In this episode, get to know Hannah DeBruler, Policy Analyst for Higher Education for the AACS. Jamison, Matt and Hannah discuss why higher education has become the "tip of the policy spear" for issues related to education. 

As Americans, we love our choices. Have you visited the ice cream aisle lately? In this episode, Jamison and Matt discuss school choice and specifically what is happening with school choice in the state of Texas.

In this episode, you'll get to know Olivia Summers, who joined joined the AACS Washington office as the Government Relations Assistant in the summer of 2023. Olivia has many responsibilities including helping to make the Youth Legislative Training Conference a success. 

The post-Christmas political drama on Capitol Hill is in full swing. Jamison and Matt discuss the the latest on spending talks, possible impeachment hearings, foreign aid,  the possibility of a tax bill in the coming year, and even a Hunter Biden sighting at a recent hearing in the House. This episode will get you up-to-speed on the latest from D.C.!

Jamison and Matt break down the top 3 issues Congress will be wrestling with in the new year. Will Congress return to regular order, or will it be business as usual in the D.C.?

Has it really been 2 years since our last podcast? We've missed connecting with you via the podcast, so we're bringing it back to you on a more regular basis. Join Jamison and Matt as they reintroduce the podcast and explain the 4 areas where the Washington office advocates on behalf of our members.

In this episode, the AACS Executive Director, Government Relations Director, and legal counsel join Matt to discuss Christian school responses to mask mandates and other requirements from health departments.

Lions, and tigers, and EANS, oh my!  There's an alphabet soup of acronyms for different COVID-19 funding programs available to private schools.  In this episode, Jamison and Matt discuss the primary differences between EANS 1 and EANS 2.  "EANS" stands for Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools, and these programs are getting a lot of attention in the education world right now.  After listening to this episode, you'll have a better understanding of the difference between the two programs. 

During the show, Jamison referenced the Frequently Asked Questions (updated March 19, 2021) document about the EANS 1 program.

What's your plan to address the COVID gap at your school?  Undoubtedly, many students transferring to your school experienced learning loss due to the conditions surrounding the pandemic.  Do you have a plan to address this challenge as you prepare for the 2021–2022 school year?

Join host Matt Ticzkus,  Dr. Jeff Walton, AACS Executive Director, and Bryan Wilson, Administrator at Harford Christian School, as they discuss what the data is telling us about learning loss and how Harford Christian is proactively meeting the needs of incoming students through their COVID Gap Remediation program.

Resources from the podcast:

• COVID Gap Remediation Considerations document
• COVID Gap Remediation example brochure 
• First Grade Readiness example test from Harford Christian (please do not submit this form)
•  Tutorial from Jotform on turning your form into a quiz or test
• TestPoint Placement Testing

Points of interest about Jotform:

• Integrates with Google Drive so you get all responses and attachments immediately upon submission.
• Can set Jotform to email answers immediately.
• Includes many other types of questions using built-in widgets.

Religious liberty is undoubtedly under attack in our nation. Sherri Huston from the Alliance Defending Freedom joins Matt and Jamison to discuss ADF's Ministry Alliance partnership with AACS.  The Ministry Alliance provides schools with access to attorneys and legal resources as well as proactive measures like document review.  ADF will be mailing out 4 legal guides to all AACS schools the week of March 1, 2021, and the guides will provide broad guidance on health insurance, admissions, athletics, and employment.  Please visit https://www.adfministryalliance.org/partners/american-association-of-christian-schools for more information about the ADF Ministry Alliance partnership.  Please reach out directly to Sherri, [email protected] for questions about the program.