Center for Education Policy

Feb 27, 2024

Dear Colleague,

Welcome back. We are excited to share the latest from The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Education Policy.

Commentary from our Experts on the latest in Higher Education

Feds' College Financial Aid Change Would Penalize Multichild Families

The Daily Signal, Lindsey Burke, Ph.D.

Student loan cancellation has understandably drawn the ire of working Americans who are already struggling with inflation and are now being insulted and financially burdened with a bill for someone else's gender studies degree. "But a forthcoming change to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA)- set in motion in late 2020 as a priority of then Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.- will hit families sooner. It's a discrete change to something known as the 'expected family contribution,' which could balloon the price of college for families with more than one child," writes Lindsey Burke. 

This Education Proposal Would Reduce Federal Subsidies, Increase Accountability

The Daily Signal, Madison Marino

In January, Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., chairwoman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, introduced HR 6951, legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. Later in the month, her committee voted to advance the bill, called the College Cost Reduction Act, a first step in getting consideration on the House floor. "Many of the policies included in the bill are a step in the right direction because they would reduce federal subsidies and increase accountability for taxpayers," states Madison Marino.

Lawmakers Should Weaponize State Budgets to Rein in Rogue Public Colleges

The Federalist, Adam Kissel

Americans used to trust colleges and universities to hire faculty and admit students on the basis of merit and to teach students without indoctrination. Unfortunately, this deference has waned significantly in recent years. "As governors and state lawmakers shape state budgets, here are some ways for democratically elected leaders to express their preferences for higher education," explains Adam Kissel.

Claudine Gay is Gone, but Diversity Ideology Still Plagues Harvard

Fox News, Jay P. Greene

Numerous and compounding reasons led to Claudine Gay’s removal as president of Harvard University. "Her departure, while a necessary first step, does not solve the problems that required her departure and that continue to plague Harvard and much of higher education," writes Jay P. Greene.

Moral Corruption at Community Colleges

James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, Jonathan Butcher

Community-college students represent a nontrivial segment of current and future generations of co-workers, neighbors, and public officials. "They should learn to succeed, not be fed radical and divisive ideas about racial power struggles that only serve to breed resentment and despair among the country’s students," explains Jonathan Butcher.

Native Land Whiners Should Match Words With Deeds

Fox News, Jay P. Greene and Adam Kissel

Over the last several years, an odd ritual known as a “land acknowledgment” has become the fashionable way to begin academic, arts and other elite events. Like a woke version of the “Pledge of Allegiance,” these land acknowledgments involve the public recitation of a prepared script.

But rather than declaring loyalty to the United States, land acknowledgments emphasize the illegitimacy of this country by claiming that the land on which it is built rightfully belongs to groups of people who were present before the U.S. was founded. "Talk is cheap. If the people spouting land acknowledgments actually mean it, they should be willing to transfer ownership," explained Jay P. Greene and Adam Kissel.

Oklahoma is Just the Latest State Condemning DEI

Washington Examiner, Jonathan Butcher

Criticism continues to mount against so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion offices on college campuses. "And the list of state policymakers calling for defunding the offices and eliminating their discriminatory practices is also growing — just in time for state legislators to work on the issue in the new year," states Jonathan Butcher.

The College Bubble is Bursting. Good Riddance

Newsweek, Jason Bedrick and Adam Kissel

A college degree used to be a reliable passport to a better-paying career. To employers it signaled a level of knowledge and intellectual skills not shared by someone without a degree. That's why students and parents have been willing to pay increasingly higher tuition, taking out student loans and second mortgages before the graduates earn a dime. "But what if employers lose trust in a college degree?" asked Jason Bedrick and Adam Kissel.

Leftists Come After Families Of Kids With Special Needs

Arizona Daily Independent, Jason Bedrick

Having failed in their attempts to eliminate Arizona’s popular Empowerment Scholarship Accounts policy, Leftists are now trying to regulate it to death. On Wednesday, the Arizona Senate Education Committee will hear a bill by Democratic state senator Christine Marsh, SB 1354, that purports to help families with students with special needs. "In reality, the policies in the bill would saddle families and schools with unnecessary hassles and costs," explains Jason Bedrick.

Beware Civics Education’s ‘Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’

The Daily Signal, Jason Bedrick

Everyone agrees that American students need better civics education. Civic knowledge in America is abysmal. Fewer than half of American adults can name the three branches of government—and a quarter can’t name any branch at all. Likewise, a quarter of Americans couldn’t name any of the five freedoms guaranteed under the First Amendment. That’s why supporters of civics education might be inclined to celebrate the recent announcement that a private initiative called Educating for American Democracy would award $600,000 in grants for K-5 pilot implementation projects to applicants from California, Georgia, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin. "But for supporters of true civics education, popping the champagne in this case would be a grave mistake," states Jason Bedrick.

Why Universal Access to Education Freedom Accounts is the Best Choice for New Hampshire

The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, Andrew Cline, and Jason Bedrick

Nearly 1 million American students participated in a school-choice program last year, according to data compiled by EdChoice. Across the country, 72 choice programs operate in 32 states. And who has the most popular program in the nation? New Hampshire. "With an Education Freedom Account (EFA), parents can customize their child’s education. Families can use EFA funds for private school tuition, tutoring, textbooks, special-needs therapies, and more," write Jason Bedrick and The Josiah Bartlett Center's President Andrew Cline. 

Expanding School Choice is Overdue

Fox News, Rachel Alexander Cambre

Louisiana’s fight for education freedom has been long and weary, but the end may be near. From public schools’ systemic suppression of Cajun French nearly a century ago through its history of poor academic outcomes, Louisianans have long recognized that the state’s education will not improve until parents can choose what’s best for their children. As early as 1985, Louisiana thinkers like novelist Walker Percy were making the case for modern school choice policies, years before other states began adopting them. Louisiana lawmakers eventually followed suit, passing a voucher program—albeit one crippled by burdensome regulations—in 2008. "In the wake of elections driven by concerns over Louisiana’s low quality of education, and in which school choice advocates won handily, lawmakers should correct past blunders and restore parents as the primary educators of children," explains Rachel Alexander Cambre.

School Choice Revolution Helps Homeschoolers, Too

Fox News, Jason Bedrick and Corey DeAngelis, Ph.D.

A school choice revolution is sweeping the nation. Ten states have passed universal education choice initiatives in the last two years. In addition to private school tuition, most of these new programs allow families to use their children’s taxpayer-funded education dollars to cover certain homeschool expenses. The loudest and most influential pushback against school choice comes from Democratic politicians in the pocket of the teachers unions, who want to protect their monopoly over education. However, others have voiced the opposite concern that school choice could increase government regulation of private education. "The concern that 'with government shekels come government shackles' is understandable but misplaced. Shackles can be imposed even without subsidies, and states that have education choice policies tend to respect homeschooling autonomy more than those that don’t," argues Jason Bedrick and the American Federation for Children's Corey DeAngelis, Ph.D.

National School Choice Week and the Antidote to “Disease X”

Goldwater Institute, Jonathan Butcher

Americans who think that COVID-19 is behind us aren’t reading the news. School Choice Week 2024, which began on Sunday (1/21), is an important reminder that no matter what bug spreads across the country next, parents with choices over how and where their children learn won’t have to relive the shutdowns and ensuing learning losses caused by the pandemic. "Sixty percent of private schools overall remained open. And not only are these private school students performing better, but a reasonable measure of their attitudes finds the students are more positive about their abilities than students in public schools," writes Jonathan Butcher.

A Refurbished Shoe Store Offers Glimpse Into the Future of K-12 Education

MSN, Jonathan Butcher

When public schools closed their doors during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dominique Burgess saw an opportunity. With the support of a small group of families, Burgess created an online “microschool” for students ready to continue learning online. Parents liked her “open for business” sign so much that Burgess now has online and in-person schools enrolling students from 18 states, with plans to open five more locations in the next five years. "This National School Choice Week, Burgess’s microschool is an example of the new, customized learning options growing nationwide and currently serving some 2 million students," states Jonathan Butcher.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs Declares War on Educational Choice

The Washington Times, Jason Bedrick

Having failed to repeal America’s most expansive educational choice policy, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs now seeks to kill it via a thousand regulatory cuts. In 2011, Arizona became the first state in the nation to establish a K-12 education savings account policy. A dozen other states have followed its lead. With an ESA, parents can use a portion of their child’s state education funds—about $7,500 in Arizona—for private school tuition, tutoring, textbooks, online courses, home-school curricula, special-needs therapy, and other expenses. More than 70,000 Arizona students now benefit from an ESA. "The governor’s proposals are solutions in search of problems," writes Jason Bedrick.

Florida’s School Choice Has Come a Long Way, but it Can Go Further

Tampa Bay Times, Erika Donalds

The 12th annual National School Choice Week kicks off today, a time when our nation celebrates the incredible progress made in offering education freedom to families. "While it is important to recognize progress — especially here in Florida, the No. 1 state for education freedom, according to the Heritage Foundation — too few parents across the country have access to the high-quality academic options their children deserve," writes Erika Donalds.

Dismantle the Teacher Accreditation Cartel

Governing, Kevin Roberts

Twenty years ago, when I was hiring teachers for the private K-12 school I founded, I knew better than to recruit certified teachers. That’s right — I didn’t want to hire certified teachers. Why?
Because of my previous work as a college history professor, I knew that the people least prepared to teach a subject were education majors. "Required to take an embarrassingly low minimum of credit hours to be certified to teach a subject — just four courses in some states! — education majors encounter the least substance and rigor, but the maximum of racialist theory and left-wing ideology in their program," explains Kevin Roberts.

Educating Boys for the Arena

The American Conservative, Rachel Alexander Cambre, and Giana DePaul

In 1910, former President Theodore Roosevelt famously praised what he termed the man in the arena, “whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds.” During the decades that followed Roosevelt’s speech, his portrait was recognizable in the generations of men who fought valiantly in the two World Wars, provided for their families, and raised their children. "Yet today, Roosevelt’s portrait sounds more and more like a relic of the past, as rates of men graduating from high school or college, participating in the workforce, and fathering children decline. Fewer American men are entering the arena," state Rachel Cambre and Giana DePaul.

Charter Schools Must Avoid the DEI Blunder

Washington Examiner, Jason Bedrick

Public school enrollment has dropped by more than 1 million students nationwide since the COVID-19
pandemic. District school leaders expected students to return after the pandemic abated, but enrollment has continued to decline as trust in public schools has hit an all-time low. "Policymakers and leaders in the charter school sector must avoid making the same mistakes that led to the district school disaster," writes Jason Bedrick.

Reversing the Department of Education’s Anti-Market Orientation in Higher Education

Heritage expert Adam Kissel explains how the U.S. Department of Education has been pushing to standardize higher education through burdensome regulations on for profit institutions. He explains how these regulations prevent the free market from providing better educational services and makes policy recommendations to correct this overreach.

Read the full backgrounder here.

The Poison Ivy League: How Taxpayers Subsidize Wealthy Universities

Heritage expert Jay Greene, Ph.D., explains how universities with massive endowments are being subsidized by taxpayer dollars intended to cover "overhead" costs related to government-funded research. Greene explains that these subsidies should end and gives suggestions for policymakers to end this careless use of tax revenue.

Read the full backgrounder here.

Protecting American Universities from Undue Foreign Influence

Heritage experts Jay Greene, Ph.D., Adam Kissel, and Lindsey Burke, Ph.D. explain how foreign entities wield influence over American universities through the use of funding. They state that foreign influence can often run contrary to the interests of the United States and make suggestions for limiting the sway that foreign actors hold over American universities.

Read the full backgrounder here.

Idaho Families Deserve School Choice, Too

Heritage experts Jason Bedrick and Matthew Ladner, Ph.D., explain that Idaho students would benefit from a school choice expansion similar to that of Arizona. They argue that this would greatly benefit students and families, especially in rural areas, despite what its detractors say.

Read the full factsheet here.

Where Are They Now? Former Campus Radicals in the Workforce

Heritage experts Jay P. Greene, Ph.D., and Jason Bedrick track the career paths of campus radicals to explain why academia has become infested with hate. They find that many former campus activists now work in institutions such as higher education and nonprofit agencies and recommend how to counteract this radical influence.

Read the full backgrounder here.

Empowering Every Child: Unveiling the Success Sequence Model for Success in Both School and Life

February 28, 2024, 1:00- 2:00 PM, The Heritage Foundation
The success sequence, involving achieving a high school education, working full time, and marrying before having children, has proven instrumental for Millennials, with 97% avoiding poverty in adulthood by following this path. Don’t miss the opportunity to join our experts in person on February 28 as we delve into implementation details and provide actionable steps to empower children with the success sequence!

The event will feature education experts:

 - Lindsey Burke, PhD, Director, Center for Education Policy, The Heritage Foundation

 - Grazie Christie, Florida State Board of Education Member

 - Brad Wilcox, Nonresident Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

 - Hosted by Jonathan Butcher, Will Skillman Senior Research Fellow in Education Policy, The Heritage Foundation