In recent years the Institute for Independent Education has begun to study a significant parental response to the lack of options in education. Parents of color and those with low to moderate incomes are creating and supporting independent community-based schools as self-help resources for the educational needs of their children. These schools, community-based in that they are operated by community organizations and in focus on the community, have focused on three major activities in response to rebuilding needed education reform efforts in their communities. They have been responsible for leadership development, educational innovation, and economic revitalization in urban communities throughout the United States. Charter school mandates have become very attractive to the independent community-based schools, and teachers's unions are beginning to support the concept of charter schools. In Michigan, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C., independent community-based schools have applied for charter school status. To help support independent schools, many people advocate the use of educational vouchers. A second strategy for developing greater awareness of independent community-based schools is through contractual service agreements in which the school is chosen by competition for a contract. Private enterprise is increasing its role in sponsoring vouchers in the form of scholarships and in providing other sources of support for independent community-based schools. Corporations and community-based independent schools share an interest in developing human beings to their highest potential, so it is logical that they should work together for educational opportunity. (Contains 14 references.) (SLD)