education freedom

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 ›

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 ›

Across 423 counties in 13 states, 26 million Americans live with a persistent opportunity gap. It’s not because of a lack of effort, talent, or community commitment, but because big government systems meant to serve them have failed to deliver. At the center of that failure is education. For too long, families in Appalachia have been asked to accept a one-size-fits-all public education system that assigns children to schools based on ZIP code rather than need, fit, or school quality. The results have been predictable. According to the Appalachian Regional Commission’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey, just 27.3 percent of adults in the region hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 35 percent nationally. In Kentucky’s Appalachian counties, that number Read More ›

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.

On May 28, Keri D. Ingraham appeared on The Andy Caldwell Show with guest host Dave Cross. Ingraham explains how the Department of Education is reducing its federal footprint. Ingraham dispels the fearmongering tactics of teachers unions and government officials and highlights how the major reforms happening in the Department of Education are incentivizing states to modernize their education systems. In part two, Ingraham explores how the push for phonics-based literacy instruction in states like Mississippi is producing better academic outcomes and forging the way for other states to do the same. School choice is empowering parents to ensure their child gets an academically rigorous education.

Keri D. Ingraham recently appeared on Kevin McCullough’s That Kevin Show Podcast as well as his television show. On Kevin McCullough’s television broadcast she discussed the Education Freedom Tax Credit. Ingraham explained how taxpayers can contribute to a scholarship granting organization and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit up to $1,700 per year. She discussed which states have already opted into the program. The conversation also touched parental concern and dissatisfaction with public education. On That Kevin Show Podcast, Ingraham talked about accountability in the education system. She addressed progress on dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, how school choice improves educational outcomes, and parental rights. (Segment begins at 51:30)

Vice President JD Vance’s remarkable journey from a trauma-filled childhood to holding the second-highest office in the country is a clear depiction of the American Dream. It is also a powerful reminder that education and opportunity can fundamentally change the trajectory of a person’s life. It’s been 10 years since Vance published “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis,” publicly sharing the horrors of his childhood and how he was able to rise above them through his military experience and higher education. The book quickly became a #1 New York Times bestseller. Then, in July 2024, the book once again drew tremendous interest when President Trump selected Vance as running mate for his 2024 reelectioncampaign. In 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 ›