Dear Readers:

 

In one of the recent Articles, we have impressed upon the exemplary effort of a visionary 'Doon School' educated Politician and Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik's Most Economical Primary Education Policy.

He is also the architect of Most Expensive Socialist Policy - Rs. 2/- KG rice scheme for all BPL families.

 

Today, we are going to  inform you, How Independently work the School System of the Capitalist Country - USA ?

 

Like India, in USA also there are both public and private schools.

 

There are about 33000 estimated private schools in USA, where about 6 million (11% of America's Elementary and High School ) students study. Parents pay an average of $16115 for first grade and $20,995 for 12th grade this year in such private schools.

 

A typical private school holds about 475 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. In some schools, such student enrollments touch around 1500.

 

A typical  lowest wage in America is around $7/hour , Maximum 40 hours a week, i.e. if both Parents go to work, a typical poor family would have an income of around $2300 per month. A typical low cost of apartment rent is around $500 per month in the state of Texas. So, after paying the house rent, parents would have to manage their family with $1800.

 

Food and Electronic good are relatively less expensive in USA. A McDonalds  large French fry costs around $1.96; some places the same costs around $2.6. A Pizza Buffet or Chinese buffet cost around $6. Indian Buffet is around $9 or $10.  So, even with a lower income, if some one has got a $7/hour job, surviving won't be difficult. But, they can't afford private schools.

 

Public School Education is Free in America and there are around 14000 Independent school districts, where there are about 98,000 public schools. Each school district has got their own school budget and depend on tax payers money of their own school district;In stead of fully depending on State Government or Federal Government, they get a share from the income of the City. A typical student to teacher ratio at KG level  is  17:1. In Texas, usually  a City imposes a typical property tax between 2.2% to 2.8% of the apprised home/property  price. e.g. in a city with 2.2% property tax bracket, if you own a home of worth $200,000, you have to pay $4400 per annum as property tax. Since a portion of your money goes to school of your ISD , you can't send your kid to a public school of another Independent School District.

 

Now compare the disadvantage in India/Odisha model, where your Tax money goes to State Government and Government doesn't prioritize primary education because it won't fetch them vote; the Rs. 2 per KG scheme will help them in election so tax money is diverted from primary education to populous vote-sensitive schemes. Since, no money left for education, in stead of regular teachers, they recruit adhoc education assistants at a poor salary of Rs. 4000/- per month. So, quality of education suffers, when Government takes control of your affairs. That is why US conservatives often say, the bigger the Government, the smaller become the citizens.

 

Let us see, How an Independent School Dictrict handles a budget deficit ?

 

A Typical case study, as reported Dallas Morning News: McKinney ISD,TX

 

Issue: Net tax base growth is zero and it is going to add 487 students.

Best Early Estimate for the revenue year 2011: Income $177.9 million, Expenditure: $181.4 million. They have a reserve fund and hence there is a possibility that this deficit might deplete the reserve fund.

 

So they are considering few possible options:

 

Since no state Government is involved, a city can go to its people with its issue and propose a tax rate hike election to raise the deficit money.

 

Today, there is also a half page income-expenditute statement advertisement of an Independent School District. That means, they(School Districts)  inform their Tax payers, what they have collected and how much they spent on what ?

 

Depending upon the performance of public schools, they are rated Exemplory, Recognized or Acceptable. Former President George W. Bush had a signature education law "No Child Left Behind",with a goal - "by 2014 deadline every American Child  should be at a fair level of  Academic profiency". He envisioned a Federal role in Public Schools and allocated Federal funds for  achieving higher standards, encouraging teacher quality and closing the achievement gap between minority and white students.

 

The No Child Left Behind Act requires USA's 98,000 public schools to make "adequate yearly progress" as measured by student test scores. Schools that miss their targets in reading and mathematics must offer students the opportunity to transfer to other schools, and free after-school tutoring. Schools that repeatedly miss targets face harsher sanctions, which can include staff dismissals and closure. All students are required to be proficient by 2014.

 

President Obama is going to overhaul the "No Child Left Behind" policy by a new judging system. He wants to change federal financing formulas so that part of the money is awarded based on academic progress, rather than apportioned to districts according to their numbers of students and especially poor students.

 

Although Indian Education System is considered as good in USA because of Science and Mathematics, deep down, we know - How bad is our Government Education System, where a teacher is paid Rs. 4000/- per month and has to handle a dynamic student to teacher ratio.