Bold moves from Gov. Bobby Jindal: http://www.reuters.com/article/comments/idUSL1E8H10AG20120601 The article has an unbelievable bias to it, but the comments indicate the vast majority recognized that fact. The article author apparently didn't really grasp the point of the vouchers - parents choose their child's education, not the state. If a parent wants their child to go to a school that uses video, then that's their CHOICE. Hope the new system works for the families in that state. Something's obviously got to change.
Yeah, it's definitely biased! I was able to weed through the garbage to find the good, though. You're right... looks like most of the comments are from people who saw through the bias, too.
I applaud Governor Jindal for trying to give Louisiana kids a better education. Perhaps some of our neices' and nephews' children can take advantage of the vouchers. I'm not happy that he is allowing a 52% increase on my home owners insurance!
I'm going to just wait and see how it plays out. I'm not going to try to get state-approved so I can take vouchers, because the kids will still have to take the stupid state tests anyway. I have no doubt that my kids would be able to pass them; but who knows what else the state will want to require??? Getting state approval is apparently not all that hard now, if they approved that Ruston school that has too little space/teachers/computers for the kids they got approved for (read about them the other day).
Here all schools (public and private) are funded on a per student basis. Public schools get substantially more funding, but if my children enroll at a private school, that school gets some gov't funding. The catch is that those schools that accept funding, must teach the ministries chosen learning outcomes - though they can include religious content if they are a private school. I can enroll my children with a private school as a distance learner, and homeschool, but agree to teach a minimum of 80% of the learning outcomes. Then I get some funding too. Catch - a teacher has to check on me and give my child a report card. This can be somewhat annoying, but I get $1000 funding. I have signed up with a Christian private school, and have a Christian teacher. I feel comfortable that they are accurately and objectively assessing my sons work.
I think the benefit is that the PS have to tighten up and learn to offer better programs. It will be interesting to see if homeschoolers in your state are able to participate. Will you be able to purchase curriculum with vouchers or cash in vouchers by registering yourself as a school?
I don't think it is going to work that way. I think the only way homeschoolers will be able to benefit is if the are low income and apply to a private school and get accepted. Homeschoolers can also apply to one of the new online schools too. Either way it would not really be considered homeschooling anymore.
Homeschoolers do get a little break on their state taxes, though. But you have to keep your receipts and there's a limit on how much break you get, yada yada yada...
