An overwhelming majority of American students attend public schools. But that number is falling. In part, that’s because in more than half of states, parents can now use public money to educate their kids — at home, online, in private schools. This year, a million students used some kind of private education voucher, more than double the figure from four years earlier, according to new research from EdChoice, a group that supports private-school choice and tracks the sector.

The result is a growing movement of choose-your-own-adventure education. Parents are permitted to find any program that they think fits their beliefs and their kids’ needs. Yet it’s unclear how, or whether, accountability or standards will be enforced outside traditional schools.

What’s driving this change? The pandemic prompted many families to reconsider how their children learn. Republican lawmakers embraced private-school choice as part of a broader push for parental rights. (They also see the issue as a way to appeal to young parents — often Black and Latino — who are critical of how public schools serve their children.) And teachers are reporting intense burnout, with some leaving public schools to open small businesses that can accept these vouchers.

I wrote about these “microschools” in a story The Times published this morning. In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain why parents are opting out of public schools — and what it might mean for how this country educates all of its children.

What’s the appeal?

I recently spent a week in the Atlanta area, talking to parents who pulled their children out of public schools to attend microschools. Some have as few as six students. While most are run by career educators, they don’t have to be: The sector is unregulated, and anyone can open a microschool.