The Bottom Line

A poll by the Cato Institute found that over 60% of Americans aged 18-29 hold a “favorable view” of socialism, with 34% saying the same of communism. By contrast, 98% of those age 65 and over have an “unfavorable” view of communism. This shift did not emerge overnight. With an anti-capitalist and anti-free-market worldview taught in K-12 education, Gen Z has been conditioned to view socialism not just favorably but as superior to capitalism, free enterprise, and free markets. At the same time, rising housing costs, inflation, and affordability concerns have made promises like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s government-owned grocery stores, rent freezes, and universal child care sound like solutions. If we want future generations to preserve America’s prosperity, students must learn why capitalism Read More ›

Last week, Iowa led the nation with the first Workforce Pell Grant program in the country approved by the U.S. Department of Education. According to a press release from the Department, it is “a major milestone in expanding faster, more affordable pathways to careers in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations.” Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds explained that “Now, the Workforce Pell program will allow schools to fast-track students within eight to 15 weeks into rewarding careers with little-to-no debt, expanding high-quality career opportunities and paving the way to a stronger and more resilient economy.” Director of the Iowa Department of Education McKenzie Snow said, “With the nation’s first Workforce Pell application, Iowa will identify postsecondary programs with the best completion, employment, and earnings outcomes, ensuring students get a Read More ›

Nearly 60 years after Congress outlawed housing discrimination, the federal government has had to remind America’s colleges and universities that racial segregation is still illegal. That fact alone should alarm every American. This summer, Craig Trainor, assistant secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), issued a Dear Colleague letter reminding colleges and universities of an important legal and moral principle. In the letter, Trainor wrote: “The law is clear: When educational institutions permit the existence of racially segregated student housing — or openly encourage separation on the basis of race, color, or national origin, advertise a discriminatory preference, or have policies that discourage students from one race, ethnicity, or nationality Read More ›

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on NTD Evening News on August 2 to discuss the rising monopoly of the American mind. Ingraham explained that school choice is needed to counteract the widespread promotion of socialism and communism in public schools. She went on to explain why capitalism and free markets are superior, given the examples throughout history of human flourishing under systems that allow for individual freedom rather than top-down control.

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” Thomas Jefferson’s warning remains timely today. A free people will not remain free if they do not understand the ideas that protect freedom. As we continue to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary this year, it’s an important time to reflect on the past and look ahead to the future. As we consider the future of our country, it is imperative that our nation evaluates the education of its citizens. How we educate our next generation will determine the direction our country heads. Today, the majority of students exit K-12 public education without achieving basic proficiency across academic subjects, Read More ›

In an era when many education leaders are focused on maintaining the status quo, Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder has chosen a different path. Her bold leadership, meaningful reforms, and unwavering focus on students, families, and teachers have benefited students and educators alike. Instead of just talking about academic excellence and educational innovation, results have occurred. Perhaps Degenfelder’s most significant accomplishment has been her leadership in advancing education freedom for Wyoming families. She helped champion Wyoming’s Education Savings Account program, which provides families with funding for educational expenses, including private school tuition, tutoring, curriculum, and other customized learning opportunities. Wyoming’s program is notable for its broad eligibility and its support for pre-kindergarten students. She has also been instrumental Read More ›

On July 13, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director, Keri D. Ingraham, spoke at the Forum on International Education and Leadership, hosted by Dallas Baptist University in Texas and held on its campus. The annual five-day educator’s conference is “designed to inspire, equip, and connect educators from across the nation and around the world.” It provides attendees with opportunities to network, visit local private schools, attend cultural outings, and hear from Dallas Baptist University faculty as well as nationally and internationally recognized speakers. The theme of this year’s forum was “Real Wisdom for Artificial Times: Navigating AI with Purpose.” Dr. Ingraham encouraged the teachers and administrators to consider how various uses of this rapidly advancing Read More ›

For generations, education has been confined to four walls, desks arranged in rows, and a curriculum increasingly disconnected from the world students are preparing to enter. Sadly, the majority of students today are disengaged and unmotivated. It is not because they lack potential, but because school feels removed from real life. At the same time, today’s children spend an average of nearly seven hours a day on screens while engaging in only a few minutes of unstructured outdoor play. As opportunities to explore, wonder, and learn through firsthand experience disappear, so too do many of the conditions that help children thrive. In Holland, Michigan, the Outdoor Discovery Center (ODC) Network is offering a way forward. It demonstrates what becomes possible Read More ›

Skepticism about the value of a traditional four-year college degree is growing across the United States. According to The Wall Street Journal, nearly half of American parents say they would prefer their children not enroll in a four-year college. While higher education remains a valuable pathway for many students, this growing trend reflects a larger concern: Too many young people are told that college is the only route to success, even when it may not be the best fit for their interests, talents, or career goals. For decades, students have been encouraged to pursue a college degree regardless of their individual strengths or aspirations. As a result, many young adults enter college without a clear plan. Unsure of what career Read More ›

A recent open letter signed by more than 2,000 University of California science, technology, engineering and math professors expressed concerns about something that put “UC’s mission…at risk.”

Over the past five years, they wrote, students have become increasingly unprepared for college math courses. The decline has been “so severe that instructors must reteach middle-school mathematics.”

The professors proposed a solution: The UC system should once again require students to submit SAT or ACT scores in the admission process, a practice it abandoned in 2020.

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on The Drive Home with Dr. Greg Seltz to discuss the new interagency agreements at the U.S. Department of Education that are returning power to the states. Dr. Ingraham also spoke about the dangers of woke worldviews in the classroom, the Department of Education’s failure to equip children for their futures, why it’s important to return to teaching the basics in education rather than political activism, and much more.

This was originally published in The Believe! Journal on July 4th, 2025, with the title: Is America Doomed to Decline? We republish it here for the United States’ 250th birthday, since its message remains relevant and important on this historic anniversary. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” The Declaration of Independence With the 250th anniversary of our nation upon us, many are reflecting on the past while also considering the future. What makes America unique? Where is the great American experiment headed? Are our best days behind us? Is America doomed Read More ›