Betsy DeVos visits Harrisburg to champion programs that divert taxpayer funds from public schools to costly private schools.

Consistently throughout her tenure, Secretary DeVos has embraced such programs, including a proposal to expand taxpayer-funded private school tuition vouchers that she rolled out in February, while favoring cuts in public school funding.

“Betsy DeVos doesn’t seem to understand that the best way to improve education is to invest the resources we need to provide a great neighborhood public school to every student,” said PSEA President Rich Askey. “Voucher programs don’t help students learn. They drain money from public schools, and they don’t hold private schools accountable for student achievement.”

DeVos Testifies.

In testimony before a House subcommittee, DeVos struggles to defend her proposal to cut $7 billion from education programs, including eliminating all $18 million in federal funding for the Special Olympics. She fails to justify her claim that “students may be better served by being in larger classes.” (Her proposal includes a 26 percent reduction to state grants for special education and millions of dollars in cuts to programs for students who are blind.) And, pressed by Rep. Jahana Hayes, a former National Teacher of the Year, she declines to say that she would prevent the use of federal education money to arm and train teachers.

The DeVos-chaired School Safety Commission releases its report with recommendations that would do little to protect students.

The Commission was formed after the largest mass shooting at a high school, in Parkland, FL. Instead of addressing gun laws, the commission instead dismantles students’ civil rights protections by rescinding an Obama-era policy directing schools not to punish minority students at higher rates than white students.

DeVos rescinds sexual assault guidelines.

She weakens protections against sexual harassment and assault afforded by Title IX. DeVos attempts to explain, saying “Any perceived offense can become a full-blown Title IX investigation. But if everything is harassment, then nothing is.” The National Women’s Law Center says DeVos’ approach “signals a green light to sweep sexual assault further under the rug.”

DeVos supports Trump budget proposal to slash funding for Department of Education by 13.5%.

This proposal asks for a collective $9 billion in cuts to education, including after-school programs, career and technical education, and programs to hire and train teachers. The budget bolsters the corporate-fueled privatization agenda with $250 million for vouchers, while rolling back education spending to pre-2002 levels (by today’s dollars). The Republican-controlled Congress rejects her entire request.

Educators denounce Trump’s nomination of Betsy DeVos.

Elementary teacher and NEA president Lily Eskelsen García says DeVos will be “the first secretary of education with zero experience with public schools. She has never worked in a public school. She has never been a teacher, a school administrator, nor served on any public board of education. She didn’t even attend public schools or send her children to public schools. She is out of her league when it comes to knowing and doing what works for public school students.”