Education has become one of the most polarized issues in state national politics in recent years. The debates over what should be taught to students, and even the overall purpose of education, prompt an important question: What is the right vision for education in America?

Rick Hess joins Nic Dunn on this week’s episode to discuss his new book, co-authored with Michael McShane: Getting Education Right: A Conservative Vision for Improving Early Childhood, K–12, and College.

Rick is a senior fellow and the director of education policy studies for the American Enterprise Institute. He argues that we need to refocus education on its proper institutional and civic purpose, offering a vision for how to orient future education policy discussions in a way that should be broadly popular among Americans.

Sutherland’s education policy fellow, Christine Cooke Fairbanks, also joins the discussion to show how principles like elevating families and strengthening parent-teacher partnerships can be successfully implemented, citing examples in Utah.

Show notes:

• Getting Education Right: A Conservative Vision for Improving Early Childhood, K-12, and College | American Enterprise Institute – AEI
• Frederick M. Hess | American Enterprise Institute – AEI
• Christine Cooke Fairbanks – Sutherland Institute

Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, equipping listeners to become more effective champions of sound principle and good policy. Visit defendingideas.org.