Keri D. Ingraham appeared on Futures Edge on June 22 to discuss the landscape of education freedom in America today. She and host Jim Iuorio discussed the Trump Administration’s progress in dismantling the Department of Education and why it was created under President Jimmy Carter. They also explore alternatives to public school and four-year colleges that can set students on paths toward a successful future.
Today, the Department of Education announced four additional interagency agreements as part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to return education to the states. In typical fashion, the teachers’ unions and their political allies immediately attempted to spread fear, claiming that federal protections are being eliminated, a claim with no basis in reality. Instead, it’s yet another strategic step to reduce unnecessary federal bureaucracy, improve services, and move education decisions closer to the students, families, and communities they affect most. The first agreement establishes a partnership between the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Some opponents immediately claimed that students with disabilities would lose Read More ›
Recently, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director, Keri D. Ingraham, returned to the White House. In recognition of her education work, Ingraham has received a dozen invitations over the past year. The first invitation came in March of 2025 from President Trump to attend the “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities” executive order signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House. It was a special day that provided her with the opportunity to speak individually with nine governors and many other state and national leaders. Following that, Ingraham was invited to the White House for meetings and then for the America 250 Summit in August. In September, she was invited Read More ›
Roughly $800 billion is spent annually on K-12 education, yet the National Assessment of Educational Progress results indicate that, on average, seven out of 10 public school students score below grade-level proficiency in reading and math. As I wrote in my article last month in The Daily Wire, when it comes to the pitiful student learning results in education, “The missing ingredient is not money — it’s meaningful choice.” Parents have been trapped by the government-run, teacher-union controlled K-12 public education monopoly. While federal spending accounts for only roughly 10% of overall education spending, it controls perhaps 90% of the rules and regulations. This federal bureaucracy significantly hinders the ability of states to innovate. Thankfully, for parents and the American Read More ›
It’s been just over one year since President Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and return authority to the states. It was a historic day to take the first step toward stopping the status quo of pouring astronomical amounts of money and layering on more and more federal bureaucracy, without improving learning. Education is intended to be governed at the state and local level. While it will take votes in Congress to fully eliminate the Department of Education, under the leadership of Secretary Linda McMahon, much progress has already occurred in downsizing it. For example, $2 billion in funds that supported radical ideologies have been cut, staffing has been downsized nearly 50%, and it Read More ›
On May 7, Keri D. Ingraham attended the Independent Women Policy Summit and Awards Gala at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C. The day provided Ingraham with the opportunity to speak one-on-one with several cabinet members and other top national leaders. In addition to her full-time work at Discovery Institute as Senior Fellow and Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, Ingraham’s work is amplified by Independent Women, where she has been a Senior Fellow for the past three-and-a-half years. At the policy summit, Ingraham spoke with Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, who is part of President Trump’s Cabinet. That evening at the gala, Ingraham had conversations with U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, U.S. Secretary of War Read More ›
On May 5, Keri D. Ingraham, Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute and Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, spoke at the ACE Scholarships Education Freedom Tax Credit Symposium. The event was held at the Four Seasons in Denver, Colorado. In recognition of her national leadership in advancing education freedom, Ingraham was invited to deliver formal remarks titled “The Research Doesn’t Lie.” The event was co-moderated by Norton Rainey, CEO of ACE Scholarships, and Hanna Skandera, President and CEO of Daniels Fund. Skandera provided a warm introduction of Ingraham, noting her professional accomplishments and influence. In her remarks, Ingraham stated: U.S. K-12 public education spending is 38% higher per student than the average developed country — yet the majority of those countries outperform U.S. students academically. Despite this, politicians, education leaders, and teachers unions remain fixated on the Read More ›
It’s been one year since President Trump signed the historic executive order, “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities.” At the signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House on March 20, 2025, the President directed U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.” The stated purpose and policy of the executive order reads: “Our Nation’s bright future relies on empowered families, engaged communities, and excellent educational opportunities for every child. Unfortunately, the experiment of controlling American education through Read More ›
It was an honor to attend the White House St. Patrick’s Day celebration as a guest of President Trump on March 17. The event brought together leaders from across the United States and Ireland. Among the guests were Taoiseach Micheál Martin and his wife, Mary O’Shea, Cabinet members, Agency Administrators, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, policymakers, media voices, and cultural leaders shaping the future of both nations. Being invited by the President was especially meaningful as the reflection on the life of Saint Patrick holds deep meaning. The White House has reminded Americans that “More than 1,600 years ago, Saint Patrick ventured through the emerald fields and ancient valleys of Ireland to introduce Read More ›
Keri D. Ingraham appeared on The Tony Kinnett Cast to discuss how the Trump Administration has shrunk the Department of Education, returning authority to states and to parents. Dr. Ingraham explained how removing red tape, funding programs such as charter schools, and creating interagency partnerships have reduced federal bureaucracy and improved education opportunities for children nationwide.
Keri D. Ingraham appeared on The Silk or Joe Show to discuss the progress of shrinking the U.S. Department of Education since President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on March 20, 2025, Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities. She talks about the importance of returning power to local communities and parents in K-12 education, the fear-mongering of the teachers unions, and how free market solutions will improve education outcomes nationwide.
The U.S. Department of Education has spent more than $3 trillion since 1980, with little to show for it. Reading and math scores have barely budged, achievement gaps remain, and too many families are trapped in a system that fails their children. On March 20, 2025, President Trump took decisive action by signing an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to dismantle the department and return authority to the states. A year later, the results are striking. 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 the $1.6 trillion student-loan portfolio shifted to a more capable agency. Critics predicted chaos. Read More ›
