Archive for November 2008

The Good List

Friday, November 21st, 2008

Public school systems are an easy target for criticism, largely because virtually everyone has a personal education experience (public, private or otherwise). While our system is not perfect, it has strengths.

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Experiments in School Funding

Thursday, November 20th, 2008

We’re spending some time in South Carolina in a rural school system. There is a single local elementary school, and students must go to the nearest population center beyond 6th grade. The bus passes about 6am en route to school, and we were behind the return trip at 7pm the other night.  That’s an extended school day.

It got me thinking about how schools down here are funded. (more…)

Report Card On School Taxes

Saturday, November 15th, 2008

School taxes just came due. They are by far the higher portion of the overall property tax bill, over 30% higher than our local and county taxes combined. (more…)

Does More $ = Smarter Kids?

Wednesday, November 5th, 2008

Funding for our school systems is a complicated issue that is becoming increasingly urgent in the need to be addressed. Every year the budget is increased and the tax levy increases accordingly. Does the increased budget correlate to increased quality of public education? I would argue no. (more…)