David Goodwin

DAVID GOODWIN is a pioneer in the classical Christian movement, and co-authored the #1 New York Times Bestseller, Battle for the American Mind, with Pete Hegseth. He helped found The Ambrose School in Meridian, ID, and was headmaster there for 13 years, growing it from a struggling small school to over 500 students and building its current facility. He has been the president of the Association of Classical Christian Schools since 2015. He is the editor of The Classical Difference magazine and author of “Discover Classical Christian Education.” His upcoming book, a sequel to Battle…, will offer an insider’s view of why K-12 classical Christian education works.

David currently serves on the Board of Academic Advisors for the Classic Learning Test (CLT) and has served as an advisor for the FOX News documentary “The Miseducation of America,” for the National Association of Scholars “American Birthright” standards, and for the Oklahoma Department of Education. He has been a speaker at various events around the country and has written for publications such as The Federalist, The Washington Times, and others.

David lives in Boise, Idaho, with his wife, Stormy. They have three adult children, one of whom teaches at a classical Christian school.

A #1 New York Times Bestseller, by Pete Hegseth and David Goodwin, “Battle for the American Mind is more than a book; it’s a field guide for remaking school in the United States. According to the authors, we need to recover a lost philosophy of education – grounded in virtue and excellence – that can arm future generations to fight for freedom.” — The Reagan Library

On February 20, 2025, David Goodwin was featured on the Charlie Kirk Show to discuss the differences between classical Christian education (CCE) and modern industrial-style education in the episode What is Education? What is Truth? What is Beauty? The 30-minute podcast is a good intro to CCE, and it might be a helpful resource to share with your community! He was also on the show in 2023 discussing the topic of Being Responsible for Your Children’s Education.

In an op-ed for the Washington Times, ACCS President David Goodwin discusses President Trump’s directive to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to pursue school choice. Although this may seem unrelated to the Department of Defense, Goodwin highlights that the DOD is more involved in educational activities than many realize.

C-SPAN brings viewers into the Reagan Library for a Q & A with John Heubusch, Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Executive Director. This event was held at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California.

This episode of Anchored, the podcast of the CLT (Classical Learning Test), features Pete Hegseth and David Goodwin, authors of the book Battle for the American Mind: Uprooting a Century of Miseducation. It provides an overview of the origins of classical education, how Christianity transformed the paideia of the west, and the coordinated takeover of education by progressives.

The Classical Difference is published by the Association of Classical & Christian Schools (ACCS) on behalf of member schools. We educate and inspire parents and supporters to discover the benefits of classical Christian education, and support their local school. With the challenges we face in our culture today, Christians are discovering this form of education because it can form culture, as it transforms minds. Read more from David Goodwin.

Discover Classical Christian Education: The Essential Guide for Parents is a 24-page magazine-style, fast-paced, and engaging introduction to classical Christian education. With over 150,000 in print, schools around the country use the Discover booklet to provide an introduction to classical Christian education to parents, donors, new teachers, and others.