Words & Numbers
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Insightful weekly commentary on news & current events from economist Antony Davies and political scientist James R. Harrigan.
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The Illusion of School Choice
August 16, 2017
In private schools, as in private enterprise in general, poor performance drives funding away by driving paying customers away. Yet in public schools, poor performance is used as an excuse for increased funding. With incentives like these, is it any wonder that public schools are failing our children so badly? Isn’t it time to inject some competition into the system?
Education for all is a worthy wish. So is food for all. But we don’t force poor people to eat state-produced food. Even food stamp recipients get to choose where to shop. Why shouldn’t beneficiaries of public education spending get to choose where to send their kids?
Our hosts James R. Harrigan and Antony Davies want to know.
Show Notes
Articles
White, wealthy communities are forming their own school districts | www.pbs.org
Public High Schools Are Not Doing Their Jobs
Just the teacher facts | triblive.com
Data
Education Spending Per Student by State | www.governing.com
NAEP - 2015 Mathematics & Reading Assessments | www.nationsreportcard.gov
Average Private School Tuition Cost (2016-2017) | PrivateSchoolReview.com