Reports on a group of advocates for school choice that took its cause to Capitol Hill and met with mixed response. States that the issue of church-state separation repeatedly comes up in arguments against school choice. Emphasizes that parents must have the freedom to choose what learning environments are best for their children. (CJW)

States that the future of the school choice movement depends upon Catholic educators working in partnership with parents, politicians, and business leaders. Reiterates Pope John Paul II's statement that parents have the right to choose their children's education according to their beliefs, and calls for special advocacy for the rights of…

Reviews state policies regulating private education and home instruction that limit parental choice in education. Criticizes judicial response to parental challenges, suggesting that parental interests have been underprotected and state interests have been overprotected. Suggests reasonable bases for state intervention. (FMW)

U.S. students now have four choices of schooling: public schooling, private-religious schooling, private-independent schooling, and home-schooling. Of these options, home-schooling is the most novel. Since legalization across the states in the last few decades, it has grown in importance and legitimacy as an alternative choice. Thus, it is now…

Controversies over the merits of public and private education have never been more prominent than today. This book evaluates public and private schooling, especially in regard to choices families must make for their children. While choice among public schools is widely advocated today by families and states, public support for private…

This document examines many of the issues surrounding school choice. It summarizes the prevalence of school choice and touches on elements of the debate, such as the dilemma in finding the right balance between individual/family freedom and the interests of the community. In looking at school-choice options, the paper divides them into…

In Uxbridge, Massachusetts, a small working-class mill town, free-market reform rhetoric has become reality. The tiny district has adopted controversial changes, such as giving vouchers to parents of Title I students, reimbursing home-schooling parents, lengthening the school day and year, adopting flexible scheduling, allowing credit for Internet…

Home schooling is one of the fastest growing educational options in the United States. In 1995, the National Home Education Research Institute reported the number of home-schooled children to be approximately 500,000 students, one percent of the total school-age population. Parents choose home schooling for various reasons including differences in…

Although their perspectives differ, this volume's contributors agree that the home schooling movement offers an intriguing critique of traditional education. While nationally publicized school improvement measures call for increased bureaucratization, professionalism, and standardization, a growing number of families are choosing to forego…

Because Americans are spending increasing sums on education without noticeable improvement in student achievement, school choice is becoming the hottest item on today's reform agenda. Choice must not be limited to the affluent; it is most needed by financially poor parents whose children are trapped in the most inferior schools. The chief…

In this report, the extent and nature of education freedom is estimated for each state, using a new Education Freedom Index (EFI). This analysis shows the remarkable differences in education freedom among the states and attempts to make educational freedom a concept that becomes the subject of policy debate. The EFI is composed of measures of five…

Based on a database of over 500 resources, this paper explores the educational alternatives that exist today between the cracks of mainstream education and culture. It presents information about the growing numbers of schools and education centers that call themselves learner-centered, progressive, and/or holistic. Sources of data for this summary…

School choice is in high demand and growing. Twenty years ago, few states had policies or programs allowing parents the freedom to make choices in their children's education. Today, 11 states and the District of Columbia have state-funded scholarship programs or provide tax relief for education expenses or contributions to scholarship funds. Most…

The recent establishment of charter schools in Alberta (Canada) has prompted allegations of a radical change towards privatization by the Progressive Conservative (PC) government. However, policy decisions since the 1970s demonstrate that the PC government has consistently supported private alternatives to public education; charter schools extend…

Progress on school choice in the statehouse and courtroom during 2002 set the stage for ambitious 2003 legislative agendas in many states and the U.S. Congress. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that voucher programs do not violate the Constitution, even when participating schools are overwhelmingly religious. Research supporting choice has grown…