.png)
Freedom to Learn
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.
Freedom to Learn
Christy Wolfe on Federal Education Silos, Bipartisanship, & State Constraints
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Bipartisanship may be rare in Washington, but it still exists! This week, Christy Wolfe of the Bipartisan Policy Center joins us to discuss the Commission on the American Workforce’s sweeping new blueprint to connect education to opportunity and BPC’s federal education policy action items. We cover why federal programs remain stubbornly siloed, why Congress hasn’t reauthorized major education laws, and whether the Department of Education is truly a “pass-through” agency. We also discuss resources Christy has created explaining formula funding like Title I and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and competitive grants. She shares her views on what interagency agreements mean in practice, the real barriers to state flexibility (from waiver fatigue to talent constraints), and why some of the biggest obstacles to innovation may sit at the state, rather than the federal, level.
With more than 30 years shaping federal education policy across Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Christy brings a rare, full-spectrum view of how policy is actually made and implemented.
U.S. Department of Education 101: Federal Funding in K-12 Education: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/u-s-department-of-education-101-federal-funding-in-k-12-education/
Transferring K-12 Programs to Labor: Why Costs and Logistics Could Be a Problem for States and Schools: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/issue-brief/transferring-k-12-programs-to-labor-why-costs-and-logistics-could-be-a-problem-for-states-and-schools/
U.S. Department of Education 101: What are Block Grants? https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/u-s-department-of-education-101-what-are-block-grants/
What is the Title I Education Program? Five things to know about the Largest K-12 Federal Education Program for Schools: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/what-is-the-title-i-education-program-five-things-to-know-about-the-largest-k-12-federal-education-program-for-schools/
GOP Targets Government Waste, Bureaucracy in Schools Spending: https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/gop-targets-government-waste-bureaucracy-in-schools-spending/1997/05
🔗 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!