Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Devos Confirmation

I agree with what you have said.

However I think some of the conversation and concern was about using vouchers for private/independent/parochial schools (thereby having dollars "follow the child" out of the public sector government school system and into the private sector.)

That said, I await news from DeVos and the Department of Education...

A properly designed voucher system may indeed result in less total money going to traditional public schools. In this case though the traditional public school will actually get more money per capita as the amount of the voucher is still typically less than the fully loaded average cost per child at the public school.

Ach, I'm sure we'd most of us love 2 months off for child-driven learning, camps, veggie gardening, travel, family time, vacation... Trouble is, people who are dependent on public schools mostly can't afford it. It's not about you, or people like you.

The thread about the impact of a voucher system has go somewhat derailed by the financial aspect. However, read HKs superb essay on the Impact it may have on school composition and student demographics - in the communities in which it would actually mostly be implemented.

The areas in which the system were to have an impact are not areas where there are only 13% special needs students. The areas in which the system were to have an impact are areas in which there is a parallel system of private, parochial and charter schools in place and where new ones can easily be opened. It's not about Nebraska.

According to wikipedia figures cited upthread, 87% of US school-age children attend public schools (are dependent on public schools); Are you suggesting that nearly 87% of US families cannot afford some type of out-of-school summer activities?

This appears to make assumptions about me, personally... which may not be correct.

However, since you opened a conversation about who the system's impacts are "about"... Some may say that a US voucher system, a US school-year schedule, the US Education Secretary, and the role of the US Department of Education are "not about you, or people like you", as your profile states that your location is outside the US... in Europe.

It is my understanding that the use of vouchers would most likely be utilized in the communities where parents want to exercise a choice of another school option or learning environment for their child(ren)... whom they believe would benefit by leaving their current school or learning environment.

Do you have a source for this?

It remains to be seen what changes DeVos may make in the Department of Education, and how the Department of Education may change DeVos.

Hi everyone - it looks like this thread has run its course, so I'm going to lock it for now.