The Bottom Line

On Oct. 17, Indiana submitted a waiver application to the U.S. Department of Education seeking flexibility and a reduction of red tape from Washington. Under the leadership of Gov. Mike Braun and Secretary of Education Katie Jenner, Indiana is innovating K-12 education from all angles, and the rest of the nation should take note. Upon taking office in January, Braun expanded eligibility for the Choice Scholarship Program to all families in the Hoosier State, creating a free market K-12 education landscape. Demand for education options has surged, and providers have responded. In Indiana, private school choices have expanded significantly over the past four years, with enrollment up 22 percent. Indiana also offers robust public school choice, including inter-district and intra-district Read More ›

This week, Discovery Institute’s American Center for Transforming Education hosted a special event on Mercer Island, Washington. The evening began with remarks by Discovery Institute President Steve Buri. Then, longtime Discovery Institute Board member Bryan Mistele interviewed Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director Keri D. Ingraham. Mistele, a gifted communicator, kicked off the questions by asking Ingraham to share how she became interested in education, her professional journey, and what brought her to Discovery Institute five years ago. Next, the work of the American Center for Transforming Education was discussed. Exciting updates were provided regarding the advancement of education freedom, education entrepreneurship, education innovation, parental rights, and public education reform. The inspiring event left attendees energized and Read More ›

On October 1, Keri D. Ingraham spoke to the graduate students in the classical education program at Hillsdale College in Michigan. Ingraham was asked to share about her work as a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute and as Director of the Institute’s American Center for Transforming Education. Following the introductory time, she delivered formal remarks for 40 minutes in a speech titled “Education Freedom Is Essential.” Here is an excerpt from Ingraham’s speech: As a nation, we can no longer justify restricting children to these failing government-run schools for their education. Nor can the ever-increasing astronomical spending on the public education system continue to support the status quo. Change is urgently needed. And that change will require competition. As Andy Read More ›

Americans spend about $1 trillion annually to educate 55 million K-12 students — roughly $18,000 per pupil per year. Over 13 years, that adds up to $234,000 per student. With a high school graduation rate near 90 percent, the effective cost of producing a single graduate rises to about $260,000 — and that’s before factoring in whether students actually reach proficiency. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the “Nation’s Report Card,” measures student proficiency in reading and math. NAEP data for 12th graders provides the best insight into high school graduates’ performance. The most recent NAEP data for 12th-grade reading and math is from 2025 and shows that only 35 percent of high school graduates meet or Read More ›

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on the Jason Rantz Show this week to discuss the anti-American indoctrination occurring in K-12 education. Ingraham addresses the September 10 assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, the role that public education plays in advancing radical ideologies, as well as the massive response from young Americans wanting to start or join a Turning Point USA chapter to make a positive difference on their campuses.

COSM 2025 will take place in Scottsdale, Arizona, from November 19–21, bringing together leaders to explore the technologies shaping our future. Opening the conference, Keri D. Ingraham, Director of Discovery Institute’s American Center for Transforming Education, will join former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and school choice advocate Jenny Clark to discuss “Educating the Tech Workforce: Has Arizona Provided a Roadmap?” Ducey was a trailblazer in advancing education freedom during his time as governor, fearlessly advancing schooling options. Clark, founder of the non-profit Love Your School, helps families navigate educational opportunities to find the best fit for their children. Together, the panel will examine how Arizona’s innovations in education may provide a model for preparing the next generation of tech leaders. Read More ›

America is in a global artificial intelligence (AI) race. The stakes are historically high with economic and national security implications. As President Trump declared in July, “Whether we like it or not, we are suddenly engaged in a fast-paced competition to build and refine this groundbreaking technology that will determine so much about the future of civilization.” The President, First Lady, and the Trump Administration are taking decisive steps to ensure America is prepared and positioned to win one of the most consequential competitions among nations in modern history, determining future global dominance. On Thursday, First Lady Melania Trump hosted a meeting of the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education. Michael Kratsios, Director of the Office of Science Read More ›

After visiting the White House to attend the White House Task Force Meeting on Artificial Intelligence Education, Keri D. Ingraham appeared on NTD News to discuss artificial intelligence in education with host Jack Bradley. Ingraham argues that literacy and critical thinking are essential for teaching students to utilize artificial intelligence properly. Ingraham also discusses the strengths of industry-specific high schools and the Trump administration’s plans to defund schools that allow males in female sports.

First Lady Melania Trump invited Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director Keri D. Ingraham to attend the White House Task Force Meeting on Artificial Intelligence Education. The meeting was held in the East Room of the White House on September 4. The Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force is comprised of select Cabinet members, heads of U.S. departments and agencies, and policy assistants and advisors to the President. These leaders are tasked with implementing the actions outlined in the “Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth” executive order, signed into law by President Trump on April 23. The executive order states: “It is the policy of the United States to promote AI literacy and proficiency among Read More ›

In recent years, California’s K-12 schools, colleges, and universities have increasingly begun classroom sessions and meetings with land acknowledgements. For those unfamiliar, the California Community Colleges (CCC) website explains that a land acknowledgement is “a formal statement that recognizes and respects the Indigenous peoples as traditional stewards of this land, the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous peoples and their traditional lands.” The CCC further argues that “all of California is Indian land” and that these acknowledgements are a recognition of “the original people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial.” Reading this language for the first time can be jarring for the uninitiated. It’s one thing to acknowledge and show respect to indigenous tribes Read More ›

I’m deeply grateful for the abundance of opportunities that continue to come, allowing us to drive true transformational change in education at the highest levels in our nation. This month, I was at the White House participating in a Policy Summit alongside national leaders in education, faith, and public policy. In mid-June, Senior Advisors of the President invited me to the White House to share about the work of Discovery Institute’s American Center for Transforming Education. In March, in recognition of our work to advance education freedom, I received a special invitation from the President to attend a White House unveiling and signing ceremony of the executive order that dismantles the U.S. Department of Education. This executive order serves as Read More ›

California’s Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD), like many districts across the state, offers a confidential arrangement known as an Identity Support Plan for transgender and gender-nonconforming students. Under this policy, staff are required to affirm a student’s stated gender identity in all aspects of school life — including names, pronouns, use of facilities, and records privacy. The plan explicitly allows students to exclude their parents from being notified or involved if the student chooses. Although the policy’s stated goal is to promote equity and safety for LGBTQ+ students — a goal many support — it also means parents may remain completely unaware of major developments in their children’s identities and experiences at school. The critical issue, according to SAUSD Read More ›