In Slate last week, Reihan Salam became fixated on a number. The number was $26,000. That’s the amount of money that the Newark public school district spends per child each year. Salam thinks that number is crazy.

 Let’s instead imagine that you’re given $26,000 per student to educate 30 kids, or a classroom’s worth. If my math’s not off—and it very well could be, as I am a product of America’s public schools—you would have $780,000. Don’t you think you could hire a couple of pretty good teachers, two personal trainers, a chef, and a social worker for that much money—and have enough left over to rent a light and airy loft space in a typical American city?

OK. Let’s talk about school finances. Where does that $26,000 go? Is there really a price tag of $26,000 attached to a typical student in a public school? No. A good part of that $26,000 goes elsewhere.

About half of it goes to special education. It goes to severely disabled children who cannot be educated in a public school. It goes to disabled kids who remain in the public schools who still need help with speech, dyslexia, and handwriting. It goes to kids who come to school without knowing English. It goes to kids who come to school with severe behavior problems.

Another chunk goes to healthcare and pension programs for the teachers.

Another chunk goes to administrators and books and curriculum packages.

Still more goes to building maintenance and transportation.

And 30 kids in one classroom? Really? That doesn’t happen anymore.

Charter schools and private schools can educate kids for less money, because they don’t have to handle the expensive problems.