but I suspect it's similar everywhere. I don't think most people really understand how vastly different schools can be in the US.
Throwing money at education is not the only answer, but when parents and a community are really behind the schools they get a good return for the dollars. A community that is preparing kids well, sending kids to college, and attracting employers almost always has roots in good schools. A few mils of property tax is well spent. Crime is lower, people are healthier, and things just get better. I've seen it happen.
When you destroy the schools and run off the good teachers, no "charter school" or after school program or letting the state take over the school will turn it around. I get very tired of politicians attacking schools, universities, and hard-working educators. Our stupid governor has gone after teachers (pay, retirement, etc.), lowered the state contribution per student, and paraded a series of uniformed "Commissioners" of education through the DOE. They spend many millions on testing, charter schools, computer courses (required in Florida) and other ways to get the governor's friends some way to milk money from the budget.
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