Federal Education Policy and the Trump/DeVos Administration: What to Expect

On February 7, 2017, the U.S. Senate confirmed President Trump’s choice for secretary of education – Michigan billionaire and school choice activist Betsy DeVos. Though neither Trump nor DeVos have any personal experience with public schools – they neither attended, taught in, nor sent their children to them – both have expressed strong opinions on what needs to be done to improve them. While the policy roadmap and priorities for the new administration have not been announced as of the publication of this memo (February 17, 2017), communities can begin now to defend public education at every level – local, state, and federal. This memo offers some insights in to how the administration might move forward with their agenda, what mechanisms exist for implementation, and what can be done in response.