And for parents who switch children to private schools after the elementary level, an added year of tuition costs $8,000 to $15,000.

Their test scores improve when they switch to private schools, which often spend half the amount per pupil as public schools.

Children in failing schools that receive federal money would be able to switch to other public schools right away.

Last fall, two of the boys, Taylor, now 14, and Henry, 10, switched to public schools, with their parents' full support.

In New York, black students switching to private schools in the fifth grade made gains, but those switching in other grades did not.

Mr. Reiser grew up here and has many white friends who have moved away or switched their children to mainly white Catholic schools.

Children would be eligible to switch to other public schools and schools would have to change their curriculum and staff.

Norman Gorlyn, who has lived here since 1972, sent his children public schools before switching to parochial schools.

This fall, 341 students switched to private schools, to the delight of their parents, who believed that the public schools were failing their children.

Mr. Phillips lists three reasons that students switch to public schools.