Students

Teachers are incentivized in education to stay in the profession longer through the step-and-lane salary schedule, which gives a raise each year for experience, regardless of professional performance. This creates a system in which individuals are not accountable for proving they are providing student learning. Teacher pay is not linked to student test scores or student growth; rather, it is based on time in the profession. High-achieving individuals enter the profession and find that their hard work and professional results are not rewarded. They often leave the system to pursue a career opportunity in which their job performance is recognized with financial compensation. It’s time the system was flipped so that high performance by educators is incentivized and rewarded. The status Read More ›

Marking her sixth invitation to the White House this year, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director Keri D. Ingraham attended an education roundtable on December 3. The roundtable discussion, led by U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, was titled “Biased Professors, Woke Administrators, and the End of Free Inquiry on U.S. Campuses.” This was the second of a three-part higher education roundtable series. The first roundtable discussion, held in November, was titled “Administrative Bloat and Low-Value Programs: How U.S. Universities are Failing American Families and How They Can Reform.” Secretary McMahon opened her remarks by stating: “It is an honor to be here today at the White House with this dedicated coalition of students, faculty, Read More ›

On Monday, November 24, Keri D. Ingraham appeared live with Jim Iuorio and Bobby Iaccino on their Futures Edge Show. Together, they first discussed last week’s major announcement that the Department of Education would be delegating various responsibilities to other federal departments. They then delved into the reforms required to incentivize teachers to excel in their field, the strengths of industry-specific high schools and microschools, how Indiana is reforming education, the role of AI in education, and more.

In Scottsdale, Arizona, on November 18, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and American Center for Transforming Education Director Keri D. Ingraham addressed the audience in a packed ballroom at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort during day one of Discovery Institute’s COSM Technology Summit, spanning three days. She referenced the countless significant accomplishments across various policy areas, including education reform, that the Honorable Doug Ducey achieved during his eight years as Governor of Arizona. Most notably, on July 7, 2022, Governor Ducey signed universal school choice into law by expanding the Empowerment Scholarship Account program to all of Arizona’s more than 1.1 million students. At the time, Governor Ducey explained: Arizona kids will no longer be locked in underperforming schools. We are unlocking 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 ›

It’s been an incredible year thus far of education freedom victories. Six More States Have Signed Universal School Choice into Law This Year Massive legislative wins for education freedom have occurred at the state level this year, with Tennessee, Idaho, Wyoming, Texas, Indiana, and New Hampshire passing universal school choice into law. That brings the total to 17 states granting all families statewide education freedom. First Federal School Choice Program in History Becomes Law on Independence Day As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill, the first federal school choice program in the history of our nation became law on July 4. The tax credit scholarship program, set to begin in 2027, will provide millions of children with educational scholarships! Read More ›

College is not providing the on-ramp that most students in our country need to a high-growth, high-demand career field. Many students graduate from college saddled with debt and with a degree that is misaligned with the job market. Continuing the status quo can no longer be acceptable. Therefore, it’s essential that we not only ask but also answer the following question. How are we giving kids an education that will prepare them so that when they exit high school without going on to college, they are ready to be contributors to society through something they are excited about, and they can use a passion to do something meaningful with their life? It’s past due time to reinvent high school. It Read More ›

There is a growing demand for alternatives to a traditional education as the return on investment in college is plummeting. Combine ever-increasing tuition prices with the reality that only 62% of students who enter a four-year college graduate within six years, and only 40% secure a career in the field of their degree, and this should not be surprising. Fewer parents want to send their children to a four-year college. According to a 2025 report published in The Wall Street Journal, “Nearly half of parents say they would prefer not to send their children to a four-year college after high school, even if there were no obstacles, financial or otherwise.” Furthermore, a growing number of students are not interested in Read More ›

“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 to decline? Despite all America has overcome and achieved in the past, many people hold a pessimistic outlook for our nation’s future. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan delivered a charge to the nation in his Inaugural Address. His words ring resoundingly Read More ›

As the price tag of a college degree soars, the perceived value by parents, students, and employers alike is decreasing. A 2024 essay in The Wall Street Journal found, “Nearly half of parents say they would prefer not to send their children to a four-year college after high school, even if there were no obstacles, financial or otherwise.” Additionally, the report noted that two-thirds of high school students believe “they will be just fine without a college degree.” Furthermore, the findings of a November 2023 survey revealed that an astonishing 55 percent of US companies eliminated bachelor’s degree requirements for employment eligibility. Instead, employers are valuing skills and experience over education. Employers face growing challenges filling specialized jobs due to the misalignment between college Read More ›

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on NTD News on April 8, 2025, to discuss the continued changes to the Department of Education. Dr. Ingraham debated Educate President and former teacher Stacey Schultz on concerns about the transfer of student loans to the Small Business Administration, whether the dismantling of the Department of Education will benefit educators, and how education can be improved nationally.