Parent Empowerment with Mandy Drogin

Tracy Hanson runs the Oak Creek Academy in Killeen, which specifically works with students with special needs. She shares her experiences and details how Oak Creek Academy is serving kids with special needs for a fraction of what Texas public schools spend per student.

Doree Collins runs Cultivate Academy-CTX in Temple, TX, where serves the underserved youth in her community. Join us as she and her students share their incredible stories!

The Parent Empowerment movement continues to grow! One incredible father fighting alongside us to pass Education Savings Accounts is none other than John Papola of Dad Saves America. Parents from across our country are hooked on the Dad Saves America podcast because John is “on a mission to celebrate, empower, and entertain Dads, could-be Dads, and father-figures of all stripes.”

Today, Mandy is joined by her colleague, James Quintero, the policy director for TPPF's Taxpayer Protection Project, local government expert, and father of five, to discuss how the public education system breaks Texas' election laws to advocate against parents and propose solutions to solve this pervasive problem.

Mandy is joined by TPPF's Dr. Richard Johnson and Dr. Michael Adams of Texas Southern University, to break down statewide polling on school choice and discuss the opportunities it provides to all Texans, no matter their background, economic situation, or zip code.

Dr. Matthew Ladner, the Senior Advisor for the Heritage Foundation's Center for Education Policy, father of three, and education expert joins Mandy to break down the success of parent empowerment in other states, what Texas stands to gain with Education Savings Accounts, and how Texas' education system can bring itself into the future of education.

Tens of thousands of Texas students sit on charter school wait lists because there simply are not enough charter schools to meet demand. Ryan Hecker, father of four and managing director of Charter Schools Now is changing that through fearless advocacy for Texas students and the charter schools that serve them.

Parents are demanding transparency, quality, respect, and choice in their children's education. Today, Michelle Nuckolls, a Texas homeschooling mom of four, breaks down her battle with local libraries, both in getting good books in and inappropriate books out. She also covers Texas' proposed new curriculum and the great improvements it will bring to our classrooms!

Parent Empowerment it lifts up everyone, including kids who might otherwise be left behind. Mandy is joined by Joel Enge, the director of Kingdom Life Academy, who runs a fantastic school for the children of Tyler. Kingdom Life Academy empowers children who have been failed by other educational models - and in doing so, provides hope for so many!

Texas' economy is on the rise, and Texas needs a workforce to match. Mandy is joined by Pat Curry, a business leader in Waco, activist, and father of four, as he discusses how Texas education needs to change to accommodate our changing workforce, what forces are standing in the way of that change, and how empowering parents with choice in education will bolster Texas into the next decades and beyond.

Parent Empowerment is sweeping Texas—and it's been a driving passion in the journey of our guest today. Joanne Shofner, Texas Christian Coach, Activist, and, more importantly, mother of seven, joins Mandy to talk about her passion for ensuring that every Texas kid has access to the kind of education they need.

This week for the Parent Empowerment with Mandy Drogin podcast, we chat with John Petree, the president of Texans for Excellence in Education and, more importantly, father of nine. John talked about the role that TEE plays and how their innovative strategies and products serve school districts and kids better, while saving taxpayers big money.

Parent Empowerment is sweeping Texas because parents are demanding options that fit their children's unique needs, experiences, and situations. This week on Parent Empowerment with Mandy Drogin, Mandy sits down with Brady Serafin, the CEO of Cedar Crest Health Systems a treatment facility with a partnership with the University of Texas University Charter school district in Belton, TX. Cedar Crest specializes in meeting the mental, emotional, and psychological needs of vulnerable children with mental health issues, and oftentimes, traumatic backgrounds. Brady and Mandy chat about the mental health crisis in Texas schools and schools across America, how parents can help, and what Parent Empowerment means for kids with special needs or unique backgrounds.

Every kid is unique, and their parents know best how to answer their unique needs. That's why the Parent Empowerment movement is sweeping Texas, because Texas parents know that they are the ones who are best equipped to make educational decisions for their children. This week on Parent Empowerment with Mandy Drogin, Mandy is joined by Renea, a Texas mom whose two kids took two different educational paths for different reasons. Renea shares her heartbreaking story and reminds us all why why we fight.

Parent Empowerment is sweeping Texas, and today, Mandy sits down with Representative Brian Harrison (HD 10), father of four and former chief of staff in the Trump administration for the federal Department of Health and Human Services, to talk with him about his perspective on Parent Empowerment as a father and lawmaker. Rep. Harrison also details his push for transparency while serving on the Texas House Public Education committee, as well as his belief in education freedom through ESAs, and wasteful use of taxpayer money that’s not going to our teachers in the classrooms.

Texas Parents are united in the fight for our children’s future, and the Parent Empowerment movement has swept the country. Today, Congressman Chip Roy from Congressional District 21 joins Mandy Drogin to talk about why he supports Texas parents’ right to select the best education for their kids and Universal Education Savings Accounts. Congressman Roy pulls no punches in calling out the profiteers, associations and consultants impeding parents’ rights and manipulating the system to steer tax dollars away from teachers an into their pockets. He also addresses the concerns of conservatives with school choice, and explains how the parent empowerment movement is in-line with our Founders' philosophy on education.

Parent Empowerment is sweeping the nation, but parents in the largest conservative state in America have found themselves behind the ball on getting transparency, quality, respect, and choice out of the education system. Join Mandy as she sits down with John Colyandro, father and founder of Colyandro Public Affairs, a pro-parent and pro-freedom lobbying firm. John breaks down the special interest groups opposing parents and how they’re using the system to their advantage.

Parents rightfully demand transparency from their school districts, and too often schools hide how much they're spending and what they're spending taxpayer dollars on. Join Mandy Drogin as she sits down with Vance Ginn, dad of 3, founder of Ginn Economic Consulting, and formerly an economist in the Trump administration, as they break down school finance and dive into how much our schools are spending and what they're spending it on.

Parent empowerment means that every kid gets an education that fits their unique needs. Join Mandy Drogin as she sits down with Becca Williams, a mom of 2, former teacher, author, and co-founder of Valor Education, a classical public charter school, to chat about what classical education is, how it helps kids, and what parents and school leaders can learn from the successes of Valor and other classical schools.

Parent Empowerment has swept the country, and Texas is leading the mission for parental options and choices. Join Mandy Drogin as she chats with Anita Scott, the Policy Director for the Texas Homeschool Coalition about Anita’s passion for serving homeschool parents, why her parents chose to homeschool her, and how we can empower parents across the state.

Parent Empowerment has swept the country, and Texas is leading the mission for transparency in our schools. Join Mandy Drogin as she chats with Dr. Debbie Cohen about her experience with Special Education in her local public schools—and pick up some vital tips and tricks on how to work with and through the system from an experienced mom!(The views expressed on this episode are Dr. Cohen's own personal perspectives and not reflective of the UT school system.)Go to TXParentsMatter.com to join the Parent Empowerment movement and sign up for email updates.

Dripping Springs ISD School Board Trustee Rob McClelland explains why parents need to be involved in their children's education and shares stories of how lobbying groups try to exert their influence.Go to TXParentsMatter.com to join the Parent Empowerment movement and sign up for email updates.

Parent Empowerment has swept the country, and Texas is leading the mission for transparency in our schools. We had an incredible panel of Houstonians as TPPF’s own Dr. Richard Johnson, State Representative Shawn Thierry, and engaged parent Angie Thibodeaux discussed the need for education options in their own communities and the sacrifices and hard decisions they’ve made for the betterment of their children’s education.Go to TXParentsMatter.com to join the Parent Empowerment movement and sign up for email updates.

Parent Empowerment has swept the country, and Texas is leading the mission for transparency in our schools. That’s why mom of 4, Hillary Hickland, shares about her daughter’s experience seeing a friend be groomed by teachers to transition to a boy, and the fight to remove sexually explicit books that are still in our Texas school libraries.We will inspire you to fight for your kids and take your power back.Go to TXParentsMatter.com to join the Parent Empowerment movement and sign up for email updates.