AACS Today

In this episode, AACS Government Relations Director Jamison Coppola is joined by Randy Melchert, Executive Director of Accord Kids, to discuss the historic Education Freedom Tax Credit. Passed as part of the Working Families Tax Cut Act, this provision allows taxpayers to redirect $1,700 of their tax liability toward student scholarships, a program estimated to qualify 85–90% of all children in the United States. The conversation provides a detailed analysis of a recent "two-page preview" fro...

In this episode of, Jamison is joined by Dr. Matthew Spalding, a distinguished constitutional scholar and Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College. They discuss Dr. Spalding’s award-winning book, The Making of the American Mind, which provides a clause-by-clause commentary on the Declaration of Independence. Spalding argues that while many Americans "venerate" the Declaration, few truly understand its deep philosophical and theological roots. The conversation e...

In this episode of AACS Today, Matt and Jamison welcome Hannah DeBruler back to the podcast. Hannah serves as the Higher Ed Policy Analyst for AACS, and she brings her expertise to unpack the implications of the "Do No Harm" test—a key accountability measure within the Working Families Tax Cut legislation. The episode provides an in-depth analysis of how this federal mandate requires college programs to prove their graduates out-earn high school graduates to maintain eligibility for federal f...

Jamison and Matt recap the annual LEAD conference, a cornerstone event where state leaders gather to coordinate a unified agenda for the conservative Christian school movement. The episode provides deep dives into LEAD’s collaborative format, which pairs formal teaching sessions with hours of peer-to-peer discussion regarding state-level trends, accreditation, and legislative advocacy. Discussion at LEAD centered on launching a "turnkey" initiative for states to use as their schools and...

In this episode of AACS Today, Matt and Jamison sit down with Austin Erickson, Senior Strategic Manager at Turning Point USA. The discussion centers on the legacy of the late Charlie Kirk and the remarkable growth of Club America, TPUSA’s high school initiative. Erickson shares how the organization has seen incredible growth following Kirk’s assassination, with chapters increasing from 1,200 to 3,000 as students respond with renewed engagement. The conversation highlights Club America’s...

In this episode, Matt and Jamison delve into recent Supreme Court arguments regarding laws in Idaho and West Virginia. These cases center on whether states can require student athletes to compete according to their biological sex rather than gender identity. The discussion examines the legal nuances of Title IX and the 14th Amendment, highlighting the critical need for a clear legal definition of "sex" that aligns with Scripture. Jamison shares observations from a rally outside the Court, not...

On this episode, Matt and Jamison discuss the emerging federal school choice program, which is structured as a tax bill under the Treasury Department—not the Department of Education—and is projected to be a $25 billion annual initiative funded by private donations to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs). The discussion centers on the crucial regulatory phase, where the Treasury Department is currently writing the program's rules and requesting public comments to determine participation c...

In this episode, Matt and Jamison discuss the significant next steps announced by Secretary Linda McMahon in the effort to close the Department of Education. Since permanent closure requires Congress, the department is moving programs through inter-agency agreements with several programs transferring to other agencies including the State Department and Department of Labor. The hosts focus on the consequential move of elementary and secondary education to the Department of Labor, which raises ...