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 <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-approves-nations-first-workforce-pell-grant-program-iowa">press release</a> 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 <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-approves-nations-first-workforce-pell-grant-program-iowa">explained</a> 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 <a href="https://educate.iowa.gov/press-release/2026-05-01/iowa-launched-first-nation-state-application-short-term-demand-programs-access-new-federal-workforce">said</a>, “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 strong return on their investment and employers have the skilled talent pipelines they need here in Iowa.”
For years, states have talked about education innovation. Iowa is taking strides toward making that happen with reforms that expand opportunity, strengthen workforce development, and empower families.
While many states continue to operate within outdated systems and rigid bureaucratic structures, Iowa is a national leader in rethinking how education dollars, workforce programs, and student opportunities can better align with the needs of families, educators, and employers. This shift is already visible in Iowa&#8217;s recent actions.
Earlier this year, Iowa <a href="https://x.com/EDSecMcMahon/status/2009343079569084565?s=20">became the first state</a> in the nation to receive approval from the U.S. Department of Education for a Returning Education to the States Waiver, giving state leaders greater flexibility over federal education funding and reducing administrative burdens that often divert resources away from students and classrooms. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the waiver will allow Iowa to <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-approves-iowas-returning-education-states-waiver">redirect millions of dollars</a> from compliance activities to student-focused initiatives. This approval marks an important step in that broader effort.
More specifically, according to the <a href="https://educate.iowa.gov/pk-12/essa/guidance-allocations/iowas-unified-allocation-plan">Iowa Department of Education website</a>, the “plan seeks to focus more federal resources on improving student achievement over federal compliance.” The <a href="https://educate.iowa.gov/pk-12/essa/guidance-allocations/iowas-unified-allocation-plan">reduced compliance expenses</a> will allow “nearly $8 million in time and resources to be redirected from compliance to the classroom over four years.” Iowa will be able to spend less time navigating federal requirements and more time investing in student learning.
This allowance reflects the Trump administration’s recognition that state leaders are best positioned to identify and address the unique needs of their students. As a result, other states are looking to Iowa’s example and seeking waivers.
In May, Louisiana followed Iowa’s lead and became the <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-approves-louisianas-returning-education-states-waiver">second state</a> to receive a Returning Education to the States Waiver, closely modeling its application after Iowa’s. Since then, Indiana, Vermont, Arkansas, and South Dakota have all sought and received waivers mirroring Iowa’s consolidation of state-level activities funds.
The Iowa Department of Education website explains that approval of the Returning Education to the States Waiver was the first step in Iowa’s <a href="https://educate.iowa.gov/pk-12/essa/guidance-allocations/iowas-unified-allocation-plan">Unified Allocation Plan</a>. With the plan, Iowa seeks to align resources around statewide priorities that produce measurable outcomes for students rather than treating federal education programs as isolated funding streams.
Iowa&#8217;s innovative approach to education did not begin with federal waivers. Thanks to Governor Reynolds’ unwavering resolve to advance education freedom, Iowa was among the first states in the nation to pass sweeping legislation allowing education funding to follow the child.
After much work, in January 2023, Governor Reynolds <a href="https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2023-01-24/gov-reynolds-signs-students-first-act-law">signed</a> Iowa&#8217;s Students First Act, creating an Education Savings Account (ESA) program that allows funding to follow K-12 students to accredited nonpublic schools. After its initial two-year income-restricted phase-in process, ESAs were expanded to <a href="https://governor.iowa.gov/press-release/2023-01-24/gov-reynolds-signs-students-first-act-law">all K-12 students</a> beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
Iowa’s commitment to education freedom extends beyond ESAs. By expanding charter schools, supporting open enrollment and protecting homeschool opportunities, the state has empowered more families to choose the educational environment that best meets their children’s needs. Today, nearly one in five Iowa students exercises some form of school choice, demonstrating the state’s commitment to putting students and families at the center of education policy.
Director Snow has developed a clear vision with the following <a href="https://educate.iowa.gov/about#iowa-bold-vision-mission-amp-priorities">priorities</a>: teacher recruitment, development, and retention; evidence-based instruction; narrowing achievement gaps through accountability and support; multiple pathways to postsecondary success and completion; and vibrant, safe, and healthy learning environments.
Iowa students are achieving academic results, including an <a href="https://educate.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-08-20/iowa-achieves-impressive-gains-early-literacy-science-new-2025-spring-statewide-student-assessment">11-percentage-point</a> increase in early literacy proficiency from third to fourth grade and a <a href="https://educate.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-08-20/iowa-achieves-impressive-gains-early-literacy-science-new-2025-spring-statewide-student-assessment">seven-percentage-point</a> increase in science proficiency in tenth grade.
But it doesn’t end there. Iowa is also charting a new path in workforce readiness. Now, <a href="https://educate.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-09-15/significant-increase-number-iowa-high-school-students-achieving-work-based-learning-experiences">45%</a> of all Iowa seniors have completed at least one high-quality work-based learning experience while in high school, up <a href="https://educate.iowa.gov/press-release/2025-09-15/significant-increase-number-iowa-high-school-students-achieving-work-based-learning-experiences">20 percentage points</a> in just the past two years.
Rather than forcing students into one-size-fits-all pathways, Iowa is expanding access to industry-aligned training that can quickly connect learners to meaningful careers. It also reinforces the need for multiple pathways to success, whether that means pursuing a four-year degree, earning an industry-recognized credential, entering an apprenticeship, or launching directly into a high-demand profession.
Iowa&#8217;s approach recognizes that economic growth and educational opportunity are deeply interconnected. The state&#8217;s efforts also demonstrate what can happen when education leaders challenge long-standing assumptions. Iowa has pursued flexibility, integrated workforce development with education, and proactively developed solutions tailored to the needs of its students and communities.
Iowa’s work is far from finished. Raising student achievement, expanding opportunity, and preparing learners for success in a rapidly changing economy require ongoing commitment and continuous improvement. Yet Iowa has distinguished itself as a state willing to challenge conventional approaches and pursue meaningful reform.
With the future of education shifting away from Washington, D.C., and back to the states, where it rightly belongs, Iowa offers a compelling model for others to follow. Through greater flexibility, parent empowerment, and stronger alignment between education and workforce needs, Iowa is demonstrating how state-led innovation can better serve students. If more states embrace a similar commitment to bold leadership and results-driven reform, the nation’s education system will be better positioned to prepare the next generation for success in school, work, and life.
***
Dr. Keri D. Ingraham is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute, Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, and a Senior Fellow at Independent Women.

Iowa Approves New Six-Week Abortion Ban

The Innovative Iowa Blueprint Leading The Nation In Education Freedom

education savings account

iowa

kim reynolds

politics

school choice

workforce pell grant

Late last year, the National Association of Realtors<a href="https://www.nar.realtor/press-releases/first-time-home-buyer-share-falls-to-historic-low-of-21-median-age-rises-to-40"> released</a> its annual survey showing that only 24% of home buyers have children under the age of 18—a record low—while the age of first-time home buyers has crept up to 40 — a record high.
In other words, Americans are feeling the squeeze, especially those in the peak of their childbearing years.
Making that squeeze even worse is the fact that schools in most of the country are locally assigned, so where you buy a home determines where your kids go to school — which makes homeownership for parents of children under 18 more expensive, since homes in good public school districts generally cost more than homes in bad ones. A home on one block can cost tens of thousands of dollars more than a similar home on the block over, solely because of school zoning.
Parents, and people who want to become parents, want to give their children at least as good a life as they had growing up — ideally a better one. But 80% of Americans — double the share as 20 years ago — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-think-children-end-up-worse-lives-2023-3">fear</a> that their children’s lives will not be better than their own. Anxiety about whether they’ll ever afford a home in a district with schools they trust further feeds that fear.
That tension doesn&#8217;t only hurt parents, but would-be parents too, often making parenthood itself feel out of reach. That’s both a human tragedy and a policy failure — one that school choice can, if not solve, then at least ameliorate, as a recent Independent Women <a href="https://www.independentwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/IW_Flourishing-Families-Report.pdf">report</a> on pro-family policy argues.
When a boundary between two towns determines whether your child goes to a functional school or a dysfunctional one, choosing on which side to live feels tantamount to choosing your child’s entire life trajectory. Most parents who can pay for the best won’t risk it — so housing costs in the “good school” town keep climbing, even as perfectly good homes sell for far less just one town over.
Look at the case of the Memphis, Tennessee metro area, circa 2013: after a merger of school districts changed zoning boundaries, economists at Rhodes College studied home prices and school quality and<a href="https://bellarmine.lmu.edu/media/bcla/departments/economics/documents/7_Collins%2520and%2520Kaplan_Final.pdf"> found</a> that a house’s value rose by about 3-4% for every standard-deviation increase in the quality of the school it was zoned to.
That’s fine for parents who can comfortably afford that extra 3-4% price hike, on top of high interest rates, down payments, and all the other costs that come with home ownership. But what about everyone else?
The problem is, people who can only afford homes in the “bad school” town are left with a handful of unenviable options: rent indefinitely in a town with good public schools, buy in a cheaper town with worse public schools and cross their fingers that their kids’ education turns out okay, delay having children until they can afford to buy a home in the town with good public schools (which might never happen), or pay more than they can afford for private school.
This is where school choice comes in. It lifts the burden from hardworking families by making a boundary between two towns just that — a line with no bearing on whether or not their child learns to read and do math. When parents know their kids aren’t locked into the residentially assigned public school, and can instead opt for a public charter school or use voucher dollars toward a private one, they can breathe a little easier.
Put simply, access to school choice means parents don’t have to choose between living in a district with bad schools versus living in a district with good ones; they can rest assured that regardless of where they live, they have access to whatever the education marketplace in their area offers, which raises the quality of schools across the board. And that means the mad-rush housing market in good school districts cools down a bit.
The research backs this up. A<a href="https://ideas.repec.org/a/aea/aejpol/v14y2022i2p509-37.html"> paper</a> published in the “American Economic Journal: Economic Policy” found that the price premium good traditional public schools add to nearby homes falls by about four percentage points after charter school expansion. That is to say, once real alternatives to residentially assigned public schools exist, the pure real-estate advantage of living inside a given public school zone shrinks.
Even setting aside home ownership statistics, ZIP code shouldn’t determine the quality of a child’s education. But the brutal housing market of the 2020s makes the case for school choice even more urgent. Buying a home is already high-stakes for young families; it shouldn’t also be the deciding factor in whether — or how many — children they have. Expanding school choice is one of the clearest policy levers to ease that pressure and make this country more family-friendly — and more pro-child.
***
This is part of a series of op-eds based on Independent Women’s new report, “Flourishing Families: An Agenda to Help Families Thrive.” The report, found <a href="https://www.independentwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/IW_Flourishing-Families-Report.pdf">here</a>, details ways to support families without direct government subsidies or radically distorting the tax code to redistribute resources to families. 
Neeraja Deshpande is a policy analyst at Independent Women and a senior contributor to IWFeatures.com.

1950s Boy And Two Twin

Your Child’s Education Shouldn’t Depend On Your Mortgage

education policy

family policy

housing market

independent women

opinion

A top conservative women&#8217;s organization has rolled out a sweeping family policy agenda that aims to make it easier for Americans to raise children, care for aging parents, and afford family life — all while avoiding any new federal entitlement programs.
Independent Women&#8217;s <a href="https://www.independentwomen.com/flourishing-families-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;Flourishing Families&#8221;</a> project, shared exclusively with The Daily Wire, includes proposals on maternity leave, child care, education, elder care, housing, health care, workplace flexibility, and taxes. Each issue is addressed with a focus on choice and finds ways to help families while avoiding big government policies that conservatives recognize don&#8217;t work.
Among the report&#8217;s most notable proposals is so-called &#8220;Earned Leave,&#8221; Independent Women&#8217;s signature paid leave plan that seeks to give new mothers and caregivers more time at home without creating a new taxpayer-funded benefit.
Rather than establishing a federal paid leave entitlement, the proposal allows moms to voluntarily access a portion of their Social Security benefits they&#8217;ve already earned after a child&#8217;s birth or adoption. Parents who use the benefit would &#8220;repay&#8221; the cost by delaying their retirement benefits for several months later in life, making the proposal budget-neutral.
<a href="https://www.independentwomen.com/flourishing-families-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ THE FULL &#8216;FLOURISHING FAMILIES&#8217; REPORT HERE</a>.
&#8220;The weeks after welcoming a new baby are one of the most important times in a family&#8217;s life,&#8221; Independent Women President Carrie Lukas told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Many parents want more time at home with their newborn but simply can&#8217;t afford to take unpaid leave. Earned Leave was designed to solve that problem without forcing taxpayers to finance a new government program.&#8221;
Lukas said parents could plan ahead by filing paperwork with the Social Security Administration before the birth of their child, allowing them to access benefits immediately after welcoming a child.
The idea has significant support. Independent Women commissioned a national poll of more than 2,000 Americans that found Earned Leave outperformed a traditional tax-funded federal paid leave program, according to Lukas. The survey found 78% of Americans believe workers should have as much control as possible over benefits they&#8217;ve earned, while 67% said paid leave proposals should remain budget-neutral and avoid imposing costs on people who never use them.
&#8220;Everyone recognizes that new parents — especially moms — need time off after the birth of a child,&#8221; she said. &#8220;The problem with government entitlement programs is they often impose costs on everyone while changing incentives for employers who are already providing benefits.&#8221;
Lukas emphasized that Earned Leave gives Americans access to benefits they&#8217;ve already earned, as opposed to state-run paid leave systems that are funded through mandatory payroll taxes. &#8220;Most people won&#8217;t use it because they won&#8217;t want to delay retirement,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But for families who truly need it, it can be a lifeline during one of the most important moments of their lives.&#8221;
&#8220;We believe it&#8217;s possible to support families without making government bigger,&#8221; Lukas added. &#8220;Earned Leave is about giving parents more flexibility and more choices using benefits they&#8217;ve already earned rather than creating an entirely new government program.&#8221;
Another notable proposal deals with elder care. Heather Madden, Independent Women&#8217;s vice president for policy initiatives, said the organization&#8217;s American Caregivers Act was specifically designed for older Americans who don&#8217;t require full-time medical care, but still need help at home.
&#8220;There are many older Americans who don&#8217;t need a nursing home or intensive medical care, but also can&#8217;t safely manage entirely on their own,&#8221; Madden told The Daily Wire. &#8220;They may simply need someone to drive them to appointments, prepare meals, help around the house, or provide companionship.&#8221;
The proposal would allow qualified organizations to recruit, screen, train, and place college students with seniors who need non-medical assistance. Students would receive housing and a stipend in exchange for helping with daily tasks, which would in turn give families a lower-cost alternative before more intense care becomes necessary.
&#8220;Instead of forcing families to choose between doing everything themselves or moving a loved one into a nursing home before it&#8217;s truly necessary, the American Caregivers Act gives them another option,&#8221; Madden said.
The proposal wouldn&#8217;t just benefit seniors. &#8220;It would also provide much-needed relief for family caregivers who are balancing careers, raising children, and caring for aging parents,&#8221; Madden explained. &#8220;Public policy should make it easier for families to care for one another, not leave them with impossible choices.&#8221;
Madden also noted the program could help lower the cost of college for participating students, comparing the initiative to the State Department&#8217;s au pair program.
The report also makes school choice and parental rights a focus, acknowledging that parents, not government officials, know what&#8217;s best for their children.
For example, Independent Women calls for expanding Education Savings Accounts, charter schools, and other school choice options. The group also proposes strengthening parental rights laws that guarantee curriculum transparency, access to student records, and parental consent on issues that relate to gender and sexuality.
Education Savings Accounts would allow families to use public education dollars for approved educational expenses, including private school tuition, tutoring, homeschooling materials, and other learning services. The concept has already proven popular in states that have adopted similar programs. Florida, for example, enacted an Education Savings Account-style scholarship program that has been widely praised by participating families and supporters as a major expansion of school choice.
The report also outlines changes for increasing housing affordability by reducing regulations, strengthening health care price transparency, protecting flexible work arrangements, and reforming tax and welfare policies to reward work while making it easier for Americans to start and sustain families.

Family

READ IT: The Sweeping Family-First Policy Agenda That Won’t Make Government Bigger

carrie lukas

paid family leave

Across the country, policymakers have long assumed that boosting K-12 funding is the surest path to better student outcomes. Yet decades of rising spending have proven otherwise. The missing ingredient is not money — it’s meaningful choice.
Florida provides one of the clearest examples. In <a href="https://www.fldoe.org/schools/school-choice/k-12-scholarship-programs/ftc/">2001</a>, the state launched a modest tax-credit scholarship program to help low-income students access alternative educational options. Roughly 15,000 students participated in the program’s first year. Today, Florida’s school choice ecosystem serves <a href="https://www.edchoice.org/state/florida/">over 500,000 students</a> across multiple programs, giving families options tailored to their children’s needs.
Critics long warned that policies empowering parents with educational options for their children harm public schools and their students. The data, however, tell a different story — the positive effects of school choice extend beyond participating students.
Florida public school students exposed to greater levels of school choice competition have experienced learning gains equivalent to as much as <a href="https://www.federationforchildren.org/florida-school-choice-cost-effectiveness-study/">120 additional days</a> of instruction in reading — nearly two-thirds of a school year. These effects are especially strong for low-income students, who often have little to no alternative to their residentially assigned district public school, regardless of whether it fails to educate children in the basics or to keep them physically safe.
A substantial body of <a href="https://www.edchoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/123-of-School-Choice.pdf">research</a> across multiple states — including Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina — shows that as public schools face increased competition, students who remain in traditional public schools achieve higher test scores and stronger outcomes.
It is no coincidence that students do better when school choice exists. When families have options, schools must compete. The market force of competition is a powerful incentive that can drive innovation, sharpen priorities, and shift the focus from bureaucratic compliance to providing improved academic instruction. It also encourages schools to be more responsive to parents and more intentional in how they use resources.
For years, however, the default answer in education debates has been simple: spend more money. Calls to “fully fund” public schools are constant, yet rarely defined — and even less often tied to accountability for results. What matters is not how much is spent, but whether those dollars translate into improved student learning.
Despite steady increases in per-student spending nationwide, academic outcomes have persistently been low for years. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the “Nation’s Report Card,” <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g4_8/">reading scores</a> and <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/?grade=4">math scores</a> remained relatively flat, then declined sharply following the pandemic and prolonged school closures.
The most recent results reveal that <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g4_8/?grade=4">69% of fourth-grade students</a> and <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g4_8/?grade=8">70% of eighth-grade students</a> are not proficient in reading, while <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/">61% of fourth-grade students</a> and <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g4_8/">72% of eighth-grade students</a> aren’t proficient in math. With an additional <a href="https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/the-200-billion-question-how-much-of-federal-covid-19-relief-funding-for-schools-will-go-to-covid-19-relief/">$200 billion</a> poured into K-12 public education during the pandemic, these figures underscore that greater funding does not equate to increased student learning.
Simply put, more money has not produced better outcomes. Instead, what has made a measurable difference is competition.
A recent <a href="https://www.federationforchildren.org/florida-school-choice-cost-effectiveness-study/">analysis</a> by Patrick Graff finds that Florida’s school choice programs are more than 11 times as cost-effective at improving public school student achievement compared with equivalent increases in K–12 spending. Achieving similar gains through funding alone would have required more than $1,400 in additional spending per student annually, totaling roughly <a href="https://www.federationforchildren.org/florida-school-choice-cost-effectiveness-study/">$31.8 billion</a> over 15 years.
Nationwide, school choice spending accounts for an incredibly small share of state funding. For example, in 2022, school choice programs accounted for just <a href="https://www.edchoice.org/the-fiscal-effects-of-school-choice/">0.3%</a> of total state spending. In Arizona, critics have fear-mongered that the state’s school choice program with universal eligibility would bankrupt the state. The claim is far from factual as the <a href="https://www.edchoice.org/the-fiscal-effects-of-school-choice/">Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account</a> program funding in 2022 was “only 0.9% of the state budget,” and the state experienced a <a href="https://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/arizonas-universal-esa-program-a-history-of-surplus-savings-media-misinformation/">$2 billion surplus</a>. The end result of school choice is enormous savings to the state.
These are not isolated cases, but are becoming a consistent pattern emerging across the country. The improved outcomes driven by school choice are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
A 2025 <a href="https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/9/544/files/2025/10/2024-25arkansaseducationfreedomaccountsprogramannualreport.pdf">study</a> of Arkansas’ Education Freedom Accounts finds that school choice is delivering strong academic performance, high family satisfaction, and sustained participation, signaling real benefits for students.
In Washington, D.C., students who used a scholarship through the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program were <a href="https://www.congress.gov/event/112th-congress/house-event/LC2715/text?utm_source=chatgpt.com">21 percentage points</a> more likely to graduate from high school than their peers who did not receive one.
Similarly, in Milwaukee — home to the country’s longest-running modern private school scholarship program — longitudinal research shows that students participating in a school choice program are <a href="https://scdp.uark.edu/milwaukee-parental-choice-program-evaluation/">more likely</a> to graduate from high school and attend college than comparable public school students.
A study by the Urban Institute on the Educational Choice Scholarship program found that students in Ohio using private school scholarships were significantly more likely to <a href="https://www.urban.org/research/publication/effects-ohios-edchoice-voucher-program-college-enrollment-and-graduation">attend and complete college</a>, including higher rates of bachelor’s degree attainment.
Together, these findings point to lasting benefits that extend beyond K–12.
As the traditional system continues to fall short, the evidence points to a clear reality: funding levels alone do not account for differences in student performance. What does make a difference is access to educational options. School choice introduces the kind of competitive pressure that has long driven improvement in other sectors — and education is no exception. As more families recognize these benefits, demand grows further.
If the goal is to raise student achievement — particularly for the most vulnerable — expanding access to educational options warrants adoption. It delivers significant advantages for students who pursue alternatives and for those who remain in traditional public schools.
Education policy should be guided by what works. For decades, the prevailing assumption has been that increased spending will reliably produce better results. The data tells a different story. School choice, by contrast, has demonstrated consistent, measurable effects — not only on academic performance but also on long-term outcomes such as high school graduation, college enrollment, and degree attainment.
The question is no longer if school choice works — it’s whether policymakers elected by the taxpayers, but beholden to the teachers unions, are willing to act on the evidence.
* * * 
Dr. Keri D. Ingraham is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute, Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, and a Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum.

Parents Are Gaining More Control In Education And The Results Are Hard To Ignore

Charter Schools

florida

Public Schools

Students

With just days to go before the launch of one of the largest school choice programs in the country, Texas officials are fighting to ensure that no taxpayer funds go to institutions tied to the Chinese Communist Party or radical Islam.
On Saturday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/opinion-files/opinion/2026/kp-0509_2.pdf">legal opinion</a> confirming the ability of acting state Comptroller Kelly Hancock to deny participation to schools tied to America’s adversaries in the Texas Education Freedom Account program. Hancock, who is overseeing the school choice program, told The Daily Wire that his office has identified “more than a handful” of schools with problematic ties.
“There were several schools in Texas that are connected to the Chinese Communist Party, and those that hosted events [with] or are potentially connected to [the Council on American Islamic Relations],” Hancock said.
CAIR, a self-described civil rights organization with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/not-welcome-in-our-state-texas-governor-designates-radical-muslim-groups-as-foreign-terrorists?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘Not+Welcome+In+Our+State’%3A+Texas+Governor+Designates+‘Radical’+Muslim+Groups+As+Foreign+Terrorists">designated</a> as a terrorist organization in November by Governor Greg Abbott.
Hancock said that his office’s “priority was protecting taxpayer dollars to make sure that they didn&#8217;t end up in the hands of groups that support terrorist activity” or were “hostile” to the United States.
The Republican official is overseeing the rollout of Texas’ school choice program, which will allocate $1 billion in funding for parents to use for approved education expenses, including tuition at private schools. His office is responsible for approving schools that participate in the program and has greenlit 1,457 schools across the state.
As part of this approval process, Hancock said his office wanted to make sure that no schools with ties to CAIR or the CCP would benefit from state dollars.
“We saw some stories breaking in other states that have school choice,” Hancock told The Daily Wire. “I never lost sleep because we were ahead of the game and protecting those taxpayer dollars.”
Many of the schools flagged with problematic ties were accredited through Cognia, an accreditation nonprofit that vets many charter and private schools across the country. Hancock initially paused all approvals for schools accredited by Cognia, including some private Christian schools. But, with the legal opinion from Paxton, many Cognia-accredited schools are now being registered with the state, assuming they have no ties to foreign adversaries.
“We do want to make sure that we run it like a business, and try to protect taxpayer dollars on both sides of it,” Hancock said, asking people to be patient while his office vetted participants.
Hancock told The Daily Wire that the vetting and investigation of schools was still ongoing.
Some examples flagged by his office included the accrediting of potential providers by an agency that had hosted events alongside CAIR and another school that appeared to be owned by a group with an adviser linked to the CCP.
CAIR Texas suggested that it might sue Hancock if he scrutinizes schools that “once hosted an educational lecture from a civil rights organization that Greg Abbott happens to dislike.”
&#8220;Comptroller Hancock cannot bar private schools from this program because of their real or imagined interactions with CAIR-Texas, especially since Attorney General Paxton has sworn to a federal court that the governor&#8217;s unconstitutional proclamation targeting CAIR does not apply to any of its CAIR-Texas chapters,” the organization said. &#8220;Comptroller Hancock must permit private Muslim schools to participate in the program without facing any discrimination, heightened scrutiny or further delays in the application process.”
Abbott <a href="https://x.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/2015479262355079329">praised</a> Paxton’s opinion, saying it would ensure that taxpayer “dollars will not be used for schools connected to groups like CAIR or countries like China that I have designated as foreign terrorist organizations.”
Parents can start applying for education scholarships on February 4, and the application period runs until March 17.

Texas Governor Abbott Signs ERCOT Reforms Legislation Into Law

Texas Bans Schools Tied To ‘America’s Adversaries’ From Education Freedom Program

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It’s <a href="https://schoolchoiceweek.com/">National School Choice Week</a> in America, and the advancement of education freedom is sweeping the country.
Governors are opting-in their states to the new federal tax credit scholarship at rapid rates. The scholarship allows taxpayers to contribute up to $1,700 per year to a qualified non-profit scholarship-granting organization and receive a nonrefundable dollar-for-dollar tax credit. Organizations like <a href="https://www.acescholarships.org/">ACE Scholarships</a> award scholarships to K-12 students. Federal tax credit scholarships can be used for a variety of educational expenses, including tuition, fees, books, tutoring, transportation, and services for students with special needs.
The landmark legislation was fittingly <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2025/07/09/how-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-will-help-kids-escape-failing-government-schools/">signed</a> into law on Independence Day last year by President Donald Trump as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill.
Already, nineteen states are set to participate in the federal tax credit scholarship, and more are on the way.
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen took the lead in late September, signing an executive order communicating the intention for Nebraska to participate in the program.
Governor Pillen <a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/surrounded-students-gov-pillen-signs-order-opting-federal-scholarship-tax-credit#:~:text=by%20Students%2C%20Gov.-,Pillen%20Signs%20Order%20Opting%20into%20Federal%20Scholarship%20Tax%20Credit,choice%20opportunities%20beginning%20in%202027.">explained</a>, “This program is a game-changer for Nebraska students and their families, generating funds that will help send students to the school of their choice.” Continuing, he <a href="https://governor.nebraska.gov/surrounded-students-gov-pillen-signs-order-opting-federal-scholarship-tax-credit#:~:text=by%20Students%2C%20Gov.-,Pillen%20Signs%20Order%20Opting%20into%20Federal%20Scholarship%20Tax%20Credit,choice%20opportunities%20beginning%20in%202027.">said</a>, “When it comes to educating our kids, we need to ensure that every student is in an environment that allows them to succeed. This program provides that opportunity, and I’m pleased to say that Nebraska will take part.”
Going a step further to communicate his full and enthusiastic support, Governor Pillen <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/09/29/nebraska-gets-a-private-school-tax-credit-thanks-to-trump/">declared</a>, “I am not opting this in … I am cannonballing it into the state of Nebraska.”
Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee, a strong school choice proponent, followed. South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden announced opt-in plans by mid-November, <a href="https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&amp;sys_id=d8db85984799b290a497127ba26d43a7#:~:text=Article%20Body,take%20advantage%20of%20the%20program.">stating</a>, “Our students are the future of our state, and we must equip them with the skills and resources they need to thrive. Parents should have the freedom to choose the learning environment that sets their kids up for success.” Additionally, Governor Rhoden <a href="https://news.sd.gov/news?id=news_kb_article_view&amp;sys_id=d8db85984799b290a497127ba26d43a7#:~:text=Article%20Body,take%20advantage%20of%20the%20program.">noted</a>, “My goal as Governor is to support innovation — not stand in the way. So, we will continue to champion policies that expand the freedom to learn for our students.”
<div id="attachment_1033419" style="width: 826px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1033419" class="size-large wp-image-1033419" src="https://drwordpress.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/GettyImages-2206101099-816x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 20: Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) attends the executive order signing ceremony to reduce the size and scope of the Education Department in the East Room of the White House on March 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. The order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon, former head of the Small Business Administration and co-founder of the World Wrestling Entertainment, to shrink the $100 billion department, which cannot be dissolved without Congressional approval. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)" width="816" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2206101099-816x576.jpg 816w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2206101099-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2206101099-768x542.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2206101099.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px" />Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</div>
In December, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, the first Democratic governor to declare his intention to opt his state into the federal tax credit scholarship, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/colorado-jared-polis-school-choice-opt-in-tax-credit-70684840?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqd6Gye1vD2r7iUve5VEV6nzbD8u4mqRJLNak6f2V_Ylx0BjOxObBbVmsCc2AwQ%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6976b435&amp;gaa_sig=VbmoDJ1phVmO6EUWJXlAZUmF_eRQMR6-1pQ0SHu8_PMWR2HoDzDg868wS9sO71EZTxDbbDLyUi94rz6lm37Btg%3D%3D">said</a>, “I would be crazy not to.” A spokesman for Governor Polis <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/colorado-jared-polis-school-choice-opt-in-tax-credit-70684840?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqd6Gye1vD2r7iUve5VEV6nzbD8u4mqRJLNak6f2V_Ylx0BjOxObBbVmsCc2AwQ%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6976b435&amp;gaa_sig=VbmoDJ1phVmO6EUWJXlAZUmF_eRQMR6-1pQ0SHu8_PMWR2HoDzDg868wS9sO71EZTxDbbDLyUi94rz6lm37Btg%3D%3D">explained</a> that the tax credit creates an “immense opportunity for Coloradans to support students in our state, but only if we opt in.”
That’s a key point because taxpayers nationwide can contribute up to $1,700 annually to a scholarship-granting organization, but scholarships can only be awarded to students in states that have opted in by the governor or a designee. Individuals residing in states that aren’t opted in may still contribute to a scholarship-granting organization in another state and receive the dollar-for-dollar tax credit up to $1,700. For this point alone, all governors nationwide — regardless of political party — should opt in so that students in their state benefit from the contributions of residents of their state. <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/colorado-jared-polis-school-choice-opt-in-tax-credit-70684840?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqd6Gye1vD2r7iUve5VEV6nzbD8u4mqRJLNak6f2V_Ylx0BjOxObBbVmsCc2AwQ%3D&amp;gaa_ts=6976b435&amp;gaa_sig=VbmoDJ1phVmO6EUWJXlAZUmF_eRQMR6-1pQ0SHu8_PMWR2HoDzDg868wS9sO71EZTxDbbDLyUi94rz6lm37Btg%3D%3D">Governor Polis</a> is right — Governors “would be crazy not to.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott was the next to declare intention to participate. Governor Abbott has worked relentlessly to advance school choice in the Lone Star State. After calling <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/06/04/opinion-greg-abbott-went-to-war-with-texas-rinos-over-school-choice-he-appears-to-have-won-dr-keri-d-ingraham/?eer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple special legislative sessions</a> in 2023 and then in 2024, <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2024/06/04/opinion-greg-abbott-went-to-war-with-texas-rinos-over-school-choice-he-appears-to-have-won-dr-keri-d-ingraham/?eer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voters ousted</a> several Texas House of Representatives members who had voted against school choice, Governor Abbott <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-signs-landmark-school-choice-legislation-into-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> universal school choice into law in 2025.
By mid-December, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry joined the early round of governors to opt in to the federal tax credit scholarship. In Governor Landry’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/govjefflandry/p/DSYUHfvjxu1/?hl=af">words</a>, it “is yet another way we’re expanding opportunity and helping every child reach their full potential.”
But when January hit, the floodgates opened with governors opting their states in one right after another. First with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, followed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, Idaho Governor Brad Little, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Indiana Governor Mike Braun, and Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo.
This week, during National School Choice Week, it’s anticipated that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a leader when it comes to education freedom for families, and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt will make announcements.
Not to be left out, look for the remaining Republican governors to add their states. They include New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte, North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Vermont Governor Phil Scott, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.
Additionally, there are 22 remaining Democratic Governors yet to opt in who would be wise to allow students in their states to benefit from scholarships funded by taxpayer contributions, recognizing that participating costs the states nothing. The typical claim that school choice takes money from public schools falls not only flat but is entirely false, as it’s a federal tax credit.
With the federal tax credit scholarship opt-ins combined with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-free-or-die-state-becomes-first-universal-school-choice-state-in-the-northeast">seventeen states</a> — West Virginia, Arizona, Iowa, Utah, Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Idaho, Wyoming, Texas, Indiana, and New Hampshire — enacting universal school choice over the past five years, education freedom is advancing across America.
It’s picking up speed and not poised to slow any time soon — all to the benefit of families, freedom, and the future of our nation.
* * *
Dr. Keri D. Ingraham is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute, Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, and a Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Children are waiting the school bus on a snow day in the morning in Lexington, Massachusetts on January 24, 2023

Why Governors Are Opting-In To School Choice At Record Speed

Why Governors Are Opting In To School Choice At Record Speed

colorado

governor

nebraska

tax credit

tennessee

The Club For Growth is launching a major effort to back a school choice proposal in Mississippi, the organization told The Daily Wire. 
The conservative organization launched an ad campaign on Sunday in support of the Mississippi Education Freedom Act, a bill that would create a scholarship program for low-income families to send their kids to private schools. The campaign urges Mississippians to contact lawmakers to support the bill, which was introduced last week by Republicans in the state House. 
“Mississippi kids shouldn’t be left behind by a system that doesn’t care about them. And parents shouldn’t be relegated to the sidelines. They know what school is best for their child. Tell Legislators: Do right by our kids. Pass education freedom,” Club for Growth <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFhdvbR98jM">urges</a> in the ad.  
The ad first launched on the Sunday political shows in Mississippi and will continue to air this week on Fox News and conservative radio shows. 
The <a href="https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/dt/HB/0001-0099/HB0002IN.pdf">Mississippi Education Freedom Act</a> was introduced on January 7 by House Speaker Jason White and Representative Jansen Owen. The bill would create scholarship opportunities for up to 12,500 students to get state funding to help pay for the costs of attending private school or for other approved educational expenses. The scholarships would be prioritized for lower-income students and could become more broadly available over time. 
“Mississippi benefits when every child can access an education that fits his or her needs, circumstances and aspirations. The ‘Mississippi Education Freedom Act’, expands learning options for eligible students by allowing parents to direct state-supported funds to qualifying educational expenses and approved education service providers,” the bill’s text reads. “This act promotes academic achievement, parental choice, workforce readiness, and efficient stewardship of public funds.”
The bill would also make it easier for parents to transfer their students from one public school district to another and expand opportunities for charter schools. 
Education Secretary Linda McMahon came out in support of the Mississippi House proposal.
“I’m thrilled to see Mississippi advancing an ambitious school choice expansion in their 2026 session. Giving parents options is essential to improving education outcomes &amp; ensuring every child finds the learning environment that best fits their needs,” she <a href="https://x.com/EDSecMcMahon/status/2009735951510048973">said</a> in a post on X. 
As President Donald Trump has moved to dismantle the Department of Education, his administration has pushed for states to implement school choice measures that allow parents to get funding to send their kids to private schools. 
In 2025, the Club for Growth spent over seven figures across the country backing school-choice proposals or expansions in Georgia, Idaho, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-conservative-org-launches-campaign-to-pass-school-choice-in-two-red-states">Indiana</a>, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.

Close up of desks in the classroom.

New Campaign Promotes School Choice For Low-Income Families In Red State

Conservative Org Launches School Choice Effort In Red State

department of education

mississippi

Few things are more important than the education of our young people. 
That’s why, when the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released the <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/">Nation’s Report Card</a> earlier this week, I became concerned. Average scores among 8th and 12th grade students were lower across all three primary assessments — science, math, and reading. For example, only 22% of 12th graders were proficient at their level of mathematics and 35% were proficient at their level of reading.
Scores like these should remind all of us just how important a high-quality education is for every student. While these scores are discouraging, I believe when parents and students are given a choice in education and the right leadership is in place, we will see test scores like these go up, not down. 
Most students spend more awake time in school than at home during the week and thousands of families are counting on their state officials to deliver for their children. That’s why I’m running for governor of South Carolina, to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality education – whether that’s their local traditional public school, a high-performing public charter school, or a high-quality private school. I am confident that there are thousands of outstanding teachers across South Carolina, but there are also gaps in excellence in far too many places.
I’ve spent my career in business and understand that competition makes everyone better. When traditional public schools are competing against private and public charter schools, it drives innovation, efficiency, and a desire for excellence. This free-market principle is what creates great organizations that serve people well, and it’s the same principle that will improve education for South Carolina students.
Status quo politicians and special interests have tried to pit education freedom against great public schools. I fundamentally reject this flawed argument. I attended public school and many of my grandchildren currently attend public school – and I strongly support education freedom. South Carolina parents deserve the opportunity to choose what’s best for their child.
Fortunately, South Carolina has made significant strides in improving student-centered education over the past few years, but we have room to grow. As governor, my mission will be to improve public education, increase education freedom, and ensure high school graduates are ready for a job or college.
We know what moves the needle in public education – great teachers in classrooms and great principals leading schools. The research is overwhelming: the quality of teachers and principals are two of the top in-school factors for student success. I firmly believe that leaders should make data-informed decisions, and that’s why, based on this research, we should be rewarding our top-performing teachers and principals across the state.
I want South Carolina to become the top destination in the country for the best and brightest teachers and principals. We should create a merit pay structure statewide that offers bonuses to educators who are top performers – and we should offer an extra incentive to educators who are willing to bring their high-quality instruction to low performing schools. Infusing the principles of the free market into public education will improve outcomes for students.
Concurrent with statewide merit pay, South Carolina must expand education freedom for all families in the state. Education freedom is about ensuring parents are empowered to exercise their God-given right to choose what’s best for their children. As governor, I will work every day to expand education freedom until every family has the opportunity to choose the best education for their child.
Finally, as governor, I am committed to dramatically expanding career and technical education in South Carolina. For too long, schools and businesses have been ships passing in the night. Schools enroll students in career and technical education without actually talking to businesses about what skills are needed in the workforce. I’ve spent most of my life in the private sector and I know what it takes to bring business leaders into the conversation and ensure our students are being prepared with the skills needed for family-sustaining jobs. When schools and businesses are working together for student success, the entire state wins.
Few things are more important than education. As governor, I will focus every day on leading with students at the center of the conversation. Education funding is a core function of government and it should be treated as a treasure to invest in our next generation’s education.
* * *
Ralph Norman was born and raised in South Carolina. After a successful career as a small business owner in real estate development, he entered into public service, first as a South Carolina State Representative, then as a U.S. Congressman in 2017. He’s now running to be the next Governor of South Carolina. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Open Book On Wooden Desk With Blurred Empty Classroom Background.

When Test Scores Drop, It’s Time For Real Education Reform

Parental Rights in Education

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The Trump administration renewed its push to return control of education to the states after new data revealed continued declines in the reading, math, and science scores of high school seniors nationwide.
The National Center for Education Statistics released the &#8220;Nation&#8217;s Report Card&#8221; for 12th-grade students on Tuesday, finding that reading levels had reached new lows and math scores were the worst in 20 years. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon <a href="https://x.com/EDSecMcMahon/status/1965370143657148681">said</a> that the numbers confirmed a “devastating trend” of American students testing at “historic lows.”
“Despite billions in federal spending and countless well-intentioned programs, the achievement gap between students is widening, not shrinking. And this trend did not begin with COVID, it goes back a decade,” she said in a video message posted on X, noting that 78% of high school seniors were not proficient in math and another 65% were not proficient in reading in 2024. 
“Clearly, success is not about how much money we spend, but who spends it. That’s why President Trump and I are committed to reversing course and returning control of education to the states so local communities with parents in the driver&#8217;s seat can better innovate, adapt, and tailor education to their students’ needs,” she said. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today’s <a href="https://twitter.com/NAEP_NCES?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NAEP_NCES</a> 12th grade math and reading and 8th grade science scores confirm a devastating trend: American students are testing at historic lows.
Nearly HALF of America’s high school seniors are testing at below basic levels in math and reading. The status quo is… <a href="https://t.co/FMxGX5cu66">pic.twitter.com/FMxGX5cu66</a>
— Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) <a href="https://twitter.com/EDSecMcMahon/status/1965370143657148681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The National Report Card is an ongoing assessment of what American students know about various subjects, providing a nationwide snapshot of trends and measuring student performance.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g12/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> that the average reading score for 12th graders in 2024 was three points lower than in 2019 and 10 points lower than in 1992. For <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g12/">math</a>, scores were down three points compared to 2019 and five points compared to 2019. Science <a href="https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/science/2024/">scores</a> for seniors also decreased by four points compared to 2019. 
Educational achievement has also dropped for students in lower grades. In January, the statistics showed that around 70% of students in grades four and eight were not proficient in math or reading. 
Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) said that the poor education numbers were endangering national security and would have economic consequences. 
“Low academic skills don’t just hurt grades, they weaken our economy, workforce, and national security. Without strong foundations in these core subjects, America’s freedom and economic competitiveness will be in jeopardy,” he said. “Republicans and the Trump administration are prioritizing students — working to ensure every child gains the skills essential to be successful. This is crucial to America’s success.”
While moving to reduce the size and scope of the Education Department, the Trump administration has encouraged states to adopt school choice policies to allow parents to use state dollars to help cover tuition costs at private schools.

First Lady Melania Trump Hosts White House Task Force On AI Education

‘Nation’s Report Card’ Finds Reading Scores For High School Seniors At Record Lows

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With Governor Kelly Ayotte’s signature on Tuesday, New Hampshire became the first state in the Northeast and the 17th state in the nation to enact universal school choice. New Hampshire joins Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming in empowering all parents statewide with a portion of their children’s education funding to select the K-12 education avenue of their choice.
Previously, New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account program, which began in 2021, was restricted to only families meeting a certain household income threshold. However, during this legislative session, the state House and the Senate took up separate bills to make all students eligible for the program. On March 13, <a href="https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/billText.aspx?sy=2025&amp;id=67&amp;txtFormat=html">House Bill 115</a> passed the House by a vote of <a href="https://legiscan.com/NH/bill/HB115/2025">198-180</a>, and <a href="https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/billText.aspx?sy=2025&amp;id=965&amp;txtFormat=html">Senate Bill 295</a> passed the Senate by a vote of <a href="https://legiscan.com/NH/votes/SB295/2025">16-8</a>.
After several more legislative steps, including moving through the House and Senate Finance Committees and adoption into the state’s budget, Senate Bill 295 successfully passed out of the legislature on June 5.
There was great confidence that Gov. Ayotte would deliver by signing the bill into law. In her Inaugural Address in January, she <a href="https://www.governor.nh.gov/news/governor-kelly-ayottes-inaugural-address">stated</a>: “As a mother, I understand that every child learns differently and that we should give each child the opportunity to be in the education setting that allows them to reach his or her full potential.”
The governor <a href="https://www.governor.nh.gov/news/governor-kelly-ayottes-inaugural-address">continued</a>: “Public Schools are critical, and I am the proud product of Nashua’s public schools, but they are not working for every child. I applaud the work the legislature has done to expand opportunities for families through education freedom accounts and look forward to strengthening and expanding this program to ensure more families have the freedom to put their children in the learning environment that is best for them.”
The Education Freedom Account funds can be used for private school tuition, tutoring, career and technical education, homeschooling curriculum, and other educational expenses. While the eligibility becomes universal, students from low-income households, students with disabilities, and students and their siblings currently enrolled in the Education Freedom Account program are prioritized.
For the current school year, approximately <a href="https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/programs/education-freedom-account-program/">5,600</a> students participated, with an average award of <a href="https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/programs/education-freedom-account-program/">$5,100 per student</a>. This is a mere fraction of the <a href="https://www.education.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt326/files/inline-documents/sonh/cost-per-pupil-fy2024-excluding-newfound.pdf">$26,320</a> that is spent to educate a public school student each year in New Hampshire.
While the funding is significantly less, there is greater accountability for how Education Freedom Account (EFA) funds are used. New Hampshire <a href="https://www.nhhousegop.com/press-releases/republicans-make-the-wildly-successful-education-freedom-accounts-universal/">State Representative Valerie McDonnell (R-Salem)</a> explains, “Every single EFA dollar is audited and publicly available. While local school budgets continue to grow and grow, the EFA program has saved the taxpayers over $266 million in the last five years. Expanding EFAs means more educational opportunities, greater accountability, and stronger outcomes for students.”
According to <a href="https://nhjournal.com/bedrick-finally-fulfilling-the-promise-of-public-education/?mkt_tok=ODI0LU1IVC0zMDQAAAGa32t7I1dLF9OyZxlQsR4nlr3M0SnLmTqfsUK6Kp4YjIQ80fxyO5a4NtQ3VQo18r-FkHASXhC1lfqaA_NBTKI-8Rc-VWzPF4rj7Up6HibL-vTwFV8-Dw">Jason Bedrick</a>, New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account program “cost about $27 million last year, which is only about 0.7% of the nearly $4 billion spent on New Hampshire’s public schools.”
A new study from the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy <a href="https://jbartlett.org/2025/06/per-pupil-spending-in-nh-nearly-doubles-from-2001-2024-as-district-public-schools-spend-1-25-billion-more-on-54000-fewer-students/">found</a> that New Hampshire public school spending increased $1.25 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars between 2001 and 2024. That’s a staggering 45% despite student enrollment decreasing 26% over the same time period. The increase in spending, combined with the sharp decline in enrollment, resulted in a 96% increase in inflation-adjusted spending.
The nearly doubling of spending did not have a positive impact on student learning. Instead, student learning fell significantly. Student achievement results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam scores for reading and math <a href="https://jbartlett.org/2025/06/per-pupil-spending-in-nh-nearly-doubles-from-2001-2024-as-district-public-schools-spend-1-25-billion-more-on-54000-fewer-students/">dropped by 21 points</a>. New Hampshire’s student decline was three times that of the national average 7-point score decrease.
The lack of return on investment in the astronomically expensive and inefficient public school monopoly adds to the numerous compelling reasons to empower parents with school choice for their children.
While unfathomable just a few years ago, historic education freedom is becoming a reality, state by state and with great speed. New Hampshire is the sixth state in 2025 to enact universal school choice.
The template has been set for the remaining 33 states yet to grant all parents school choice for the thirteen most formative years of their children’s lives. Which state will be next?
* * *
<a href="https://www.discovery.org/p/ingraham/">Dr. Keri D. Ingraham</a> is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute, Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, and a Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Group of school school kids running as they leave the school building

‘Live Free Or Die’ State Becomes First Universal School Choice State In The Northeast

Kelly Ayotte

New Hampshire

A conservative group on Sunday launched a campaign urging Louisiana lawmakers to save funding for the state&#8217;s school choice program.
The Club for Growth rolled out a 30-second TV spot on Sunday political programs across Louisiana, pushing for lawmakers to save the Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise program, which provides scholarships that students can use to attend private schools. Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled State Senate are considering slashing up to $44 million from the program in order to help pay for stipends for teachers.
&#8220;Lawmakers have a choice,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy8sVWTPVo8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TV spot,</a> which was first shared with The Daily Wire, says.
&#8220;Lift up our kids or gut their futures. Some state senators have grabbed their knives planning to slash $44 million in funding for Governor Landry&#8217;s LA GATOR program putting 6,000 life-changing scholarships on the chopping block, dashing the hopes of 6,000 low income kids. Those aren&#8217;t just numbers, they&#8217;re futures. Tell lawmakers, &#8216;Don&#8217;t cut their lifeline.'&#8221;
The ad features Senate President Cameron Henry, who has <a href="https://lailluminator.com/2025/04/10/teacher-pay-vs-la-gator-lawmakers-may-cut-landrys-signature-school-voucher-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> expressed support for cutting the program to fund $2,000 stipends for public school teachers.
The Club for Growth, which has backed school choice proposals across the country, launched a six-figure TV, digital, and phone campaign dissuading lawmakers from cutting the program in April. Their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW00gbtZGH0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first ad</a> featured Governor Landry discussing how his school choice program would give parents more control over the education of their children.
Last week, the Louisiana House passed a budget including over $90 million in funding for the scholarship program, the full amount requested by the governor.
The Louisiana Department of Education says it determined that 35,000 of the 40,000 applications for the 2025-2026 school year were eligible. The amount of scholarships that will be awarded depends on how much money is appropriated for the program by the legislature.
Priority is given to students who are already in the program, students with disabilities, or from families making less than 250% of the federal poverty level, and students with siblings in the program. Students with disabilities can be awarded up to $15,253, while impoverished students can get $7,626. All others are eligible for $5,243.
The Club for Growth has already backed several successful campaigns for school choice measures, including in Tennessee and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-conservative-org-launches-campaign-to-pass-school-choice-in-two-red-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indiana</a>. The Trump administration has made school choice a major component of its education policy, with President Donald Trump promising to dismantle the Department of Education and return control of education to the states.

Back view of little girl attending a class in elementary school.

Conservative Group Urges Louisiana Republicans To Save School Choice From The ‘Chopping Block’

Jeff Landry

Louisiana

North Dakota Republican Governor Kelly Armstrong vetoed a bill this week that would have required school districts to keep books determined to be &#8220;sexually explicit&#8221; out of the reach of students, saying that the bill was a &#8220;misguided&#8221; attempt to &#8220;legislate morality.&#8221;
Armstrong on Tuesday vetoed Senate Bill 2307, which would have prohibited school districts from maintaining &#8220;explicit sexual material&#8221; in classrooms and libraries and would allow concerned parents and others to initiate a review of materials they believe may be in violation of the law. In his veto message, Armstrong said that enforcing the bill would be &#8220;unworkable&#8221; and infringed on free speech.
&#8220;While I recognize the concerns that led to its introduction, SB 2307 represents a misguided attempt to legislate morality through overreach and censorship. The bill imposes vague and punitive burdens on professionals and opens the door to a host of unintended and damaging consequences for our communities,&#8221; he <a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SB-2307-veto-message-signed.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
The legislation would have expanded on a <a href="https://legiscan.com/ND/text/HB1205/id/2789486" target="_blank" rel="noopener">law</a> passed in 2023 that barred public libraries from keeping sexually explicit books in their children&#8217;s section. That law also requires public libraries to have a policy in place to keep explicit books out of the children&#8217;s section.
SB 2307 would have expanded those guidelines to school districts, requiring districts to ensure that students were not exposed to sexually explicit material through physical books or online resources offered to them. Districts would also have been mandated to put policies in place to ensure compliance.
The proposal would have created a way for &#8220;interested parties&#8221; to challenge decisions made by schools, and given them an opportunity to appeal to an oversight board and the local state&#8217;s attorney. Local prosecutors would also have been given the power to prosecute for violations of the law.
The governor&#8217;s office told The Daily Wire it had no further comment on the legislation other than the veto message.
In that message, Armstrong called the legislation &#8220;redundant&#8221; and &#8220;overly burdensome,&#8221; saying that it could lead to &#8220;the next literary masterpiece&#8221; being kept out of North Dakota libraries. He also believed it would open up a floodgate of complaints for innocuous books that would bog down library and school officials.
&#8220;In today’s world of social media, streaming services, websites, cable TV and movies where profanity, drug use, violence and nudity are harder to avoid than to find, the amount of time, money and taxpayer resources spent on where a book is placed in a library would be better used elsewhere,” he wrote in his message.
The legislation had passed the Republican-dominated state Senate 27-20 and the House 49-45.
“We are harming our children, that’s all there is to it,” said state Senator Keith Boehm during a hearing on the proposal. “The bill is all about protecting kids from this material. It has nothing against adults.”
The issue of sexually explicit books has been a major concern across the country as parents have rallied to protect their kids from graphic material at both public and school libraries.
Armstrong also <a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/briefs/armstrong-vetoes-north-dakota-private-school-voucher-bill-but-signals-support-for-competing-bill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vetoed another</a> Republican-backed piece of legislation this week. On Wednesday, he vetoed a school choice proposal that would have created Education Savings Accounts for private school students. The governor said that the bill failed to &#8220;deliver the school choice North Dakota needs, especially in rural areas where nonpublic school options are few and far between.” He asked lawmakers to send him a bill that would provide education vouchers to a broader swath of students.

Postmaster General DeJoy Testifies Before House Oversight Committee

GOP Governor Vetoes Bill Meant To Shield Kids From ‘Sexually Explicit’ Books At School

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