Freedom to Learn

Ginny Gentles

On this season of Freedom to Learn, we're exploring the implementation of education policies that put power back where it belongs, closest to students. Each episode will reveal how policymakers and advocates are turning historic legislative victories into education freedom reality for millions of parents and students. Over the last two years, our Freedom to Learn guests have made the case for creating a new Education Freedom Tax Credit, expanding state education savings account programs, returning education to states, communities, and families, and ending the era of union dominance. Join us this season as we explore what's possible when education is student-centered and free from bureaucratic control. Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute.

  1. 2d ago

    Joe Connor on ESAs, SGOs, & the EFTC

    School choice is expanding nationwide, creating new opportunities for parents to shape their children’s education. Joe Connor, founder and CEO of Odyssey, joins the podcast to discuss Texas’s landmark education savings account launch, the evolution of school choice programs in Missouri, Utah, Iowa, and Wyoming, and the opportunities and challenges of the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit. Joe explains how technology can make these programs easier for families to access, how multiple funding sources could expand educational options, and why strong implementation and accountability are essential to advancing education freedom. 🔗 Links & Resources: Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org💡 Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicySubscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!📩 Contact Us: If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org. 🎧 Thank You for Listening: Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!

    Joe Connor on ESAs, SGOs, & the EFTC

  2. Oct 22

    Alan Levine on Jewish Day Schools, EFTC Scholarships, & Informing Donors

    The new Education Freedom Tax Credit could make a wide array of educational options attainable for millions of students next year. Alan Levine, CEO of the Jewish Education Access Fund, joins the podcast to explain how the tax credit offers a once-in-a-generation chance to expand access to schools that reflect families' values. Alan explains what donors and families need to know about pledges, donations, and state opt-ins before the credit takes effect on January 1, 2027. Jewish Education Access Fund: https://www.access-fund.org/ Federal Scholarship Tax Credit temporary rules: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/02/2026-20264/federal-scholarship-tax-credit Federal Scholarship Tax Credit proposed rules: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/02/2026-20277/federal-scholarship-tax-credit 🔗 Links & Resources: Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org💡 Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicySubscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!📩 Contact Us: If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org. 🎧 Thank You for Listening: Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!

    Alan Levine on Jewish Day Schools, EFTC Scholarships, & Informing Donors

  3. Oct 15

    Ashling Preston on New York’s Opt-In, Treasury’s New Rules, & Implementing the Education Freedom Tax Credit

    The Education Freedom Tax Credit is poised to expand opportunities for students nationwide, but what has to happen before it launches on January 1, 2027? Ashling Preston of the American Federation for Children joins Freedom to Learn to identify the steps state leaders and scholarship-granting organizations need to take now. She also explains how taxpayers can prepare to fund scholarships for eligible students in participating states. With implementation around the corner, the opportunity is enormous, the excuses are running out, and the push for all 50 states to opt in is on. https://federalscholarships.com/ Federal Scholarship Tax Credit temporary rules: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/02/2026-20264/federal-scholarship-tax-credit Federal Scholarship Tax Credit proposed rules: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/02/2026-20277/federal-scholarship-tax-credit New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s opt-in statement: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/statement-governor-kathy-hochul-180 Regulations.gov Federal Scholarship Tax Credit comment portal: https://www.regulations.gov/document/IRS-2026-1354-0001 🔗 Links & Resources: Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org💡 Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicySubscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!📩 Contact Us: If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org. 🎧 Thank You for Listening: Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!

    Ashling Preston on New York’s Opt-In, Treasury’s New Rules, & Implementing the Education Freedom Tax Credit

  4. Oct 8

    Averel Meden on What New Education Freedom Tax Credit Rules Mean for States, SGOs, & Families

    What if families in your state could unlock thousands of dollars for their children's education thanks to a new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit, but your state hasn't opted in yet? Averel Meden of the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Coalition joins the podcast to explain the Treasury Department’s newly released rules governing the tax credit for donations to scholarship granting organizations, how to talk to state leaders, and key dates leading to the 2027 tax credit implementation. Averel explains how this $1,700 federal tax credit could generate scholarships that benefit 96% of students nationwide. She also encourages listeners to engage in the 60-day comment period for the proposed rules and build public awareness about the EFTC through friends, families, schools, and faith communities. Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Coalition: https://fedscholarshiptaxcredit.org/ The Trump Administration’s announcement of the proposed tax credit rules: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0641  Proposed Regulations: Federal Scholarship Tax Credit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/02/2026-20277/federal-scholarship-tax-credit Temporary Regulations: Federal Scholarship Tax Credit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/02/2026-20264/federal-scholarship-tax-credit 🔗 Links & Resources: Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org💡 Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicySubscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!📩 Contact Us: If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org. 🎧 Thank You for Listening: Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!

    Averel Meden on What New Education Freedom Tax Credit Rules Mean for States, SGOs, & Families

  5. Oct 1

    Patrick Wolf on Arkansas’s Education Freedom Accounts, Universal Access, & Early Results

    When Arkansas’s Education Freedom Accounts went universal last year, enrollment soared by 212% to 44,524 students. Dr. Patrick Wolf joins the podcast to discuss who’s participating, why families choose the program, and how the funds are used. Dr. Wolf’s new report on the program also examines rural access to education options, participation among students with disabilities, program accountability, and early academic achievement results. Arkansas Education Freedom Accounts: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/offices/office-of-school-choice-and-parent-empowerment/education-freedom-accounts 🔗 Links & Resources: Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org💡 Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicySubscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!📩 Contact Us: If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org. 🎧 Thank You for Listening: Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!

    Patrick Wolf on Arkansas’s Education Freedom Accounts, Universal Access, & Early Results

  6. Sep 24

    Patrick Graff on the Education Freedom Tax Credit’s 52 Million Eligible Students, 121 Million Potential Donors, & 31 Participating States

    The new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit could reshape the K-12 education landscape faster than most people realize. American Federation for Children senior fellow Patrick Graff’s new research reveals who can fund and who can receive tax credit-funded scholarships. Ginny Gentles and Patrick discuss how the new federal tax credit works, the 52 million students who could qualify for tax credited-funded scholarships, the 121 million taxpayers who are eligible to claim the tax credit and fund scholarships, and why state participation will determine which families benefit. They also explore the program’s potential to generate billions in new K-12 education funding. Who Can Receive a Scholarship? The Eligible K-12 Student Population Under the New Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC): https://www.federationforchildren.org/new-estimates-project-that-52-million-k-12-students-eligible-for-the-education-freedom-tax-credit-eftc/ Who Can Fund a Scholarship? Updated Donor Estimates under the New Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC): https://www.federationforchildren.org/who-can-fund-a-scholarship-under-the-eftc/ Federal School Choice Could Be Huge: Possibly many billions in scholarships, even with modest donor uptake, The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/federal-school-choice-tax-credit-donations-patrick-graff-report-3044cba3 EFTC participating states for 2027: https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/federal-state-local-governments/federal-scholarship-tax-credit-fstc 🔗 Links & Resources: Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org💡 Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicySubscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!📩 Contact Us: If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org. 🎧 Thank You for Listening: Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!

    Patrick Graff on the Education Freedom Tax Credit’s 52 Million Eligible Students, 121 Million Potential Donors, & 31 Participating States

  7. Sep 17

    Mandy Drogin on Texas Education Freedom Accounts, Great Books, & the Classroom Comeback

    Texas families are demanding more education options and expecting more of the education system. Ginny Gentles talks with Mandy Drogin, host of the Parent Empowerment podcast, about the 120,000 students benefiting from Texas’s education freedom accounts this year, the huge demand from families of students with special needs, and the growing marketplace of schools, tutoring, therapies, curriculum, and more. Mandy also makes the case for classical education and the Great Books, exposes what she calls the “education cartel,” and previews her upcoming book, Classroom Comeback: How Americans Can Make Education Great Again. Texas Education Freedom Accounts: https://educationfreedom.texas.gov/ Classroom Comeback: How Americans Can Make Education Great Again: https://www.encounterbooks.com/books/classroom-comeback/?srsltid=AfmBOor8PeL5Gbm7C9vRBz7Og_qFgna3E71qM9jN5LCA5TzDxMblsWcN 🔗 Links & Resources: Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org💡 Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicySubscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!📩 Contact Us: If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org. 🎧 Thank You for Listening: Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!

    Mandy Drogin on Texas Education Freedom Accounts, Great Books, & the Classroom Comeback

  8. Sep 10

    Daniel Buck on Fixing Classroom Chaos, Balancing Teacher Prep Programs, & Addressing the Teacher-Parent Divide

    This week on Freedom to Learn, DFI Guest Host Angela Morabito is joined by Daniel Buck, American Enterprise Institute Research Fellow and Director of the Conservative Education Reform Network (CERN). Daniel breaks down the student behavior crisis facing America’s K–12 classrooms, explaining how persistent low-level disruptions contribute to teacher burnout. He also reveals the progressive ideological imbalance facing teacher preparation programs today and what can be done to fix it, defends the importance of standardized testing, and shares how schools can restore the parent-teacher divide. Pedagogy of the Progressives: A Review of Syllabi from Graduate Schools of Education, Sept. 9, 2026, by Daniel Buck: https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/pedagogy-of-the-progressives-a-review-of-syllabi-from-graduate-schools-of-education/ Colleges Train Future Teachers to Push Woke Agenda, Aug. 11, 2026, by Angela Morabito: https://www.realcleareducation.com/2026/08/10/colleges_train_future_teachers_to_push_woke_agenda_1199374.html 🔗 Links & Resources: Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org💡 Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicyFollow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicySubscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes!📩 Contact Us: If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org. 🎧 Thank You for Listening: Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!

    Daniel Buck on Fixing Classroom Chaos, Balancing Teacher Prep Programs, & Addressing the Teacher-Parent Divide
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About

On this season of Freedom to Learn, we're exploring the implementation of education policies that put power back where it belongs, closest to students. Each episode will reveal how policymakers and advocates are turning historic legislative victories into education freedom reality for millions of parents and students. Over the last two years, our Freedom to Learn guests have made the case for creating a new Education Freedom Tax Credit, expanding state education savings account programs, returning education to states, communities, and families, and ending the era of union dominance. Join us this season as we explore what's possible when education is student-centered and free from bureaucratic control. Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute.

Information

  • Creator
    Ginny Gentles
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Freedom to Learn
  • Show Website
    Freedom to Learn

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