School Choice

Discovery Institute’s American Center for Transforming Education welcomed U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon during a special event held in Woodway, Washington, on October 19, 2026. The event also featured Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director Keri D. Ingraham. The event kicked off Secretary McMahon’s trip to Washington state as part of her “Returning Education to the States” tour.

On October 19, 2026, Discovery Institute’s American Center for Transforming Education hosted a special event with U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director Keri D. Ingraham. The event, which took place in a private home in Woodway, Washington, kicked off Secretary McMahon’s visit to Washington state as part of her “Returning Education to the States” tour. Washington was the 46th state visited by the Secretary and her team as they travel through the country to visit with teachers, parents, students, and local leaders about successful education initiatives. The American Center for Transforming Education event kicked off Secretary McMahon’s visit to Washington State as part of her “Returning Education to Read More ›

A historic expansion of education freedom is underway in America. Signed into law by President Donald Trump on Independence Day 2025, the Federal Tax Credit Scholarship, also known as the Education Freedom Tax Credit, is poised to transform educational opportunities for millions of American children. Beginning January 1, 2027, taxpayers can contribute to an approved nonprofit scholarship granting organization and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit up to $1,700 for individuals and $3,400 for married couples filing jointly. Importantly, the program has no annual cap on total contributions and does not sunset, creating the potential for billions of dollars in privately funded scholarships each year long into the future. The impact could be extraordinary. By 2030, the U.S. Department of Read More ›

On October 5, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director Keri D. Ingraham spoke at the Council on Educational Standards and Accountability (CESA) Symposium in Arlington, Texas, about the historic Education Freedom Tax Credit, also known as the Federal Tax Credit Scholarship. Ingraham addressed the audience of Christian school leaders about the unprecedented opportunity to expand access to Christian education for families nationwide through the first Federal Tax Credit Scholarship program in American history. Signed into law by President Trump on Independence Day 2025, the Education Freedom Tax Credit takes effect January 1, 2027. The program allows taxpayers to contribute to approved nonprofit scholarship granting organizations and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit up to $1,700 Read More ›

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on the Unmasking Government Schools Podcast on October 6 to discuss education freedom, the growth of alternative education options to traditional public schools, and the progress occurring at the federal level under the leadership of U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. Dr. Ingraham explains how school choice creates more opportunities for students to succeed.

In January, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director Keri D. Ingraham participated in the important School Choice Roundtable at the White House during National School Choice Week. That event marked one of many in which the White House has recognized Ingraham’s significant contributions toward advancing education freedom. Following the event, the White House released a short video featuring Dr. Ingraham. Click HERE to watch the video or click on the image below: Fast forward eight months and incredible progress has been made. In March, Dr. Ingraham wrote, “The department has overhauled operations — cutting nearly half its staff, reducing administrative layers, and consolidating offices. Grants have been streamlined, programs merged, reporting reduced, and oversight of Read More ›

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on The Carrie Abbott Show on September 17 to discuss the education progress underway at the federal level. Dr. Ingraham offers insight into the various ways the Trump Administration and the U.S. Department of Education under Secretary McMahon are returning education to the states and expanding education freedom nationwide.

For far too long, Washington has expanded its control over K-12 education while student learning has continued to decline. However, President Trump is changing course by returning education to the states, advancing education freedom, and restoring parents’ rightful authority over their children’s education. After decades of federal overreach, a long-overdue hard reset for American education is underway. The U.S. Department of Education has been a 45-year, astronomically expensive failure. More than $3 trillion has been spent without improving student learning. While states receive only about 10% of their education funding from the federal government, those dollars bring a disproportionate burden of rules, regulations, and bureaucracy. The result is less freedom to innovate, higher costs, and decision-making increasingly removed from students, parents, and local Read More ›

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on Newsmax to discuss the continued advancement of school choice under the Trump Administration. Ingraham addresses the 45-year failure of the U.S. Department of Education and why returning education to the states is crucial for the improvement of academic outcomes. She also explains the exciting new Education Freedom Tax Credit and how Americans can contribute to a scholarship-granting organization to help children and, in turn, receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit up to $1,700 a year. This interview followed Ingraham’s participation in Monday’s “Back to School and Education Freedom Event” at the White House.

Keri D. Ingraham joined White House Correspondent Daniel Baldwin on One America News on Tuesday to discuss her participation in President Trump’s “Back to School and Education Freedom Event” at the White House on August 24. Ingraham explained how the Education Freedom Tax Credit works, the federal government’s ongoing efforts to return education to the states and empower parents, and the importance of restoring academic excellence in K-12 education.

On August 24, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director Keri D. Ingraham participated in the “Back to School and Education Freedom Event,” hosted at the White House by invitation of President Trump. The event brought together students, parents, educators, policymakers, and education leaders from across the country to celebrate historic wins for education freedom, the protection of parental rights, and working to move K-12 education control out of Washington and back to the states where it rightfully belongs. From the steps outside the Oval Office, President Trump greeted guests seated in the Rose Garden and delivered remarks. He noted that our country’s education has been “weaponized against the goals that we all stand for.” More Read More ›

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 ›