Those Who Pay For Private Education Cut the Cost of Public Education

Guest post by Russ Pinyan, Lincoln financial advisor and father of four.

School choice means having options.  Having the option to send our children to a private school has been a good thing for our family.  For the last 15 years, we have sent our children to a private school, and we currently have four students attending this pre-school through 12th grade school.  This has been a very positive experience, but it has been a financial challenge.  Unfortunately, we are forced to pay more than our fair share.

Here is where I am going.  The public school system is striving to be a great place to educate our children.  The push for better and bigger facilities along with the desire to keep employees pay competitive are consistent goals.  With the population growth we are experiencing, there is always a plan for more space on the agenda.  These are great goals to strive toward.  Reaching these goals obviously cost money.  Our solution is to rely either on a larger tax base or higher taxes.

Now, an interesting question- “What would happen if, for some reason, the private schools closed their doors tomorrow?”  Take some time to think about it.  A quick search shows that more than 1,500 students attend private high schools in Lincoln.  This does not include any home school, junior high, or elementary students.  Where would these students go?  What building?  What teachers?  If what exist now is stretching the limits, how will the public schools absorb these students?

Consider these facts:

• My tax dollars help support public education.
  
• My paycheck supports private education for my children.
• Private education reduces the number of students that the public system needs to provide for.  This results in less schools needed, less teachers, less equipment, etc….).

It is not a stretch to understand that by spending money on private education, you reduce the taxes for those sending their children to public school.

This system seems unfair and easy to fix. 

Isn’t it time we allowed a property tax credit to those that pay for private education?  We need School Choice and this would be a good start.


Russ Pinyan and his wife Jennifer are the parents of four children: Nosa (a student from Africa), Tanner, Tucker, and Tatiana. All of their children are enrolled at Parkview Christian.