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New York public schools have a problem. Test scores are low and spending is high. Fresh thinking could help turn things around. But parents who innovate can go to jail.

Homeschooling is legal in New York, but the state blocks neighbors from banding together. Parents “may arrange to have their children instructed in a group situation for particular subjects,” the state Education Department notes. But homeschool parents who collaborate a majority of the time are guilty of a misdemeanor.

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It takes a village to raise a child, but not more than half of each week. If homeschool parents cross this line, they can receive warnings, fines or even 30 days behind bars.

Families with resources do not have to worry. They can pay private school tuition or buy houses in expensive neighborhoods near high-performing public schools. Regular folks must take whatever the government offers or get creative.

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed many families to experiment. The result was an innovation frenzy: Some families pooled their resources and hired outside instructors. Other groups rotated teaching duties among themselves or designated........

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