Phoenix, Ariz.—The Heritage Foundation, alongside a coalition of leading education scholars, policy experts, and public officials, unveiled The Phoenix Declaration: An American Vision for Education today at the Conservative Vision of Education Conference in Phoenix.  

This powerful statement of principles calls for a renewal and strengthening of American education that cultivates virtue, strives for excellence, imparts the wisdom of history, fosters a love of country and one’s fellow citizens, and teaches children to seek the good, true, and beautiful. 

“For too long, education freedom advocates have been on defense, constantly reacting to the radical Left’s latest ideological assault,” said Heritage Foundation President Dr. Kevin Roberts. “It’s time to go on offense. School leaders, educators, school board members, and policymakers need a set of shared, unshakable principles to reclaim education and put students—not leftist activism—first.” 

With 10 educational and public interest groups and more than 50 scholars and education policy experts signing on, the Phoenix Declaration envisions an education system dedicated to the following principles: 

• Parental Choice & Responsibility: Parents are the primary educators of their children. Public education funds should always follow the child. 

• Transparency & Accountability: Schools must be fully transparent with parents about curricula, policies, and student well-being. 

• Truth & Goodness: Students deserve an education grounded in objective truth, free from ideological fads, and oriented toward the pursuit of the good. 

• Cultural Transmission: Students should learn about America’s founding principles and roots in the broader Western and Judeo-Christian traditions. Students should study the best-competing viewpoints that comprise our intellectual heritage. 

• Character Formation: Schools must prepare children for the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood by cultivating virtue, personal responsibility, and self-discipline. 

• Academic Excellence: Schools should prioritize proven teaching methods and a content-rich curriculum rooted in foundational subjects over fads or experimental teaching methods.  

• Citizenship: Schools should teach students the civic virtues and knowledge necessary for self-government, including the value of civil disagreement. Students should learn the whole truth about America—its merits and failings—without obscuring that America is a great source of good in the world. 

“Like the mythical phoenix rising from the ashes of its former self, we envision an education system that emerges stronger and more vibrant, building upon our nation's foundational values while meeting the challenges of today,” said Jason Bedrick, a research fellow in Heritage’s Center for Education Policy who chaired the declaration’s drafting committee.  

 

“Our nation’s future depends on schools equipping students with the knowledge, character, and skills necessary to succeed in life as individuals and to fulfill their obligations as members of their families, local communities, and country,” Bedrick added. “The Phoenix Declaration is the roadmap to making that a reality.”   

To learn more about the Phoenix Declaration and sign it, visit the site here.