Frustrated with our education system

As I said, it's not wealth per se; it's the willingness or reluctance of the local voters to fund programs.

I don't know the general political orientation of your district--if it's in Colorado, it could be anywhere along the spectrum--but there's a general inverse correlation between MAGA-ness and willingness to fund liberal nonsense like education. And of course, Trump is destroying the DOE--the government organization that has helped make stuff like precare and aftercare possible.

The consolidation you mentioned happened in Medford (southern Oregon) about a decade ago. Instead of a bunch of smaller elementary schools, there are now two frickin' immense ones--and yes, modern equipment, ADA accomodations, etc. The transition was funded by a federal grant via DOE. That sort of thing won't happen any more, at least not as long as we have a Turd government.

Trump is eliminating the department of education

Since the creation of the DOE the quality of education in the US has gone down.  Maybe we don't need it

Typically, you'll find that more liberal communities are willing to allocate resources (ie, pay more taxes) for things like before-school and after-school programs. Usually, more conservative areas are reluctant to fund these types of programs.

This is certainly a generalization, but it tends to hold true.

That's a silly generalization, but even if true in some places, blaming it on the existence of the DOE is ridiculous. Only a fool would be ignorant of the good that the DOE has done. A fool like Trump, or stupid Tom.

NYC spends $42k per student; the highest in the country, but less than 30% read at grade level.

The city Department of Education will spend a staggering $42,168 per student this school year, budget experts project, even as enrollment declines and student achievement stalls. The record sum is nearly $2,000 per student more than the DOE spent last year, according to the nonprofit think tank Citizens Budget Commission. Students report to class Sept. 4. The stunning figure is 36% more than the $31,119 the city spent per pupil just five years ago

The “Nation’s Report Card” released by the National Center for Education Statistics in January revealed that just 33% of Big Apple fourth graders scored proficiency in math and 28% in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress last year. Older students’ results were worse – 23% of city eighth graders met the national standards in math and 29% in reading.

What does any of that have to do with before and after school programs for kids who have working parents?

Maybe he is arguing to close schools all together to save money?

Typically, you'll find that more liberal communities are willing to allocate resources (ie, pay more taxes) for things like before-school and after-school programs.

NYC spends money on all these programs as well as others with poor results.  It isn't how much money you spend but how well it is spent

NYC charter schools have less money but vastly better results.

The cost per student for NYC charter schools is approximately $18,340. This figure represents the average spending per pupil at these schools, which is less than the average funding per pupil in traditional district schools. - New York State Education Department.

NYC Charter Schools Results 2024 The 2024-25 school year results for NYC charter schools show a significant improvement in student proficiency compared to their NYC district counterparts. In English Language Arts (ELA), charter schools achieved a proficiency rate of 58.2%,  In Mathematics, the proficiency rate for charter schools was 66.3%. Notably, Black and Hispanic charter school students outperformed their district peers in both ELA and Math, with Black charter students scoring proficient at 65.9% compared to 38.4% in the district, and Hispanic students at 63.7% compared to 39.7%. These results reflect the continued success of NYC charter schools and their impact on student achievement. - New York City Charter School Center

As of now, more than 163,000 students are on wait lists for charter schools in New York City. This number reflects the ongoing demand for charter school seats in the city. studentsfirstny.org

Applications: Charter schools accept applications on a rolling basis. If there are more applicants than seats available, a lottery is held to randomly select students for admission.  Waitlists: If a child is not selected in the lottery, they will be placed on the school's waitlist. They will be notified when seats become available.

Indiana tried that Tom. They even set-up a special school as a test bed. Shortly thereafter, Republicans got caught rigging test scores and other metrics as the results were so bad.

That being said it is easy to get results as a Charter school when you get to pick your students: no poors, no disability accommodations and no special education students. Indiana Republicans were a special kind of stupid as they bought into their own BS.  They didn't understand it was meant to be performative art not actual policy. 

Mark - all lies. 

The schools are open to all students and they don't select the students; they are chosen by lottery with 163k on waiting lists. 70% of charter students are minorities. 10% are ELL and 20.% have disabilities. Schools are located in the lowest income areas. 

The typical school day is 7:30 to 4 plus after school programs. 

With less money they outperform NYC public schools. 

On the other hand the regular public schools enrollment is down 15%