Freedom to Learn
Season 2 of the Freedom to Learn podcast makes the urgent case for returning education to states, communities, and families. In Washington, President Trump is challenging partisan teacher unions and federal bureaucrats by enacting a new K–12 scholarship tax credit, restructuring the Department of Education, and rooting out civil rights violations in schools. Each week, host Ginny Gentles speaks with policymakers and advocates about bold reforms that improve academic performance and shift power closer to students. Every episode examines what becomes possible when education is freed from union dominance and federal control. Produced by the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC.
Episodes
In our final Freedom to Learn episode of the year, Darla Romfo, President and CEO of the Children’s Scholarship Fund, joins the podcast to trace the origins of the nation’s most influential privately-funded school choice efforts. Darla recounts how CSF’s founders, Ted Forstmann and John Walton, sparked a national movement by empowering low-income families with educational choice, shifting the policy conversation to focus on expandi...
Lindsey Burke returns to Freedom to Learn to discuss the Trump administration’s plans to “return education to the states.” Lindsey, who serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Programs at the U.S. Department of Education (ED), discusses the Department’s origin story, what it does and does not do, and the pernicious impact of top-down federal influence. She details the administration’s plans to streamline federal bureaucracy,...
Neal McCluskey and James Shuls join the podcast to discuss their new book, which has a fantastic title: Fighting for the Freedom to Learn: Examining America’s Centuries-Old School Choice Movement. We talk about the true origins of educational freedom, tackle the pernicious myths around school choice and segregation, and touch on the pivotal figures and organizations that have shaped education systems and options in America. From th...
This week on Freedom to Learn, we’re re-releasing a fan favorite: U.S. Senator Ted Cruz. He takes us behind the scenes of how the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit became law—and why he’s fought for school choice for decades. We are grateful this Thanksgiving for all our school choice champions and allies!
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- Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org
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- Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicy
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Lauren May, Director of Advocacy at Step Up for Students – the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization (SGO) – joins the podcast this week to dispel education freedom myths, explain how Florida became a national leader in educational choice, and discuss what to expect from the new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit. Lauren shares her journey from educator to advocate and describes the evolution of Florida’s school choice lan...
Will AI revolutionize education or steal students’ opportunity and ability to learn? Andy Smarick, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, worries that AI is a threat to learning, and we’re just letting students outsource their education to AI tools rather than develop essential skills and knowledge. We discuss the education world’s long history of embracing the latest fad, whether it’s whole language instruction, open classrooms...
Erika Sanzi joins the podcast to discuss the urgent need for states and school districts to undertake “legal housekeeping” and stop violating federal laws. She shares examples of school board policies that hide information from parents, discriminate based on race and sex, and prove that indoctrination in schools is pervasive, and not just limited to certain areas. Erika shares her journey as a teacher, school board member, and pare...
Jorge Elorza, former mayor of Providence, RI, and current leader of Democrats for Education Reform (DFER), is dislodging the “sticky” forces of the K–12 status quo, including the powerful teachers unions. He joins the podcast to discuss the policies and politics of DFER’s education abundance agenda. Jorge also explains how the new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit can empower families and why all governors should opt in so students in...
“Americans of all parties and backgrounds overwhelmingly support school choice – and will vote accordingly.” Brian Jodice, National Press Secretary for the American Federation for Children (AFC), joins the podcast to share the polling that backs up his organization’s proclamation. We discuss the growing support for school choice across the United States and the importance of state participation in the newly introduced Federal Schol...
Natalya Murakhver, the creator of the documentary 15 Days: The Real Story of America's Pandemic School Closures, joins the podcast to discuss the prolonged school closures that harmed a generation of American students. 15 Days highlights the stories of children and parents directly impacted by COVID-era policies and covers the role of teachers' unions in shaping the narrative and downplaying the long-term consequences on ...
Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner joins Freedom to Learn to explain how Indiana’s ambitious education initiatives are boosting reading scores, revolutionizing high school experiences, and expanding education freedom. Secretary Jenner also shares the state’s quest for flexibility and freedom from onerous federal strings. She describes Indiana’s ESEA waiver application’s key requests: block grants for the state and local ed...
Matt Frendewey, vice president of strategy at yes. every kid., joins the podcast to discuss the shift from reforming existing systems to empowering families through education freedom. He highlights the inadequacies of the current public school system, the importance of funding design over mere funding increases, and the need for minimal federal involvement in education. The conversation also delves into block grants, accountability...
Hayley Sanon joins the podcast to discuss the Trump administration's vision for returning education to the states. We delve into recent guidance issued by the federal Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), the role of Dear Colleague Letters and waivers, and the opportunities to expand educational flexibility and education freedom. Hayley, who is the acting Assistant Secretary of OESE, explains how these initiativ...
The latest Nation’s Report Card scores are truly terrible: 12th-grade scores reached historic lows and achievement gaps widened. An alarming number of students are leaving high school without basic math and reading skills. Dr. Martin West, vice-chair of the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) and academic dean at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, joins the podcast to discuss the National Assessment of Educational Pro...
Season 2 of the Freedom to Learn podcast makes the urgent case for returning education to states, communities, and families. In Washington, President Trump is challenging partisan teacher unions and federal bureaucrats by enacting a new K–12 scholarship tax credit, restructuring the Department of Education, and rooting out civil rights violations in schools. Each week, host Ginny Gentles speaks with policymakers and advocates about...
Season One of the Freedom to Learn podcast concluded on a triumphant note, with three episodes celebrating the federal scholarship tax credit’s inclusion in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, opening K-12 scholarship opportunities nationwide. Since launching the podcast last fall, we’ve spotlighted school choice victories in Texas, Tennessee, and New Hampshire, featured high-profile guests such as Education Secretary Linda McMahon and...
This week’s episode dives into the intricacies of the newly enacted federal scholarship tax credit with Rabbi A.D. Motzen, national director of government affairs at Agudath Israel of America. We explore how this groundbreaking legislation is set to expand educational opportunities by enabling tax credits for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations, directly benefiting K-12 students nationwide. Rabbi Motzen offers a beh...
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz joins the podcast to share a behind-the-scenes look at the Senate’s passage of the new federal scholarship tax credit. He details negotiations with the Senate Parliamentarian, fending off a middle-of-the-night amendment to kill the provision, and meeting with President Trump about the tax credit. Senator Cruz shares his conviction that school choice is the civil rights issue of the 21st century and every child...
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by the President on July 4th includes a new federal K-12 scholarship tax credit that could expand education freedom nationwide. Starting in 2027, individual taxpayers can receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for contributions to K-12 scholarship granting organizations. John Schilling, senior advisor for the American Federation for Children and DFI Action, joins the podcast to walk lis...
School choice trailblazer Jason Bedrick joins the podcast to explore the evolution of education freedom in New Hampshire and beyond. From his roots as a young legislator to his role in passing groundbreaking policies, Jason shares insights on the fight to expand educational options for families. Jason also debunks myths about school choice—does it break budgets, favor the wealthy, or leave special needs students behind?
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