Here's what we know about her. Lets hold these student loan lenders accountable for being so deceptive! And nowhere is that more true than in education.". Chief of Staff: DeAndre Jones Marshals Service, "2 Education Dept. You may submit news tips or ideas here without a full name, but not letters. [64], The confirmation hearing for DeVos was initially scheduled for January 10, 2017, but was delayed for one week after the Office of Government Ethics requested more time to review her financial disclosures. Press Secretary, Higher Education: Johnny Adames Cardona plans to meet with students on a regular basis so he can hear directly from them. About a week before he was offered the position, the Lamont administration offered it to Bloomfield Superintendent James Thompson who had appeared to be the frontrunner for months. We will never publish your email address. "Instead of getting the fresh start they were entitled to, former Corinthian students became political footballs in this administration, as did Borrower Defense rights as a whole.". Chief of Staff: Eric Nutshell When asked to name DeVos' lasting achievements, Morabito tops the list with Education Freedom Scholarships, calling the proposed voucher program "the most transformative K-12 policy in our nation's history." Clarification Nov. 20, 2020. At the same time, the department refused to release legal reviews written by the Obama administration that justified sweeping debt forgiveness. ET. That opportunity almost certainly involves closing the achievement gap. When he was assistant superintendent of schools in Meriden, Miguel Cardona the states new education commissioner would take new teachers on atour of the citys neighborhoods. [97], DeVos delivered her first extended policy address on March 29, 2017, at the Brookings Institution which included the topic of school choice which has been her main advocacy issue for more than 30 years. It stopped reviewing cases for months, allowing the complaints of hundreds of thousands of students to pile up, then began the arduous process of rewriting the rule yet again. Thatll be his main theme., He was very committed to collaborating with people to come up with a statewide solution around the lack of minority young people thriving in our overall urban school system.. U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20202-1100 Telephone: 1-800-421-3481 FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 1-800-877-8339 Dr. Khalid N. Mumin Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education For over 25 years, Dr. Khalid N. Mumin has served in various capacities as a teacher, dean of students, principal and central administrator. Deputy Assistant Secretary: Mary Wall Practically speaking, much of the work she did was in undoing, and can similarly be undone. Vance Varner is heading into another school year desperately searching for teachers and staff members: an English instructor, a special education . It follows Nadhim Zahawi's departure from the post as he becomes chancellor. There have been numerous for profit schools given the relief of student loans but I havent heard one peep about Argosy University, Tampa, FL. Senior Advisor: Jennifer Engle The status quo in ed is not acceptable. The Under Secretary of Education role was established as the second-highest-ranking position in the United States Department of Education when the agency was established in 1979. "[46], During the Republican Party presidential primaries for the 2016 election, DeVos initially donated to Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina before eventually supporting Marco Rubio. Deputy Chief of Staff: Chauncey Alexander Even when it came to budgeting for her agency, DeVos was ideologically consistent. It would always come down to the child: How are we impacting children? [92] Botel, a registered Democrat who supported President Obama and the Black Lives Matter movement, founded the KIPP Ujima Village Academy in Baltimore, after working for Teach For America. [29] With a commitment of $100 million, Betsy DeVos's family was one of the largest investorsand losersin blood-testing company Theranos. "The immediate need is financial," he said. [166] Until November 2016,[167] she headed the All Children Matter PAC which she and her husband founded in 2003 to promote school vouchers, tax credits to businesses that give private school scholarships, and candidates who support these causes. [59], Former presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney respectively called DeVos an "outstanding pick" and a "smart choice". Policy Advisor: Emily Lamont Director, Rural Engagement: Julia Cunningham I was responsible for four children. Scarlet Envy depicted DeVos as "silly" and "martini-swilling. Senior Advisor: LaWanda Toney Deputy Assistant Secretary, Equity and Discretionary Grants and Support Service: Bernadine Futrell You ask? I am 55 years old and owe more Eight Thousand TIMES my original loan amount with retirement on the horizon but I cant because I need to restart my years over after being denied, garnished and just given the run around for about 30 years! Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is facing calls to resign after it was revealed Tuesday that, according to a National School Boards Association official, he had solicited the controversial. Senior Counsel: Alice Abrokwa You must fill out all fields to submit a letter. DeVos was unable to provide any actual examples of improvement, but stated there were "pockets" where schools had done better than public schools. [141][142] The foundation's giving, according to its website, is motivated by faith, and "is centered in cultivating leadership, accelerating transformation and leveraging support in five areas", namely education, community, arts, justice, and leadership. Chief of Staff:Melanie Muenzer First published on December 22, 2020 / 11:51 AM. [179], Ramesh Ponnuru of National Review argued that Harris overstates the failure of charter schools in Detroit. Special Assistant: Sarah Mehrotra, Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director: Montserrat Garibay (acting assistant secretary) Former higher and further education minister Michelle Donelan has been made the new education secretary. DeVos announced that she would step down from the company's board but would retain her investment in the company, valued at $5million to $25million. Richard DeVos was listed by Forbes in 2016 as having a net worth of $5.1billion, making him America's 88th wealthiest individual. An earlier version of this story characterized Education Secretary Betsy DeVos as having played a "largely passive role in the early months of the pandemic." They tried every trick to keep these nooses around our necks and I know youve found and heard many of these stories so we would need forgiveness if they would have done the correct things long ago. Late Monday, in a 64 to 33 vote, the U.S. Senate confirmed Miguel Cardona to be the next secretary of education. Deputy Chief of Staff, Policy and Programs: Scott Sargrad [11][12][13] Their father is billionaire industrialist Edgar Prince, founder of the Prince Corporation. She was touring an area designed to resemble a hospital ward at Florida International University. Since there was a tie, Vice President Mike Pence had to step in to decide the vote as the president of the Senate. School choice advocates believed Trump's overhaul of the tax code would be the perfect opportunity to implement an ambitious voucher program, but that too never materialized. They spent a couple of years. Senior Advisor, Innovation:Monica Logothetis "DeVos went through the full rule-making process. [35][36] In 2004, the Lansing State Journal described DeVos as "a political pit bull for most of (Democratic) Governor [Jennifer] Granholm's 16 months in office," and said that if DeVos was not Granholm's "worst nightmare," she was "certainly her most persistent". Its still the top of the list for me. By submitting your name, you grant us permission to publish it with your letter. The DeVoses' gift was intended to remedy this oversight. [139], DeVos was listed for many years on IRS form Form 990s as the foundation's vice president (hitherto called the Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation). 24 on its 2015 list of America's top givers. [151], When DeVos was appointed US Education Secretary, it was revealed that she was an elder at Mars Hill Bible Church. [156][157], After the announcement of the DeVoses' gift to the Kennedy Center, DeVos explained that she had been persuaded by Kennedy Center official Michael Kaiser's observation that millions of dollars are invested "in the arts, and training artists", but not in "training the leaders who hire the artists and run the organizations". Share with a colleague. [31][32] Former Fuller Seminary president Richard Mouw, with whom DeVos served on a committee, said she is influenced by Dutch neo-Calvinist theologian Abraham Kuyper, a founding figure in Christian Democracy political ideology. The United States Secretary of Education deals with Education. Under DeVos, the latest rewrite of Borrower Defense requires borrowers to meet a much higher standard before they can have their loans erased. To her critics, including the nation's teachers unions, she was a stone-cold villain who famously suggested guns belong in some schools (to fend off bears), who needed the vice president's vote to survive confirmation and who spent four years disparaging American public education. United States Secretary of Education. As commissioner, Cardona, heads an agency of about 300 people not including employees in the technical high school system and overseesa $3 billion budget, including all state and federal programs. He served as an elementary school teacher and then a principal for 10 years. [76] More than 300 state lawmakers from across the U.S., overwhelmingly Democrats, voiced their opposition to DeVos's appointment in a letter to the U.S. Senate sent the day before a scheduled vote on her nomination. Activists are also calling on the president-elect to tap more people of color to top Cabinet posts. [124][125][126], Subsequent to the incident, the U.S. Our work keeps educators and the public informed about pressing issues at schools and on campuses throughout the country. Alexandra Rogers. ), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the HELP Committee, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Special Advisor: Kabila Winters The United States Secretary of Education is the head of the Department of Education. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education Programs: Amanda Fuchs Miller He takes the reins of the agency under a new governor, Ned Lamont, who so far hasnt advocated for the sort of sweeping reforms proposed by his predecessor, former Gov. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education Catherine E. Lhamon speaks onstage during the GLSEN Respect Awards in New York City on May 23, 2016. Home Page. Secretary: Miguel Cardona Office of the Secretary Executive Director: Naomi Miguel [96], On March 24, 2017, during a visit to the Osceola County campus of Valencia College, DeVos said she was considering the extension of federal financial aid for students that were year-round and interested in placing more focus on community colleges. But that doesn't mean it's free to produce. [65][66] On January 17, 2017, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held the hearing, which lasted three-and-one-half hours and "quickly became a heated and partisan debate". [17] On January 31, following strong opposition to the nomination from Democrats, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions approved her nomination on a party-line vote, sending her nomination to the Senate floor. [122], In 2019, DeVos unsuccessfully attempted to cut federal funding for the Special Olympics from her department's budget, which she had also attempted to cut in her previous two annual budgets. This story was originally produced in 2019 by our publication partner, the CT Mirror, and is reprinted with permission. Betsy DeVos Elisabeth Dee DeVos ( / dvs / d-VOSS; ne Prince; born January 8, 1958) is an American politician, philanthropist, and former government official who served as the 11th United States secretary of education from 2017 to 2021. King Jr., Tenth U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements, Arne Duncan, Ninth U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements, Margaret Spellings, Eighth U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements, Rod Paige, Seventh U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements, Richard W. Riley, Sixth U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements, Lamar Alexander, Fifth U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements, Lauro F. Cavazos, Fourth U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements, William J. Bennett, Third U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements, Terrel H. Bell, Second U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements, Shirley Hufstedler, First U.S. Education Secretary: Biography and Achievements. Mr. Biden has pushed for schools to reopen within his first 100 days in office. [30] She has been a member and elder of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids. Senior Advisor: Laura Jimenez Where does all of this leave DeVos' legacy as education secretary? By Shannon Pettypiece. These new regulations allow the representative of a student accused of sexual assault to cross-examine his accuser in real time, raising concerns from survivor advocates that victims would be more reluctant to come forward. By NIKOLE KILLION, GRACE SEGERS, ED O'KEEFE, BO ERICKSON, December 22, 2020 / 8:26 PM Well, Upon graduating the Department of Education encouraged us to consolidate our loans and then they said we were now ineligible to receive the forgiveness through Perkins Loans and other parts of our loan forgiveness. Student advocates and civil rights groups excoriated DeVos for the move. [2][3][4][5] She was Republican national committeewoman for Michigan from 1992 to 1997 and served as chair of the Michigan Republican Party from 1996 to 2000, and again from 2003 to 2005. [93], In October 2018, it was announced that DeVos's chief of staff, Josh Venable, would be replaced by Nate Bailey, who at that time was DeVos's chief of communications. I don't think he's ever, 'It's my way or the highway.'". [161] DeVos is a former member of the board of the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd),[162] an education think tank founded by Jeb Bush, the chairman since 2015 of which has been former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and which has received donations from Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg and Eli Broad. According to Harris, she designed a system with no oversight in which schools that do poorly can continue to enroll students. "[164] DeVos believes that opening up the education market will offer parents increased choice, a view that critics call a drive to privatize the American public education system. Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education. [164], DeVos is known as "a fierce proponent of school vouchers" that would allow students to attend private schools with public funding. Special Assistant: Heather Shuttleworth, Assistant Secretary: Nassar Paydar Some have served for an entire presidential administration, others for less than a year. [194][195][196], Betsy DeVos's brother, Erik Prince, a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, is the founder of Blackwater USA, a private military services contractor.[23][197][198]. [113][101] However, some survivors of sexual assault and harassment and organizations which advocate on their behalf oppose the changes and say they would make schools more dangerous. "Now, Joe Biden has come in with the most anti-charter school platform since charter schools were invented 25 years ago. [18] On February 7, 2017, she was confirmed by the Senate by a 5150 margin, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the tie in favor of her nomination. Cardona, who is of Puerto Rican descent, was endorsed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in a letter sent to Mr. Biden last week. It would have provided up to $5 billion a year for children to attend the school of their choice, including nonpublic and religious schools. Education Pick Miguel Cardona Is New To Washington But Not To Classrooms, new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Education Pick Miguel Cardona On Biden's Promise To Reopen Schools, issued guidance late last month requiring states to resume the annual testing, Cardona echoed the administration's position. [128], On May 10, 2017, DeVos gave a commencement speech at BethuneCookman University, a historically black college, and during her speech a majority of the students booed DeVos, with about half of them standing up and turning their backs to her. Director, Scheduling: Madeline Douglas The states first Latino commissioner of education recalls being the victim of stereotyping as he was growing up. And theyve come from a range of backgrounds, including that of former governor, federal judiciary, state schools chief, big-city superintendent, and outspoken policy advocate. To Christian conservatives, she was a hero who once proclaimed, "I fight against anyone who would have government be the parent to everyone." The DeVos family is one of Michigan's wealthiest. [174] She has chaired the boards of Choices for Children, and Great Lakes Education Project (GLEP). [88][89], DeVos said that on the basis of her first few days in the job, she had concerns that some Education Department employees were sympathetic to the Obama administration. Its a quality that is consistent across all his work, that kids first mindset, Torres said. [181], In a written response to a question about charter school performance posed during DeVos's confirmation hearing by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), asking "why do you think their performance is so poor? An additional 28% attend schools offering limited in-person instruction, while nearly half of districts being tracked now offer daily, face-to-face instruction. [16], On November 23, 2016, then-President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate DeVos to serve as Secretary of Education in his administration. Cardona himself followed his eldest cousin to Wilcox Technical High School where his concentration was in automotive studies, but he took college preparatory classes where, at times, he was the only Latino student in the class. Get the latest education news delivered to your inbox daily. Dick DeVos is a major donor to conservative political campaigns and social causes,[189][190][191] and was the 2006 Republican nominee for Governor of Michigan. In May 2016, the Obama Justice and Education departments sent a letter to school districts, advising them that students should be allowed to use facilities, including bathrooms, that are consistent with their gender identity. "[90], In April 2017, DeVos praised the president's nomination of Carlos G. Muiz as the department's general counsel. [68][69] DeVos drew widespread media attention during the confirmation hearings for suggesting that guns might have a place in some schools due to a threat from grizzly bears. [51] Democratic senators raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest and questioned whether she and her family members would "benefit financially from actions" she could take as the U.S. Secretary of Education. The Deputy Secretary focuses on the development and implementation of . I provided the document that my ex husband was not paying child support and was at that time over 15,000 in arrears of support. "I . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But she has since sidestepped calls from states and school leaders to provide science-driven guidance, alongside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to help determine safety thresholds for closing and reopening schools. But for all her efforts, DeVos has little to show for it. At left is former Tennessee Gov. [134], In September 2020, it was reported that the Office of the Special Counsel had investigated DeVos over potential violations of the Hatch Act after she appeared on Fox News during the 2020 election campaign, where she attacked Democratic Party presidential nominee Joe Biden. The story has been updated to reflect more fully the actions the secretary took in the spring. What to make of the tenure of U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos depends, like beauty itself, on the eye of the beholder. Hes not going to be up in front of people talking about [how] were going to charge together. DeVos was depicted by drag queen Scarlet Envy on the March 21, 2019 episode of RuPaul's Drag Race season 11 titled "Trump: The Rusical." Bios for senior officials are available here. [100], In a May 2017 House of Representatives committee hearing, Rep. Katherine Clark, said an Indiana private school which takes publicly funded vouchers maintains it is entitled to deny admission to LGBTQ students or those coming from families with "homosexual or bisexual activity." Earlier this month, Connecticut became the first state to purchase 141,000 laptops for students to provide access to virtual schooling for students in need. ", The caucus also noted that Cardona was a Spanish-only speaking student when he entered school, and thus "fully grasps the challenges that English as Second Language (ESL) Learners, Latinos, and other minority students face in America's classrooms.". Bush. King was the first education secretary of Afro-Latino descent. The rules, developed during the Obama administration, were meant to take effect on July 1, 2017. At The Hechinger Report, we publish thoughtful letters from readers that contribute to the ongoing discussion about the education topics we cover. President-elect George H. Bush addresses an Education Department forum, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 1989 in Washington as Education Secretary Lauro Cavazos listens. Chief Speechwriter:Mintaro Oba Testing, like teacher vaccination, has become a painful political wedge for Democrats. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Would you say to Indiana, that school cannot discriminate against LGBT students if you want to receive federal dollars? President Ronald Reagan looks on as Attorney General William French Smith swears-in three new secretaries, including Secretary of Education William Bennett (left) at the White House, Thursday, Feb. 7, 1985 in Washington. Bios for senior officials are available here. Aside from distributing the more than $13 billion Congress set aside for K-12 schools in the CARES Act, DeVos has been largely passive on the matter of helping schools further weather the pandemic's financial toll which dozens of education organizations estimated in May would take at least another $175 billion. The department's 2018 budget proposal, for example, would have set aside more than $400 million to expand charter schools and private school vouchers, but Congress nixed the idea. At roughly the same time educators were taking to the streets, NPR reported that a grant program, meant to pay the college bills of new teachers who promise to work in high-need schools, was instead unfairly saddling those teachers with debts because of small paperwork mistakes. The goals of the $68 billion DOE budget are to advance excellence in . Ponnuru pointed out that the study says "some 47 percent of charter schools in Detroit significantly outperform[ed] traditional public schools in reading and 49 percent of charters significantly outperforming traditionals on math. Special Advisor to the Chief of Staff: Naseam Alavi "While students should have protections from predatory practices, schools and taxpayers should also be treated fairly," DeVos said in a 2017 speech. Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued the following statement on Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations: "The bipartisan funding package reflects the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to increasing equity in educational opportunities and outcomes for our students. [114][115][116][117], In October 2017, DeVos revoked 72 guidance documents of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services which outlined the rights of disabled students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Rehabilitation Act. Deputy Director: Larry Bowden, Executive Director:Dietra Trent As of 2016[update] approximately 16 percent of ArtPrize's $3.5million annual budget was provided by various foundations run by the DeVos family, with the rest provided by other foundations and local and national businesses. Is there any situation? Regarding the withdrawal of the department's team, former Education Secretary Arne Duncan said, "That's a waste of taxpayer money. Check out these pages for a deep look at each secretarys tenure, challenges, and accomplishments. [67] Several media outlets reported that DeVos appeared to have plagiarized quotes from an Obama administration official in written answers submitted to the Senate committee. [83][84][85] [4], DeVos believes education in the United States should encourage the proliferation of charter schools and open up private schools to more students via financial assistance programs, often called vouchers. It just made me hungrier.. [140], The Dick & Betsy DeVos Family Foundation was launched in 1989. "The Department of Education under Secretary DeVos has gone above and beyond to deny relief to borrowers cheated by for-profit colleges," says Toby Merrill, director of the Project on Predatory Student Lending and an attorney who continues to fight DeVos' moves in court. "[180] Also defending DeVos's record in Michigan, Jay P. Greene, professor of education policy at the University of Arkansas, argued that Harris's The New York Times article misled readers on the evidence and "falsely claimed that Detroit has failed to close failing charter schools", noting that Detroit has closed more charters than Louisiana, a state Harris cites as a model for charter school legislation. He did it because he wanted the teachers to understand the diversity of their students from those living in half-million dollar homes to those from housing projects. The other co-chair was then-Sen. Toni Harp, who is now [2019] the mayor of New Haven. [23][24] Edgar was the founder of Prince Corporation, an automobile parts supplier based in Holland, Michigan. While popular with the American public[44] as a way to prevent (perceived) unfair domination by the wealthy in politics, DeVos and many other conservatives argue it is an infringement on free speech. [159][160], Betsy and Dick DeVos provide an annual scholarship to students at Northwood University. They took 600.00 every two weeks from me and I see no documentation of where those funds were applied to my outstanding loans. Mark Benigni, the superintendent of Meriden Public Schools who promoted Cardona to work with him in the district's central office, told NPR that, if anyone can calm tensions over the reopening fight, it's Cardona. So I chose to stay in the regular education setting.. [129] She also received an honorary doctorate from the university. Bill Clinton, right, talks to Education Secretary-designate Richard Riley, center, on the viewing stand, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1993, Washington, D.C. U.S. President George H. Bush glances toward his choices for two Cabinet positions during a White House press briefing, Monday, Dec. 18, 1990 in Washington.