Tuition Stamps

The US Supreme Court's decision has many parents reeling from the prohibition of the word 'pray' during a moment of silence in their children's schools. We forget to ask:
'How did we get to this point where the government can decide some words are verboten in school?
'Why is the supreme court involved', and
'Can we search for a new paradigm-- a new pattern for educating our children?, and
'Can we lower housing costs in the bargain?"

Lets take a look at two familiar objectives of most societies:
1) eliminate hunger
2) educate our children
In the US, our government collects taxes and funds both #1 & #2 in many cases.

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#1
Food: Supplemental funding based on the IRS filings are provided through food stamps, in lieu of money, and allow recipients to purchase their choice of food from any market or grocery store.
Simple.
Note: In the USSR, government food stores often resulted in long lines and bare shelves and a black market but the politically powerful had plenty.
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#2
Education: All children are required to be educated. Funding is derived from multiple taxation levels from the smallest school district and the federal government to pay for the education of each child.

Currently, some annual testing is required by no child left behind.

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What if we rethink education funding along the lines of food stamps?
What if we determine from a family's tax returns, whether to provide 'tuition stamps' to suppliment tuition at the school of their choice? Does that mean parents in DC can afford Sidwell Friends? No, but they can't afford it now. They can, however, take their tuition stamp to the school of their choice whether its a charter, a neighborhood school, a neighbor who teaches at her kitchen table, a montessori, or a church based school.

Education, like food, is not an optional expenditure for parents. The way we pay for it today has caused much of the limited resources to miss the mark and not contribute to improving the educational outcome of the child.
After an initial assessment, to determine special needs and lay down baselines of acheivement, California Achievement/annual snapshot, (or motor and cognitive skills assessment in the case of the very young or the disabled) will determine the advancement.

The parents once again become responsible for the education of their children. Immediately, all school district taxes end. Many families struggling with home loans find their monthly payments drop by several hundred dollars. All seniors, whether their home is paid off or not, find reduced property taxes can improve their financial situation immediately.
So how do we fund 'tuition stamps'? Similar to food stamps from the central government.
Suddenly, middle class families negotiate with their principal on price and quality.
Remember the children are tested each year and must show improvement. If a school does not meet minimum standards for improvements, kids quit going there and they close down.
Parents whose children have low acheivement are further reviewed. A social worker may be assigned or if the family situation is untenable, the child may chose boarding school (not the forced boarding school on the reservations). Since we pass laws requiring that children be educated, testing and follow up for children who fall behind becomes essential.
If a child gets a bad teacher, chances are the teacher will be removed rather than lose students (revenue) to another school down the street. Overhead will shrink greastly as the principals negotiate directly with parents.
Special needs children may require an advanced tuition stamp to meet their needs similar to SSI. But that does not mean that the 80/20 rule doesn't provide most students an education with no outside interference from the government (other than their annual snapshot) and if they want to say 'pray' in their moment of silence, the schools have that option.