Live Online Policy Forum 

# Back to School: A Conversation on the State of Education 

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Audio 

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Date and Time 

August 28, 2025 1 - 2 PM EDT 

Location 

Live Online 

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##### Featuring 

[![Neal McCluskey Cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2023-11/mccluskey-cropped.jpg?itok=I-QI0yJD)](/people/neal-mccluskey) 

[Neal McCluskey](/people/neal-mccluskey)

Former Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute

[![Andrew Gillen - cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-04/andrew-gillen-cropped.jpg?itok=uRHLF979)](/people/andrew-gillen) 

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

Research Fellow, Cato Institute

[ 

](https://twitter.com/Gillen_Andrew_J) 

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

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

Policy Analyst, Cato Institute

[ 

](https://x.com/ColleenHroncich) [ 

](mailto:chroncich@cato.org) 

![Zachary Schermele](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2025-08/Zachary%20Schermele%20Circle.jpeg?itok=KZ8Nalz8) 

Zachary Schermele 

*USA Today*

[ 

](https://twitter.com/ZachSchermele) 

Join Cato education scholars Neal McCluskey, Colleen Hroncich, and Andrew Gillen for an online panel discussion on the current state of American education as students return to classrooms nationwide. Moderated by *USA Today*’s Zachary Schermele, this timely conversation will examine critical education policy issues, including the expansion of school choice programs, the role and effectiveness of the Department of Education, and pressing challenges facing higher education institutions.

The panel will explore how empowering parents with educational freedom, reducing federal bureaucratic interference, and promoting market-based solutions can improve educational outcomes for students at all levels.

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This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).