Edchoice Chats

In this episode of the State of Choice podcast, host Ed Tarnowski talks with Katherine Schulze, Nathan Sanders, and Aaron Gillham about all the exciting momentum across the states this legislative session. Of the eight states–Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming–that created or expanded choice programs in 2025, six now offer programs with universal eligibility, meaning any student may apply to participate. New Hampshire took it a step further by securing true universal education choice.

For decades, critics of school choice have warned that it would destroy public education. From claims that funding would evaporate to predictions of catastrophic harm to students, the rhetoric has been dramatic—and remarkably consistent. But is there any truth to these warnings? Robert Enlow, CEO of EdChoice, and Ed Tarnowski, author of the new report Who's Afraid of School Choice, take some of the most anti-school choice quotes from the report and read them for you.

In this episode of Sunday School Choice: Where Faith Meets Education Freedom, host Nathan Sanders is joined by Dr. Shaunette Parker, Senior Director of Partner Relations at the National School Choice Awareness Foundation and board chair of Second Baptist Christian Preparatory School in South Carolina. They discuss how church-based schools can uniquely serve their communities, especially by providing safe, nurturing, and faith-aligned environments. Dr. Parker shares her journey into education and ministry, highlights how programs like South Carolina’s Education Scholarship Trust Fund expand access to private schooling for underserved families, and offers powerful encouragement for church leaders considering starting a school.

On this edition of EdChoice Chats, host Mike McShane, Director of National Research at EdChoice, talks with Michael Bindas, Senior Attorney at the Institute for Justice, about his new paper titled "School Choice is Racist and Other Myths."

In this episode of Sunday School Choice: Where Faith Meets Education Freedom, host Nathan Sanders is joined by Troy McIntosh from the Ohio Christian Education Network, a ministry of the Center for Christian Virtue, to talk about their School Starting Manual—a practical and faith-driven guide designed to help pastors and church leaders launch Christian schools. As more churches across the country explore how to start education ministries, this manual serves as a clear and proven blueprint. If you’ve ever asked, “How do we start a school?”—this episode is for you.

In this episode of the State of Choice podcast, host Ed Tarnowski talks with Katherine Schultz, Nathan Sanders, and Aaron Gillham about school choice updates across the US, including some very exciting news from Texas.

On the latest episode of Sunday School Choice: Where Faith Meets Education Freedom, we talk with Shawn Peterson, President of Catholic Education Partners. We explore the powerful role Catholic education has played—and continues to play—in the United States, providing not just academic excellence, but a deeply rooted faith-based learning experience for families.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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. 

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 by EdChoice

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.

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.