School choice can feel empowering and overwhelming at the same time. Jared Taylor and Lindsey Crosland welcome Dr. Barbara Duncan and Liz Dreckman to explain how Arizona became a national model and what parents should do with all those options. They cover the “backpack funding” idea behind ESAs, how tax credit scholarships expanded to serve more students, and why real progress includes strong district schools that compete by improving. The group also looks ahead to “School Choice 3.0,” where education becomes more individualized, mixing academics with trades, dual enrollment, tutoring, therapies, and passion-driven learning. If you are navigating kindergarten, high school, or a mid-year switch, this episode offers a clear framework: know your child, tour schools, and choose the best fit right now.
Show Notes:
The Phoenix School Fair on January 24, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 pm at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix gives families a free, one-stop way to explore K–12 education options. Parents can meet representatives from public, charter, magnet, private, faith-based, online, homeschool, and nontraditional schools, while enjoying a fun, family-friendly evening hosted by Choose A School AZ and the National School Choice Awareness Foundation.
https://schoolchoiceweek.com/events/phoenix-school-fair/
National School Choice Week is a nationwide celebration that raises awareness about the full range of K–12 education options available to families. Through events, resources, and community partnerships, it helps parents explore choices and advocate for the learning environment that best fits their children.
If you want to learn more about the American Classroom podcast, please visit AmericanClassroom.Show https://americanclassroom.show/
To learn more about or take a tour of the great schools mentioned in this episode, visit Heritage Academy https://heritageacademyaz.com/
or Paul Revere Academy https://paulrevere.tech/
Sponsored by: Heritage Academy, downtown Mesa campus- www.hamesa.com
In this episode, listeners meet Principal Tera Nelson, the founding leader of the new Heritage Academy K5 campus in Maricopa, Arizona. She shares her path from military service to early childhood education and now school leadership, highlighting the values that drew...
Jared Taylor and Lindsey Crosland welcome Rio Salado College President Kate Smith for a compelling discussion on dual enrollment, equity in education, and the future of learning. Kate reflects on Rio Salado’s mission to meet learners where they are, from high school...
Host Jared Taylor and co-host Lindsey Lundeen Crosland sit down with author and constitutional expert Shane Krauser for a lively conversation on freedom, education, and America’s 250th anniversary. Krauser recounts his upbringing as a first-generation American, his...