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# Center for Educational Freedom 

At a Glance 

Cato’s Center for Educational Freedom (CEF) is grounded in the understanding that education works best for all people—from individual students to all of society—when it is rooted in the free decisions of those to be educated, and those who educate. In elementary and secondary education CEF scholars seek to shift policy to empower parents to choose the education they think is best for their unique children, and for educators to teach as they see fit. In higher education, they look to move to a system in which students—those who will reap the benefits of their education—pay with their own money, or funds voluntarily given to them by others. And in early‐​childhood education, they bring research to bear against ill‐​informed efforts to expand government intervention.

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[\#CatoCEF](https://x.com/hashtag/CatoCEF)

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#### Topics 

- [Education](/education)

[![Children Raising Hands - 2024 Annual Report](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/promo_block/public/2025-07/free-asc-ar-final.jpg?itok=P8EODqV0)](https://www.catocourses.org/education) 

### [Cato Courses: K‑12 Education](https://www.catocourses.org/education)

Explore ideas that transform K–12 learning

Discover the history of educational freedom in America and understand its importance today.

Education is a cornerstone of personal and societal development, providing us with the knowledge and skills we need to thrive in an ever changing world.

[Cato Courses: K-12 Education](https://www.catocourses.org/education) 

#### Featured Content 

[![Education Test Image](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2026-04/Optimistic%20Education%20Cost%204.png?itok=Y9EShlnT)](https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/federal-budget-reform-opportunities-higher-education-2026) 

Study 

### [Federal Budget Reform Opportunities in Higher Education for 2026](/policy-analysis/federal-budget-reform-opportunities-higher-education-2026) 

By [Andrew Gillen](https://www.cato.org/people/andrew-gillen) 

There are reforms that would both improve higher education policy and save taxpayers $265 billion over the next decade.

[![Education - Teacher with students](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-01/GettyImages-1459390112.jpeg?itok=FX0AstDF)](https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/let-1000-flowers-bloom) 

Study 

### [Let 1,000 Flowers Bloom](/policy-analysis/let-1000-flowers-bloom) 

By [Colleen Hroncich](https://www.cato.org/people/colleen-hroncich) 

By including some key best practices, states can create lasting, resilient educational freedom programs that put families in charge, ensuring that freedom becomes a permanent part of America’s education landscape.

[![](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/multimedia/podcast/radio_highlight_2020.jpg?itok=OMg-Hmfj)](https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-radio/kerry-mcdonald-discusses-her-book-joyful-learning-how-find-2) 

Media Highlights Radio 

### [Kerry McDonald discusses her book, *Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and Success Beyond Conventional Schooling*, at the ASU+GSV Summit](/multimedia/media-highlights-radio/kerry-mcdonald-discusses-her-book-joyful-learning-how-find-2) 

Featuring [Kerry McDonald](https://www.cato.org/people/kerry-mcdonald) 

#### Our Experts 

[![Corey DeAngelis cropped portrait](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2022-08/corey-deangelis-headshot-cropped.jpg?itok=5pQgW8ls)](/people/corey-deangelis) 

##### [Corey A. DeAngelis](/people/corey-deangelis)

Adjunct Scholar 

[![Media Name: vance-fried-crop.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/authors/crops/vance-fried-crop.jpg?itok=PXvHtyBK)](/people/vance-fried) 

##### [Vance Fried](/people/vance-fried)

Adjunct Scholar 

[![Andrew Gillen - cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2024-04/andrew-gillen-cropped.jpg?itok=tVUvcA32)](/people/andrew-gillen) 

##### [Andrew Gillen](/people/andrew-gillen)

Research Fellow

[![Colleen Hroncich cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2025-06/Colleen%20Hroncich%20cropped.jpg?itok=tYZwsQYB)](/people/colleen-hroncich) 

##### [Colleen Hroncich](/people/colleen-hroncich)

Policy Analyst

[![Kerry-McDonald-cropped.jpg ](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_mobile/public/2019-10/Kerry-McDonald-cropped.jpg?itok=ECeqmYdm)](/people/kerry-mcdonald) 

##### [Kerry McDonald](/people/kerry-mcdonald)

Adjunct Scholar