Betsy DeVos

Read our coverage of the 11th U.S. Education Secretary, who served from 2017 to 2021

Explainer

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, waits on stage to be introduced before addressing staff at the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 8, 2017.
Betsy DeVos, Eleventh U.S. Education Secretary: Background and Achievements
Background and highlights of Betsy Devos's tenure as the eleventh U.S. Secretary of Education.
View Explainer
Federal Lawsuits Pile Up Against DeVos Mandate for Aid to Private School Students
The fight over how much virus aid should go to private school students has underscored years-long divisions in the education community focused on U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
Andrew Ujifusa, July 22, 2020
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3 min read
Federal DeVos Continues School Choice Push With New Grants for Native American Students
DeVos announced the $15 million "Accessing Choices in Education" grants on July 17, and she linked the new competition to the pandemic and the need for education to be more "student-centered."
Andrew Ujifusa, July 21, 2020
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2 min read
Federal DeVos Provides Little Clarity on School Reopening Push
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos brought little clarity to the Trump administration's aggressive push to reopen schools in a pair of television interviews Sunday.
Evie Blad, July 12, 2020
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4 min read
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks during a White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the Department of Education building Wednesday, July 8, 2020, in Washington.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks during a White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the Department of Education building Wednesday, July 8, 2020, in Washington.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Federal Trump Team Reinforces Tying Federal Money to School Reopenings
The statements from Trump administration officials about how schools must restart in-person instruction has created confusion and blowback.
Andrew Ujifusa, July 9, 2020
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3 min read
Federal White House Ratchets Up Political Pressure to Reopen School Buildings
President Donald Trump made his most forceful push yet for schools to reopen their buildings, and he is seeking to leverage the issue for his re-election campaign.
Evie Blad, July 7, 2020
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7 min read
Federal Congress' Think Tank Casts Doubt on DeVos Push to Aid Private School Students
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' push to direct coronavirus relief to private school students in general doesn't match "the most straightforward reading" of the CARES Act, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Andrew Ujifusa, July 7, 2020
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4 min read
Budget & Finance Trump Team Signals Support for More School Relief, Private School Choice Plan
As Trump officials voiced support for additional aid for K-12 schools, opponents criticized a report that the White House will push for a private school choice plan in the next relief package.
Evie Blad, July 2, 2020
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4 min read
Federal DeVos Partially Retreats in Fight Over COVID Aid and Private School Students
The Education Department's interim final rule is a qualified victory for those who've fought to keep more COVID aid for public schools. But it could complicate life for some districts.
Andrew Ujifusa, June 25, 2020
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7 min read
Equity & Diversity Seventeen States, D.C. Sue DeVos Over Rule on Sexual Assault, Harassment in Schools
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia sued U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos over her rules on how schools should address sexual assault and harassment under Title IX.
Evie Blad, June 4, 2020
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2 min read
Federal Illinois Directs Districts to Set Aside Federal COVID Aid for All Private School Students
The state's decision indicates that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' push on COVID-19 and private school students is having an affect.
Andrew Ujifusa, May 29, 2020
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3 min read
Federal DeVos to Release Rule Cementing COVID Aid Push for Private School Students
In a letter to state education chiefs announcing her plan to publish a CARES Act rule for public comment, DeVos also highlighted what she called school leaders' "reflex" not to share COVID-19 aid.
Andrew Ujifusa, May 26, 2020
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5 min read
Federal Sen. Alexander Splits From Betsy DeVos on COVID-19 Aid to Help Private Schools
During a press conference, Sen. Lamar Alexander also said he thinks no additional federal guidance is needed to help schools determine how much coronavirus testing is necessary to reopen safely this fall.
Andrew Ujifusa, May 21, 2020
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4 min read
Federal Lawmakers Tell Betsy DeVos Her COVID-19 Guidance Is 'Robbing Public Schools'
Three Democratic lawmakers told Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to get rid of her guidance about coronavirus relief and private schools, as tensions around the issue escalated.
Andrew Ujifusa, May 20, 2020
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3 min read
Equity & Diversity ACLU Sues DeVos Over Title IX Rules on Sexual Assault, Harassment Investigations
The ACLU sued to block parts of new rules that govern how K-12 schools, colleges, and universities must respond to reports of sexual assault and harassment under Title IX.
Evie Blad, May 14, 2020
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2 min read
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