Public schoolers! What is your income level? *private poll* - Page 2

[Elizabeth2008]

I'm sure you know this, but if this is for a statistics class, this board is hardly a random sample. To start with, you would need to control for the difference in income levels of MDC board members and the general public. And you also really want at least 300 responses in order to minimize the impact of outliers. But this is interesting!

I must admit, I would do private school if I could afford it. Can't homeschool because i'm a single parent and must work. I love the concept of public schools and pray ours in California will be given the resources they need (sadly i don't see that happening anytime soon) and get off this standardized-testing kick that they are all on. Schools don't even seem to care about art, history or social studies/civics anymore because it's not what they're testing for.. sigh..

[Linda on the move]

We can afford private schools and do not use them. ALL the private schools where we live are religious based (sadly, all the homeschooling groups are, too). Public school is the only place where my children are welcome. Luckily, our public school is well funded and while it has good test scores, still provides a well rounded education.

[The Hidden Life]

Let's see, we have done:

German preschool, 2 yrs
homeschool/German kinder/6 wks public school, 1 yr
public school only, 3 yrs
homeschool only, 2 yrs
back to public school, starting this fall

What does that make us? Probaby indecisive!

[Bekka]

Originally Posted by Needle in the Hay

It is narrow-minded to consider that kids attending full-time school are not homeschoolers?

A bunch of people are indicating that this is not straightforward. Our kids attend public schools, but we consider ourselves lifeschoolers--we propagate an atmosphere of joy of learning at all times. Our kids go to school, then get more information at home, explore topics of their own interest at home, and the general gist of our home is "joy of learning."

Our second choice if public school doesn't work is homeschooling. We have personal (non-employment, non-many things) reasons not to homeschool at this time, but I believe that we are kind of eclectic homeschoolers (almost unschoolers) at heart. Our kids speak with other kids at school and it's like they speak another language. B/C our kids are excited about learning all the time (and dislike many electronic games).

[sewchris2642]

Originally Posted by Linda on the move

I think it is funny that we public schoolers just voted, but the homeschoolers felt the need to point out problems with your project (cost of living, two income vs. one income, etc.)

You say you need something for a class, and we just give it to you. Heck, it's homework We help with homework. Your teacher wants you to get some stats? We'll give you stats. We are public school parents! Helping with homework is what we do!

The homeschoolers want to discuss it and turn it into a whole different project

No, it's a different set of statistics between public school and home school in terms of income. Both sets pay for public school but only one pays for home school. So the home school family must factor in paying for both types of education into their budget while the family who sends their kids to public school doesn't. That's where the extra discussion comes in. I suspect that if there was a poll about income and private school, there would be a similar discussion.

[annethcz]

Originally Posted by sewchris2642

No, it's a different set of statistics between public school and home school in terms of income. Both sets pay for public school but only one pays for home school. So the home school family must factor in paying for both types of education into their budget while the family who sends their kids to public school doesn't. That's where the extra discussion comes in. I suspect that if there was a poll about income and private school, there would be a similar discussion.

Well, if we're going to go down THAT road, we could talk about people who have children vs. people who are childless. Even childless people pay for public schools (via taxes). So I don't think it's helpful to say that homeschoolers are unfairly burdened by having to pay into the public school system via taxes, in addition to paying to educate their children at home. It is a cost burdened by society as a whole.

That said, I think it would be interesting to see some stats. From what I've observed, as both a HSing parent and a PSing parent is that parents with more money spend more money on their children. Period. If they homeschool, that spending manifests itself with co-ops, classes, and curriculum. If they PS, that spending seems to come in the form of extracurriculars, summer camps, classes, etc.

[mistymama]

Originally Posted by annethcz

That said, I think it would be interesting to see some stats. From what I've observed, as both a HSing parent and a PSing parent is that parents with more money spend more money on their children. Period. If they homeschool, that spending manifests itself with co-ops, classes, and curriculum. If they PS, that spending seems to come in the form of extracurriculars, summer camps, classes, etc.

This is very true and has been my experience as well. If the parents have the money, they spend it. Might be science camp instead of co-ops, but it gets spent just the same.

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by sewchris2642

So the home school family must factor in paying for both types of education into their budget while the family who sends their kids to public school doesn't.

Not really. We are former homeschoolers that the amount that we spent on homeschooling specific resources wasn't much more than we currently spend on school fees, school supplies, and school clothes. Homeschooling costs more if a family buys a complete boxed curriculum, but most the homeschoolers I met over the years didn't do that.

And public school ain't free!

The bulk of the money that we spend on our kids is for outside activites, which cost the same either way.

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by Evergreen

I voted $35-$50000 which is the main reason we public school. If dhe made more money we'd home school all the way.

I voted 75-100. I wont be homeschooling, its not for us. But I have 3 families I know who homeschool, do a great job and love doing it.

I local school my dd attends on the state report card scored 99% overall for all the subjects and 100% on several of the subjects. Worth the 6K in property taxes we pay each year which 80% of goes to the education system here.

And yes, I just gave the stats you are looking for. Off to find the thread on $$ and homeschooling.