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I mean most people don’t realize that as a country we spend $14.5k per student (top 5 globally). With average class sizes at ~20 students, we spend ~$290k per c

by davemp 4y ago

I mean most people don’t realize that as a country we spend $14.5k per student (top 5 globally). With average class sizes at ~20 students, we spend ~$290k per class per year. The average teacher’s salary is $55k that leaving ~$235k. Avg office leases are $35/sqft per year and classrooms are ~1k sqft so that’s only $35k. Making the core cost of teacher + classroom $90k/yr So somehow we’re burning $200k per class per year on administration, transportation, facility management, curriculums, and extracurriculars. I can see not wanting to expand the current wasteful system.

mh- 4y ago
I thought your numbers sounded high, but they're actually too low in CA: > The total overall funding (federal, state, and local) for all K–12 education programs is $124.3 billion, with per-pupil spending of $21,596 in 2021–22. For 2020–21, per-pupil funding increased from $16,881 in the 2020–21 Budget Act to $23,089 in the 2021–22 Budget Act. https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fr/eb/yr21ltr0811.asp https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fr/eb/yr21ltr0811.asp
anotherman554 4y ago
The person upthread said they "vote against schools" I assume the intent it to have the children raise themselves on the street while their parents work in sweat shops like a Dickensian novel. A teacher's salary might be 55k but you have not accounted for pension, FICA and health care. A more interesting question is what should it cost to run an education system? A quick search indicates the U.S. "spends about 4.96% of its GDP on education, compared to the 5.59% average of other developed nations" So maybe things just cost more in the U.S.
- VancouverMan 4y ago
  > what should it cost to run an education system? That can only be properly determined with a free market, where the supply-side and demand-side participants voluntarily come to an agreement about what services will be offered, and what will be paid in exchange for those services. What we'd find is that there isn't one specific amount. It would vary significantly, depending on the unique situations of the various participants.
  - anotherman554 4y ago
    I'm guessing you are a liberterian. For those who are not, a survey of the best practices in existing developed countries would likely make more sense.
panick21_ 4y ago
It would help if schools wouldn't have to run its own buses. If there was some kind of system of buses kids could just use.

by davemp 4y ago

mh- 4y ago

I thought your numbers sounded high, but they're actually too low in CA: > The total overall funding (federal, state, and local) for all K–12 education programs is $124.3 billion, with per-pupil spending of $21,596 in 2021–22. For 2020–21, per-pupil funding increased from $16,881 in the 2020–21 Budget Act to $23,089 in the 2021–22 Budget Act. https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fr/eb/yr21ltr0811.asp https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fr/eb/yr21ltr0811.asp

anotherman554 4y ago

The person upthread said they "vote against schools" I assume the intent it to have the children raise themselves on the street while their parents work in sweat shops like a Dickensian novel. A teacher's salary might be 55k but you have not accounted for pension, FICA and health care. A more interesting question is what should it cost to run an education system? A quick search indicates the U.S. "spends about 4.96% of its GDP on education, compared to the 5.59% average of other developed nations" So maybe things just cost more in the U.S.

VancouverMan 4y ago
> what should it cost to run an education system? That can only be properly determined with a free market, where the supply-side and demand-side participants voluntarily come to an agreement about what services will be offered, and what will be paid in exchange for those services. What we'd find is that there isn't one specific amount. It would vary significantly, depending on the unique situations of the various participants.
- anotherman554 4y ago
  I'm guessing you are a liberterian. For those who are not, a survey of the best practices in existing developed countries would likely make more sense.

panick21_ 4y ago

It would help if schools wouldn't have to run its own buses. If there was some kind of system of buses kids could just use.