Parent Empowerment with Mandy Drogin

Are standardized tests like the SAT really serving students or are they shaping education?In this episode of Parent Empowerment, Mandy Drogin sits down with Jeremy Tate, founder of the Classical Learning Test (CLT), to unpack the growing conversation around college entrance exams, AP courses, and the future of education in America.From the history of the College Board to the influence of classroom curriculum, this discussion explores how assessments impact what students learn—and why more families are exploring alternative pathways.

School safety is a top concern for Texas parents, yet only about half of our school campuses currently have an armed protector on site. On this episode of Parent Empowerment, Mandy Drogin sits down with returning guest Rob McClelland, Dripping Springs ISD Trustee and Board Member of the Texas State School Safety Center to discuss the safety of our schools.They dive deep into HB3’s requirement for an armed officer on every campus, the massive funding challenges districts face, and the “good cause exemption” options now available. Mandy and Rob also unpack the critical physical security upgrades happening right now and the day-to-day threats facing kids like the exploding vaping and fentanyl crisis infecting our schools.

Texas local government debt has exploded to $552 billion, and taxpayers are paying the price. On this episode of Parent Empowerment, Mandy Drogin sits down with Bell County GOP Vice Chair Jeff Howard and The Better Belton Project Founder Clinton Bailey to break down how massive local bond elections are driving government debt higher across Texas.They discuss how school districts and local governments continue pushing record-breaking bond packages, the role the education establishment and taxpayer-funded lobbying groups play in promoting these measures, and why many Texans are seeing higher property taxes as a result.Mandy, Jeff, and Clinton also examine how voters can better understand bond elections, why transparency and accountability matter in local government spending, and what taxpayers can do to push back against unsustainable debt growth.If you care about Texas property taxes, school district bonds, local government debt, and taxpayer transparency, this episode is a must-watch.

TPPF's Mandy Drogin interviews Levi Fuller, the Texas Education Agency's newly appointed Inspector General of Educator Misconduct, who brings his military and prosecutorial experience to combat sexual offenses and other abuses in schools. Fuller details his background, from serving in the Army and fighting ISIS to prosecuting election integrity and child trafficking cases, emphasizing his drive to protect children as a father himself. He highlights key legislative reforms around reporting misconduct, while sharing statistics on the crisis affecting thousands of students annually. Fuller encourages parents to report incidents via the TEA website, assures swift action on allegations, and vows a zero-tolerance approach. Join the conversation to learn how these changes empower parents and safeguard the future of Texas education.

TPPF's Mandy Drogin sits down with Ken Pope, Senior Fellow at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, for an eye-opening discussion on the foundation's mission to educate about the over 100 million victims of communist regimes. They explore the infiltration of Marxist ideologies into American education, the long march through institutions inspired by thinkers like Paulo Freire and Herbert Marcuse, and legislative efforts like Texas' SB 24 to ensure students learn the true history and atrocities of communism.

Radical Islamic groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR are wielding soft power to shape public opinion, redirect policy priorities, and weaken core American and Western values. Their ultimate goal: instilling the Caliphate and implementing Sharia Law.TPPF policy experts Kate Bierly and Cameron Abrams explain how hostile foreign nations like Qatar are infiltrating academia and directing funding through nonprofits to push a Muslim-centric ideology.Referenced in this episode:Islamism, Texas, and the Unholy AllianceQatar: Friend or Foe?

Matt Krause, County Commissioner for Tarrant County and former State Representative, shares his experience fighting for taxpayers both at the county level and in the State Legislator. Commissioner Krause unpacks the interests working against taxpayers, especially the taxpayer-funded lobbying groups that directly advocate against what taxpayers want.

Rep. Hillary Hickland of Belton shares her experiences with the taxpayer-funded lobbyist complex that's leeching off our education system, pushing ideology on kids, and ensuring that property tax bills just go up and up.

Mandy interviews Robbye Kirkpatrick, businesswoman and co-founder of Texas TransformED, about spending in Texas public schools - why is teacher pay so low, where is the over $100 billion we spend going, and why are results getting worse, not better, even as we add more money into the system?

Texas is spending hundreds of billions on school buildings and football stadiums, but when those break, someone still has to deal with the aftermath. In this second episode with Marc Gravely, Marc breaks down the legal background of construction defects in schools - what can break, who's to blame, and, of course, how much it costs taxpayers.

Our kids are failing to launch after they graduate high school. It's time we fix that by fully preparing them for college, career, or the military before they graduate rather than hoping they figure it out after graduation. Ashley B. Cash, co-founder of Texas TransformED, joins Mandy Drogin to chat about all things education, and especially how we can better prepare our children for adult life.

Foreign nations have poured billions into Texas colleges and universities. They have not done so out of the kindness of their hearts, but rather, because they're using their gifts and grants to gain access to intellectual property, research, and inventions. TPPF's Higher Education Policy Analyst, Kate Bierly, joins Mandy to break down the foreign influences in Texas higher education.

Taxpayers on on the hook for millions upon millions of dollars in damages and other issues thanks to nebulously worded contracts, poorly regulated risk pools, and other sorts of legal drama. Marc Gravely, a legal expert and construction defect lawyer, breaks down how our public schools are being tricked or even extorted by outside groups.

Dr. Don Frazier, the Director of The Texas Center at Schreiner University in Kerrville, shares the rich history of Texas and discusses what we can do to make history more informative and engaging in our Texas public schools.

Join Representative Steve Toth from House District 15 (The Woodlands, Texas) as he shares his legislative priorities in education reform. In this interview, Rep. Toth discusses his work on parent empowerment in schools, educational policy changes, dyslexia support programs, and advocacy for students across Texas.

Just a few years ago, Houston ISD - HISD - was the worst performing public school district in Texas, as well as one of the largest. After a new Board of Managers was appointed, HISD has completely turned around, and now, no HISD schools are failing. Join Mandy as she interviews Cassandry Bandy, a courageous Houston mom of two who stepped up to the plate on the Board of Managers and helped bring academic achievement back to the families of Houston.

Senator Mayes Middleton of Galveston breaks down how local governments are running massive deficits, taking on huge amounts of debt, and not just wasting taxpayer money, but weaponizing it against their own citizens.

Join Mandy Drogin on Parent Empowerment as she sits down with Christie Slape, Texas Ambassador for Moms for Liberty, to discuss the battle for parental rights and quality education in Texas public schools. From exposing inappropriate library books and advocating for Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) to challenging woke indoctrination and fighting against taxpayer funded lobbying, Christie shares her journey as a mom of four and accidental activist. Learn about Moms for Liberty’s mission, the impact of recent education legislation, and how parents can take action to protect their children’s education.

The Left has been waging a decades-long war to take over our school boards and grant their authority to unelected administrators. Luckily, courageous school board members like our guest, Brandon Hodges from Midland ISD, are looking for alternatives to the associations that are robbing school boards of their power - and they're finding them in organizations like Texans for Excellence in Education, from which both John Petree and Kara Belew join us today.

Mandy sits down with Erin Fonner, a mother of three and Development Director at Valor Education, to chat about Valor’s classical curriculum. Erin shares insights on the school’s rigorous approach to education and its commitment to parent partnership.

Join Mandy Drogin on Parent Empowerment as she sits down with Mary Lynn Pruneda, Senior Policy Advisor at Texas 2036 and mother of three, to dive into the truth about grade inflation, the importance of the STAAR exam, and the A-F accountability system.

Mandy brings on TPPF's K-12 Education Policy Director, Jorge Borrego, to chat about the Teachers' Bill of Rights in House Bill 2.

Our teachers are being bombarded by the leftist agendas long before they enter the classroom. TPPF's Kate Bierly breaks down how her professors and courses pushed DEI, Social Emotional Learning, and other progressive agendas.

Mandy chats with Ari Weisenfeld from Agudath Israel of America and Rabbi Yerachmiel Garfield of the Yeshiva Torat Emet Jewish Day School to discuss the support in the Jewish community of Texas for school choice.

Mandy chats with Cassandra Posey, homeschool mom and former public school teacher, about her experiences in the classroom and what parent empowerment means for all Texans.

Jen, a Texas Public School Teacher, shares insight on the crisis in our public schools.

Representative Jeff Leach, HD 67, is a father of three kids who go to Texas public schools, and he knows how important it is to get education right. Representative Leach breaks down his support for ESAs and what other things he's working on for public education.

Greta, a north Texas mom, shares the heartbreaking story of how the public school system failed her son and how a scholarship has saved her Miracle.

Abraham George, Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, shares his support for empowering parents!

Representative Nate Schatzline, a fearless fighter for parents, joins Mandy to break down school choice and the newly filed House Bill 3.

TPPF's James Quintero makes his second appearance on the podcast to break down the staggering half a trillion dollars in debt owed by local Texas governments--with more debt on the way!