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I see few things that would amount to "strings". Some of the requirements obviously make many private schools not interested.

The requirements, though, do not give the students or parents any additional "rights" that the other students have, nor does it give them more room to "complain". Those requirements clearly state the student mus follow all rules of conduct, and parents must be involved if the school requires it. Those two provisions turn off many parents in the first place.

Bottom line is: Only parents who care about their children's education are going to take advantage of this program. You will not have parents with whiney brats trying to sue schools into submission over petty things they could get away with at a publc school. An atheist isn't going to send his/her child to a private school, and demand they change things and accomodate his/her beliefs. Those types of people don't last a week at a private school. Their children are miserable because no one likes them, will talk to them or be their friend. Kids are good at enforcing such "social order" in public schools.

Great points, but I have to refute your point about atheists: There seem to be a large number of them who are quite content to use their children as guinea pigs and don't care what emotional damage is inflicted on them. I read some writings from one of Madeline Murray O'Hares kids (if I remember correctly, it may have been someone else, but definetly a litigious atheist type) and it was really heartbreaking that a mother could be so callous toward her children.