Betsy DeVos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Betsy DeVos
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Official portrait, 2017
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| 11th United States Secretary of Education | |
| In office February 7, 2017 – January 8, 2021 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Mick Zais |
| Preceded by | John King Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Miguel Cardona |
| Chair of the Michigan Republican Party | |
| In office 2003–2005 |
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| Preceded by | Gerald Hills |
| Succeeded by | Saul Anuzis |
| In office 1996–2000 |
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| Preceded by | Susy Avery |
| Succeeded by | Gerald Hills |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Elisabeth Dee Prince
January 8, 1958 Holland, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent |
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| Relatives | Erik Prince (brother) |
| Education | Calvin College (BA) |
Elisabeth "Betsy" Dee DeVos (born January 8, 1958) is an American politician, philanthropist (a person who donates money to good causes), and former government official. She served as the 11th United States Secretary of Education from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump.
DeVos is known for her strong support of school choice. This idea allows parents to use public funds, like vouchers, to send their children to private or charter schools instead of their local public school. She was active in the Michigan Republican Party for many years, serving as its chairwoman twice.
She is married to Dick DeVos, the former CEO of the company Amway. Her father, Edgar Prince, was a billionaire who founded a car parts company. In 2016, Forbes magazine said her family was the 88th-richest in America.
Her nomination for Secretary of Education was very controversial. On February 7, 2017, the Senate confirmed her in a 51–50 vote. Vice President Mike Pence had to cast the tie-breaking vote. This was the first time in U.S. history a vice president's vote was needed to confirm a Cabinet member.
DeVos resigned on January 8, 2021, following the January 6 United States Capitol attack. In her resignation letter, she told President Trump that his words had an impact on the situation.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Betsy DeVos was born Elisabeth Prince in Holland, Michigan. Her father, Edgar Prince, was a billionaire industrialist, which means he owned large factories that made products. Her family is of Dutch heritage.
DeVos attended Holland Christian High School, a private school. She later went to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she earned a degree in business economics in 1979. In college, she became involved in politics and volunteered for President Gerald Ford's campaign.
She grew up in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. Her faith has been a major influence on her life and work.
Political Career
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DeVos has been involved with the Michigan Republican Party since 1982. She was the chairwoman of the party from 1996 to 2000 and again from 2003 to 2005. People described her as a tough and determined political figure.
A former Republican state senator called her a "good behind-the-scenes organizer and a good fund raiser." He also said she was a "true believer" in Republican ideas.
Political Fundraising
The DeVos family has given millions of dollars to Republican candidates and the party over the years. In a 1997 article, DeVos wrote that she expected her family's donations to help promote their political beliefs.
She wrote, "My family is the largest single contributor of soft money to the national Republican Party." She added, "I have decided to stop taking offense at the suggestion that we are buying influence. Now I simply concede the point. They are right." She explained that they expected a "return on our investment" by supporting politicians who favored limited government and traditional values.
2016 Presidential Election
During the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, DeVos first supported other candidates like Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. In March 2016, she called Donald Trump an "interloper" and said he did not represent the Republican Party. Later, she accepted his nomination to be Secretary of Education.
Business and Other Work
DeVos is the chairwoman of the Windquest Group, an investment company she started with her husband in 1989. The company invests in technology, manufacturing, and clean energy.
She and her husband are also major investors in Neurocore, a company that offers a type of therapy called biofeedback for conditions like depression and anxiety. Some medical experts have said the company's claims are not yet proven. When she became Secretary of Education, some people worried this could be a conflict of interest, but she said she would step down from the company's board.
U.S. Secretary of Education
On November 23, 2016, President-elect Trump announced he would nominate DeVos for Secretary of Education. Supporters of school choice praised the decision, but teachers' unions strongly criticized it. They worried she would harm public schools.
Confirmation and Controversy
Her confirmation hearing in the Senate was heated. Democrats questioned her about her family's wealth and political donations. She also got a lot of media attention for suggesting that some schools might need guns to protect against "potential grizzlies."
Many people contacted their senators to oppose her confirmation. However, on February 7, 2017, the Senate vote was tied 50–50. Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote, and she was confirmed. This was the first time in U.S. history this had ever happened for a cabinet nominee.
Policy Actions
As Secretary of Education, DeVos focused on promoting her main goal: school choice.
School Choice and Vouchers
DeVos argued that giving parents more choices, like using public money for private school vouchers, would improve education. She often called the public school system a "monopoly" that needed competition.
Critics, however, worried her policies would take much-needed money away from public schools. In a 2018 interview on the TV show 60 Minutes, reporter Lesley Stahl pointed out that school performance in Michigan, where DeVos's policies had a big influence, had not improved and in some cases had gotten worse. DeVos said there were "pockets" of success.
Student Loans and For-Profit Colleges
DeVos reversed several Obama-era rules that were designed to protect students who took out loans to attend for-profit colleges. These colleges are run like businesses to make money. Several states sued her department for these actions, and a judge ruled against her department in 2018.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, DeVos pushed for schools to reopen for in-person learning, even as cases were rising. She suggested that the government might pull funding from schools that did not fully reopen. She also directed some of the pandemic relief money meant for public schools to private and religious schools.
Protests and Resignation
DeVos was a very controversial figure. Protesters often appeared at her public events. On her first day, protesters physically blocked her from entering a public school in Washington, D.C. After this, she was given security protection by the U.S. Marshals Service, which was unusual for an Education Secretary.
On January 7, 2021, DeVos resigned. She said the riot at the U.S. Capitol a day earlier had overshadowed the administration's achievements.
Charity and Activism
Betsy and her husband Dick DeVos are major philanthropists. Their family foundation, started in 1989, has given away over $139 million. The foundation supports education, community programs, arts, and Christian organizations.
Education Activism
DeVos has been a passionate advocate for school choice for over 30 years. She has chaired several organizations that promote school vouchers and charter schools, including the Alliance for School Choice and the American Federation for Children.
In a 2001 interview, she said that her work in education reform was a way to "advance God's Kingdom."
Detroit Charter Schools
DeVos strongly supported the charter school system in Detroit. However, some experts have called Detroit's school reform a "disaster." They point to studies showing that Detroit has the lowest reading and math scores of any major city in the country.
Other experts defended DeVos, arguing that many charter schools in Detroit perform better than the city's traditional public schools.
Personal Life
Betsy DeVos is married to Dick DeVos, whose father co-founded the multi-billion dollar company Amway. Dick DeVos ran for Governor of Michigan in 2006 but lost. The couple has four grown children.
Her brother, Erik Prince, is a former U.S. Navy SEAL who founded the private military company Blackwater USA.
See also
In Spanish: Betsy DeVos para niños
- List of female United States Cabinet members
