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U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos speaks at policy summit

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — From Washington D.C. to Indianapolis, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos made an appearance Monday evening at a policy summit where she talked about Trump’s administration on the role of federal government in education.

Secretary DeVos message was about empowering parents to make the choice they feel is right when it comes to their child’s education.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos took the stage for the national policy summit at the Westin in downtown Indianapolis.

“We must acknowledge that the future is bleak for millions of students if we only continue to tinker around the edges with education reform,” she said.

It was hosted by the American Federation for Children. A group advocating for school choice.

“Here in Indiana we’ve seen some of the best pro-parent and pro-student legislated enacted in the county,” she said. “More than 80,000 students take advantage of the state’s public and private school choice program.”

DeVos has long been an advocate for school choice. She served as the former chairman for the American Federation for Children prior to her nomination as Secretary of Education.

“If we really want to help students then we need to focus everything about education on individual students– funding supporting and investing them,” she said. “Not in buildings not in systems.”

DeVos also talked about the president’s proposal and how he wants to give states more flexibility when it comes to school choice.

“If a state doesn’t want to participate, that would be a terrible mistake on their part. They will be hurting the children and families who can least afford it. If politicians in a state block education choice, it means those politicians do not support equal opportunity for all kids,” she said. “They’ll be the ones who will have to explain to their constituent parents why they are denying their fundamental right to choose what type of education is best for their child.”

DeVos said she’s hoping under the Trump administration they can transform education by providing parents and students with a choice in education.

“We stand on the verge of the most significant opportunity we have ever had to drag American education out of the Stone Age and into the future,” she said.

DeVos is scheduled to tour and meet with students and administrators from Providence Christo Rey High School Tuesday morning.

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