Efficiency and Educational Opportunity
Thanks to James Young for this post over at Skeptical Observor this morning. Mr. Young brings up some very good points on the issue of school choice as a cost-savings measure.
This is an issue that we at AFPVA are following very closely this legislative session as well. Our leader here at VACostCutting, Delegate Saxman, has introduced a fairly comprehensive measure, HB1294, the Education Investment Act, which is modeled in part after the successful Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program in Pennsylvania.
School choice programs should be examined as an opportunity to save taxpayer dollars and improve the quality and efficiency of public education. This can be a win-win for parents, for students, for teachers and for taxpayers, as it provides increased educational opportunities, while also reducing the burden on public schools.
It is interesting that a couple of years ago Governor Warner was promoting an increase in funding for the Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG) for Virginia students who choose to attend non-state-funded colleges and universities in the Commonwealth. His main argument was this was a cost-savings measure, because when students who decided to go to private colleges or universities rather than state-funded schools it saved the state money on the costs associated with educating those students.
If it makes sense for college/university students, shouldn’t we also look at this type of program as an option for K-12 students as well?
~whitney
This is an issue that we at AFPVA are following very closely this legislative session as well. Our leader here at VACostCutting, Delegate Saxman, has introduced a fairly comprehensive measure, HB1294, the Education Investment Act, which is modeled in part after the successful Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program in Pennsylvania.
School choice programs should be examined as an opportunity to save taxpayer dollars and improve the quality and efficiency of public education. This can be a win-win for parents, for students, for teachers and for taxpayers, as it provides increased educational opportunities, while also reducing the burden on public schools.
It is interesting that a couple of years ago Governor Warner was promoting an increase in funding for the Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG) for Virginia students who choose to attend non-state-funded colleges and universities in the Commonwealth. His main argument was this was a cost-savings measure, because when students who decided to go to private colleges or universities rather than state-funded schools it saved the state money on the costs associated with educating those students.
If it makes sense for college/university students, shouldn’t we also look at this type of program as an option for K-12 students as well?
~whitney
posted by AFPVA at
8:28 AM
3 Comments:
I like this bill "projects approved by the local school board and for extracurricular activities." I am thinking we could donate the $$$ and beg the school board to actually use it for field trip to our Nations Capital to discover all of the references to "God" in the architecture of the city. Namely, the Capital itself, Supreme Court, Library of Congress, Lincoln Memorial.... Quite seriously, it allows private $$$ into the system and from the localities themselves.
By
Spank That Donkey, at 1/12/2006 1:33 PM
Thanks for noticing!
By
James Young, at 1/13/2006 12:02 AM
TAG doesn't actually allow anyone to go to college.
No one looks at a $25000 tuition at the University of Richmond and thinks - wow, thank god I have a $2500 grant from the state and only need to find 22500 to go to college.
No one that coulnd't otherwise afford to go to college goes cause of TAG. And, since TAG isn't means tested, it goes to the wealthiest Virginians without regards for their means or it's cost.
TAG costs almost half what the state financial aid costs for our public system. AND THE PRIVATE COLLEGES ONLY SERVE 17% of students.
By
Anonymous, at 1/13/2006 8:58 AM
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