Trump choice for secretary of education calls for 'local control' of schools
Using terminology entrenched in California’s school reform vernacular, Betsy DeVos called for “local control” of schools in her most extensive public comments since President-elect Donald Trump selected her to be his secretary of education three weeks ago.
She also called for “finally ending” what she described as “the federalized Common Core” – the academic standards in math and English language arts adopted by California and 41 other states, along with the District of Columbia.
DeVos, who has spent decades promoting the idea of “school choice,” which includes expanding access to charter schools and taxpayer-supported vouchers for private schools, did not spell out what she meant by local control. It is therefore impossible to know the extent to which the concept is similar to or in conflict with the push to give local school districts more decision-making powers in California.
California voters have rejected the idea of using tax revenues to subsidize private school tuition and any efforts to promote it in the state is likely to encounter stiff political resistance in the state.
DeVos spoke on Friday at a “thank you” rally headlined by Trump in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday. They were her most extensive public comments on education since Trump selected her for the post two weeks ago.
In introducing DeVos, Trump called her “one of the top education reformers in our Trump choice for secretary of education calls for ‘local control’ of schools | EdSource: