AND - while I'm at it - the numbers are public so check them yourself - about half of every dollar 'given' to schools never reaches the classroom. They reach the administration and the layers of experts that are now built-in to public schools. Public schools are designed to spend money and get larger, not necessarily educate students (allow me to paraphrase Gatto).
Do you mind if I ask what city you live in?
There are lots of horror stories around here. Yet I live in a school district that I consider to be EXCELLENT. It receives the second highest possible rating by the state, yet something like 30+% of the students live at or near the poverty level. Students who stay in the district 3+ years do MUCH better than those who come and go. The district even outperforms most private schools and offers more advanced programs. The vast majority of funds the schools receive go straight to the classroom and school services (teacher pay, school supplies, buildings and operating expenses). In fact most districts around here have just a small % go to "the administration and the layers of experts". It is NOWHERE near 50%.
Yet our taxes are low and there hasn't been a tax levy put up for a vote in years (and in Ohio, you have to pass a levy for additional funds - property reassessments do not raise additional money for the schools).
The top students coming out are really incredibly impressive....
One graduate is even serving as the White House Press Secretary.