The Critical Thinking Recession

The Critical Thinking Recession

How America’s classroom debate has narrowed, how adversaries exploit the gap, and who financed the rollback of inquiry-based education.

International signal
No benchmark
U.S. skipped OECD’s 2022 Creative Thinking test.
Policy design
Patchwork
Peers embed media literacy nationally; U.S. varies by district.
Classroom climate
Restrictions ↑
Gag orders & book bans shrink inquiry.

Guide

Table of Contents

Context

Snapshot: Why the U.S. is falling behind

  • Unlike many peers, the U.S. declined to participate in the OECD’s 2022 Creative Thinking assessment—so we lack a national benchmark for a core 21st-century skill.
  • Dozens of other countries embed media & information literacy in national curriculum. The U.S. relies on a patchwork of district-level efforts with uneven quality.
  • A wave of “educational gag orders” and book restrictions since 2021 narrows classroom inquiry and crowds out evidence-based discussion skills.
International signal
64
Countries measured creative thinking in 2022—U.S. did not.
Curriculum policy
National vs. Patchwork
Peers like Finland embed media literacy nationally; U.S. varies by district.
Instructional climate
Expanding Restrictions
New state-level gag orders and book bans constrain open inquiry.

Risks

How foreign and domestic actors exploit the gap

Foreign information operations exploit gaps in media literacy and civic knowledge, using memes, fake personas, and targeted content to inflame division.
Cognitive overload + algorithmic feeds reward outrage over nuance, making students and adults more susceptible to manipulation.
Resilience improves where schools explicitly teach source evaluation, lateral reading, and open-ended problem-solving.

Tactics include fake personas, coordinated meme campaigns, micro-targeting, and exploiting “information gaps”—all mitigated when students practice evidence checks as a habit.

Ecosystem

Who bankrolled the backslide (ranked)

Rank #1

DonorsTrust & Donors Capital Fund

Donor-advised funds (DAFs)

Known plays

  • Primary anonymity conduit funding dozens of groups on this list
  • Concentrates and routes large gifts into state and national campaigns

Notable outputs

  • Multi-year pass-through grants; ecosystem glue across states
Rank #2

The Heritage Foundation / Heritage Action

Think tank + advocacy arm

Known plays

  • National coalition builder; policy toolkits and talking points
  • Assists in drafting/advancing state and federal proposals

Notable outputs

  • Model language, toolkits, and coordination with allied lawmakers
Rank #3

American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)

Model-bill shop

Known plays

  • Distributes copy-paste “Academic Transparency” and related bills
  • Hosts state lawmakers to incubate and export policy templates

Notable outputs

  • Academic Transparency Act and similar templates
Rank #4

State Policy Network (SPN)

50-state think-tank network

Known plays

  • Localizes national playbooks; coordinates litigation and comms
  • Amplifies classroom “transparency” and anti-DEI/CRT agendas

Notable outputs

  • State briefs, hearings testimony, coalition campaigns
Rank #5

Hillsdale College (K-12 Office)

Curriculum & charter support

Known plays

  • Publishes the free 1776 Curriculum; coaches classical charters
  • Provides training and branding for aligned schools

Notable outputs

  • 1776 Curriculum; Barney Charter School Initiative
Rank #6

Manhattan Institute (City Journal / C. Rufo et al.)

Media + policy shop

Known plays

  • Frames national narratives that appear in hearings and bills
  • Produces anti-DEI/CRT memos and model provisions

Notable outputs

  • Model DEI rollback memos; wide media syndication
Rank #7

Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF)

State policy hub

Known plays

  • Drives Texas policy exported to copy-cat states
  • Combines bill drafting with litigation and media

Notable outputs

  • Model bills; testimony; lawsuits
Rank #8

National Association of Scholars / Civics Alliance

Model-code drafters

Known plays

  • Publishes the Partisanship Out of Civics Act and Model K-12 Civics Code
  • Targets “action civics” and DEI requirements

Notable outputs

  • POCA; Academic Transparency model; Model Civics Code
Rank #9

Center for Renewing America

Policy shop

Known plays

  • Drafts early anti-CRT bill text used by multiple states
  • Runs pressure campaigns and media ops

Notable outputs

  • Model bills; media campaigns
Rank #10

Goldwater Institute

Litigation + model bills

Known plays

  • Pushes “Academic Transparency” and related measures
  • Supports legal strategies that constrain curricula

Notable outputs

  • Transparency bill templates; model policy papers
Rank #11

American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA)

Higher-ed governance

Known plays

  • Equips trustees to scrutinize/reshape campus governance
  • Aligns oversight with anti-DEI/CRT objectives

Notable outputs

  • Trustee guides; model resolutions
Rank #12

Moms for Liberty (national network + PAC)

Grassroots pressure + elections

Known plays

  • Coordinates challenges to books and curricula; school-board slates
  • Runs comms campaigns and local mobilization

Notable outputs

  • Book-ban challenges; board flips; policy pressure
Rank #13

Parents Defending Education (PDE)

Complaint + litigation clearinghouse

Known plays

  • Files complaints, FOIAs; media placements
  • Connects local controversies to national narratives

Notable outputs

  • Complaint dossiers; lawsuits; district pressure
Rank #14

1776 Project PAC

School-board PAC

Known plays

  • Funds candidates pledging “anti-CRT”/“parents’ rights” platforms
  • Targets local boards to change standards and materials

Notable outputs

  • Independent expenditures; voter guides; endorsements
Rank #15

PragerU / PragerU Kids

Content provider

Known plays

  • Produces ideologically framed K-12 videos
  • Approved as supplemental material in select states

Notable outputs

  • K-12 video modules; classroom handouts

Notes: Rankings weigh money moved, ability to seed model bills/curricula, and measurable policy wins (laws passed, districts reached). Listings describe publicly reported activities and self-published materials.

Technology Layer

AI & Tech Connections: where the network touches algorithms and policy

Direct AI investment / development

  • Koch network (Stand Together / Koch Disruptive Technologies): invested in AI-forward firms (e.g., perception, autonomy) such as Percepto (AI drones) and Vayyar Imaging (4D radar AI).
  • Bradley Foundation: underwrites AI-focused economic research via major research networks (e.g., NBER working papers).

Model-law & policy influence over AI

  • Heritage Foundation / Project 2025: prescribes federal AI deployment/governance across agencies and national-security posture.
  • ALEC: publishes a Model State Artificial Intelligence Act and state briefs guiding lawmakers.
  • Manhattan Institute: produces AI policy playbooks and research on bias and regulation.
  • Goldwater Institute: convenes AI-in-health working groups; positions on autonomous vehicles/health AI regulation.
  • State Policy Network affiliates: amplify state AI frameworks and commentary.
  • DonorsTrust (DAF): routes grants to AI-policy nodes (e.g., Mercatus AI guides/briefs).

Platform algorithms & recommender systems

  • Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) & Texas HB 20: shapes disclosure and moderation rules tied to platform algorithms.
  • Heritage: sustained work on Section 230 and algorithmic moderation/liability.

Education & movement orgs engaging AI (exposure, not building)

  • Hillsdale College: offers courses and seminars on AI ethics/strategy.
  • NAS / Civics Alliance circle & ACTA: events/podcasts on AI in academia and policy.
  • PragerU: distributes AI-themed videos; relies on platform recommender ecosystems.
  • Moms for Liberty: advocacy related to AI-powered student-monitoring tools.
  • Center for Renewing America: proposals on identity/age verification; staff with prior AI/ML deployment experience.

No strong ties found

Parents Defending Education; 1776 Project PAC; Civics Alliance (as a standalone initiative) — no verified AI programs, products, or investments beyond ordinary use of social platforms.

Note Listed are confirmed connections to AI development, policy, or platform algorithm regulation. Where no strong connections exist, entries are marked explicitly.

Playbook

What better looks like

Classroom moves

  • Weekly “lateral reading” drills with live web sources
  • Structured academic controversy & Socratic seminars
  • Student fact-checking labs and “explain-your-claim” rubrics
  • Project-based learning with real-world data and conflicting evidence

Policy moves

  • Adopt statewide media & information literacy standards (K-12) with teacher training and hands-on projects.
  • Teach “lateral reading” and claim-checking across subjects, not just in civics class.
  • Restore classroom space for viewpoint-neutral inquiry, Socratic seminars, and project/problem-based learning.
  • Use international benchmarks (OECD PISA, IEA) to track progress on creative/critical thinking.

References

Sources & Further Reading

This page summarizes public reporting and primary documents for general audiences. It does not provide legal or financial advice.