The future is not a gift - it is an achievement.
Most Americans would agree that the future of America is our children…. So what are we doing to help our future? The key to making our Nation great, is giving our children a great education, right? So why is it that the government can rape us with property taxes but give us no choice on the public schools our children can attend. Property taxes are the largest source of funding for local services in Texas. They help pay for public schools, city streets, county roads, police, fire protection and many other services. Texas does not have State taxes, but local property taxes have increased rapidly in recent decades and are now among the highest in the nation. Property taxes in Texas are approximately 1.82 percent of a home's value, ranking the state as the second highest in the nation. This means that Texas citizens could reduce their property tax burden by moving to any other state in the nation, except Wisconsin (Who the hell wants to live in Wisconsin?).
Let me get this straight.... I pay high property taxes that go towards for my children’s public school education but I have NO say in what school they go to. How is that fair? We live in America where everything has competition…except schools! If I buy a $100,000 home, I will pay approximately $1,820 a year in property taxes. The location of my house determines where my children have to attend school, unless I decided to put them in private school. Private schools costs an arm and leg to attend AND I still have to pay high property taxes for the public schools my children do not attend! If I find my dream home but discover that the schools designated for that area are under par, I should not have to keep looking for a house. I should have the right to pick where my children attend school. Hell, I’m paying for their education with my property taxes!
So what is the solution? One way I think we can make America better is by evoking School-Choice in all States. Florida is doing this and they are thriving. Here are the basic rules for this program…..
• Public-school choice:
Students in low-performing public schools may transfer to a higher-performing public school of their parents’ choice.
Students in low-performing public schools may transfer to a higher-performing public school of their parents’ choice.
• Private-school choice:
Families with special needs children have access to a Scholarship Program, which provides vouchers to attend a private school of choice.
Families with special needs children have access to a Scholarship Program, which provides vouchers to attend a private school of choice.
• Performance pay:
A system rewarding teachers who achieve student gains, not necessarily those who have the longest tenure. It also provides bonuses for teachers who increase the number of students who pass Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
A system rewarding teachers who achieve student gains, not necessarily those who have the longest tenure. It also provides bonuses for teachers who increase the number of students who pass Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
• A+ Accountability Plan:
Requires that students be tested annually. The students and schools are held accountable for academic outcomes.
Requires that students be tested annually. The students and schools are held accountable for academic outcomes.
Give the parents the right to choose where their children go to school! Making the education system more competitive will only better the teachers and make our children smarter, giving America a brighter future.
Check out these songs (my inspiration)....
Watch these funny episode of Family Guy --
Public School vs. Private School
(working 2 jobs to pay for Private School)
(working 2 jobs to pay for Private School)
(Grades in Public Schools)
Love the article and your suggestions, but the inpirational music - seriously? Very good points though. I'll be interested to research the Florida program too. I never realized our state was the highest in property tax.
ReplyDeleteAmy, you are awesome! I'm impressed, shocked and now really concerned for my future children's future.
ReplyDeleteYou are very true. It is scary where our education system is.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for posting comments and supporting me with my blog! :)
ReplyDeleteJennifer, the music and Family Guy clips are my comic relief! I want everyone leaving my blog to leave with a smile! :)haha!
As a future educator and with dreams of becoming a mother one day, I completely agree with “The future of America is our children.” I believe that all over Texas many children are not getting their tax-paying parent’s money’s worth. Texas’ greatest need now is a better education for public schools. The Texas Constitution of 1836 declared that "It shall be the duty of Congress, as soon as circumstances permit, to provide, by law, a general system of education." Although a general system of education has been placed in each school district, I believe that Texans shouldn’t have to locate themselves nearest the best schools they can afford, for their children to receive a higher education. Local tax payers still pay more than half of the cost of education today, so why is our school systems failing? I do not believe that tax payers should necessarily have the right to decide which schools their children should attend, but I do think that the Texas government should be reforming each school individually and setting the academics, teaching, and monitoring at a very high standard. I think if the expectations in Texas education is raised and the spending for education is increased, focusing on achievement within the classrooms and putting a greater emphasis on core classes, it could be the solution for allowing every child to receive the education they deserve, whether they live in a wealthy school district or not. Rick Perry once said, “Education is the most important investment a state can make in its people.” With that being said, the performance pay should absolutely be in tact, rewarding teachers who achieve scholar status for their students and their school. I think it is important to look at records and know that education in Texas has had many changes over the past few year. Graduation requirements has changed, state textbooks have been modified, and incentives for teachers have been added. However, it is clear from test scores and unacceptable ratings from the Texas Education Agency that our programs have a lot of adjusting and reevaluating to be done, but I do not believe that having tax payers choose where their children should go to school will solve the problem as a state.
ReplyDeleteOn a personal note, I loved the youtube videos. Very inspirational. Your children are beautiful and your story is touching.
Hi Amy,
ReplyDeleteToday, I read your blog about “School-choice”. You helped me to know more about school system in the US. I agree with you that the future of American is our children. And also “the key to making our Nation great, is giving our children a great education”. It‘s not only in the US, but also in the other countries. Thus, the only thing is school system, which helps our children to have a great education. I am surprised when the citizens of the US have to pay high property taxes, but they have no choice the public schools their children can attend. It’s so different from my country. Children can choose the high school with good qualities, but they have to get good grades in the middle school. However, you can choose the elementary and middle school only in the district where you are living. In another hand, in the US, the location of their houses determines where their children have to attend school, unless they decided to put them in private school. Therefore, people who are living in the US, shouldn’t looking for the dream house, they should pick where their children attend school. In my country, it’s same here. If some houses in the districts, which have great schools, their price is usually more expensive.
This article is a good resource for me. It gave me more knowledge about the school system. I think the government should give the citizens some choices to pick the school for their children. Thus, people don’t have to do two jobs to earn more money for the private schools. People will have enough time to take care their family.