The role of parent choice in publicly funded education in six selected nations is examined. Focusing upon education in developed Western democracies, this study is intended to be instructive to U.S. education as it examines the interplay between state-mandated universal education and parents' right of choice. Twenty-five national education systems were reviewed, and six were selected for this study--France, Netherlands, Belgium, Britain, Canada, and West Germany. Each country is discussed separately, examining: (1) historical background, (2) research on reasons for parents' decisions about their children's schools, and (3) current policy debates. In these six nations, parents' choice of particular schools or forms of education for their children is usually based upon either religious reasons, or preference for a particular type of curriculum or language of instruction. The document includes an introduction by U.S. Secretary of Education Lauro F. Cavazos, followed by a foreword by Assistant Secretary Christopher T. Cross. A 280-item bibliography, arranged by country, is included. (AS)