VINCE Saving America's Schools, with Norton Rainey | Episode 177
Nov 26, 2025
Norton Rainey, CEO of ACE Scholarships, has spent 25 years advocating for education reform to expand private-school access for low-income students. In this discussion, he tackles alarming declines in student literacy and math proficiency, and contrasts rising public school spending with dismal outcomes. Norton explains ACE's innovative scholarship model and highlights the new federal tax credit for donors beginning in 2027. Personal stories emphasize the urgent need for school choice to transform lives and combat educational inequity.
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Spending Up, Learning Down
- U.S. student achievement has declined despite rising education spending over decades.
- Norton Rainey links poor returns to system structure, not funding levels.
Third Grade Is The Tipping Point
- Foundational literacy and numeracy by third grade determine long-term academic outcomes.
- Norton Rainey emphasizes early basics as the critical pivot for future success.
Education Drives Social Outcomes
- Poor educational outcomes correlate with major social harms like incarceration and poverty.
- Rainey argues education quality drives long-term economic and social stability.
