What happens when families gain education freedom, but schools face roadblocks to serving them?

In this episode of Parent Empowerment, Mandy Drogin sits down with Pastor Wendell Hutchins, founder and senior pastor of Church of Champions in Houston. Hutchins shares the challenges his church’s private school encountered while seeking to participate in Texas’ Education Freedom Accounts program. Their conversation explores barriers facing faith-based schools, the role of churches in education, and the importance of Texas expands school choice.

How can Texas students be set up for success when it comes to improving literacy and reading comprehension?

In this episode of Parent Empowerment, Mandy Drogin sits down with Robert Pondiscio, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, former teacher, and author of How the Other Half Learns. Their conversation explores why improving literacy takes more than phonics, how Texas is building a comprehensive approach to education, and what parents should look for when choosing a school.

Irving ISD is asking voters to approve a nearly $1 billion bond package even as student enrollment declines and taxpayers continue to shoulder billions in school district debt.

On this episode of Parent Empowerment, Mandy Drogin is joined by Philip Harold, professor at the University of Dallas, and TPPF's James Quintero to examine Irving ISD’s proposed $952 million bond, the true cost of school debt once interest is included, and the role architecture, construction, and consulting firms play in promoting massive bond packages.

The conversation explores concerns about transparency surrounding the proposal, declining enrollment in Irving ISD, student academic performance, administrative spending, superintendent compensation, and plans to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on new facilities including a proposed $300 million high school.

They also discuss how school bonds can affect Texas property taxes, why taxpayers should know the full principal-and-interest cost before voting, and whether districts should prioritize maintaining existing facilities rather than taking on additional long-term debt.

With Texans demanding property tax relief, this episode asks a critical question: Are massive school bonds serving students and taxpayers or the industries that profit from building them?

Learn more about taxpayer accountability, property taxes, education reform, and government transparency at TexasPolicy.com.