In other countries, it's not uncommon for parents to pay for their own child's education.
A plan could be, States pay through taxes, schooling up to the sixth grade. By then, they should have all the skills needed.
I say needed mainly because all studies after sixth grade aren't generally used after entering the real world.
They will have the basics, reading writing and math.
After the sixth grade, parents who wish their kids to have a further education, pay out of their own pockets.
The kids who pass the sixth, be tested to see what type of job they'd be suited for and enrolled into that specific field for training. Three or four years of State paid,job training should make them qualified for the workforce.
This plan would accomplish at least a couple things.
Taking the load off home owners who have no kids in school.
Puts a stop to wasting money on kids who have no interest in school.
As I see it, if the money is coming directly out of the pockets of the parents, the parents would make sure the kid doesn't waste the opportunity.

Does that mean the intelligent kids that have parents that are financially incapable of providing such an education would become victims of society's unempolyed? Or what about the kids that do try in school but can't quite make the grade? Would they not be able to go any further than their 6th grade education? I'm seeing some flaws in this plan.

don't our taxes pay for schools now?

Sure there are flaws in my short plan.
If the kid can't excel, why should he be left out of the job market?
That's why I suggest testing to see what they would be suited for and State train them.
As far as the Parents who couldn't afford further educating, State train those kids as well and let the kid, after entering the job market, decide if saving money towards further education is viable for them.

What are some other ideas that might make this sort of plan work for us?

Parents in other countries are doing it.

Yes, and there's a lot of waste. I think the burden should be more on the parents who have school aged kids and not on people who have no kids.

that i do agree with

High school drop-out rate in major US cities at nearly 50 percent.
That was the stat in 2008. Dropping out is a planned action. When the kid starts falling way behind, they loose hope of ever catching up.
As the Law stands now, a kid can't drop out until they reach a certain age. Until then, they are forced to attend.
If those kids could have been tested after achieving the elementary knowledge needed, they would run a lesser risk of being a burden on society as a whole and would have been trained in a skill they can use and feel proud of.

I disagree with what you are saying about the education that the sixth graders are receiving. They are taking classes to prepare themselves for high school. My child took English, Math, Literature, Social Studies, Science, Computer, Spanish, Art, Music,
Gym and more.

High school prepares them for college. College means career.

These kids need the best education that they can get. They are our future!

the schools are certainly more advanced than when i was a kid. maybe we don't have the education like china does....but it's still pretty good.

but i do see the points about the adult without kids shouldn't have to pay for schools

wow my typing is off today lol

Some one please explain. And don't jump all over me, I am just asking. Why do those that chose not to have children or those with out children have to pay for the education of other people's kids? I am no complaining I am just asking.

It seems to me that we give all sorts of insentives to young people to 'NOT' take responsiblity for themselves and those that they might bring into this world. I realize that accidents happen, but more than one child is not an accident, and I see young women having 3 and 4 kids and no support other than the tax payer, and they expect and depend on our support.

I never understood this logic. So what are we telling young people? They don't have to be responsible, they can have as many kids as they want with no consequences? We talk about the illegals but they aren't the only problem when our own kids think nothing of having several kids that will need assistence.

Explain what I am missing here.

i don't know either....i don't think it is right myself. i have a child and very willing to pay taxes...but he's going to college next year and i will be paying for that on top of taxes

I pay for my child to go to a private school. I still pay taxes for the public school. If the public school system doesn't do well, the city goes downhill. People won't want to live in my city. There goes the value of my house too. People want to live in areas that have good schools. The kids in those schools are going to be working someday. We need them to work to keep our country going. They work, they pay taxes and FICA.

I agree, those kids who will excel, should.
Not all will or want to.
As stated earlier, there is much waste on the ones who either can't or want to.
If given an option, I'd almost bet, both the above categories, would willingly accept being trained for an occupation rather than drop out. National statistics state over 50% drop out.
Wasted Taxpayer money.

Education is never a waste, IMO.

Thats a awful idea.Are you trying to re live the great depression?90% of the kids out there probably would not want to go back to school after the 6th grade.If the parents couldn't afford it then what?If the parents did want them to go what legal action could they take to make them go with laws saying the children didn't have to go.All you would get out of that would be some dumb,lazy,unmotivated,kids who want to sit around the house all day and sleep while driving their parents crazy.

I don't know where you are getting a quote that the drop out rate in major cities is 50 percent.You are way off!It's more like 13% and rarely below 20%.

New York Times
April 1, 2008

“We Americans can’t afford to have a third or more of our kids not getting through high school — how can we have this?” Mr. Powell said in an interview. “Some places have a 70 percent dropout rate. We can’t have this.”

Again, Ms Winx, I agree 100%.
The waste is towards kids who can't excel because of mental limitations and the kids who don't want to be there and will drop out when they legally can.

The other point is, why should I, and other home owners be forced to pay for public school education.

I say, have the parents fork it over.

If, after elementary education, the parents can't afford it, train the kid for an occupation that they would be suited for.

St. Louis Public High Schools have a 22% drop out rate. The worst school has 29.5%.

the world needs ditch diggers too