Making the grade

As kids return to the classroom for a new school year, WORLD reports on the struggles of parents, teachers, and policymakers who are trying to change the way students learn

During recent weeks Staples has been airing a back-to-school commercial it first aired in 1994. It features a grinning dad pushing his shopping cart through the aisles and tossing in school supplies to the tune of the re-purposed Christmas carol "It's the most wonderful time of the year," while his children look on glumly.

Life isn't that straightforward. For some parents and children, back to school means back to a school that wastes minds, puts bodies in jeopardy, and attempts to banish God from the premises. That's why we start this section with a look at the progress of a national struggle—that of American parents fighting for the right to choose the best education for their children. The past year brought progress for the school-choice movement. More children have been freed, and tax credits for private-school tuition withstood a judicial litmus test. Studies show that most are doing better academically and are happier, as are their parents. Although charter schools have limitations, they also offer some choice, so it's good news that hundreds of them last year opened their doors, while California joined a growing group of states where charter schools have survived legal challenges.