bill authorizing a second pot of money (i.e. totally new funds) that could be distributed through a federal voucher program. However, what is the overall likelihood of our current congress boosting federal education spending by billions and billions of dollars?

What congress and the president CAN'T do is require that states use their own state and local funding on a voucher program. Of course, states that are interested in creating their own state-funded voucher program are free to do s. In fact, many states have done either that or provided a tuition tax credit. You can be assured, however, that DC will not be passing any legislation offering locally-funded vouchers to the average MC family.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 11:40     Subject: Re:Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:^^^ Agreed. Choice is a bad thing and either we're all miserable together or you leave, and those are your 2 choices.


Sarcasm noted, but at some point too much choice is a bad thing. It means that nothing is really getting the attention and stability that it needs. There already is some degree of choice (chance really) and if that's not good enough for you then you pay for private school if you can afford it.

Let's make our DCPS awesome again.[/quote]

At what point do you say we tried, we tried again, we keep trying; it ain't working. Screw it.


The problem with "Screw it" and blowing up the system is that makes it worse. Yes, worse. Look at places that were having problems, like DC, and blew up their public schools. Take Louisiana. They said "Screw it" (to the poor areas) and blew up their public school system. How's that working for them?

To answer your question: I won't give up, and I hope enough of our city leaders take that attitude and double down on the things that are working in DCPS. Let's try new ideas and keep pressing the existing ones that work without scrapping our system of public schools.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 11:34     Subject: Re:Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:^^^ Agreed. Choice is a bad thing and either we're all miserable together or you leave, and those are your 2 choices.


Sarcasm noted, but at some point too much choice is a bad thing. It means that nothing is really getting the attention and stability that it needs. There already is some degree of choice (chance really) and if that's not good enough for you then you pay for private school if you can afford it.

Let's make our DCPS awesome again.[/quote]

At what point do you say we tried, we tried again, we keep trying; it ain't working. Screw it.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 11:33     Subject: Re:Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:^^^ Agreed. Choice is a bad thing and either we're all miserable together or you leave, and those are your 2 choices.


Sarcasm noted, but at some point too much choice is a bad thing. It means that nothing is really getting the attention and stability that it needs. There already is some degree of choice (chance really) and if that's not good enough for you then you pay for private school if you can afford it.

Let's make our DCPS awesome again.[/quote]

At what point do you say we tried, we tried again, we keep trying; it ain't working. Screw it.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 10:56     Subject: Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:But the Trump transition people, DeVos and some in Congress want to take a portion of the federal education budget and fund MORE vouchers that woudl be available to anyone, regardless of income.

That's definitely now how DC's current program works. The funds are in addition to the amount DC gets for all its public schools, and eligiblity is based on income.

What they are hoping to do would be much more disruptive to DCPS and the charters and the details are important to follow.


Unless the voucher amounts are significantly increased, then it's not going to have an impact on "choice" because school market-rate tuitions are higher than voucher amounts (other than being a huge cash givaway for parents currently paying for private schools). The bulk of the voucher money would go to supplement the incomes of already very-high income people with kids enrolled in Sidwell et al. Hard to see that being a winning policy ...
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 10:47     Subject: Re:Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:^^^ Agreed. Choice is a bad thing and either we're all miserable together or you leave, and those are your 2 choices.


Sarcasm noted, but at some point too much choice is a bad thing. It means that nothing is really getting the attention and stability that it needs. There already is some degree of choice (chance really) and if that's not good enough for you then you pay for private school if you can afford it.

Let's make our DCPS awesome again.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 10:42     Subject: Re:Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
^^^ Agreed. Choice is a bad thing and either we're all miserable together or you leave, and those are your 2 choices.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 09:56     Subject: Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:But the Trump transition people, DeVos and some in Congress want to take a portion of the federal education budget and fund MORE vouchers that woudl be available to anyone, regardless of income.

That's definitely now how DC's current program works. The funds are in addition to the amount DC gets for all its public schools, and eligiblity is based on income.

What they are hoping to do would be much more disruptive to DCPS and the charters and the details are important to follow.


And our EOTP DCPS is moving in the right direction. Frankly, I don't want or need disruption. I think it only stand to make things worse overall.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 09:51     Subject: Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
But the Trump transition people, DeVos and some in Congress want to take a portion of the federal education budget and fund MORE vouchers that woudl be available to anyone, regardless of income.

That's definitely now how DC's current program works. The funds are in addition to the amount DC gets for all its public schools, and eligiblity is based on income.

What they are hoping to do would be much more disruptive to DCPS and the charters and the details are important to follow.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 09:45     Subject: Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:i really hate all the talk of "terrible" schools as if the school buildings and staff are the problem. The problem is that the schools are filled with children who live in poverty. Vouchers might help a few kids escape to better schools, but I doubt that new private schools will do any better than charters or DCPS at solving the problems of urban poverty for most.


Exactly, and what is wrong with that? Vouchers will stop the middle class from leaving, thereby stabilizing neighborhoods. They will also provide opportunity to the poor, who benefit from them now.


A lot of MC people are choosing to stay in DC. This is not 1999, if you want to leave, just leave. All this foaming at the mouth to leave scares no one. I'm sure you will get a good price on your house when you sell.


PP, you're not very nice or neighborhood-friendly. How many MC people live EotP? Do you? Why don't you come over here in your fancy ride and smell our roses?


NP here, and I live EOTP. I drive a Toyota, so not such a fancy ride. I hope that's ok with you. I have plenty of MC neighbors - some UMC, some not, and some poor neighbors. I don't need vouchers to stay here. Our kids are learning quite well at their DCPS.


I also live EOTP, drive a Corolla and send my kids to our DCPS, where they're doing well. A friend of mine received middle school vouchers for her oldest child, which has been great for them because the school he attends is a lot better at supporting his needs than the school he would have attended by right was. It was a great solution for a family who didn't have any other options - they are NOT middle class, which is how they qualified for the voucher at all.

The pro-voucher people in DC clearly have zero understanding of how the program works. "Middle class" people are not eligible, unless you include middle class to be "slightly above the poverty line but barely able to make ends meet." Basically, take the average salary of an "upper middle class DCUM poster and remove a zero from their HHI.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 09:38     Subject: Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:i really hate all the talk of "terrible" schools as if the school buildings and staff are the problem. The problem is that the schools are filled with children who live in poverty. Vouchers might help a few kids escape to better schools, but I doubt that new private schools will do any better than charters or DCPS at solving the problems of urban poverty for most.


Exactly, and what is wrong with that? Vouchers will stop the middle class from leaving, thereby stabilizing neighborhoods. They will also provide opportunity to the poor, who benefit from them now.


A lot of MC people are choosing to stay in DC. This is not 1999, if you want to leave, just leave. All this foaming at the mouth to leave scares no one. I'm sure you will get a good price on your house when you sell.


PP, you're not very nice or neighborhood-friendly. How many MC people live EotP? Do you? Why don't you come over here in your fancy ride and smell our roses?


NP here, and I live EOTP. I drive a Toyota, so not such a fancy ride. I hope that's ok with you. I have plenty of MC neighbors - some UMC, some not, and some poor neighbors. I don't need vouchers to stay here. Our kids are learning quite well at their DCPS.
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 09:24     Subject: Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:i really hate all the talk of "terrible" schools as if the school buildings and staff are the problem. The problem is that the schools are filled with children who live in poverty. Vouchers might help a few kids escape to better schools, but I doubt that new private schools will do any better than charters or DCPS at solving the problems of urban poverty for most.


Exactly, and what is wrong with that? Vouchers will stop the middle class from leaving, thereby stabilizing neighborhoods. They will also provide opportunity to the poor, who benefit from them now.


A lot of MC people are choosing to stay in DC. This is not 1999, if you want to leave, just leave. All this foaming at the mouth to leave scares no one. I'm sure you will get a good price on your house when you sell.


PP, you're not very nice or neighborhood-friendly. How many MC people live EotP? Do you? Why don't you come over here in your fancy ride and smell our roses?
Anonymous
Post 12/02/2016 08:22     Subject: Betsy DeVos and Vouchers - Yes!!!
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:i really hate all the talk of "terrible" schools as if the school buildings and staff are the problem. The problem is that the schools are filled with children who live in poverty. Vouchers might help a few kids escape to better schools, but I doubt that new private schools will do any better than charters or DCPS at solving the problems of urban poverty for most.


Exactly, and what is wrong with that? Vouchers will stop the middle class from leaving, thereby stabilizing neighborhoods. They will also provide opportunity to the poor, who benefit from them now.


A lot of MC people are choosing to stay in DC. This is not 1999, if you want to leave, just leave. All this foaming at the mouth to leave scares no one. I'm sure you will get a good price on your house when you sell.