U.S. Department of Education

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on Newsmax on Monday, September 14, to explain why more families are considering alternatives to a four-year college degree for their kids. Dr. Ingraham also discussed the Trump Administration’s efforts to cut out DEI programs from the U.S. Department of Education and to improve learning outcomes nationwide. “Students need to be rewarded for their merit, for academic excellence, not based on their skin color,” said Ingraham.

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.

Last week, Iowa led the nation with the first Workforce Pell Grant program in the country approved by the U.S. Department of Education. According to a press release from the Department, it is “a major milestone in expanding faster, more affordable pathways to careers in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations.” Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds explained that “Now, the Workforce Pell program will allow schools to fast-track students within eight to 15 weeks into rewarding careers with little-to-no debt, expanding high-quality career opportunities and paving the way to a stronger and more resilient economy.” Director of the Iowa Department of Education McKenzie Snow said, “With the nation’s first Workforce Pell application, Iowa will identify postsecondary programs with the best completion, employment, and earnings outcomes, ensuring students get a Read More ›

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on The Drive Home with Dr. Greg Seltz to discuss the new interagency agreements at the U.S. Department of Education that are returning power to the states. Dr. Ingraham also spoke about the dangers of woke worldviews in the classroom, the Department of Education’s failure to equip children for their futures, why it’s important to return to teaching the basics in education rather than political activism, and much 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.

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 ›

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)

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 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 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 ›