EdChoice Chats

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EdChoice is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing full and unencumbered educational choice as the best pathway to successful lives and a stronger society. EdChoice believes that families, not bureaucrats, are best equipped to make K-12 schooling decisions for their children. T…

EdChoice


    • May 12, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 26m AVG DURATION
    • 419 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from EdChoice Chats

    Ep. 2: Sunday School Choice featuring Dr. Doug Richey

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 20:35


    Dr. Doug Richey—a former pastor and Missouri state representative—shares his unique perspective on the intersection of faith, education, and public policy. With 26 years of pastoral ministry and six years in the Missouri House of Representatives, Ritchie offers a compelling case for why churches should engage in the school choice movement and how to do it practically.

    State of Choice with Trish Donahue of HopSkipDrive

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 17:04


    On the latest episode of the State of Choice podcast, Ed Tarnowski and Katherine Schultz welcomed Trish Donahue, Senior Vice President of Legal and Policy at HopSkipDrive, to talk about a topic that's critical but often overlooked in school choice conversations: transportation.

    Ep. 1: Sunday School Choice: Where Faith Meets Education Freedom

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 32:58


    In the premiere episode of Sunday School Choice, we talk with Pastor Tom Kakadelis about what it means to be a church school pioneer in today's education landscape.

    EdChoice Chats: School Starter Checklist Rankings

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 22:02


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, John Kristof and Mike McShane talk about the new report School Starter Checklist Rankings; a compendium of regulations on private schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

    State of Choice - March 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2025 19:07


    In this episode of State of Choice, host Ed Tarnowski talks with Katherine Munal, Aaron Gillham and Nathan Sanders about school choice updates in their states. The push for universal education choice continued to gain traction in March, with Wyoming becoming the latest state to adopt an Education Savings Account (ESA) program open to all students. The development marks another key milestone in a national movement that has seen rapid legislative activity in recent years.

    state wyoming nathan sanders
    Ep. 422: EdChoice Chats: The Friedman Index

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2025 23:28


    In this episode of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Ben Scafidi and Colyn Ritter about the 2025 EdChoice Friedman Index: All Students, All Options, All Dollars.

    Ep. 420: Funded Eligibility Rankings

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 22:33


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, Mike McShane talks with Colyn Ritter and Cooper Conway about the 2025 Funded Eligibility rankings. Fully funded eligibility means that every student in a state with a choice program can also receive the resources needed to participate.

    Ep. 421: State of Choice - February 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025 33:05


    In this episode of State of Choice, host Ed Tarnowski talks with Katherine Munal, Aaron Gillham and Nathan Sanders about school choice updates in their states including some huge news in Tennessee!

    state tennessee nathan sanders
    Ep. 418: EdChoice Chats EdChoice Share

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2025 24:19


    In this episode of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Colyn Ritter and Robert Enlow about the 2025 EdChoice Share which tracks the proportion of K-12 students in every state that are enrolled in a private school choice program. 

    Ep. 419: State of Choice - January 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 30:51


    In this episode of State of Choice, host Ed Tarnowski talks with Patricia Rucker, a state senator serving West Virginia's 16th district, and the national chair of the American Legislative Exchange Council. She shares her inspiring journey as a first-generation American from Venezuela, her experiences as a teacher and homeschool parent, and her leadership in championing universal school choice through the HOPE Scholarship in West Virginia. The conversation highlights the challenges and triumphs of implementing school choice, its impact on families, and the role of data and advocacy in shaping public opinion and policy.

    Ep. 417: State of Choice - December 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 36:51


    Ep. 417: State of Choice - December 2024 by EdChoice

    Ep. 416: State of Choice - Post Election 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024 26:18


    In this episode of State of Choice, host Ed Tarnowski talks with Katherine Schultz, Nathan Sanders, and Aaron Gillham about state election results and how they may impact the state of choice.

    Ep. 415: State of Choice - August 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 39:38


    In this episode of State of Choice, host Ed Tarnowski talks with Dr. Vance Ginn, chief economist at Pelican Institute for Public Policy and founder and president of Ginn Economic Consulting. Also featuring: Katherine Munal, Policy & Advocacy Director, and Joey Magaña, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy.

    Ep. 414: State of Choice - June 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024 18:19


    In this episode of State of Choice, Ed Tarnowski is announced as the new host of the podcast, the Policy & Advocacy Team gives its monthly state update, and each team member participates in the first segment of ed freedom fallacies. Also featuring: Caitlin Lee, Director of Policy & Implementation; Katherine Munal, Policy & Advocacy Director; and Aaron Gillham, Policy & Advocacy Director. Note: After reaching an agreement in a committee of conference to instead increase the program's FPL to 425%, the final version of the bill could not garner enough support to pass the House. New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account Program will not see an expansion this year.

    Ep. 413: Getting Education Right with Lindsay Fryer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2024 31:14


    In this episode of EdChoice Chats, longtime Hill staffer and education policy expert Lindsay Fryer talks with Mike McShane and Rick Hess about the state of American higher education, the federal government's role in it, and what is going on with FAFSA.

    Ep. 412: Getting Education Right with Patrick Brown

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2024 37:06


    In this episode of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with family policy expert Patrick Brown about fertility rates, childcare policy, and protecting children online.

    Ep. 411: Rethinking Brown 70 Years Later

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 50:40


    In this episode of EdChoice Chats, host Dorian McCarroll talks with Virginia Walden Ford, Howard Fuller, Sekou Biddle, and Gerard Robinson on the 70th anniversary of the landmark decision of Brown v Board of Education, and how the education system is still impacted by it today.

    Ep. 410: Getting Education Right with Jonathan Pidluzny

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2024 34:00


    In this episode of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Jon Pidluzny, Director of Higher Education Reform at America First Policy Institute about higher education. They talk about whether the US higher education system is still the best in the world, the complex issues of student loans, ballooning education costs, and so much more.

    Ep. 409: Getting Education Right with Dr. Katie Jenner

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2024 37:21


    Indiana's first Secretary of Education, Dr. Katie Jenner, talks with EdChoice's Mike McShane on how she's trying to get education right with her efforts in teacher recruitment, strategic measures for student success and more.

    Ep. 408: Introducing the Homeschool Hub - with Angela Watson

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2024 29:38


    In this episode of EdChoice Chats, Mike McShane talks with Angela Watson, senior research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, about homeschooling research. They also talk about her new resource, the Homeschool Hub.

    Ep. 407: State of Choice - May 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 12:14


    In this May episode of “State of Choice” hosted by the EdChoice Policy and Advocacy team, we talk about school choice across the states and provide updates on school choice legislation.

    Ep. 406: State of Choice - April 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2024 21:00


    In this April episode of “State of Choice” hosted by the EdChoice Policy and Advocacy team, we talk about school choice across the states and provide updates on school choice legislation.

    Ep. 405: Polling Perspective Podcast - Q1 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2024 33:51


    We go over our monthly polling results for the last few months and highlight all the most interesting trends and data. And shocker! Teens love their cellphones!

    Ep. 404: State of Choice - March 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2024 16:24


    In this episode of “State of Choice” hosted by the EdChoice Policy and Advocacy team, we talk about how Alabama passed landmark legislation advancing choice in the state. Plus, we highlight our favorite advocates in the choice movement for Women's History Month.

    Ep. 403: Beyond the Test: Redefining Success in Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2024 30:08


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, Robert Enlow, CEO and President of EdChoice, talks with Lindsey Burke, from the Heritage Foundation, and Macke Raymond, from the Hoover Institution.

    Ep. 402: The Rosenwald Schools

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 29, 2024 25:53


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, Robert Enlow, CEO and President of EdChoice, talks with Curtis Valentine co-director of the Reinventing America Schools Project at the Progressive Policy Institute. They discuss the Rosenwald Schools and a number of other topics including how education was formed and started, our current public education system and its impact on communities of color.

    Ep. 401: State Updates - February 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2024 46:25


    The EdChoice state team gives us a summary of all the recent happenings in the states. Find out more in the podcast!

    Ep. 400: Black History Month Edition

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2024 39:00


    For this episode of EdChoice Chats we have a special edition celebrating Black History Month where we talk about school choice in communities of color and the ever-growing support for it.

    Ep. 399: Survey Recap 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2023 29:52


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane is joined by John Kristof and Alli Aldis to talk about EdChoice's monthly and semi-annual polling and what it reveals about the state of education in the United States.

    Ep. 398: How States Protect Funding for K-12 Public Schools

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2023 27:53


    In this episode of EdChoice Chats host Marty Lueken digs into his new report which explores hold harmless funding; declining enrollment protections and funding guarantees. Guests James Shuls and Aaron Smith join.

    Ep. 397: Monthly Tracker - October 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2023 23:22


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Alli Aldis and John Kristof about October's monthly polling results. We asked a range of questions focused on K-12 education, including our usual monitoring of public opinion toward school choice options. In this month's poll, we also introduced new questions about gifted academic programs and education technology.

    Ep. 396: The ABCs of School Choice - 2024 Edition

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2023 19:59


    EdChoice CEO Robert Enlow talks with Colyn Ritter and Marc LeBlond about the 2024 edition of The ABCs of School Choice.

    Ep. 395: Surveying Teachers - Fall 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2023 28:32


    On this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Colyn Ritter and John Kristof about the recent EdChoice teacher polling. Topics including students' social media use, absenteeism, classroom disruptions, how likely they are to recommend their profession, and more.

    Ep. 394: What's Up with Diverse Charter School Coalition

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2023 27:07


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Sonia Park, executive director of the Diverse Charter School Coalition. McShane and Park talk about what they are trying to achieve, the actual practices that go on in these diverse by design charter schools, and also the public policy that's necessary for them to start and grow, and be part of the charter school landscape.

    Ep. 393: Monthly Tracker - September 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2023 24:15


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, Mike McShane talks with Alli Aldis and John Kristof about the September 2023 monthly polling data. What concerns are at the forefront of parents' minds in these early days of the 2023-24 academic year? The first challenge for today's school parents may be keeping students in the classroom and off their phones.

    Ep. 392: State Updates - September 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2023 6:24


    The EdChoice state team gives us a summary of all the recent happenings in the states. It's been an exciting month with North Carolina expanding the Opportunity Scholarship. Find out more in the podcast!

    north carolina edchoice opportunity scholarship
    Ep. 391: Surfing The Pipeline

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2023 28:10


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, Mike McShane talks with John Kristof about his new paper Surfing the Pipeline: Understanding Pathways into Teaching in Alternative Models of Schooling. They discuss the many new opportunities that are being made available all across the country with entrepreneurial educators starting up new and different school models such as microschools, hybrid homeschools, and more.

    Ep. 390: Surveying Teens

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2023 24:05


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, we dive into our most recent survey of American teens where we tackled such questions as "How can school leaders and teachers maneuver the emergence of modern technology within the classroom?" and "What can be done to resolve mental health and absenteeism?"

    Ep. 389: What's Up With Florida Catholic Schools

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2023 28:14


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Ron Matus, director of research and special projects for Step Up For Students in Florida, and Lauren May, director of advocacy for Step Up For Students. Matus and May have a new paper called "Why Catholic Schools in Florida are Growing: Five Things You Need to Know." We dive into this paper and the five things we need to know!

    Ep. 388: What's Up With Dade Prep

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2023 33:09


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane talks with Andy Prieto and Mark Strickland of Dade Prep, where they are going to help answer the question, "What's up with Dade Prep?" Dade Prep is a credit recovery secondary school that generally targets older students who have been truant or who have otherwise become disconnected from the education system and helps them with credit recovery, to graduate, and then enter the workforce.

    Ep. 387: Monthly Tracker - August 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2023 25:31


    In this edition of EdChoice Chats, we dive into our monthly poll results on education-related issues including public sentiment on the direction of K-12 education, what values parents want schools to teach their children, support for school choice, and more.

    Ep. 386: What's Up with Primer - with Ryan Delk

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2023 29:53


    Calling all teachers who want to start their own schools! Mike McShane has CEO and founder of Primer, Ryan Delk on the podcast to talk about the work Primer microschools is achieving. Primer gives the top 1% of teachers the tools and preparation needed to launch their own schools, while also allowing their students to set their own pace and pursue their passions.

    Ep. 385: The Three Languages of School Choice

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2023 25:36


    The Three Languages of School Choice is a starting point for the next wave of educational freedom. For education freedom to truly take hold in the United States, the school choice movement must reclaim its politically multilingual roots and adapt them for today's political age. In this episode, Mike McShane talks with the paper's author, John Kristof, as well as with Neal McCluskey, Director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, and Gerard Robinson, Professor of Practice in Public Policy and Law at the University of Virginia.

    Ep. 384: Priorities of State and Local Governments - with Ben Scafidi

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2023 24:58


    How are schools growing their numbers in staff members without growing the same number in students? Ben Scafidi joins Mike McShane to talk about his recent report, Priorities of State and Local Governments From 1994 to 2022 which highlights the public schools' staffing surge over the years.

    Ep. 383: Monthly Tracker - July 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2023 23:04


    “Where do you typically receive information about K-12 education?” The EdChoice Research team asked that question and many others to America's public and school parents. Listen today to find out the team's most notable findings.

    Ep. 382: State Updates - July 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2023 12:31


    With the session ending, the EdChoice state team has given us a summary of all the recent happenings in the states. It's been an exciting year for school choice so far with seven states enacting new programs and nine states expanding their existing programs, seven of those nine being nearly universal.

    Ep. 381: Schooling in America

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2023 24:09


    Mike McShane, Colyn Ritter, and John Kristof talk about what's inside Schooling in America, including the data that stood out to them the most.

    Ep. 380: What's Up with Prenda - With Kelly Smith

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 27:28


    Mike McShane talks with Kelly Smith, CEO of the Prenda microschools and author of the book, A Fire to be Kindled. The two talk about how Smith started Prenda and the meaning behind his book title.

    Ep. 379: Implementing K–12 Education Savings Accounts - With Mike McShane

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2023 32:00


    John Kristof talks with Mike McShane about his new report with Nicole Stelle Garnett at the Manhattan Institute titled, Implementing K–12 Education Savings Accounts Is Really Simple. They talk about the new wave of school choice and the expansion of education savings accounts across the country.

    Ep. 378: The 123s of School Choice - 2023 Edition

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2023 29:21


    Members of the EdChoice team discuss the recent publication, The 123s of School Choice, an in-depth review of the available research on private school choice programs in America.

    Ep. 377: State Updates - June 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2023 18:09


    If you need a rundown on the latest litigation involving school choice across the states, the EdChoice state team has you covered in this podcast.

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