Betsy DeVos Can Expand Education Choice Without Harming Private Schools
Last week, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos faced questions from the Senate Appropriations subcommittee regarding the Trump administration's education budget. It was not an easy day for her, as senators from both parties took issue with some of the suggested cuts. Republican Chairman Roy Blunt, R-Miss., bluntly called it "a difficult budget request to defend."
Perhaps the most controversial proposal in the budget was the $250 million increase in Department of Education funding to support private school choice. This is a departure from current practices: To date, private school choice programs have all been state-run, with the exception of Washington, D.C.'s Opportunity Scholarship program. By all appearances, these funds would involve the Department of Education directing a federal school choice program that would extend private options to families that are unsatisfied with their public options but unable to afford private school tuition. But, with no specifics about how the department would run the program, lawmakers focused on whether the secretary would require participating private schools to prevent discrimination against LGBTQ students or follow the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the primary federal education law governing students with disabilities.
DeVos was not particularly forthcoming, repeatedly responding to both lines of questioning by saying, "Schools that receive federal funds must follow federal law." Attempts to get her to elaborate on what that would require were unsuccessful.
As I see it, DeVos is walking a fine line here in wanting to expand parent's access to private school choice, properly enforce federal law and avoid undue regulation of private Betsy DeVos Can Expand Education Choice Without Harming Private Schools | Knowledge Bank | US News:
