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Ashling Preston

Ashling is the Director of Federal Affairs for the American Federation for Children. She joined AFC from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, where she managed the federal advocacy of the Bishops’ public policy agenda on education and other domestic issues. Previously, Ashling spent five years in the U.S. Senate, serving as an education policy advisor to Senator Tim Scott and an education policy fellow to then-Senator Marco Rubio. She began her career as a high school English teacher in Memphis, Tennessee through Teach for America. Ashling holds a Master’s in Education from Johns Hopkins University. She lives in Maryland with her husband, son, and daughter.

Series

Freedom to Learn1 episode

Recent Episodes

Freedom to Learn
Freedom to Learn

Ashling Preston on New York’s Opt-In, Treasury’s New Rules, & Implementing the Education Freedom Tax Credit

The Education Freedom Tax Credit is poised to expand opportunities for students nationwide, but what has to happen before it launches on January 1, 2027? Ashling Preston of the American Federation for Children joins Freedom to Learn to identify the steps state leaders and scholarship-granting organizations need to take now. She also explains how taxpayers can prepare to fund scholarships for eligible students in participating states. With implementation around the corner, the opportunity is enormous, the excuses are running out, and the push for all 50 states to opt in is on. https://federalscholarships.com/ Federal Scholarship Tax Credit temporary rules: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/02/2026-20264/federal-scholarship-tax-credit Federal Scholarship Tax Credit proposed rules: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/02/2026-20277/federal-scholarship-tax-credit New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s opt-in statement: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/statement-governor-kathy-hochul-180 Regulations.gov Federal Scholarship Tax Credit comment portal: https://www.regulations.gov/document/IRS-2026-1354-0001
Host:
Ginny Gentles
Organization
Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies