My state government finally did something that benefits my family

[Rage187]

http://www.live5news.com/story/17280844/sc-house-approves-private-school-choice-bill

We are forced into private school because our free babysitter(read: grandma) lives two cities away and we had to put my daughter in a private school close to where she lives. This allows my wife and I to have careers and make a decent living.

Thank you SC for actually helping out my family for once...ok, this will be twice when my 3 month old starts pre-k in a couple years.

I'm also glad we prerigstered this year as there may be a run on open spots.

 

[highland145]

Don't believe it'll make it all the way through. Is surely hope it does. Paying $5K/year now. As long as I can afford it, that's where my kid will go.

But, TBH, it's our choice to go private and your logistics isn't SC's problem. Not trying to be prickish even if it may sound that way.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Just because you can't afford a babysitter or don't make enough money for the wifey to stay home and yet decided to have two kids definitely does not mean that the school is "forcing" you to do a damn thing.

 

[alent1234]

i never got the private school thing. why not just pay to live in a better school district?

NYC you have to pay for after school but it's tax deductible

 

[highland145]

i never got the private school thing. why not just pay to live in a better school district?

NYC you have to pay for after school but it's tax deductible

Some in SC suck no matter where you live.

Sis in law says the NYC school system is one of the best in the country. True?

 

[slayer202]

it's scary finding out certain ATOTers have children D: and the cycle continues

 

[alent1234]

Some in SC suck no matter where you live.

Sis in law says the NYC school system is one of the best in the country. True?

the NYC suburbs are top notch but will cost you $10,000 a year in taxes on average

otherwise you have to find the right district. #26 is best overall but i'm zoned for an elementary school that is one of the best in the city. it's so good there is a lottery to get in there because so many parents move into that zone and they don't have a lot of space. they just doubled the size of the school with a new wing and there is still a lottery.

NYC also has a special program where your kid takes a test at 4 or 5 and it's essentially accelerated school since first grade. a lot of the good preschools teach that test. my oldest is going to kindergarten this year and his preschool had most kids take the test. to prepare them the preschool assigns homework to kids that has to be done and my son who isn't 5 yet can read and write a little and do some basic math

as for SC, i bet you can find at least one or two good districts in the state

 

[Ryland]

Its nice to see homeschoolers getting something other than the shaft in that bill too. I get double taxed on homeschooling because not only do I have to pay the school district taxes but I also have to pay taxes on any materials that my wife uses in teaching our son.

 

[waggy]

Its nice to see homeschoolers getting something other than the shaft in that bill too. I get double taxed on homeschooling because not only do I have to pay the school district taxes but I also have to pay taxes on any materials that my wife uses in teaching our son.

i agree.

but the op's argument is silly.

 

[highland145]

as for SC, i bet you can find at least one or two good districts in the state

Without a doubt but can you find work in your profession close enough to live in that district? Not to mention housing costs. 2 of the elems. in our county are great. The rest, not so much. Parents can apply for those schools but they're full.

My kid's school, 15 per class, discipline problems aren't tolerated so the teachers can teach instead of spending 70% of their time trying to keep order. That keeps them well ahead of the public schools for academics.

But it starts with the parents no matter where they go to school.

 

[alent1234]

that's the thing, why pay $10,000 or so for private school when you can pay that into a house in a better district? the extra interest and taxes will be tax deductible and your home will retain more value and go up more in better years making more money in the long run

there are parts of NJ where taxes run $25,000 a year and parents sell the house as soon as the kids graduate high school to move to lower tax areas

 

[SillyOReilly]

Just because you can't afford a babysitter or don't make enough money for the wifey to stay home and yet decided to have two kids definitely does not mean that the school is "forcing" you to do a damn thing.

 

[highland145]

that's the thing, why pay $10,000 or so for private school when you can pay that into a house in a better district? the extra interest and taxes will be tax deductible and your home will retain more value and go up more in better years making more money in the long run

there are parts of NJ where taxes run $25,000 a year and parents sell the house as soon as the kids graduate high school to move to lower tax areas

I don't disagree but our property taxes are stupid low so it doesn't work that way for us.
property taxes
county $344.76 city $210.80 2010 toyota $326.75 10 ac land $108.54 total $990.85


Or yours are stupid high.

 

[lxskllr]

Choosing your location based on school district is ridiculous. School quality can change in a flash. If you use private schools, you can just choose a different school instead of moving.

 

[alent1234]

Choosing your location based on school district is ridiculous. School quality can change in a flash. If you use private schools, you can just choose a different school instead of moving.

that's where you're wrong, parents who care about education tend to cluster together. the good school districts around NYC are still good today. when i first came to the US my parents lied about their address to make sure i got into a better school than the one across the street. and 30 years later that school is still crap

the good teachers will apply to the good school districts mostly because they know the parents will support them instead of dumping their problems on them

 

[lxskllr]

that's where you're wrong, parents who care about education tend to cluster together. the good school districts around NYC are still good today. when i first came to the US my parents lied about their address to make sure i got into a better school than the one across the street. and 30 years later that school is still crap

the good teachers will apply to the good school districts mostly because they know the parents will support them instead of dumping their problems on them

That's great that your huge sample size of "a few" turned out well, but it's still a stupid strategy. Schools are easier to change than houses.

 

[highland145]

That's great that your huge sample size of "a few" turned out well, but it's still a stupid strategy. Schools are easier to change than houses.

Not around here unless you go private. The good ones are booked.

 

[lxskllr]

Not around here unless you go private. The good ones are booked.

That's what I'm talking about. Private is the only way. Here you have a choice of exactly one public school unless the board accepts your plea for a transfer. In high school there's a little more flexibility if you want to go to a technically oriented specialty school, but for regular high school you get one school as a choice.

 

[OutHouse]

$4,000 tax deduction per child for tuition paid, $2,000 for homeschool expenses and $1,000 for children attending a public school outside their district.

wow more government spending.

We are forced into private school because our free babysitter(read: grandma) lives two cities away and we had to put my daughter in a private school close to where she lives. This allows my wife and I to have careers and make a decent living.

good job in making money/career more important than your children. whoot!

 

[manimal]

Change thread title to Look at me game the system and get Free monies because we get free child care.

 

[lxskllr]

wow more government spending.

That's not government spending. It's giving back the money paid for the kids to go to a public school they aren't using. Reasonable arguments can be made that everyone needs to pay the school tax for the greater benefit, but I don't think it's a clear cut issue.

 

[highland145]

That's not government spending. It's giving back the money paid for the kids to go to a public school they aren't using. Reasonable arguments can be made that everyone needs to pay the school tax for the greater benefit, but I don't think it's a clear cut issue.

Prior to the schools current financial problems, SC got $11K per kid from state, fed and local $$. Why the F does our system suck? Only $5K actually made it to the local school districts. $6K/kid stayed in the state school admin pockets.

 

[lxskllr]

Prior to the schools current financial problems, SC got $11K per kid from state, fed and local $$. Why the F does our system suck? Only $5K actually made it to the local school districts. $6K/kid stayed in the state school admin pockets.

Bureaucracy makes everything worse. Strong central authorities are good places to hide money without accountability. Anyone that's on the "inside", whether it's government employees, or contractors make out, and everyone else gets screwed.

 

[JujuFish]

My aunt teaches at a good elementary school in SC. They do exist.

 

[alent1234]

Prior to the schools current financial problems, SC got $11K per kid from state, fed and local $$. Why the F does our system suck? Only $5K actually made it to the local school districts. $6K/kid stayed in the state school admin pockets.

all that money comes with stipulations that you show proof its being used on the right things and with good results. means you need people to compile reports to lots of different agencies