Good day to all.
There is currently a recommended diary that has elicited great comments from Kossacks regarding reaching out to those who now, or may soon, feel the impact of their votes for George W. Bush, based upon the Civil War in Iraq. However, I am writing this diary to highlight a misunderstanding about public school funding, how it is calculated, and what monies are actually appropriated to school districts.
More after the break.
There are a few Kossacks in the diary who support allowing home school children to participate in extra-curricular activities at public schools. There are also a fair number of Kossacks who do not support the same proposal.
The supporters of extra curricular activities point out that their tax dollars support public schools. This statement, as it relates to taxpayers in Illinois, does not accurately represent public school funding and tax support.
In Illinois, a percentage of property taxes are used to fund public education. However, schools receive 100% of that funding based upon a formula that computes total student enrollment and daily attendance for a designated amount of school days.
Let me give you an example:
State A has designated 1% of property taxes to fund education. City B, according to population, would receive 10% of state funding for education, if 100% of the eligible students are enrolled and attend classes for the required amount of days. But, City B receives 70% of the money designated for public education. Why? Because, when calculated, the number of eligible students enrolled and daily attendance by these enrolled students did not total 100%. This could be due to drop-outs, hooky, enrollment in private schools, home schooling, student illness - a number of factors. But, the bottom line is that City B does not receive 100% of the public education funding that, on the books, they are entitled to receive.
The remaining 30% that City B did not receive in public education funding is put into the state general fund to pay for other activities (e.g., mass transit, roads, etc.)
In conclusion, at least in Illinois, to say that parents who choose home schooling for their children pay for the services of public schools is only partially correct. Because the home schooled child is not enrolled in public school, in effect, the taxes paid by home school parents do not go to public education, but into the state's general fund.
I agree with the Kossack who states that access to extra curricular activities for home schoolers is best decided on a local level. To place this issue on a federal level would worsen an already underfunded public school system.