Although often ignored by policymakers, African-American independent neighborhood schools provide models of successful learning environments grounded in cultural history and the pursuit of excellence. These schools are usually urban and mostly minority and have a long tradition of self-help providing stability to the African-American community.…

Argues that school choice should be provided to give low-income parents control of their lives and opportunities for their children's futures through access to superior educational resources. Describes the successes of two small private schools, the Sheenway School in Los Angeles and the Holy Angels School in South Chicago. (MAB)