Episode September 4, 2026 51 min 50s

James Tooley: “ You don't need government for education” #426

From Tom Nelson Thomas Nelson

James Tooley describes two decades researching “low-cost private schools” serving poor families in India, Africa, rural China, and war-torn countries, arguing parents choose them because government/public schools often abandon children. He cites widespread enrollment (e.g., majorities in parts of Lagos and Kampala), higher standardized test performance, no gender bias, affordability around 10% of family spending, and sustainability as small businesses. He now finds a similar U.S. phenomenon in hybrid/micro schools, visiting examples in Pine Ridge (Onward Learning), rural Mississippi, refugee-serving Clarkston, and rural Oregon, and surveying 5,390 parents: about 4% use low-tuition private schools. He discusses limited, careful roles for philanthropy, and worries about dependence on government ESAs.

00:00 Meet James Tooley

01:03 Hyderabad Discovery

03:25 Government School Reality

05:37 Makoko Lagos Expedition

07:49 Kibera Ghana China Proof

11:49 Beautiful Tree Thesis

13:04 War Torn Africa Schools

15:48 Five Key Features

21:06 Federations And Pushback

22:02 Low Cost Schools In America

25:53 Pine Ridge Onward Learning

29:46 Mississippi Trailer School