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<p>This is the perverse results from the quasi monopolistic organization of our school system. Parents are fleeing the large urban districts for the lure of the suburbs where tax revenues can support the country-club like high school everyone seems to want. The prices of the houses do reflect the “selectivity” of the new school districts and ensure that the SES undesirable stay away … all leading to the “correct” racial distribution of the enclave. In the meantime, parents who can afford to stay closer to the center of town AND stay away from the [blank]ISD send their kids to the more competitive private schools, and also to private schools that are NOT that competitive but selective in SES admissions. The public schools in turn continue to overspend, fail to attract the best teachers, and pretty much give up on the average students. Some are saved by the VERY good magnet schools, but most are not. </p>
<p>This could change if there were a truly and open competitive system where the families would be able to apply their “budget” to a school that fit their criteria. No, this does not mean that the “vouchers” would grant access to the St Mark’s and Greenhill in Dallas, but it would fuel the opening of many schools that would priced in the same range as public schools. With such system, there would be less of an exodus to the suburbs and both the private AND public schools would be forced to become or remain attractive. </p>
<p>Fwiw, we have been led to believe that a public system of education run by the government would eliminate or reduce the racial and SES separation and discrimination. The reality is that the opposite is true, and has been true for a long time. </p>
<p>Makes the jockeying for a spot at the Ivies … trivial!</p>