They get $$$ for every student enrolled.
If conservatives pull their kids from public education, something will have to give because their revenues will go down.
You know what they say, "Money Talks."
At least 10 years ago I read an article by Cal Thomas, and he said if we really wanted reform in the education system, we'd do just this, every conservative would pull their kids from the system and something would have to happen, they'd have to change in order to attract kids back into the system, because they need the $$$$.
Nice idea, but too many conservatives live in areas where not as much of this rot is going on. These folks may not think much of public schools as a whole, but they feel their kids' public school is OK.
I agree with this. In Ayn Rand's book Atlas Shrugged all of the productive people of society just up and quit and this eventually forced society to change. A great book -- but unrealistic. The productive people are not going to just up and quit and the world isn't going to suddenly wise up.
However, I truly believe that if a large number of conservative parents walked away from the Public Schools then those schools would have to change -- and quickly! I truly believe this is possible.