AACS Today

Jessica Valente from Tabernacle Christian School in Hickory, North Carolina, was selected as one of the 2025 Teachers of the Year by the Herzog Foundation, and on this episode, she shares her heart for teaching students with special needs. Be sure to listen to catch her suggestions for how you can begin a program at your school!

Jamison and Matt interview AACS interns, Hudson and Hayden, on day 2 of their journey as summer interns for the AACS Washington office. Listen in to get to know them, and be sure to pray for them this summer!

Jamison and Matt discuss how the religious liberty language came to be reinstated in the school choice version of the Big Beautiful Bill Act (ECCA portion). They also break down a few of the potential problems with some of the provisions that remain in the bill.  Finally, they break down how religious liberty precedents set by the Supreme Court undergird the need for the religious liberty language to remain in the Senate version of the bill. 

*Be sure to listen to the program note at the end of the podcast as there is a very important update since the original recording.In this episode, Jamison and Matt look at the importance of religious liberty in our country and why its worth fighting for when it comes to federal school choice legislation in the, "big beautiful bill."

In this episode, Jamison and Matt continue their discussion of the philosophy and principles of school choice. In Part 2 of "Back to the Basics," Jamison and Matt look at the different types of school choice programs around the country. From vouchers and ESAs to tax credit scholarships and tax credits, there are a number of programs in states around the country.If you missed part 1, be sure to listen to it here!

In Part 1 of "Back to the Basics," Jamison and Matt take a journey that goes all the way back to the beginning of public education in the United States even before the country officially formed. The journey continues into the mid 1800s and early 1900s as cultural and philosophical trends as well as legislation and court decisions changed the trajectory of American education and set the stage for the modern day school choice movement.

Just last week, the Texas House of Representatives passed an education savings account (ESA) bill, and now, the bill is headed for Governor Abbott's desk. On this episode, Jamison interviews Matt about the specifics of the bill and what other state leaders can learn from the process in Texas. Is everything bigger in Texas? Be sure to listen to find out!

Are you known as someone who always chooses to do things "the hard way"? Join Jamison and Matt as they recap the AACS National Competition, which took place April 8-10 on the campus of Bob Jones University. More than 1,800 students from 187 schools and 34 states competed to become a national champion.

Hannah DeBruler, Higher Education Policy Analyst for AACS, joins the podcast to discuss the impact President Trump is having in the world of postsecondary education. In this episode Jamison, Hannah, and Matt break down what's happening with some of the federal funds that have been withheld from certain well-known universities. They also look at how the dismantling of the Department of Education could effect institutions of higher learning as well as the impact President Trump's DEI executive orders are having on colleges.

On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order to close the Department of Education and to return authority to the states. In this episode, Jamison and Matt discuss the why, the what, and the push back from this executive action.For anyone interested in seeing pictures of Stumpy, click here.

President Trump has been called an "energetic Executive" as he makes his way through the first one hundred days of his second term. In this episode, Jamison and Matt provide an update on the status of the Department of Education, rogue judges (and their rulings related to Trump's policies) and reconciliation.

Sports are an amazing tool to build leadership skills and work ethic. Over the last several years though, there has been an increasing number of men competing on women's sports teams and invading women's private spaces. On this episode, join Jamison as he interviews Maggie McKneely, a Legislative Strategist with Concerned Women for America, to discuss the latest on this important battle to protect women and girls.

In this episode, Jamison is joined by Chris Reed, Chief Risk Officer and General Counsel for the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance. With more than 27,000 members in 32 states, the NIA's goal is to provide nonprofits with access to a stable source of fair and equitably priced property and liability insurance.  Currently, nonprofits can pool liability risk across state lines, but that ability does not yet exist for property insurance. The NIA is advocating for legislation that would bring a resolution to this problem. To learn more about NIA's legislative advocacy, click here.

Send us a textWhile the title might seem peculiar at first, we know you've been hearing about the potential to dismantle the Department of Education. Join Jamison and Matt as they welcome back to the podcast AACS Policy Analyst, Maureen Van Den Berg, to discuss the fate of the Department of Education. Is it dead on arrival? Be sure to tune in to find out!

Send us a textWith the re-election of President Trump, there certainly is a new sheriff in Washington, D.C.! In this episode, Jamison and Matt review some of the executive orders signed by the President, and they discuss how he has certainly become an "energetic executive." The bureaucracy is reeling as Trump continues to move lightning fast!

Send us a textThe annual LEAD Conference was recently held in Peachtree City, GA, and in this episode, Jamison and Matt share some of the biggest takeaways from the leadership sessions and discussion. Dr. Kelvin Cochran, former City of Atlanta Fire Chief, led two of the leadership sessions, and Alliance Defending Freedom's Senior Counsel, Greg Baylor, spoke in the final session. Be sure to listen in as Jamison and Matt provide encouragement from their time in Georgia.  

Send us a textDr. Matthew Mehan, Associate Dean and Assistant Professor of Government in the Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College Washington, D.C. campus, joins Jamison to discuss why children matter in our society. Dr. Mehan hopes to turn the hearts and minds of men back to their children.Dr. Mehan is the author of the report, The Higher Purpose of Children in American Society, which was published by The Heritage Foundation. He is also the author of two children's books, Mr. Mehan's Mildly Amusing Mythical Mammals and The Handsome Little Cygnet.

Send us a textDr. Jeff Walton, Executive Director of the AACS, joins Jamison and Matt for an in-depth look at school accreditation. In this episode, which is part 2 (be sure to listen to last week's podcast for part 1), Dr. Walton discusses current trends in accreditation as well as the value of AACS accreditation.

Send us a textDr. Jeff Walton, Executive Director the AACS, joins Jamison and Matt for 2 episodes dedicated to the topic of school accreditation. In this episode, Dr. Walton defines accreditation and looks at why Christian schools should pursue accreditation. He also differentiates between a compliance model and a school improvement model of accreditation.

Send us a textHappy New Year from AACS Today! As we move into the new year, the news cycle in Washington has been full of interesting stories. Will the Department of Education be abolished? Will the Panama Canal be returned to the United States? Will Canada and Greenland become states? While that last question might be a stretch, we do have a new Congress, and we're about to have a new President. In this episode of the podcast, join Jamsion and Matt as they discuss what to expect in Washington in 2025.  

Send us a textSchool and ministry leaders often need to wear a variety of “hats.”  The list can be lengthy due to limited staff and resources. Things like fundraising, admissions, facilities management, information technology, and so much more.In this episode, Mrs. Coppola, an HR Executive and Consultant, joins Jamison and Matt to discuss the importance of Human Resources (HR) in ministries. HR helps to build the framework for the processes we use to recruit, hire, train, and care for our staff.  Be sure to listen as we present tips and resources to help simplify HR so that we can be effective in this key area for our ministries.

Send us a textJamison and Matt reflect on the God's Providence over the last 12 months, and they look forward to what can potentially be expected from a new Congress and new President. Don't miss the last episode of 2024! The next episode of the podcast will be released on January 6, 2025.

Send us a textBillboard Chris joins Jamison on the podcast to discuss the lunacy behind toady's gender ideology and how it's impacting the next generation. Chris is a brave advocate for the truth about gender ideology and kids, and he's traveling across the world (9 countries to date) to share the truth, one person at a time.If you're on X, you may want to consider following Billboard Chris here.

Send us a textWhen it comes to fundraising, donor development, and advancement, church-based Christian schools often struggle to communicate the needs they have in their ministries. How do they build a culture of giving within the school family?  Denny Vauters, Strategist in the Advancement Division at Generis, joins Jamison and Matt to lay out a vision to help schools think beyond a candy sale or fun run to help fund the school's mission.Denny can be reached at denny.vauters@generis.com.

Send us a textHappy Thanksgiving from the AACS Today Podcast Team! In this episode Matt reminds us of George Washington's first Thanksgiving Proclamation from 1789, and he contrasts Washington's words with a recent statement from the President of the Texas branch of the American Federation of Teachers (teacher's union).Details about the Proclamation, including a transcript, can be found here.

Jim Boyte, Founder of Active Defender, joins Jamison and Matt to provide some helpful tips on how Christian schools can be as prepared as possible to deal with the threats they face in today's culture. Active Defender helps schools get the right information into the hands of everyone so that the best decisions can be made during a crisis.To contact Jim directly, call 910.783.6300.

As of the recording of this podcast episode, there were still several races where ballots were being counted. However, one thing was clear: Former President Donald Trump has been reelected to serve as the 47th President of the United States. In this episode, Jamison and Matt discuss the election results and the implications for the work of AACS in Washington.

Timothy Goeglein, Vice President of External and Government Relations for Focus on the Family, returns to the podcast to discuss his brand new book, Stumbling Toward Utopia. Listen in as Jamison and Tim discuss the decline of American culture and the hope for revival in our nation.

Veteran pro-life advocate, Tom McClusky joins Jamison and Matt to explain how to effectively advocate with elected officials and their staff members. Tom has more than two decades of experience in our nation's capital as a grassroots advocate for life and religious freedom.

Professor William Wagner, Founder and President of Salt and Light Global, joins Jamison and Matt to discuss the continuing battle over religious liberty not only in the United States, but also around the world.  Be sure to listen as Professor Wagner encourages us to equip ourselves, be fiercely unafraid to stand for truth and to do so with love as Jesus would do.Be sure to checkout the resource website mentioned by Professor Wagner at slgwitness.com.

Will Estrada, Senior Counsel for the Home School Legal Defense Association, joins Jamison for a conversation about the importance of parental rights as it relates to the education of their children.  Both HSLDA and AACS will continue to advocate for the God-given rights of parents as they relate to education and liberty.To read a copy of the article that Will referenced in the podcast, click here.

Rachel Burrow, Herzog Foundation Christian Teacher of the Year award recipient, joins Jamison to discuss how she incorporates Christ in her classroom. Rachel teaches 8th grade U.S. history at Bob Jones Academy and engages students in creative ways. Listen in to discover how Rachel learned she was an award recipient and her unique teaching journey.

School leaders from around the country recently gathered in Washington, D.C., for the AACS annual National Legislative Conference. Join Matt and Olivia as they provide a recap of the highlights from this exciting event. Also, be sure to mark you calendars for next year's NLC, which will be held September 8-10, 2025.

In the best teams, each member shares and advances the common vision. However, members that oppose the vision will hinder the team's ability to carry out its mission. In this episode, Jamison and Matt discuss key religious employment cases and how those cases may influence the ability of Christian school leaders to choose employees within their biblically based beliefs and institutional guidelines.

Annie Hsiao, Founder and President of Capitol Hill Christian Academy, joins Matt and Jamison to discuss planting a Christian school in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. You'll be encouraged by Annie's journey of faith as she shares the challenges (curveballs) and the blessings (chocolate cake) of starting a Christian school.

Maureen Van Den Berg, K-12 policy analyst for the AACS, joins Matt and Jamison to discuss the work on protecting parental freedom in child care regulations.The Biden administration is using the regulatory process to chip away at parental freedom in the Child Care Development Fund. Tune in for a discussion about the work of the AACS staff to ensure parental choice is protected in these regulations.  

Hannah Debruler, higher ed policy analyst for the AACS, joins Matt and Jamison to discuss the Supreme Court decision Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo.The Loper Bright decision is a powerful tool that can be used to wrest power from the bureaucratic state, restore legislative supremacy, and bring judicial accountability to constitutional boundaries. Tune in for a discussion about the implications of this case for educators and how it enables citizens to push back against the administrative state. 

Is the summer of 2024 over already? While the official end to summer is still a few weeks away, school is almost back in session!With the unofficial end of summer upon us, the AACS interns are preparing to head back to college. In this episode, Karen and Ashlyn share their biggest takeaways from their AACS internship experience in Washington, D.C. 

Cole Sandlin, Director of Advancement at Family Time Training, joins Jamison and Matt to discuss how his ministry seeks to equip parents to be the primary disciple-makers in their homes.Many Christian school leaders sense that parents may feel inadequate and unprepared for the task of disciplining their children. In this episode, Cole offers practical ways for Christian schools to help parents accomplish this task without making it too complicated.Cole can be reached at cole@famtime.com.

Jamison, Matt, and Olivia provide updates about the 30th annual YLTC in Washington, D.C. The week included a fabulous mock senate led by renowned instructor and coach Mrs. Gail Nicholas, a day on Capitol Hill, presentations from conservative leaders, and a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.High school students from across the country received scholarships to participate in the program. For more information about the program, click here or email osummers@aacs.org.

AACS Summer Interns, Karen Rueda and Ashlyn Moritz join Jamison and Matt to introduce themselves to the AACS Today audience. Both ladies grew up in Christian school and are currently attending a Christian college. Be sure to listen to catch what they identify as the defining historical moments from their lives.  Can you guess what events Jamison and Matt chose?

Do private schools and specifically, religious private schools, produce students that are more civically engaged in their communities? A recent study seems to indicate that this is indeed the case. Alison Johnson, former AACS intern and current Ph.D. student at the University of Arkansas, joins Jamison and Matt to discuss a recently published meta-analysis, The Public Purpose of Private Education: a Civic Outcomes Meta-Analysis.  Do Christian schools have the secret sauce for civic engagement? To find out, be sure to listen!

The bureaucracy is often half-jokingly referred to as the 4th branch of government, and in this episode, Jamison and Matt look at the bureaucratic influence on the Child Care Development Block Grants (commonly referred to as CCDBG). They also discuss the antisemitism bill that is being considered by the Senate and the free speech concerns related to this legislation.  Their discussion finishes with a brief look at a new book written by Dr. Corey A. DeAngelis, The Parent Revolution.

Unrest has been a common theme on college campuses across the United States and around the world. In this episode AACS Higher Ed Policy Analyst, Hannah DeBruler, returns  to the podcast to delve into the discussion of what's really behind the protests that we are all witnessing. 

In this episode, Jamison interviews Tim Goeglein, former special assistant to President George W. Bush and current Vice President of External and Government Relations for Focus on the Family. Tim is the author of four books, including the recently released Toward a More Perfect Union.  Jamison and Tim discuss how having a proper view of history is an essential element to reforming American society.

Jamison and Matt provide an update regarding the work of AACS Regional Legislative Directors as they recently spent a couple days on Capitol Hill. The hosts also share details about an important court case, which has big implications for churches and Christian schools.

Rep. Kyle Hilbert, who represents Oklahoma's 29th district in the state house, has been elected as the speaker-designate for the upcoming legislative session. At 29 years old, Rep. Hilbert would be the youngest Speaker in the history of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and only the second speaker under age 30 in any state since 1873.In this intriguing conversation with Rep. Hilbert, Jamison and Matt learn more about Oklahoma's new school choice program as well as Rep. Hilbert's actions to keep appropriate materials in Oklahoma school libraries. 

The AACS National Competition was held April 12-14 in Greenville, SC. In this episode, Jamison and Matt recap the week plus they discuss why competition is important and how to help our students think biblically about competition. There is also rigorous debate about the best cheese curds!To view the list of winners from this year's competition, be sure to visit this link.

Does an organization's status as tax exempt make it a recipient of Federal Financial Aid?  An affirmative answer to this question has big implications for Christian schools and ministries. In this episode, Jamison and Matt discuss a recent court victory on this issue as well as some other cases making their way through the courts. They also share a proposed piece of legislation that could bring much-needed clarity to this issue.

In part 2 of their discussion, Jamison and Matt tackle how the negative use of the Christian Nationalist label shows up in culture against Christians who are vocal about their faith. They close the discussion by answering whether or not Christians should embrace the term.

In part 1 of their discussion on Christian Nationalism, Jamison and Matt seek to provide a definition of the term to help listeners understand what an individual might mean when they use the term, "Christian Nationalism." Christians who are vocal about applying their beliefs to all aspects of life should be prepared to be called a Christian Nationalist.