Re: Market failure.
Ergo, it's really not a free market and rules that work for jeans and sneakers don't work well in public education.
Agreed, it's not a free market. However, it's untrue that market dynamics can't be applied to a public industry with dampened price signals. They can be, but the price multiplier effects would be distorted by the disconnect between payor and consumer. Narrow that disconnect and you achieve more efficient outcomes.
One way to do this would be to make private education amounts fully tax deductible on an achievement and needs basis, with lump sum subsidies to top up low income households. Voila! Equal access, not equal outcome, like the current system is designed to achieve.
Then the issue at hand becomes how to scalably address the long tail that is the gifted market at cost parity. It's that cost parity under the public system that may be problematic because of the lack of agglomeration economies in the gifted world.
PS. Feel free to PM me to chop this comment if you feel it derails the central discussion. It's not my intent to hijack!
