AACS Today

On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order to close the Department of Education and to return authority to the states. In this episode, Jamison and Matt discuss the why, the what, and the push back from this executive action. For anyone interested in seeing pictures of Stumpy, click here .

President Trump has been called an "energetic Executive" as he makes his way through the first one hundred days of his second term. In this episode, Jamison and Matt provide an update on the status of the Department of Education, rogue judges (and their rulings related to Trump's policies) and reconciliation.

Sports are an amazing tool to build leadership skills and work ethic. Over the last several years though, there has been an increasing number of men competing on women's sports teams and invading women's private spaces. On this episode, join Jamison as he interviews Maggie McKneely, a Legislative Strategist with Concerned Women for America , to discuss the latest on this important battle...

In this episode, Jamison is joined by Chris Reed , Chief Risk Officer and General Counsel for the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance . With more than 27,000 members in 32 states, the NIA's goal is to provide nonprofits with access to a stable source of fair and equitably priced property and liability insurance.  Currently, nonprofits can pool liability risk across state lines, but that ability doe...

While the title might seem peculiar at first, we know you've been hearing about the potential to dismantle the Department of Education. Join Jamison and Matt as they welcome back to the podcast AACS Policy Analyst, Maureen Van Den Berg, to discuss the fate of the Department of Education. Is it dead on arrival? Be sure to tune in to find out!

With the re-election of President Trump, there certainly is a new sheriff in Washington, D.C.! In this episode, Jamison and Matt review some of the executive orders signed by the President, and they discuss how he has certainly become an "energetic executive." The bureaucracy is reeling as Trump continues to move lightning fast!

The annual LEAD Conference was recently held in Peachtree City, GA, and in this episode, Jamison and Matt share some of the biggest takeaways from the leadership sessions and discussion.  Dr. Kelvin Cochran, former City of Atlanta Fire Chief, led two of the leadership sessions, and Alliance Defending Freedom's Senior Counsel, Greg Baylor, spoke in the final session. Be sure to listen in as Ja...

Dr. Matthew Mehan, Associate Dean and Assistant Professor of Government in the Graduate School of Government at Hillsdale College Washington, D.C. campus, joins Jamison to discuss why children matter in our society. Dr. Mehan hopes to turn the hearts and minds of men back to their children. Dr. Mehan is the author of the report, The Higher Purpose of Children in American Society , which was publis...

Dr. Jeff Walton, Executive Director of the AACS, joins Jamison and Matt for an in-depth look at school accreditation. In this episode, which is part 2 (be sure to listen to last week's podcast for part 1), Dr. Walton discusses current trends in accreditation as well as the value of AACS accreditation.

Dr. Jeff Walton, Executive Director the AACS, joins Jamison and Matt for 2 episodes dedicated to the topic of school accreditation.  In this episode, Dr. Walton defines accreditation and looks at why Christian schools should pursue accreditation. He also differentiates between a compliance model and a school improvement model of accreditation.

Happy New Year from AACS Today! As we move into the new year, the news cycle in Washington has been full of interesting stories. Will the Department of Education be abolished? Will the Panama Canal be returned to the United States? Will Canada and Greenland become states? While that last question might be a stretch, we do have a new Congress, and we're about to have a new President. In this e...

School and ministry leaders often need to wear a variety of “hats.”  The list can be lengthy due to limited staff and resources. Things like fundraising, admissions, facilities management, information technology, and so much more. In this episode, Mrs. Coppola, an HR Executive and Consultant, joins Jamison and Matt to discuss the importance of Human Resources (HR) in ministries. HR helps to build...

Jamison and Matt reflect on the God's Providence over the last 12 months, and they look forward to what can potentially be expected from a new Congress and new President. Don't miss the last episode of 2024! The next episode of the podcast will be released on January 6, 2025.

Billboard Chris joins Jamison on the podcast to discuss the lunacy behind toady's gender ideology and how it's impacting the next generation. Chris is a brave advocate for the truth about gender ideology and kids, and he's traveling across the world (9 countries to date) to share the truth, one person at a time. If you're on X, you may want to consider following Billboard Chris...

When it comes to fundraising, donor development, and advancement, church-based Christian schools often struggle to communicate the needs they have in their ministries. How do they build a culture of giving within the school family?  Denny Vauters, Strategist in the Advancement Division at Generis , joins Jamison and Matt to lay out a vision to help schools think beyond a candy sale or fun run to h...

Happy Thanksgiving from the AACS Today Podcast Team! In this episode Matt reminds us of George Washington's first Thanksgiving Proclamation from 1789, and he contrasts Washington's words with a recent statement from the President of the Texas branch of the American Federation of Teachers (teacher's union). Details about the Proclamation, including a transcript, can be found here .

Jim Boyte, Founder of Active Defender , joins Jamison and Matt to provide some helpful tips on how Christian schools can be as prepared as possible to deal with the threats they face in today's culture.  Active Defender helps schools get the right information into the hands of everyone so that the best decisions can be made during a crisis. To contact Jim directly, call 910.783.6300.

As of the recording of this podcast episode, there were still several races where ballots were being counted. However, one thing was clear: Former President Donald Trump has been reelected to serve as the 47th President of the United States. In this episode, Jamison and Matt discuss the election results and the implications for the work of AACS in Washington.

Timothy Goeglein, Vice President of External and Government Relations for Focus on the Family, returns to the podcast to discuss his brand new book, Stumbling Toward Utopia . Listen in as Jamison and Tim discuss the decline of American culture and the hope for revival in our nation.

Veteran pro-life advocate, Tom McClusky joins Jamison and Matt to explain how to effectively advocate with elected officials and their staff members. Tom has more than two decades of experience in our nation's capital as a grassroots advocate for life and religious freedom.

Professor William Wagner, Founder and President of Salt and Light Global , joins Jamison and Matt to discuss the continuing battle over religious liberty not only in the United States, but also around the world.  Be sure to listen as Professor Wagner encourages us to equip ourselves, be fiercely unafraid to stand for truth and to do so with love as Jesus would do. Be sure to checkout the resource...

Will Estrada, Senior Counsel for the Home School Legal Defense Association, joins Jamison for a conversation about the importance of parental rights as it relates to the education of their children.  Both HSLDA and AACS will continue to advocate for the God-given rights of parents as they relate to education and liberty. To read a copy of the article that Will referenced in the podcast, click here...

Rachel Burrow, Herzog Foundation Christian Teacher of the Year award recipient, joins Jamison to discuss how she incorporates Christ in her classroom. Rachel teaches 8th grade U.S. history at Bob Jones Academy and engages students in creative ways. Listen in to discover how Rachel learned she was an award recipient and her unique teaching journey.

School leaders from around the country recently gathered in Washington, D.C., for the AACS annual National Legislative Conference. Join Matt and Olivia as they provide a recap of the highlights from this exciting event. Also, be sure to mark you calendars for next year's NLC, which will be held September 8-10, 2025.

In the best teams, each member shares and advances the common vision. However, members that oppose the vision will hinder the team’s ability to carry out its mission.  In this episode, Jamison and Matt discuss key religious employment cases and how those cases may influence the ability of Christian school leaders to choose employees within their biblically based beliefs and institutional guideline...