First, it's 14k/student in NY and let's forget the 20 years; That's $280,000 allocated for 9 months. Let's say we pay the teacher $65,000 plus benefits or about $80,000 for those 9 months. That leaves $200,000 for leasing a room, getting transportation, and outfitting the room with desks and equipment. Figure you can rent a room for less than $1000/ month, so that's 9,000 and say 20 desk/equipment is prorated at 20,000. That leaves about $170,000 left over which can be used to get each kid a health club membership, a computer, school uniforms and free lunch with $100,000 to spare.
Regardless, you're right on the money. Even chopping my numbers in half results in a workable system....if privatized. :-)
I have a number of friends that are teachers. IMHO, the problem doesn't lie solely with them, it's more with the (bloated, corrupt, inept, lazy) administrations. Add any number of "specialists" - speech, hearing, behavioral, grief counseling, whatever - to that....and that's where the expenses come in.
While I'm on my soapbox....I also disagree with the current "No child left behind" plan. Frankly, some kids need to be left behind. Either they're not capable, or not willing to learn at the rate of their peers. As my father is fond of saying..."The world needs people to dig ditches, too."
Slight correct to your math.
I think in NY the figure is $14,600 - AND as a bonus, you only need to graduate about 60% of the kids to meet the State Average!