We currently spend $18,175 per student.  Yet private schools get no money from Feds or state because of the religious curriculum and when my kids attended it cost us about 10k per kid and that included before and after school care.  In private school they had smaller class sizes and better academics... why the big cost different?  Administration!!!! The school had one principal, 1 full time 1 part time office worker, and when class sizes increases to twenty another teacher was brought in and a new class opened.  Every class over 15 kids had a full time aid.  This was all paid for from tuition and fundraisers.  the school had a music program and arts and drama... our kids had a solid educational start by attending this school.  This is why the idea of tuition waivers is becoming more popular as it gives the parents the ability to choose the best education to meet the needs of their children.  As with any educational institute the bloat is not in the schools but in the upper administrati