Center Vision
For American families and students today, education provides a pathway to the realization of their aspirations and a realization of their dignity. Right now, public education achieves neither end. The key to a better education system, one that serves both America and Americans, is advancing policies that puts American families first, including choice. That’s exactly what the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) is here to achieve. AFPI will formulate educational policies that provide educational opportunity for all American families. This means putting parents and students—not bureaucracies, unions, or politicians—in charge of the education of America’s next generation. AFPI aims to restore our system of public education to its original, legitimate purpose: educating and raising the next generation of Americans, facilitating their dreams—and our prosperity.
AFPI aims to restore our system of public education to its original, legitimate purpose: educating and raising the next generation of Americans, facilitating their dreams, and our prosperity. Providing a high-quality education with opportunities that benefit every student will create greater outcomes for our next generation.
POLICY OVERVIEW
- Increasing Education Opportunities
- Increasing Early Literacy
- Creating Greater Student Outcomes
- Improving Spending on Education
Protecting Due Process on Public University Campuses After the New Title IX Regulation
Jonathan Pidluzny, Ph.D.
Three Approaches to improving Viewpoint Diversity at State colleges and Universities
Jonathan Pidluzny, Ph.D.
Protecting Students’ Expressive Rights on Public College Campuses
Jonathan Pidluzny, Ph.D.
Universal Parental School Choice Act
Tax Credit Scholarship Act
Part-Time Enrollment Act
Education Savings Accounts Act
Literacy-Based Promotion Act
Students for Fair Admissions V. President & Fellows of Harvard College
Jonathan Pidluzny, Ph.D.
Fact Sheet: Give Parents More Control Of Their Child’s Education: 10 Model Policies To Restore Excellence To America’s Schools
The National Association of Scholars and The America First Policy Institute Present: 10 State Policies to Restore Excellent k-12 Public Education in America
Teacher Education Preparation: How National Accreditation Standards Influence Teaching
Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D. and Alexandra Caro Campana
Fact Sheet - Seven Major Problems with the Biden Administration’s Borrower Bailout
Jonathan Pidluzny
Seven Major Problems with the Biden Administration’s Borrower Bailout
Dr. Jonathan Pidluzny, Ph.D.
School Choice in the State of Arizona
Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D.
Early Literacy in the State of Arkansas
Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D
The Combatting State-Sanctioned Bigotry Act
The On-Cycle School Board Election Act
Open Enrollment for New Buildings Act
Workplace and Student Enrollment Act
Did You Know The Federal Government is Trying to Pass a $6 Billion Civics Education Bill?
Improving School Safety & Reducing Gun Violence
Myths Versus Facts School Choice in Iowa
Toolkit: Protecting Your Taxpayer Dollars in the Classroom
Covid-19 Relief Funding For K-12 Education - The Essential Role of Integrity and Accountability
Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D.
School Board Member Toolkit - Curriculum Adoption
Two-Pager - The Case for Alignment of Education and Workforce Systems
The Case for Alignment of Education and Workforce Systems
Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D.
Two-Pager: Reimagining Child Care in America
Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith
Center for Education Opportunity Overview
Dr. Scott Turner, Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith, and Rachel Craddock
School Choice Empowers Families and Creates Greater Student Outcomes
Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith
STATEMENT: Kellyanne Conway on the Introduction of H.R. 5, The Parents Bill of Rights
STATEMENT: Dr. Alveda King Praises Congressman Chip Roy’s Action to Protect Honest Teaching in Schools
Dr. Alveda King
Kellyanne Conway Praises Utah Legislature for Advancing School Choice for All Students
New Website Launched to help Parents Take Back Control of Their Children’s Education
The Leadership of the America First Policy Institute Provided the Following Reactions and Insight Into the State of America One Year Into the Biden Administration
STATEMENT: Kellyanne Conway on the Introduction of H.R. 5, The Parents Bill of Rights
AFPI Submits Public Comment Detailing Serious Deficiencies in the Biden Administration’s Proposed Regulation Reforming Income-Driven Repayment of Federal Student Loans
AFPI Submits Public Comment on Proposed Changes to Title IX Regulations
Jonathan Pidluzny, Craig W. Trainor, and Mark A. Zelden
Did You Know The Federal Government is Trying to Pass a $6 Billion Civics Education Bill?
AFPI 2022 Annual Policy Summit
Happy First Birthday AFPI!
Myths Versus Facts School Choice in Iowa
Statement from Scott Turner, Chair, Center for Education Opportunity
Celebrating Women’s History Month through the Accomplishments of Women
Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D.
The Children of Ukraine
Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D.
An Examination of the First Year of Biden’s Presidency
What does Covid-19 Relief Funding Mean for Children?
Governor Phil Bryant and Mr. Scott Turner
School Choice Advances in States
Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D.
Loudoun County is putting children in harm’s way
Bethany Kozma
Op-Ed: Why local school board elections are so important
VIDEO: Scott Turner joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business
Op-Ed: African Americans and the Economy under Trump
Scott Turner in National Review
Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D. is originally from Phoenix, Arizona, but has lived in Mississippi for over 25 years. She serves as AFPI’s Senior Fellow for the Center for Education Opportunity and Center for the American Worker. Dr. Todd-Smith was appointed by President Trump to serve as the Director of the Women’s Bureau at the United States Department of Labor. During her tenure at the Women’s Bureau, she focused the agency on issues of childcare, paid family leave, and grants to support women in apprenticeship. Prior to her work with the United States Department of Labor, Dr. Todd-Smith served as Senior Education and Workforce Policy Advisor to Governor Phil Bryant. She led numerous legislative efforts to help improve public education in Mississippi including: The Literacy Based Promotion Act, Early Childhood Education, Charter Schools, Special Needs Education Scholarship Account, and accountability models for school districts, all of which resulted in improved outcomes for Mississippi’s students. Dr. Todd-Smith is also the former executive director of the Mississippi State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB) and the State Childhood Advisory Council (SECAC). Dr. Todd-Smith is a former elementary school teacher and holds a doctorate in education from Mississippi State University, a master’s degree from Western New Mexico University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona. Dr. Todd-Smith is a 2-year breast cancer survivor. She is an avid college football fan and enjoys boating at Lake Caroline, MS with her husband, Ron, and adorable Yorkie, Max.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Nelson Mandela
Scott Turner is from Richardson, Texas, and serves as AFPI’s Chair of the Center for Education Opportunity at AFPI. Turner is a businessman, motivational speaker, and former professional football player, who previously served as the executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. Turner formerly served as a Texas state representative for the 33rd District, which includes part of Collin County and all of Rockwall County. Before entering public service, Turner was an American football cornerback who played in the NFL for nine seasons with the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, and the Denver Broncos. He attended the University of Illinois, where he played as their starting cornerback and graduated with a degree in speech communications.
General Mick Zais is from Columbia, South Carolina, and serves as a Senior Fellow in the Center for Education Opportunity at AFPI. Zais most recently served as President Donald J. Trump’s Deputy Secretary of Education and, for a short period, as Acting Secretary. Before that, he ran for and was elected South Carolina’s 17th State Superintendent of Education, the second Republican to hold that office. Zais also served for 10 years as president of Newberry College, a private institution founded before the Civil War. During 31 years as an Army infantryman, paratrooper, and ranger, he served in Vietnam, Korea, Panama, and Kuwait. He was a social aide in the Nixon White House; at West Point, he taught organizational behavior, leadership, and management consulting; and in the Pentagon, he was Chief of War Plans. An ardent philatelist, Zais has been married for 42 years to Susan. They have two adult children. His son is a cyber security professional and sergeant in the South Carolina National Guard. His daughter, the former Miss South Carolina USA, is a full-time mom. Zais and Susan have six grandchildren between the ages of three and 10.
“Do right and bear the consequences.”
Sam Houston