Keri Ingraham

Keri D. Ingraham, Discovery Institute’s Senior Fellow and Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, was in Denver recently for ACE Scholarship events spanning two days. Ingraham was a featured speaker at the ACE Scholarships Education Freedom Tax Credit Symposium, held at the Four Seasons, on May 5. Her speech, “The Research Doesn’t Lie,” was well-received by attendees. The following day, Mike Rowe was the keynote speaker at the ACE Scholarship Annual Luncheon held at the Hyatt Regency. Rowe is an Emmy award-winning TV host, New York Times best-selling author, podcaster, recording artist, and CEO of the Mike Rowe WORKS Foundation. His foundation has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships, reinvigorating the skilled trades in America. While in Denver, 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 ›

On April 23, Keri D. Ingraham appeared on Freedom to Learn with Ginny Gentles, a podcast of the Defense of Freedom Institute. Dr. Ingraham discussed the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and why downsizing the federal bureaucracy will improve learning outcomes for students. She also shattered school choice myths, exposed why the teachers unions unravel over the loss of bureaucratic control, and explained how the first in our nation’s history federal tax credit scholarship program will work.

On April 15, Keri D. Ingraham appeared on the Pioneer Institute’s education podcast, The Learning Curve, co-hosted by Professor Albert Cheng and Walter Blanks. Dr. Ingraham explains why she is passionate about giving kids school choice, the dismal state of public education in the United States, the importance of choice in education, how school choice improves learning outcomes even at public schools, and more.

For decades, the Department of Education has operated the federal student loan system on autopilot, continually expanding its size, complexity, and cost. The result is a $1.7 trillion portfolio — nearly twice the size of all university endowments combined and larger than JPMorgan Chase’s loan portfolio, the nation’s largest bank — yet it operates without the financial expertise, transparency, or accountability a system of this scale requires. The Department of Education reports that fewer than 40 percent of borrowers are in repayment, and nearly a quarter of borrowers are in default. While not designed to function as a bank, the Department of Education has been managing what is effectively the fifth-largest financial institution in the United States. A course correction Read More ›

America’s public education system has drifted dangerously far from its core mission. Schools exist to educate children — to teach them how to read, write, think critically, and understand the world around them. But across the country, many classrooms are increasingly focused on something else entirely. They are bent on turning students into political activists. Schoolchildren participating in anti-ICE drills and protests are the latest example of political propaganda forced on kids during the school day. In New York, footage shows a preschool encouraging children to talk about how they feel about ICE and President Trump — obviously based on the so-called education they have received from their teacher. In Boston, a teacher posted a video online showing her elementary Read More ›

On April 2, Keri D. Ingraham appeared on The Rod & Greg Show to discuss her Daily Wire article about parents taking control of their children’s education. Dr. Ingraham explains how the Covid-19 pandemic sparked the “great parent awakening” and a mass exodus from public schools, how competition improves learning outcomes for all students, and the importance of advancing education freedom in every state. Segment runs from 24:29-35:08

Across the country, policymakers have long assumed that boosting K-12 funding is the surest path to better student outcomes. Yet decades of rising spending have proven otherwise. The missing ingredient is not money — it’s meaningful choice. Florida provides one of the clearest examples. In 2001, the state launched a modest tax-credit scholarship program to help low-income students access alternative educational options. Roughly 15,000 students participated in the program’s first year. Today, Florida’s school choice ecosystem serves over 500,000 students across multiple programs, giving families options tailored to their children’s needs. Critics long warned that policies empowering parents with educational options for their children harm public schools and their students. The data, however, tell a different story — the positive 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.