Keri Ingraham

P20221017ES-0156
President Joe Biden, joined by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, delivers remarks on student loans, Monday, October 17, 2022, in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

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

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 than documenting the successes under the Biden-Harris Administration. Read More ›

joyful-girls-students-kids-celebrate-successful-completion-o-526725371-stockpack-adobe_stock
Joyful girls students kids celebrate successful completion of collective school work in a bright classroom

Policy Focus: School Choice in the States

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 Read More ›

big-group-of-people-having-fun-in-success-victory-and-happy-620353211-stockpack-adobe_stock
Big group of people having fun in success victory and happy pose with raised arms on mountain top against sunset lakes and mountains. Generative AI.
Photo by Surachetsh on Adobe Stock

A Winning Strategy

The teacher union-controlled K-12 public education monopoly is not only failing to educate students but is promoting radical gender ideology, Critical Race Theory, and an anti-American worldview to American children. Read More ›
a-university-lecture-hall-filled-with-students-attentively-l-910133067-stockpack-adobe_stock
A university lecture hall filled with students attentively listening to the professor, who is using a digital presentation to explain a complex topic, highlighting the traditional higher education

Universities Need to Stop Coddling Students with Canceled Classes

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 University created a “Self-Care Suite” where students had the opportunity “to play with Legos, color with crayons, and eat milk and cookies” to deal with the stress of the Presidential election Read More ›

Slide 1

A Special Evening Celebrating the Recent Victories & Advancements in K-12 Education

Earlier this week, nearly 90 people attended a special American Center for Transforming Education event hosted by friends of Discovery Institute, Dr. Gregory and LaFon Jantz, at their home in Woodway, Washington. The evening kicked off with a time of appetizers and lively socializing, followed by an elegant dinner, all generously provided by the hosts. As attendees dined, Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, Keri Ingraham, provided highlights and accomplishments that occurred over the past few years. She outlined each of the five aspects of the American Center for Transforming Education’s approach to K-12 education transformation: education freedom, education entrepreneurship, education innovation, parental rights, and public education reform, with accompanying examples of how Read More ›

President_of_the_United_States_Donald_J._Trump_at_CPAC_2017_February_24th_2017_by_Michael_Vadon_02
Image by Michael Vadon at Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_of_the_United_States_Donald_J._Trump_at_CPAC_2017_February_24th_2017_by_Michael_Vadon_02.jpg

Why Trump Was the Candidate for “Educational Freedom”

In July, just a few days after President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten boasted that the union under her charge was the first to endorse Kamala Harris for president. Weingarten pledged: “The AFT has 1.8 million members—including 450,000 in battleground states. Between now and Election Day, we’re going to give our all to make sure our voices are heard and our members are mobilized. Because when we fight, we win.” No question, Weingarten is a fighter. She fought to keep schools closed, which spanned three school years in some states. However, election night was far from a win for Harris, losing in a landslide to former president Donald Trump, who will Read More ›

President_Trump_Meets_with_the_Governor_of_Texas_(49870301296)
Image from the White House, accessed at Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_Trump_Meets_with_the_Governor_of_Texas_(49870301296).jpg

Abbott Set to Deliver on Texas School Choice in 2025

There was a massive red wave last Tuesday night across the nation, and Texas was no exception. Texas Governor Greg Abbott took to X last week, once again making his commitment to education freedom known: “Parents know their kids better than anyone, & they want to put them on the best path to success.” He continued, “With last night’s election results, we can provide school choice for every Texan.” Less than 90 minutes later, the governor posted a pledge, “Texas will deliver school choice.” Texas, known for freedom, has been an outlier among historically conservative states when it comes to the rights of dads and moms to have education options for their children outside of the public school system. This is despite only 37% of Read More ›

Keri Ingraham on Humanize

Keri D. Ingraham Discusses the Most Important Issues in K-12 Education on the Humanize Podcast

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on this week’s episode of the Humanize Podcast, hosted by Wesley J. Smith. Together, they discuss the importance of education for human dignity and freedom and the problems facing American K-12 education today, including how bureaucracy is impeding student success, the indoctrination happening in the classrooms, the incredible power of teachers unions, the problems of technology, and more. Listen to this important conversation here.

education-and-school-concept-little-student-girl-studying-at-301243607-stockpack-adobe_stock
education and school concept little student girl studying at school

School Choice Creates Enormous Savings for a State

Democrat lawmakers employ fear tactics claiming school choice will bankrupt their states. It's a massive lie, and they know it. As a recent Wall Street Journal report notes, school choice programs provide enormous savings for a state's budget — savings to the tunes of millions of dollars each year. Read More ›
Screenshot
Screenshot

Keri D. Ingraham Discusses Protecting Girls’ Sports & Privacy on Victory News

Keri Ingraham appeared on Victory News live on Wednesday, October 16 to address the importance of protecting girls' privacy in public spaces, the gross mismanagement of finances in Chicago public schools, the failure of the Democrat Party to support school choice, and the work of Discovery Institute's American Center for Transforming Education. Read More ›
IMG_3752

Historic Education Freedom Is Happening and It Is Worthy of a Celebration!

Last week, Discovery Institute welcomed guests from across the Pacific Northwest to Mercer Island for a special event hosted by the American Center for Transforming Education. The event focused on the historic education freedom that has taken place over the past four years. It was an informative evening marked by a joyous celebration with a packed room of attendees. Read More ›
Keri-The-Bill-Walton-Show

Keri D. Ingraham Discusses Education Freedom on The Bill Walton Show

Keri D. Ingraham appeared on The Bill Walton Show to discuss the booming education freedom movement. Together, Ingraham and Walton explore the history of public education and its roots in progressivism, how public education is failing to teach students basic skills, the ways critical race theory has infiltrated the classroom, the explosion of classical education, and much more.