tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3038828360589919480.post4876388269626098890..comments2023-10-12T05:22:07.181-04:00Comments on The Prichard Blog!: Growth, costs, choice of schools (in Manhattan)SPWestonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08602329486466534720noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3038828360589919480.post-39777502039513919272009-05-02T12:38:00.000-04:002009-05-02T12:38:00.000-04:00There certainly are some vacant buildings for leas...There certainly are some vacant buildings for lease that provide appropriate classroom, cafeteria and physical activity space with adequate fire escapes and restrooms for student use.<br /><br />Respectfully, I doubt the supply is large enough to allow rapid school expansion. I especially doubt that vacant suitable buildings are common in areas with rapid growth in residential and commercial demand.<br /><br />In the private education sector, from preschool to higher education, programs use family basements, borrow church space, or seek separate capital donations in order to build. They do not fund facilities out of student tuition and fees, because the cost is prohibitive. <br /><br />I'm not arguing against a market model here. I'm arguing for a real market model based on the real structure of production costs. <br /><br />In this sector, the marginal income available from expanding enrollment is not sufficient to attract new investment in fixed facilities.SPWestonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08602329486466534720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3038828360589919480.post-46416217091550209592009-05-02T11:50:00.000-04:002009-05-02T11:50:00.000-04:00You raise some good points. Two things though:
-...You raise some good points. Two things though:<br /><br />-Leasing a building to deal with excess enrollment is a lot cheaper and allows for more flexibility than breaking new ground for classrooms<br />-Suppliers would probably be a lot more receptive to making long term investments if they were confident charter/choice laws wouldn't change in the future. Restrictive laws (caps, etc) and uncertainty probably keep a lot of investment/supply out.<br /><br />I would think the bigger supply problem would be finding enough crazy (crazy in a good way) people who are willing to work the 14 hour days for little pay needed to run a high performing charter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com