I suppose a voucher system could work in different ways among various types of schools or programs. Let's say everyone gets a lifetime voucher for education worth X. It should cover costs for a typical education pre-school through B.A. level at public institutions, specialized education, with more available for specialized further education on a competitive basis or at user cost. Simply put, let's say that everyone gets a $250,000 value voucher at birth to spend on a lifetime's worth of qualified education, applicable anywhere in the US. Schools could still offer scholarships and competitive fellowships, etc., but since they would be getting the voucher funds too they'd be able to be more tuition competitive with public institutions. This is really almost like the idea that initiated the land-grant and state colleges. The public service requirement would be fine. Our younger folks could benefit from a little altruistic learning. wc
----- Original Message ---- From: Saul Ostrow <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Sent: Tue, November 16, 2010 9:52:25 AM Subject: Re: "This study examines the process of commercialization of art which took place in Antwerp during the long sixteenth century, an era of rapid expansion of both the city's economy and its art market." But what would private - for profit institutes do On 11/16/10 10:43 AM, "William Conger" <[email protected]> wrote: We could do that. wc ----- Original Message ---- From: Saul Ostrow <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Sent: Tue, November 16, 2010 9:36:35 AM Subject: Re: "This study examines the process of commercialization of art which took place in Antwerp during the long sixteenth century, an era of rapid expansion of both the city's economy and its art market." Recently, when I was in Cuba - I went to an art school there the students were 15-19 (this was to be their college education, they had already done their high school diploma) after this those who qualify to continue go to the superior school - (19-22) - this is all free in exchange for 3 years national service On 11/16/10 9:50 AM, "William Conger" <[email protected]> wrote: Yes, I get the joke. Education expenses are rising almost as fast as medical expenses, and nothing beats the rise of medical expenses except military expenses and the expense of giving the super rich enormous tax benefits on their already obscene incomes. Nowadays a college education, four years at a selective private tier 1 university will set you back at least a quarter million dollars. Double that in ten years, even without inflation. We can't be an educated country, competitive with China in research technology and the arts, when only coddled multi-millionaires can afford a good education. America must learn that it's crucial that a bigger portion of our tax funds be more heavily in education across the board, from K-12 to post doc, if we want to be serious about competing in a rapidly shifting balance of power from West to East, from North to South. Education is the new arms race. And America is losing it. Let's face it, our education system to too drawn out at the 6-12 grades and too compressed at the undergrad college level. That's proven on one hand by the huge percentage of college-bound kids who earn dozens of advanced placement credits before completing high school and on the other hand by the fact that the average B.A. degree now takes about five years. Too much adolescent play-time is built into our system. I say compress those years from 6-12 into 4 years and follow them with 2 years of general college level courses to be followed by 4 years of study leading to a B.A. degree that's equal to today's M.A. degrees. I'm saying that the future standard college education should be "thicker" and longer than today's. Today's B.A. is only slightly better than yesterday's 2-yr. college certificate. Too much time is wasted in the years 6 through the "associate degree" level and not enough time is given to acquire a competitive standard education (which is, now, the M.A. level). A radical restructuring of education is necessary in America. China and India are already ahead and speeding up. wc ----- Original Message ---- From: joseph berg <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Mon, November 15, 2010 11:01:37 PM Subject: Re: "This study examines the process of commercialization of art which took place in Antwerp during the long sixteenth century, an era of rapid expansion of both the city's economy and its art market." On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 2:28 PM, William Conger <[email protected]>wrote: > I agree with Cheerskep. As I said, a million, even spending a million a > year > after taxes is not very hard to do. I gave the example of having 1 billion > to > spend over a lifetime of 72 years. That would be about 50,000 a DAY to > spend > (not invest or run a business with). Now that would be very hard to do. > wc > That won't be near enough when her kids start going to college: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/11/11/2010-11-11_hungry_octomom_nadya_ suleman_takes_her_14_kids_to_make_milkshakes.html -- --
