Keri D. Ingraham

Senior Fellow and Director, American Center for Transforming Education

Dr. Keri D. Ingraham is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute and Director of the Institute’s American Center for Transforming Education. She is also a Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum.

Dr. Ingraham has been interviewed multiple times on Fox News and other national television outlets and is a regularly requested podcast guest. Her articles have been published by The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, The Federalist, The Washington Times, The Epoch Times, Washington Examiner, The Daily Wire, Real Clear Education, The Daily Signal, National Review, The American Spectator, Daily Caller, The Seattle Times, Puget Sound Business Journal, and a host of other media outlets. Her work has been featured by Fox News and cited in countless publications.

Prior to joining Discovery Institute, Dr. Ingraham spent nearly two decades leading within the field of education as a national consultant, requested conference speaker, head of school, virtual and hybrid academy director, administrator, classroom teacher, and athletic coach. Her areas of education expertise include innovation, thought leadership, research, online learning best practices, customized hybrid program development, business model creation, operations effectiveness, and strategic planning for sustainability and scaling.

She holds a Doctor of Education degree and a Master of Education degree from Regent University. Her undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree was awarded from George Fox University, where she was named an Academic All-American and was a four-year athletic team member. In addition, Dr. Ingraham earned an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Professional Certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and the Stanford University School of Engineering.

She authored multiple chapters for the book, Sketching a New Conservative Education Agenda, published in 2022. Also, in 2022, her article “Teacher Certification & Uniform Salary Schedules Hinder Career Technical Education Staffing” won first place nationally in the Thomas B. Fordham Institute’s Wonkathon for her innovative education reform policy ideas. In 2019, she was invited as a contributing author for the book, MindShift: Catalyzing Change in Christian Education and co-authored “From Gutenberg to 5G.” As a result of her national conference speaking and noteworthy forward-thinking school leadership, Dr. Ingraham received an invitation to join the MindShift think tank team in 2018. As a part of MindShift, she traveled nationally and internationally identifying outliers of excellence and innovation within the field of education.

Dr. Ingraham was awarded the George W. Selig Doctoral Fellowship in 2013. The following year she received the “World Changer in the Field of Education” award from Regent University. In 2008, she was selected as a “Teacher of Excellence.” Early in her career, she was a state championship winning coach and five-time recipient of “Coach of the Year” honors. Dr. Ingraham is passionate about education preparing students to live, work, and thrive in tomorrow’s world, which will require tremendous and large-scale education transformation.

Archives

Texas Passes Universal School Choice

Keri D. Ingraham
April 21, 2025
Very early Thursday morning, by a vote of 85-63, the Texas House passed Senate Bill 2. With Governor Greg Abbott’s signature, Texas will become the 16th state in our nation to enact universal school choice into law.

Fearmongering and Falsehoods Over Education Dept. Shutdown

Keri D. Ingraham
April 1, 2025
Unsurprisingly, there is tremendous fearmongering marked by falsehoods from the opposition regarding President Trump’s executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. Public school personnel are already claiming that special education funding has been cut and that closing the department will devastate their ability to educate students. These claims are unfounded.

It’s Time for States to Reform Teacher Pay and Teacher Certification

Keri D. Ingraham
March 31, 2025
The Trump administration hit the ground running, reforming education in America. Most recently, President Trump signed the “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities” executive order. The order calls for the Secretary of Education to take all steps lawful to move toward closing the U.S. Department of Education and return authority to the states. According to a press release from the Department of Education, among other things, “Teachers will be unshackled from burdensome regulations and paperwork, empowering them to get back to teaching basic subjects.” This is a vital step forward for educators nationwide. However, the teacher education reforms that are needed must not stop there. Recently, Vivek Ramaswamy penned an article for …

Returning Education to the States

Keri D. Ingraham
March 26, 2025
On Thursday, President Trump announced from the East Room in the White House, “We are going to be returning education very simply back to the states where it belongs. And this is a very popular thing to do, but much more importantly, it is a common sense thing to do, and it is going to work. Absolutely, it is going to work.” “Today we take a very historic action that was 45 years in the making… I will sign an executive order to begin eliminating the Federal Department of Education once and for all.” Continuing, the president said, “Everyone knows it is right. And we have to get our children educated.” Since taking office, 50% of the positions at the department have been cut, which is a reduction of roughly 2,000 federal bureaucrats. Yet, the president was clear that …

President Trump Signs Executive Order to Dismantle Department of Education

Keri D. Ingraham
March 26, 2025
Making good on his campaign promise, President Trump has taken historic action to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. Last Thursday, the President signed the “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities” executive order into law. The order directs the 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.” According to the associated White House Fact Sheet, the executive order returns “power over education to families instead of bureaucracies.” This is a much-needed change for …

Attending an Executive Order Signing at the White House

Keri D. Ingraham
March 26, 2025
On March 20, I was at the White House as President Trump unveiled and signed into law the “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities” executive order. It was an incredible honor to receive this special invitation to the White House and recognition as an education freedom champion in our country from the President of the United States. While at the White House, I had the pleasure of speaking with Governors Ron DeSantis, Greg Abbott, Kim Reynolds, Bill Lee, Jeff Landry, Mike Braun, Mike DeWine, Brad Little, and Jim Pillen, among many others. It was a great day for the nation, taking an essential step in the right direction to effectively educate children, who are the future of our country. With this executive order, President Trump …

The Downing of the U.S. Department of Education

Keri D. Ingraham
March 13, 2025
President Trump is fulfilling his campaign promises and delivering results for the American people. When it comes to the U.S. Department of Education, it is no different. Whether dramatically reducing, dismantling, or completely eliminating the department, the president will be good to his word, and work towards that end is already underway. While just 50 days in office thus far, the president has assembled a team that will get rid of the massive federal bureaucracy that is not improving education for children. Keep in mind that the U.S. Department of Education was created in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter to pay back the largest teachers union, the National Education Association, for their help in getting him elected. It’s time to eliminate the ineffective and …

Wyoming Becomes 15th State to Enact Universal School Choice

Keri D. Ingraham
March 6, 2025
On Tuesday, Wyoming became the 15th state to enact universal school choice into law with Gov. Mark Gordon’s signature on the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act. The Cowboy State joins a rapidly growing group of states that have passed laws giving all (or nearly all) families statewide choice concerning their children’s kindergarten through twelfth-grade education. Those states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia. The act grants families who choose to participate with an education savings account of $7,000 per student per year to allocate toward approved K-12 educational expenses. Education savings accounts with universal eligibility are the gold standard …

Conservatives Are Playing Offense with K-12 Education

Keri D. Ingraham
March 5, 2025
Conservatives are going on offense when it comes to K-12 education after far too long of letting the left call the shots. Over the past few years, 14 conservative-controlled states have successfully signed universal (or near-universal) school choice into law, empowering parents with choice regarding their children’s education. Most recently, President Trump has been leading the charge with executive orders that set the template for a new day in K-12 education in the United States. Furthermore, his mandate to dismantle the Department of Education is anything but sitting back in a two-three zone, continuing to allow the far left to take open shots at the hearts and minds of American children through the public education system. Last month, at the Conservative Vision of Education …

Universal School Choice Is Spreading Fast Across the Country

Keri D. Ingraham
March 5, 2025
Today, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act into law, bringing the total to 15 states with universal (or near-universal) school choice! Last week, Idaho Governor Brad Little ushered in school choice for families statewide. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee brought education freedom to Tennesseans a few weeks ago. Last year, Alabama and Louisiana got the job done. The year prior, 2023, included Iowa, Utah, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Oklahoma, Ohio, and North Carolina enacting universal school choice in their states. All of these wins were built upon the courageous, bold, and forward-thinking leadership of West Virginia Senator Patricia Puertas Rucker and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who led the way in 2021 and 2022, helping advance universal school …

This State’s Governor Delivers on School Choice in the Eleventh Hour

Keri D. Ingraham
March 4, 2025
Gov. Brad Little (R) came through for the families of Idaho last Thursday morning by signing House Bill 93, the Parental Choice Tax Credit bill, into law shortly before the 11:46 a.m. deadline. Idaho now has a school choice program for the first time in the state’s history. The bill enacts a $50 million private school choice tax credit program with all schoolchildren statewide eligible. Idaho becomes the 14th state in the nation to enact universal (or near-universal) school choice, joining Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia. Upon signing the bill, Gov. Little declared, “With the passage of the $50 million Parental Choice Tax Credit program, Idaho boasts even more …

President Trump Is Wasting No Time Reforming K-12 Education

Keri D. Ingraham
February 5, 2025
President Donald Trump hit the ground running, reforming K-12 education and restoring parental rights during his second week back in the Oval Office, which coincided with the 15th annual National School Choice Week. Last week, President Trump issued the “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families” executive order. According to a White House fact sheet, the order “recognizes that parents, not the government, play a fundamental role in choosing and directing the upbringing and education of their children.” The executive order states that within 60 days, “the Secretary of Education shall issue guidance regarding how States can use Federal formula funds to support K-12 educational choice initiatives.” It also “directs the …

10 Big Wins Last Week for K-12 Education Reform

Keri D. Ingraham
February 4, 2025
Last week was packed with significant victories for K-12 education reform and the protection of parental rights. Here are 10 big wins: #1: Tennessee Will Enact Universal School Choice The Tennessee House and Senate passed the Education Freedom Act of 2025. With Gov. Bill Lee’s signature, Tennessee will become the 13th state in the nation to enact universal (or near-universal) school choice. #2: Federal K-12 Scholarship Bill Introduced Senators Bill Cassidy and Tim Scott introduced The Educational Choice for Children Act, a federal bill that “would provide $10 billion in annual tax credits for individuals and businesses to fund K-12 scholarships.” If passed, approximately 2 million children in the United States will have access to scholarship funds for …

With Gov. Lee’s Signature, Tennessee Will Become 13th State to Enact Universal School Choice

Keri D. Ingraham
February 1, 2025
During a legislative special session on Thursday, the Tennessee Senate passed the Education Freedom Act of 2025 by a vote of 20 to 13. The bill had passed the House 54 to 44 earlier in the day. It now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature. With the stroke of Gov. Bill Lee’s pen, Tennessee will become the 13th state in the nation to enact universal (or near-universal) school choice. While it’s not official yet, there is no question regarding whether Gov. Lee will sign the bill into law. He has been an enthusiastic education freedom champion and called the Tennessee General Assembly for a special session with the purpose of passing the Education Freedom Act. Last month, Gov. Lee said, “When it comes to education, more freedom …

New National Test Scores Make Undeniable Case for School Choice

Keri D. Ingraham
January 30, 2025
It is National School Choice Week in America, and the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam scores were released on Wednesday. The horrifically low student academic performance scores make the undeniable case that American government-run K-12 education is an epic failure. According to the NAEP results provided by The Nation’s Report Card, 69% of fourth-grade students and 70% of eighth-grade students aren’t proficient at reading — that’s only 3 out of 10 schoolchildren learning to read soundly. When students can’t read at grade level, it significantly hinders their other academic learning. The NAEP math scores similarly confirm that a change of course in K-12 education is desperately needed. An astonishing 61% of …

2025 Is the Year for GOP-Led States to Act On School Choice

Keri D. Ingraham
January 23, 2025
Most state 2025 legislative sessions kicked off last week or this week. The remaining states will have their sessions underway by early February. Louisiana is the only exception, and it is not scheduled to convene its legislature until April. During the legislative sessions, K-12 education will continue to be a common top policy area throughout the country. Efforts to enact and expand school choice legislation will be front and center in several states, as has been the case since 2021. The prolonged public district school closures gave parents a front-row seat in their children’s classrooms through the remote Zoom sessions. What they saw concerned them greatly — a lack of quality academic learning and far-left political indoctrination. Public support for school choice grew …

During Miguel Cardona’s Tenure as Ed Secretary, Schools Got Worse by Every Metric

Keri D. Ingraham
January 21, 2025
President Joe Biden’s appointed secretary of education, Miguel Cardona, is out the door as President Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office. The end of Cardona’s tenure couldn’t come soon enough. K-12 student learning achievement is pitifully low. Chronic absenteeism has skyrocketed. Condoned college campus protests are a disgrace. Federal student aid, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (known as FAFSA) form and process, is a mess. Despite four catastrophic years, Cardona released a glowing report last week. It boasts about the U.S. Department of Education’s “accomplishments” under his watch and opens with a full-page letter from the secretary. “This report, The Impact: Fighting for Public Education, is about more …

Policy Focus: School Choice in the States

Keri D. Ingraham
January 13, 2025
Huge historical legislative victories have occurred over the past four years, advancing school choice in states nationwide. In some states, the wins have entailed the creation of new school choice programs, while in other states, it has involved expanding existing programs to reach more students. Most noteworthy has been the enactment of universal or near-universal school choice in 12 states since 2021. Introduction The public education monopoly isn’t working, and it is failing to fulfill its function to a greater degree than in years and decades past. There is a better way: education freedom, which allows parents to choose the school or other learning avenue that best fits their unique child. A few years ago, widespread school choice was nearly unimaginable, but …

Universities Need to Stop Coddling Students with Canceled Classes

Keri D. Ingraham and Peter Biles
December 9, 2024
As just the latest example of elite universities coddling students, classes were canceled following the election result of Donald Trump’s victory, allowing students time and space to cope. At Harvard University, some professors “canceled their Wednesday classes, made attendance optional, or extended assignment deadlines,” while others offered safe spaces for students. Multiple Princeton University professors canceled classes the day following the election, and one professor told students later that week they could “leave if they could not emotionally handle participating.” According to National Review, Princeton University Health Services provided “Post-Election Listening Circles” for students. Georgetown …