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Compare the hours you spend with your children to their hours at school.  Now be concerned.  Better yet; get informed.  Children are our greatest assets.  We nurture them and want them to do well in life.  Unfortunately, today’s Georgia public school system doesn’t support our desires.  Our schools are in major need of educational reform and our children are suffering.  Here’s some overflow effects that may directly affect you financially.

You Assume More Financial Risk. Our children’s lacking connection to education often leads to riskier behavior in school and with peers.  Many unconnected students turn to crime, make babies, depend on you longer and often drop out or stay in college longer.  Parents – think bail, court costs, formula, diapers and prolonged tuition. Among your current educational efforts, look for ways to give your kids supplemental education that reduces your new areas of financial risk (your home, car, increased health coverage, etc.)

You’ll Pay For Lack of Engagement. Administrations are disenfranchised and our teachers are disrespected and ignored.  Today’s teacher is a spinning wheel; adjusting to reform, doing more, receiving less and being pressured to raise our kids.  Teachers normally manage two hundred; but meet six parents on average during the school year.  They also teach in fear, restricting their engagement.  Their massive turnover fuels a lagging local economy and a deteriorated generation of future local employees.  Become more active in the changing school environment to prepare.   AND SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS SINCE THEY KNOW WHO’S LEARNING.

You’ll Pay For Educational Messes. Messy educational systems equal personal and financial messes for you too.  Most of Atlanta knows the scandals surrounding our schools.  Whether legitimate or not, the community loses.  Many kids are preyed upon by teachers who recognize their lack of self esteem.  Nobody’s rooting for these children, opening them up to be taken advantage of.  School staff must continually adjust to legislation that threatens their job security daily.  This creates conflicts of interest that compromise our children’s educations.  The domino effect equals more taxpayer dollars wasted on public investigations.  Consistently lobby for accountability in schools and become knowledgeable of where your taxpayer dollars are going.

You’ll Pay In Extra Educational Costs. Colleges want kids who’ll make good students and alumni.  Many enter high school unable to read, write and do math proficiently for their age.  This uphill battle accelerates their uneasiness with school.  Lagging teens often come from lackluster primary school preparation.  This forces students, per the sweat of already overworked teachers, to “catch up” on the basics.  These “catch up programs” are primarily publicly funded.  In addition, high school diplomas don’t cut it, adding to the pressure.  They escape school but can’t get jobs.  So guess who’ll be joining you for dinner after graduation?  Set the educational tone early.  Look for ways to supplement their educational needs outside of school time with free tutoring/educational mentoring options.

You May Have To Move Your Kids. You’ve questioned the teachers.  You’ve harassed administration and the School Board.  You’ve inquired on redistricting school zones.  Or haven’t you?  New resources are openly thrown at children whose school can’t cut it academically.  Maybe Michael should be transported to another district?  Budget the costs of new higher tax-bracketed friends and extracurricular costs while you’re at it.  While public schools test new school improvement models, the only immediate option is paying for their education.  Until school vouchers come into play; you’ll have to pay.

You’ll Pay In Future Deterioration of Wealth.  Let’s face it.  You love your children but don’t want your hard work and earnings squandered.  Generational wealth is the goal.  It’s to our advantage when our children are happy, successful, educated and financially knowledgeable enough to carry our torches.  Children who don’t learn in school often become adults who make bad decisions financially with their money (and sometimes yours).  The work you put in today may prevent you from paying for it later.

Jemal Webb is a leading Independent Financial Asset Manager in Atlanta, building a community based on Abundance, Protection and Education.

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