UNTIL RECENTLY MOST Americans took little interest in the issues and problems that schools face. Instead, they let school administrators make decisions about policy and funding and trusted that children would get the best education possible as a result.

Today, it is a well-known fact that schools do not always do a good job of educating. The reasons are diverse, but some people believe that they can be linked to a single, underlying cause: the fact that most people do not have enough influence over schools. Specifically, parents have little choice about which schools their children attend. Some believe that, if given this option, parents would become more involved, schools would be accountable to parental demands, and education for all students would improve.

Whether it proves to be the answer to school shortcomings or not, choice is growing in popularity. Parents consider...