[MandieD]

Stop relying on local property taxes to fund the schools. That’s a US thing that isn’t replicated in most other well-off countries.

The closest thing Germany has to US-style annually-billed property tax is Grundsteuer, and for homeowners, it’s low triple digits at most. It pays for neighborhood streets, sidewalks, storm drains, and (I think) the fire department. We do pay a pretty hefty transfer tax when we buy property - I think it was about 5% of the purchase price, but that’s a one-time thing.

Schools are funded out of general revenues, mostly personal and corporate income taxes, assessed nationally. Each state has its own school system, with differing structures and standards.

[alasarmas]

What’s more, funding schools from local property taxes keeps the good schools in the rich communities and the bad schools in the poor communities. It prevents equality of opportunity. It is cynical, mean-spirited, and appalling.

[pstuart]

This is true, having split kids between two districts I've seen this first hand.

Funding from state would equalize it, and the rich communities can do their gilding via the PTA. I'd much rather have that then them pulled out of public education entirely.

[jerezzprime]

Hefty is relative.... In British Columbia (Canada) transfer tax is 10%.