Rabbi A.D. Motzen joined Freedom to Learn to explain how the new federal scholarship tax credit empowers parents and students across the nation and provide behind-the-scenes insight into the journey it took to become law. This provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for individual taxpayers who donate up to $1,700 annually to […]| Defense of Freedom Institute
WASHINGTON—The Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies (DFI) filed an amicus brief in Hellman v. Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education this week, urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to reverse a lower court decision rejecting a challenge to a state regulation denying onsite special education services to children whose parents […] The post PRESS RELEASE: DFI Urges First Circuit to Strike Down Massachusetts’ Unconstitutional Regulation...| Defense of Freedom Institute
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, embedding a 100% non-refundable federal scholarship tax credit—permanent and uncapped—into the federal tax code. In today’s Freedom to Learn podcast episode, I spoke with John Schilling, a seasoned education freedom advocate, about the tax credit’s potential, its challenges, and its role in empowering families nationwide. “We […] The post PODCAST: “Freedom to Learn” | John Schilling on the New Federal ...| Defense of Freedom Institute
"DFI celebrates the Senate passing a K-12 scholarship tax credit as a big, beautiful step forward for families and teachers across the country. This school choice program will allow students to find a better school, without growing the government an inch."| Defense of Freedom Institute
Jim Blew, co-founder of the Defense of Freedom Institute, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss a school choice provision in H.R. 1, the U.S. House reconciliation bill that has moved to the U.S. Senate, and its potential impact on education. The post PODCAST: “The Education Exchange” | One Big Beautiful Tax Credit Scholarship? appeared first on Defense of Freedom Institute.| Defense of Freedom Institute
Madison Yandell, Gov. Greg Abbott’s education advisor, and Vanessa Tanner, chief of staff to the House education committee chairman, join Freedom to Learn to share the behind-the-scenes story Last month, Governor Greg Abbott signed the nation’s largest day-one universal school choice program into law. Madison Yandell, the governor’s education advisor, and Vanessa Tanner, chief of staff to […] The post PODCAST: How ESAs Finally Passed in Texas appeared first on Defense of Freedom Ins...| Defense of Freedom Institute
The House budget reconciliation bill includes a $5 billion annual federal tax credit modeled after the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) that would make K-12 scholarships available to students in every state. Advocates view the provision as a historic step toward universal education freedom. Key highlights: “IT IS A TRUE GAME CHANGER THAT WE THINK WOULD […] The post PODCAST: Tony de Nicola on School Choice in the “Big, Beautiful” Reconciliation Bill appeared first on Defens...| Defense of Freedom Institute
WASHINGTON—The Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies (DFI) released the following statement after President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Secretary of Education to take all steps within her authority to return education to the states: The Defense of Freedom Institute strongly supports the orderly winding down of the U.S. Department of Education. The […] The post PRESS RELEASE: DFI Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order to Return Education to the States...| Defense of Freedom Institute
The Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies (DFI) released the following statement on the recently announced reduction in force at the U.S. Department of Education: “For 45 years, the Department of Education has only grown while student test scores have collapsed. Secretary McMahon is taking decisive action to weed out wasteful, bureaucratic functions that […] The post PRESS RELEASE: Defense of Freedom Institute Statement on Staff Reductions at U.S. Department of Education appeare...| Defense of Freedom Institute
President Trump is taking bold decisive action to deliver on his promise of education freedom for all.| Defense of Freedom Institute
Defense of Freedom Institute Co-Founder Jim Blew released the following statement on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation's Report Card, results released today.| Defense of Freedom Institute
Phoenix—On Monday, Dec. 2, news broke that an out-of-state couple were indicted for defrauding the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) universal voucher program, by submitting applications for 50 children, 43 of whom do not exist, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.| Grand Canyon Institute