> that one awesome charter school — not equally funded public schools for all
Recently I read a book of interviews with successful hedge fund managers, one of whom funds charter schools. His schools get results equivalent to the top schools in the state, but they spend less than most of the public schools in the state. And it's not because they get their pick of top students; they are in poor areas and students are selected by lottery.
Fixing education is not about money, it's about fixing our methods. The hedge fund guy hoped that public schools would copy his methods, but the main problem was teachers unions, who were very resistant to change. They also lobbied heavily against every new school he tried to open.
Nevertheless, the example is out there for any public school system willing to try. Experimentation with new ideas is the main point of charter schools.