I just don't think you can do too much for your kids. And to me, education is the most important thing you can give them. The private-funds movement started in California, where state Supreme Court rulings led to a redirection of property tax revenue and creation of Proposition 13 in 1978. To compensate for the missing money, California school boards and parents turned to foundations. The idea spread quickly to other cash-strapped districts nationwide.
Foundations do some nice things.
That looks nice, and the corporations that donated feel happy, but it never really fundamentally changes teaching and ways of learning. Educational Foundation Consultants, based in Michigan, estimates that nearly 18 percent of U.S. schools benefit by funds raised by foundations. Those foundations raise small amounts, generally less than 0.5 percent of a school's budget. But the money can significantly improve programs. And schools use the money for all sorts of things.