A military dictator. Murder. Billions of dollars. And a connection to America’s schools that few people know about. Our story takes us from a brutal dictatorship to the segregated American South of the 1950s, through the halls of political power, and into today’s battles over who controls education and who profits from it.

No, this isn’t the plot of a new Netflix thriller. It’s the newest episode of the FREE podcast. And it might surprise you.

Want a break from reading? I recently sat down with economist Clara Mattei in Tulsa for a 60-minute conversation with enough twists, controversy, and unexpected revelations to rival a Hollywood drama.

Our story moves from segregation academies to today’s school voucher programs, from powerful political players to ordinary families trying to find a good school for their children. Along the way, we uncover surprising research, follow the money across continents, and confront questions that rarely make it into the headlines.

Who’s really getting the money? Who’s calling the shots? Who wins? Who loses? And why does the same story keep repeating itself?

There are surprising characters, historical plot twists, eye-opening data, and some uncomfortable truths. But unlike most Hollywood dramas, this one doesn’t end when the credits roll.

Grab your coffee. Listen in the car. Take us along on your next flight. Or put us on at bedtime.

One hour. Two scholars. Decades of experience. A story that spans continents and generations. And a plot that affects every family in America.

And when it’s over, tell me: Which part of the story surprised you most?

Please share.

Chapters

– Introduction: Austerity, Public Schools, and Julian Heilig 00:02:06

– The Segregationist Origins of School Vouchers 00:05:09

– How Vouchers Became a School-Choice Narrative 00:08:05 – Who Really Gets to Choose a School? 00:10:58

– The Costs of Privatization for Public Schools 00:15:24

– Voucher Outcomes and the Cost of Uncapped Programs 00:18:51 – Who Funds School-Choice Research? 00:23:36

– Do Test Scores Measure What Matters? 00:25:59

– How Choice Shifts Accountability to Families and Schools 00:29:22

– How Crises Were Used to Impose School Choice 00:30:43

– Chile’s Voucher System and Its Democratic Costs 00:33:49 – What Sweden and Finland Reveal About School Choice 00:35:57

– How Limited Vouchers Become Universal Programs 00:38:14

– Who Benefits from Voucher Subsidies? 00:39:40

– School Choice, Selection, and Accountability 00:43:33

– Standardized Tests as Sorting Tools 00:45:56

– Testing, Politics, and the Limits of Standardized Assessment 00:48:43

– Why School Quality Varies by Neighborhood 00:50:20

– Funding Schools for What Students Need 00:55:03

– Public Spending, Leadership, and Democracy 00:59:57

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