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Freedom to Learn

Freedom to Learn

By: Ginny Gentles
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Season 2 of the Freedom to Learn podcast makes the urgent case for returning education to states, communities, and families. In Washington, President Trump is challenging partisan teacher unions and federal bureaucrats by enacting a new K–12 scholarship tax credit, restructuring the Department of Education, and rooting out civil rights violations in schools. Each week, host Ginny Gentles speaks with policymakers and advocates about bold reforms that improve academic performance and shift power closer to students. Every episode examines what becomes possible when education is freed from union dominance and federal control. Produced by the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC.

© 2026 Freedom to Learn Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Jackie Guglielmo on Tax Credit Scholarships, Scholarship Granting Organizations, & Supercharging Education Freedom Nationwide

    Jackie Guglielmo on Tax Credit Scholarships, Scholarship Granting Organizations, & Supercharging Education Freedom Nationwide
    Jan 8 2026

    In the first Freedom to Learn episode of 2026, Jackie Guglielmo, Vice President of Services at ACE Scholarships, explains how the federal scholarship tax credit (FSTC) will “supercharge” education freedom across the country. Jackie explains how scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs) and tax credit scholarship programs work, and shares how families' lives have been changed by access to the right educational environment. We delve into the details of the federal scholarship tax credit – what it is, how it works, the opt-in process for governors, key questions facing the Treasury Department as rulemaking begins, and how experienced organizations like ACE are preparing to scale responsibly while prioritizing the needs of low-income students.


    Federal Tax Credit for Scholarships

    DFER Data Projects Potential $24 Billion Boost for Students


    🔗 Links & Resources:

    • Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org

    💡 Stay Connected:

    • Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicy
    • Follow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicy
    • Follow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicy
    • Subscribe 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!
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    29 mins
  • Darla Romfo on Putting Kids First, Building a Scholarship Granting Network, & Engaging in Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Rulemaking

    Darla Romfo on Putting Kids First, Building a Scholarship Granting Network, & Engaging in Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Rulemaking
    Dec 18 2025

    In our final Freedom to Learn episode of the year, Darla Romfo, President and CEO of the Children’s Scholarship Fund, joins the podcast to trace the origins of the nation’s most influential privately-funded school choice efforts. Darla recounts how CSF’s founders, Ted Forstmann and John Walton, sparked a national movement by empowering low-income families with educational choice, shifting the policy conversation to focus on expanding opportunities for individual children. She also details the potential impact of the newly-enacted Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, describes its bipartisan support, and explains what effective implementation will require from governors, donors, and scholarship-granting organizations.

    🔗 Links & Resources:

    • Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org

    💡 Stay Connected:

    • Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicy
    • Follow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicy
    • Follow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicy
    • Subscribe 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!
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • Lindsey Burke on Returning Education to the States through Interagency Agreements, RIFs, & Bureaucratic Consolidation

    Lindsey Burke on Returning Education to the States through Interagency Agreements, RIFs, & Bureaucratic Consolidation
    Dec 11 2025

    Lindsey Burke returns to Freedom to Learn to discuss the Trump administration’s plans to “return education to the states.” Lindsey, who serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Programs at the U.S. Department of Education (ED), discusses the Department’s origin story, what it does and does not do, and the pernicious impact of top-down federal influence. She details the administration’s plans to streamline federal bureaucracy, including recently announced inter-agency agreements that shift programs and staff from ED to four federal agencies, and addresses concerns about the impact on students with disabilities.

    🔗 Links & Resources:

    • Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org

    💡 Stay Connected:

    • Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicy
    • Follow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicy
    • Follow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicy
    • Subscribe 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!
    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
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