Book excerpt: New understandings of learning and the brain, greater appreciation of the impact of culture on learners, and the differing values and expectations of families have created an educational environment ripe for expanded school choice. The result has been a rapid and little understood expansion of pre-collegiate educational opportunities. For parents anxious to find the best fit for their children, the growth in choice has been both a boon and a challenge. Choosing the Right Educational Path for Your Child seeks to reveal the various school designs, from public to private, from secular to religious, and from progressive to conservative. The mission assumptions, the economic models, and the pedagogical practices of each are examined. With chapters from leading experts from a variety of educational paths, readers will gain a thorough understanding of the ever-changing landscape of American education in the 21st Century.