New Jersey has created a debate http://www.eiaonline.com/intercepts/2013/04/11/new-jersey-school-stats-stir-the-pot/ about how to measure the costs of a student in public education. They have changed the definition of "per-pupil costs." Well I am not familiar with the lingo of education policy, it would seem to me that a valuable number for public education would be to come as close as possible to measuring the cost of the student. It would make public education more like private business. It would allow families seeking a private education to truly understand what the real cost of an education is.
Hey family seeking to place a child in private school or parochial school will better be able to see what the cost of education really is. It would allow them to understand better what they would choose to spend.
It would allow the public sector to better assess its cost versus private costs. While we do not expect government expenditures on any subject to be cheaper than private expenditures, it does allow some reality check as to what better performing schools can do with less money.
