Our Schools are a Public Good
Even those that don't use public education benefit from it
Our public schools exist for the for the benefit of everyone. In other words, they are what economists call a "public good." This means, in part, that we don't exclude families from public schools based on their income, or their race, or their religion. But it also means that they exist to help even those people who don't have school-age children or any children at all.
Here's just a couple of benefits everyone in our community enjoys as the result of strong East Penn schools:
Lower crime: Studies consistently show a strong correlation between higher levels of education and lower crime rates. By providing job skills and opportunities to all students, public schools contribute to a safer community for all of us.
Higher property values: Homeowners benefit from good schools whether they have children in them or not. Better schools lead to higher home values in the district. One classic study showed that every $1 increase in per-student school spending increased the value of every home in the district by $20. Good schools also protect against a poor economy: home values drop more during a recession in districts with poor schools than they do in districts with good schools.
A stronger democracy: Schools provide the knowledge and habits of mind people need to participate in the democratic process. They foster civic engagement, and teach students about their rights and responsibilities in society. We all benefit from a community of people like this, whether or not we use those schools ourselves.
A more vibrant economy: The vast majority of kids in East Penn attend one of our ten public schools (the national average is about 90%). Those schools are thus largely responsible for a more skilled and productive workforce, more people with great entrepreneurial ideas, and more people who can innovate and improve the world around them. The net result is new businesses, new jobs, and more opportunities for the community as a whole.
Too often the discussion of public education centers on the "private" benefits a quality education has for an individual student or their family; a focus on schools as a way to get ahead in the world. And certainly there are those benefits too. But this focus also misunderstands the larger and more important role that schools play as foundations of the community. Like other public goods-- such as roads, clean air, or a strong national defense-- the most significant benefits of public schools are enjoyed by everyone, including families who choose to send their kids to private schools, senior citizens, adults with no children, and more.
And that is the true beauty of public education.
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Some very good information about the benefits of a good public education, like here in East Penn.