[Senate Hearing 115-206]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 115-206
NOMINATION OF BETSY DEVOS TO SERVE AS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
=======================================================================
HEARING
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION,
LABOR, AND PENSIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
NOMINATION OF BETSY DEVOS TO SERVE AS SECRETARY
OF EDUCATION
__________
JANUARY 17, 2017
__________
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COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS
LAMAR ALEXANDER, Tennessee, Chairman
MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming PATTY MURRAY, Washington
RICHARD BURR, North Carolina BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland
JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia BERNARD SANDERS (I), Vermont
RAND PAUL, Kentucky ROBERT P. CASEY, JR., Pennsylvania
SUSAN COLLINS, Maine AL FRANKEN, Minnesota
LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska MICHAEL F. BENNET, Colorado
SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island
BILL CASSIDY, M.D., Louisiana TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
TODD YOUNG, Indiana CHRISTOPHER S. MURPHY, Connecticut
ORRIN G. HATCH, Utah ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts
PAT ROBERTS, Kansas TIM KAINE, Virginia
LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire
TIM SCOTT, South Carolina
David P. Cleary, Republican Staff Director
Lindsey Ward Seidman, Republican Deputy Staff Director
Evan Schatz, Minority Staff Director
John Righter, Minority Deputy Staff Director
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
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STATEMENTS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017
Page
Committee Members
Alexander, Hon. Lamar, Chairman, Committee on Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions, opening statement.......................... 1
Murray, Hon. Patty, a U.S. Senator from the State of Washington,
opening statement.............................................. 4
Scott, Hon. Tim, a U.S. Senator from the State of South Carolina. 8
Lieberman, Hon. Joseph L., Former U.S. Senator from the State of
Connecticut.................................................... 10
Enzi, Hon. Michael B., a U.S. Senator from the State of Wyoming.. 16
Isakson, Hon. Johnny, a U.S. Senator from the State of Georgia... 19
Sanders, Hon. Bernard, a U.S. Senator from the State of Vermont.. 21
Hatch, Hon. Orrin G., a U.S. Senator from the State of Utah...... 23
Casey, Hon. Robert P., Jr., a U.S. Senator from the State of
Pennsylvania................................................... 24
Paul, Hon. Rand, a U.S. Senator from the State of Kentucky....... 26
Franken, Hon. Al, a U.S. Senator from the State of Minnesota..... 28
Cassidy, Hon. Bill, a U.S. Senator from the State of Louisiana... 30
Bennet, Hon. Michael F., a U.S. Senator from the State of
Colorado....................................................... 32
Young, Hon. Todd, a U.S. Senator from the State of Indiana....... 34
Whitehouse, Hon. Sheldon, a U.S. Senator from the State of Rhode
Island......................................................... 35
Baldwin, Hon. Tammy, a U.S. Senator from the State of Wisconsin.. 39
Roberts, Hon. Pat, a U.S. Senator from the State of Kansas....... 40
Murphy, Hon. Christopher, a U.S. Senator from the State of
Connecticut.................................................... 42
Warren, Hon. Elizabeth, a U.S. Senator from the State of
Massachusetts.................................................. 45
Collins, Hon. Susan M., a U.S. Senator from the State of Maine... 47
Hassan, Hon. Margaret Wood, a U.S. Senator from the State of New
Hampshire...................................................... 48
Burr, Hon. Richard, a U.S. Senator from the State of North
Carolina....................................................... 50
Kaine, Hon. Tim, a U.S. Senator from the State of Virginia....... 51
Murkowski, Hon. Lisa, a U.S. Senator from the State of Alaska.... 54
Witness
DeVos, Betsy, Nominee to Serve As Secretary of Education, Grand
Rapids, MI..................................................... 12
Prepared statement........................................... 14
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Statements, articles, publications, letters, etc.
Letters of Support........................................... 65
Letter from Log Cabin Republicans............................ 75
Letters of Concern and Opposition............................ 77
Response by Betsy DeVos to questions of:
Senator Murray........................................... 97
Senator Collins.......................................... 136
III
Senator Young............................................ 137
Senator Roberts.......................................... 138
Senator Murkowski........................................ 138
Senator Sanders.......................................... 140
Senator Casey............................................ 166
Senator Franken.......................................... 185
Senator Bennet........................................... 205
Senator Whitehouse....................................... 212
Senator Baldwin.......................................... 231
Senator Murphy........................................... 238
Senator Warren........................................... 244
Senator Kaine............................................ 260
Senator Hassan........................................... 266
NOMINATION OF BETSY DEVOS TO SERVE AS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
Washington, DC.
The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 5:15 p.m., in
room SD-430, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Lamar
Alexander, chairman of the committee, presiding.
Present: Senators Alexander, Enzi, Burr, Isakson, Paul,
Collins, Cassidy, Young, Hatch, Roberts, Murkowski, Scott,
Murray, Sanders, Casey, Franken, Bennet, Whitehouse, Baldwin,
Murphy, Warren, Kaine, and Hassan.
Also present: Former Senator Joe Lieberman.
Opening Statement of Senator Alexander
The Chairman. The hearing of the Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions Committee will come to order. This is the hearing
to consider the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be U.S. Secretary
of Education.
Senator Murray and I will make an opening statement. We'll
introduce the nominee. We welcome Senator Scott, a member of
this committee, Senator Lieberman, a distinguished former
member of this body, who will make introductory remarks.
Following the nominee's comments, we'll have a 5-minute round
of questions.
One note--we have Capitol officers here today who will
remove anyone who attempts to disrupt the hearing.
This is the first meeting of our committee in the new
Congress. This is a committee, as will probably become evident
as we go along, that has some considerable differences of
opinion on a variety of issues. We have found that we can
sometimes resolve them in important ways.
Last year, we passed what the Majority Leader, Senator
McConnell, said was the most important bill of the Congress,
21st Century Cures; and the year before, a bill fixing No Child
Left Behind, which President Obama called a Christmas miracle;
plus 33 other bills signed by the President--33 total. I want
to thank Senator Murray and the Democrats as well as the
Republicans on the committee for operating in that fashion.
We've done that by showing courtesy to ourselves and to our
witnesses, which I hope will be evident today.
Before my opening remarks, I'd like to make a work about
process. More than 25 years ago, Ms. DeVos, I was sitting where
you are sitting, as the nominee for U.S. Secretary of
Education, and former Senator Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio said to
me, ``Well, Governor, I've heard some disturbing things about
you, but I'm not going to bring them up here.'' Senator Nancy
Kassebaum of Kansas looked at him and said, ``Well, Howard, I
think you just did.'' And with that, he put a secret hold on me
and held me up for two or 3 months.
You won't have to go through that, because we abolished
secret holds not long ago, and because we're going to apply
what I would call the Golden Rule, the one that comes from the
Book of Matthew, which applies the same procedures to you that
we used in 2001 and 2005 for President George W. Bush's
Education Secretary nominees and in 2009 and 2016 for President
Obama's Education Secretary nominees. We'll consider you and
then vote, just as we did them. Arne Duncan, President Obama's
first Education Secretary--the hearing was on the 13th of
January, and he was confirmed a week later. John King--the
hearing was on February the 25th, and he was confirmed 2\1/2\
weeks later.
We've received from Ms. DeVos--and each Senator has had
available since January 4--the committee's required forms. The
rules require them to be in more than a week in advance. The
FBI background check has been done, and Senator Murray and I
have heard the results. Ms. DeVos has provided the Office of
Government Ethics on December 12 with all the relevant
information about her financial affairs. We will have a letter
from that office, which will be an agreement between Ms. DeVos
and that office on how to deal with any conflicts of interest,
before we vote in committee on her nomination.
As for questions, Ms. DeVos has met with each of us in our
offices. Several of us have written questions already given to
her. Today, we'll each have 5 minutes for further questions.
Again, I'm applying the Golden Rule, one round of 5-minute
questions, as was the case for both of President Obama's
Education nominees, as was the case for me, too, in 1991. In
those cases, following the 5-minute round, the chairman and one
member asked additional questions, and we'll do that again, as
we did before. I'll ask questions, and I'll ask Senator Murray
if she would like to do the same.
Each of us will have a chance to ask additional questions
in a reasonable number in writing by the close of business on
Thursday at 5 p.m. Then we will meet in Executive Session next
Tuesday to consider Ms. DeVos' nomination and other business if
the final Office of Government Ethics letter is received by
this Friday in order to give Senators a chance to review it
before Tuesday.
Following my opening remarks, Senator Murray will make
hers, and then we'll hear from Senator Scott and Senator
Lieberman, and then we'll hear from Ms. DeVos.
Betsy DeVos, in my opinion, is on our children's side. She
has devoted her life to helping mainly low-income children have
better choices of schools. Most of the criticism I've heard of
her amounts to three things. No. 1, she supports public charter
schools. No. 2, she supports giving lower income parents more
choices of schools for their children. And, No. 3, she has used
her considerable wealth and effectiveness to advance those
ideas. I believe she's in the mainstream of public opinion, and
her critics are not.
First, let's take the idea of charter schools. They are
public schools with fewer government rules, fewer union rules,
so teachers have more freedom to teach and parents have more
freedom to choose the school that best suits their child.
There's nothing new about it. In 1991 and 1992, President H.W.
Bush proposed start-from-scratch schools. He called them New
American Schools. He raised $70 million for New American
Schools Development Corporation to encourage innovative ideas.
Then in 1993, in January, in my last act as President
Bush's Education Secretary, I wrote every single superintendent
in the country, and I asked them to try something that was
invented in Minnesota by the Democratic Farmer Labor Party,
something called charter schools. There were 12 of them then.
Since then, there's been broad support for the idea. Albert
Shanker, the late head of the American Federation of Teachers,
endorsed those charter schools.
In 1997, President Clinton said, ``We need 3,000 charter
schools by 2002.'' Senator Hillary Clinton supported charter
schools. President George W. Bush supported charter schools.
President Obama supports charter schools. His first Education
Secretary, Arne Duncan, described himself as a, ``strong
supporter of charter schools.'' John King, the current
Education Secretary, founded a charter school and ran a system
of charter schools. Congress in 1994, 1998, 2001, and 2015,
always bipartisan, usually by huge margins, supported charter
schools. Forty-three States and the District of Columbia
operate charter schools.
Over nearly 30 years, those 12 Democratic Farmer Labor
charter schools in Minnesota have grown to 6,800 public charter
schools. Six percent of America's public school students attend
them. Who's in the mainstream here? The Democratic Farmer Labor
Party in Minnesota; Presidents Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama; the
last six U.S. Education Secretaries; the U.S. Congress; 43
States; the District of Columbia; Betsy DeVos; or her critics?
Pretty obviously, she's in the mainstream. She's on the side of
our children.
Let's go to the other criticism: giving low-income parents
more choices of schools that wealthy Americans already have.
More specifically, the objection is that public money shouldn't
follow poor children to an accredited school of their parents'
choice, public, private, or religious.
Arguing against that is arguing against the most successful
social policy this Congress has ever enacted, the G.I. bill for
veterans, which appropriated Federal dollars to follow veterans
to the school of their choice--Notre Dame, Yeshiva, Maryville
College, the University of Tennessee--any accredited
institution. It produced the greatest generation, and it
produced a model for all of our Federal aid for colleges.
Twenty-nine billion dollars of Pell grants this year are in
vouchers. They follow the student to the school of their
choice. Nearly a hundred billion in new student loans follow
the student to the school of their choice. Why is such a great
idea for college students deemed to be such a dangerous idea
for K through 12 students? Many of us believe competition
produces the best colleges, and it might produce the best
schools.
Many scholars have suggested that. Ted Sizer, a
distinguished educator, suggested a Poor Kids' Bill of Rights
40 years ago. Today, 50 States provide parents more choices of
public schools; 15 percent attend a school other than their
school of residence through open enrollment; 44 States allow
sending children to public schools outside their district; 34
States within their district. In addition to that, nearly
400,000 children are served by 50 private school choice
programs across 25 States, the District of Columbia, and
Douglas County, CO.
Congress passed bipartisan legislation, with Senator
Lieberman at the head of it, creating the DC School Voucher
Program in 2003, to date, helping 6,100 children, with more
than 1,000 children this year standing in line waiting for that
opportunity. There's been growing support, since President H.W.
Bush proposed the G.I. bill for kids to let States who wanted
to try expanding choice for low-income students, to today,
where in 2015, 45 U.S. Senators supported the scholarships for
kids that I proposed and that Senator Scott proposed for
students with disabilities. Forty-five U.S. Senators thought
that was a good idea.
According to the 2013 Luntz Global Public Opinion Survey,
73 percent of Americans support school choice. Sixty-four
percent say that if given the financial opportunity, they would
send one or all their children to a different school.
Who's in the mainstream here? The G.I. bill for veterans;
Pell grants; student loans; both President Bushes; the
President-elect; 25 States; Congress and the DC voucher
program; 45 U.S. Senators in 2015; 73 percent of Americans;
Betsy DeVos; or her critics? It's pretty obvious that she's in
the mainstream. She's on the side of our children.
The final criticism is that she's used her wealth to
support these ideas. She deserves credit for that, not
criticism. Would the critics be happier if she had spent her
time and her money trying to deny children more choices of
schools that wealthy families already have? We're fortunate
that Betsy DeVos is the nominee for U.S. Education Secretary.
She is and has been on our children's side. I support her
confirmation and look forward to working with her.
Senator Murray.
Opening Statement of Senator Murray
Senator Murray. Thank you very much, Chairman Alexander. I
look forward to working with you and all of our colleagues in
Congress. I want to welcome our new members on this committee,
Senators Kaine, Hassan, and Young.
Thank you, Ms. DeVos, for joining us here today. And, by
the way, welcome to the rest of your family, who I know has
joined you as well.
This is the first of many hearings that we will be holding
on President-elect Trump's nominees to fill critical positions
in the Federal Government. I want to start by reiterating the
importance of the Senate's role in this process and this
committee's role in the Senate work. President Trump has the
right to fill his cabinet with people he thinks will fill out
the vision for our country. That doesn't mean that the Senate
should be a rubber stamp. To the contrary, we owe it to the
people we represent to make sure every nominee is not only
qualified for the position and free of conflicts of interest,
but that he or she will put families and workers first and not
millionaires, billionaires, or big corporations.
President-elect Trump was the first presidential candidate
in decades to not release his tax returns, and he's openly
flouting ethics conventions regarding his personal and family
businesses. Some people say this means the bar has now been
lowered for ethics in public service. I refuse to accept that,
and I'm going to continue to hold the incoming administration
to the highest ethical standards. This is what the American
people deserve, regardless of who they voted for, where their
tax dollars are going, and who is benefiting.
I believe that in an administration where lines around
potential conflicts of interest are very likely to be blurred
at the top, they need to be even clearer at the individual
agencies, even while we in Congress work to ensure the highest
ethical standards are maintained and there is accountability to
taxpayers from the top of the government all the way down. I'm
going to continue pushing for robust scrutiny of every one of
these nominees, and I appreciate that Ms. DeVos said to me that
she knows the importance of transparency and openness, she is
committed to addressing every ethical concern and make sure
that no corners are cut, and that she would go to great lengths
to make sure no corners are cut.
However, I am extremely disappointed that we are moving
forward with this hearing before receiving the proper paperwork
from the Office of Government Ethics. When President Obama
entered the White House, Republicans insisted on having an
ethics letter in hand before moving to a hearing. In fact,
Leader McConnell wrote a letter to Leader Reid making that
explicit demand: an ethics letter in hand with time to review
and an FBI background check before a hearing was held. I am
extremely concerned, and I can only hope that cutting corners
and rushing nominees through will not be the new norm.
We're here today to hear from President-elect Trump's
nominee to lead the Department of Education. As a former
preschool teacher and school board member, as well as a mom who
got her start in politics fighting for public investments in
early learning, I take this issue very seriously. I owe
everything I have to strong public schools I was able to attend
with my six brothers and sisters, and none of us in my family
would have been able to go to college were it not for robust
Federal support.
We had those opportunities because our government was
committed to investing in us. I know that's not the case for
every student in every community today. Although we have a long
way to go, I am absolutely committed to making sure that the
Federal Government is a strong partner to our public schools,
districts, and States; that every student has access to a high-
quality public education that allows them to succeed; and that
we focus our Federal policies and investments on strengthening
public schools for all students and certainly not toward
diverting taxpayer dollars to fund vouchers that don't work for
unaccountable private schools.
That is why I was so proud to work with Chairman Alexander
and so many others here today to pass Every Student Succeeds
Act, which gives flexibility to States and school districts but
also includes strong accountability for our schools and
reiterates our Nation's commitment to strengthening public
education, especially for our most vulnerable students and
communities.
This commitment goes beyond K-12, too, of course, because
the Federal Government, in general, and the Department of
Education, specifically, has an important role to play in
supporting, protecting, and investing in all of our students,
from our youngest learners to those in higher education and
adults and parents seeking to improve their skills mid-career.
Leading this agency is a big job. It is an important job,
and I consider it to be my job to do everything I can to make
sure whoever fills it is truly committed to putting students
and families first.
Ms. DeVos, I am looking forward to hearing your answers to
some questions since I have a number of very serious concerns
that need to be addressed. First, I'm going to want to learn
more about your extensive financial entanglements and potential
conflicts of interest. As a billionaire with hundreds, if not
thousands, of investments made through complex financial
instruments, many of which are made in ways that are not
transparent and very hard to track, you need to make it very
clear how you will be avoiding conflicts of interest should you
be confirmed. That goes for your investments as well as the
massive web of investments made by your immediate family.
Despite starting off on the wrong track by not having an
ethics letter complete before this hearing today, I appreciate
what you are doing to provide this committee the information to
understand how you intend to live up to the highest level of
ethics and transparency. So far, you have not accepted calls to
release 3 years of tax returns, but I'm hoping you reconsidered
that approach and that you are cooperating fully with the
Office of Government Ethics.
Second, I have major concerns with how you spent your
career and fortune fighting to privatize public education and
get investments in public schools. I'll have some specific
questions about how the privatization policies you have pushed
have impacted students and how you intend to use the public
trust and taxpayer dollars to support public education and not
continue to undermine schools and teachers from inside the
department as you have as an advocate from the outside.
I will want to know more about the large contributions
you've made to groups that are ideologically opposed to
workers, including teachers, and that want to impose anti-LGBT
or anti-women's health beliefs on public schools and the
students in them. I will want to make sure you publicly commit
to implementing our Every Student Succeeds Act by upholding the
strong Federal guardrails that are in that law, and I will want
to know how you plan to tackle the persistent achievement gap.
Third, while you have been outspoken on K-12 issues, your
record and positions are not clear in a number of critical
areas. I want to learn more about how you plan to approach
higher education and whether or not we can count on you to
stand with students and borrowers.
I'm very interested in your thoughts on title IX and how we
can do everything possible to stop the scourge of campus sexual
assault. I was not happy with how you talked about this issue
when we met. I am hopeful that you have learned more about it
since then and are prepared to address it seriously.
I'm going to want to know how your personal, religious, and
ideological views on women's health and safety would impact how
you would approach this issue in the department. I'm very
concerned with what has been reported in the press about your
views on the importance of the Office of Civil Rights, which
works to ensure students with disabilities, LGBTQ students,
religious minorities, women and girls, students of color, and
all of our students are treated with dignity and respect, and
I'm going to want to know more about how you will enforce
critical civil rights laws.
As all of my colleagues here know, I have a particular
passion for early learning, and I want to hear where you stand
on how the Federal Government can help ensure that every child
is prepared for success in kindergarten.
Those are just a few of the issues. I am looking forward to
a robust dialog tonight. I'm hoping you're transparent about
your views, open about your record and the impact it has had on
students, and willing to make some straightforward commitments
regarding the core responsibility of this department and the
role you hope to take in it.
I will be asking you to commit to providing this committee
with additional information and responses to all reasonable
followup questions as quickly as possible. I am hopeful that
this can be a smooth process.
Mr. Chairman, I know my members are all here tonight. They
are hoping for more than just 5 minutes of questions on this
critical nominee, and I hope that as we get through this, you
will consider doing that.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Murray. I'm going to
follow the Golden Rule. I'm not going to change the rules and
apply to Ms. DeVos rules that we haven't applied to President
Obama's nominees or to President Bush's nominees. We'll have a
5-minute round of questions, and you and I can ask questions
after that for another 5 minutes. That's exactly what we've
done before.
Members of this committee have met with Ms. DeVos. Some
have already asked written questions. We'll have 2 days to
think of more, and then she'll need to answer them before we
vote.
As far as tax returns are concerned, if you would like to
bring that up, we can bring that up at our next executive
session, which would be the 24th, if her government ethics
letter is completed by Friday. I would note that committee
rules don't require tax returns to be reported by presidential
nominees. The law does not. We did not require it of President
Obama's two nominees for Education Secretary. If we want to
change the rules, we can do that, but I'm not in favor of
changing the rules in the middle of the process.
Senator Warren. Mr. Chairman, may I ask a point of order?
The Chairman. What is your point of order?
Senator Warren. I believe, Mr. Chairman, that we got a
second round with the John King hearings. I asked two rounds of
questions in that case.
The Chairman. You did and I did. In the last two nominees,
Mr. Duncan and Mr. King, we had a 5-minute round, and then the
chairman and one Senator, one other Senator, asked 5 minutes of
questions. I will ask 5 minutes of questions, and I will give
to Senator Murray the opportunity to be the other Senator who
does that.
Senator Murray. Mr. Chairman, I would just say that nobody
asked for additional time at that point. I hope that as we get
through this hearing and we hear members' questions, we'll have
an opportunity to revisit it.
The Chairman. I appreciate the request, but I'm not going
to change the rules in the middle of the game.
Senator Murray. I was not aware those were rules.
The Chairman. That is the precedent that we've followed as
far back as 1991 when I was the Education Secretary. We did it
for both of President Obama's, and we're going to do the same
thing for Ms. DeVos.
Senator Murray. Again, I wasn't aware that there was a
precedent. I would like to----
The Chairman. That's as clear a precedent as I can think
of.
Senator Murray. Mr. Chairman, I would also like to have 36
letters signed by 133 organizations expressing concern or
opposition to this nomination to be placed into the record.
The Chairman. They will be.
[The information referred to may be found in Additional
Material. However, due to the high cost of printing some
letters are being retained in committee files.]
The Chairman. We welcome the nominee, Ms. DeVos, to the
hearing.
We welcome your husband and your daughters, your son, your
daughter-in-law and your son-in-law, and we welcome all of our
other guests here.
Ms. DeVos will be introduced first, as I said, by Senator
Tim Scott, a member of this committee, a strong champion for
education. Then she'll be introduced by Senator Joe Lieberman,
who served here for 24 years, representing Connecticut, until
he retired in January 2013.
Thank you both for joining us.
I've already said what I have to say about Ms. DeVos.
She'll be an excellent Secretary of Education. We should move
ahead with Senator Scott's introduction. You may then turn it
over to Senator Lieberman. Then we'll hear from Ms. DeVos, and
then we'll begin our questions.
Senator Scott.
Statement of Senator Scott
Senator Scott. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will note that I
am surprised at the number of folks, photographers, who showed
up to hear Senator Lieberman's introduction.
Very well done, Senator Lieberman.
I've known the DeVos family for about three decades. I
started at Learning How to Sell when I was in college, and it
was a part of one of the DeVos companies that I learned how to
sell. I'm very thankful that a champion of public education, a
champion of education, and, specifically, a champion of
education for poor kids sits to my left.
I recall my own upbringing as a poor kid, who by the time I
was in the fourth grade attended four different schools. It's
really important for us to recognize the powerful impact that
education has, specifically, on poor kids. I am excited about
this transition, looking forward to the opportunity to have
Betsy DeVos as our champion for all children, for all
education, but, specifically, for what I consider high-
potential kids, what others call at-risk kids. For the last 28
years, Ms. DeVos has been a champion for those kids.
A lifelong resident of Michigan, she attended Calvin
College in Grand Rapids, MI. Ms. DeVos is a businesswoman and
an entrepreneur. She is the chairman of the American Federation
for Children and the Windquest Group.
For those of you who may not know Betsy, she had a humble
beginning. Her parents mortgaged everything they had,
everything they had, to start a small auto parts business. She
still remembers when she was 7 years old helping her father
paint a cinder block building that became the office and the
first manufacturing location. I believe the color was steel
blue. During the summer months when she was in college, Betsy
worked the third shift at her family's business. She
understands the sacrifices that families have to make in order
to build a better life for themselves and for their children.
She has successfully advocated for expansion of education
opportunity in dozens and dozens of States. She also helped her
husband launch a charter school in Grand Rapids, MI, which is
now one of the highest performing charter schools in her home
State. I've been to that school.
Way before there was any idea that she might one day sit
here before this committee, way before we ever assumed that
there would be a Trump candidacy, several years ago, I visited
the Aviation High School and had a chance to sit at lunch and
talk with the kids and understand and appreciate that their
hunger for education was stirred by the DeVos family, stirred
by the DeVos family's commitment to public education at this
charter high school.
She is motivated by making sure students go to safe and
high-performing schools, whether they are public, private,
charter, traditional, or non-traditional schools. She
understands the need to focus on accountability, not just to
have a system in place, but to actually hold schools
accountable for the results they have. What she supports is
holding all schools accountable, whether they are traditional
public schools or charter schools. Ms. DeVos is clearly not
opposed to accountability.
What she is opposed to is holding some schools accountable
but not all schools. What she is opposed to is leaving children
trapped in schools that we know are failing--failing the very
students that will have no hope if they do not receive a high-
quality education. Parents and students could not ask for a
better role model or a more thoughtful leader to move the
education system into the 21st century.
Betsy cares. She questions. She considers. And then and
only then will she act. These are the traits of a leader and a
doer. I look forward to supporting her nomination throughout
the next few weeks.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Scott.
Senator Lieberman, welcome.
Statement of Senator Lieberman
Senator Lieberman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator Murray,
and members of the committee. And a special hello to Chris
Murphy, my friend and successor from Connecticut.
It's great to be back in the Senate today to introduce
Betsy DeVos for your consideration as the next Secretary of
Education. I met Betsy several years ago in one of the many
bipartisan efforts to improve the quality of education of
America's children that she and so many others of you have been
involved in. When I left the Senate, as a way to continue my
own work on education reform, I became a member of the Board of
the American Federation for Children, the nonprofit
organization that Betsy DeVos founded to provide better
education options for lower income children throughout America.
I'm very proud of what the AFC has achieved, particularly
at the State level. More than 400,000 lower income families
have been empowered with financial support to take their
children out of schools where they felt the kids were not
getting an adequate education and put them into schools that
they felt were better. For me, as a Democrat, it is especially
gratifying that many of these AFC State programs have been
enacted with bipartisan support in State legislatures.
None of the progress which the AFC has achieved very
specifically for those 400,000-plus kids would have occurred
without Betsy's leadership, which is inclusive and motivating.
She is disciplined, organized, knows how to set goals and then
develop practical plans to achieve them. She is really a
purpose-driven team builder, and I've seen that in my
membership on the Board of the AFC.
I understand that the Department of Education is bigger
than anything she or, for that matter, most any of us, except
for Senator Alexander, of course, has ever led. Everything I
have seen tells me that Betsy is ready to take on this
assignment and do it very well.
I know that some people are questioning her qualifications
to be Secretary of Education, and too many of those questions,
to me, seem to be based on the fact that she doesn't come from
within the education establishment. Honestly, I believe that
today, that's one of the most important qualifications you
could have for this job.
And she has many others. She's a mother and a grandmother.
She cares about children more generally and has been involved
in education, like so many parents and local citizen school
board members across America, for almost 30 years. Her
involvement has not just been as a philanthropist and advocate
for reform, though she has been a real leader in both. She also
mentors students in the public schools of Grand Rapids, MI.
Here's another important qualification Betsy has for this
job. She will ask the right questions, such as: Is this Federal
education program working? Is it giving our kids the education
they need to live productive and satisfying lives? If not, how
can we improve it? An examination of the facts of the State of
American education today makes clear that although current
Federal education programs are working for many of our
children, they are failing millions of others, and here are
just a few of the salient and, to me, troubling facts.
Among all students of all income groups, less than 40
percent of high school graduates are college- or career-ready,
according to the ACT. A recent report said that only 35 percent
of eighth graders were proficient on the NAEP reading exam and
only 34 percent on the math exam. In other words, about two-
thirds of eighth graders in our country are not proficient in
reading and math. Proficient is the middle--as the members of
the committee know--middle ranking under the NAEP. Among lower
income students, the weight of these shortcomings in the
educational status quo falls disproportionately heavily.
There are too many ways to illustrate this, but let me just
give this one example. There are more than 1,200 high schools
in America who have more than 1.1 million students that fail to
graduate from high school at least one-third of their students,
and for some, as many as more than half the students don't make
it to high school graduation. These schools primarily educate
low-income students and students of color. These low graduation
rate high schools are located in both urban and rural areas,
and they're in almost every State. New York has 199 of them;
Georgia, 115; California, 105; and Alabama and Mississippi,
each more than 50.
These are jarring numbers, and I think they cry out for
national education reform. We're just not keeping our founders'
promise of equal opportunity. We're not preparing the next
generation of Americans to enable our economy to compete
successfully in the world. We just can't accept the status quo
in education anymore. We need a change agent and an education
reformer to be Education Secretary, a leader who has one big
goal, which is to give every child in America, regardless of
family income or zip code, a first-class education, and that is
exactly the kind of Education Secretary I believe Betsy DeVos
can and will be.
Because Betsy has been fighting for reform and disrupting
the status quo for so long, her nomination is naturally
controversial. After all, she has directly challenged the
education establishment by supporting charter schools and other
school choice programs. I can tell you that in all my work with
her, I have never heard Betsy speak against our public school
system. I have heard her ask what we could do for the low-
income kids who are trapped in bad public schools until we can
make more of our public schools as good as they should be.
Is it fair to stand back and not help the parents who want
better for their children but can't get it just because they
can't afford it? Is it acceptable to have so many children from
all income groups graduate from our high schools unprepared for
college and the high-tech economy they will enter? No, it is
not.
That's why, Mr. Chairman, Senator Murray, and members of
the committee, I hope you'll confirm Betsy DeVos' nomination to
be Secretary of Education. It's in our national interest to
give her a chance to change the status quo in our schools and
secure a better future for our country and for all of our
children.
Thank you very much.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Lieberman. Thank you for
coming back.
Before I introduce or welcome Ms. DeVos, I'd like to enter
into the record 97 letters of support for Ms. DeVos for
Education Secretary from a variety of school groups, former
education secretaries, Governors, business groups, and others.
[The information referred to may be found in Additional
Material. However, due to the high cost of printing some
letters are being retained in committee files.]
The Chairman. Ms. DeVos.
STATEMENT OF BETSY DEVOS, NOMINEE TO SERVE AS SECRETARY OF
EDUCATION, GRAND RAPIDS, MI
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Chairman.
Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray, Senators, thank
you for the opportunity to be with you this afternoon.
Thank you, Senators Scott and Lieberman, for those very
kind words of introduction. I honor and applaud your lifelong
dedication to the success of our Nation's students and your
fine public service.
I want to begin by thanking my family for their support.
Many of them are seated behind me here, except for my five
grandchildren, the oldest of which is five, so it was not
advisable that they join us today.
I am very honored that President-elect Trump has asked me
to join his team and am grateful for his dedication to
education. If confirmed, I look forward to working with him,
Vice President-elect Pence, and all of you to bring educational
opportunity to every family in this great Nation. While we may
have differences, I think we can all agree that learning as a
lifelong pursuit is a fundamental American virtue.
We are blessed beyond measure with educators who pour
themselves into students. The schools in which they work are as
diverse as the students they educate. In fact, all of us here
and our children have attended a mix of traditional, publicly
funded, and private schools. This is a reflection of the
diversity that is today's public education.
Growing up in Holland, MI, I attended local Christian
schools and then Calvin College. My greatest educational
influence in life was a public school teacher named Elsa
Prince. While her students called her Mrs. Prince, to this day,
I just call her ``mom.''
When Dick and I became parents, education took on a whole
new meaning. We recognized that other parents were not able to
make similar decisions about their children's education, based
on their income or the zip code in which they lived.
When our oldest reached school age, we visited The Potter's
House, a Christian school which serves many low-income families
in my hometown. We saw the struggles and sacrifices many of
these families faced when trying to choose the best educational
option for their children. For me, this was not just an issue
of public policy but of national injustice. I committed to do
something about it, and it's become my life's work.
I applaud the great work of The Potter's House and its co-
founder, John Booy, who is here with us today. He and his team
of teachers are doing a great job. But here's the sad reality:
in the past 28 years, the need and demand for these other
options have grown, unabated.
I share President-elect Trump's view that it's time to
shift the debate from what the system thinks is best for kids
to what moms and dads want, expect, and deserve. Parents no
longer believe that a one-size-fits-all model of learning meets
the needs of every child, and they know other options exist,
whether magnet, virtual, charter, home, faith-based, or any
other combination. Yet, too many parents are denied access to
the full range of options, choices that many of us here in this
room have exercised for our own children.
Why, in 2017, are we still questioning parents' ability to
exercise educational choice for their children? I am a firm
believer that parents should be empowered to choose the
learning environment that's best for each of their individual
children.
The vast majority of students in this country will continue
to attend public schools. If confirmed, I will be a strong
advocate for great public schools. If a school is troubled, or
unsafe, or not a good fit for a child--perhaps they have a
special need that is going unmet--we should support a parent's
right to enroll their child in a high-quality alternative.
It's really pretty simple. Every child in America deserves
to be in a safe environment that is free from discrimination.
Every student in America dreams of developing his or her unique
talents and gifts. Every parent in America dreams of a future
when their children have access to schools with the rigor,
challenges, and safe environments that successfully prepare
them for a brighter, more hopeful tomorrow. Every teacher in
America dreams of breaking free from standardization so that
they can deploy their unique creativity and innovate with their
students.
Our Nation's schools are filled with talented, devoted
professionals, who successfully meet the needs of many, many
children. Even our best schools don't work for all. This isn't
the fault of teachers, but a reality that all students are
unique, learn differently, and excel at their own pace.
Students also face new challenges today. In particular, our
high school graduates are having increasing difficulty
accessing affordable higher education. Escalating tuition is
pricing aspiring and talented students out of college. Others
are burdened with debts that will take years or even decades to
pay off. There is no magic wand to make the debt go away, but
we do need to take action. It would be a mistake to shift that
burden to struggling taxpayers without first addressing why
tuition has gotten so high.
For starters, we need to embrace new pathways of learning.
For too long, a college degree has been pushed as the only
avenue for a better life. The old and expensive brick-mortar-
and-ivy model is not the only one that will lead to a
prosperous future. Craftsmanship is not a fallback, but a noble
pursuit. Students should make informed choices about what type
of education they want to pursue post-high school and have
access to high-quality options. President-elect Trump and I
agree we need to support all post-secondary avenues, including
trade and vocational schools, and community colleges.
Of course, on every one of these issues, Congress will play
a vital role. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you
to enact solutions that empower parents and students, provide
high-quality options, and spend tax dollars wisely. We will
work together to ensure the Every Student Succeeds Act is
implemented as Congress intended, with local communities freed
from burdensome regulations from Washington. I look forward to
working with Congress and all stakeholders to reauthorize the
Higher Education Act to meet the needs of today's college
students.
President-elect Trump and I know it won't be Washington,
DC, that unlocks our Nation's potential, nor a bigger
bureaucracy, tougher mandates, or a Federal agency. The answer
is local control and listening to parents, students, and
teachers.
For nearly three decades, I've been involved in education,
as a volunteer, an advocate for children, and a voice for
parents. I've worked as an in-school mentor for students in the
Grand Rapids Public Schools and have had the privilege of
interacting with students and their families and teachers in
ways that have changed my life and my perspective about
education forever.
I've worked with Governors, legislators, and business and
community leaders to expand educational opportunity through
options that are making a lifetime of difference for hundreds
of thousands of kids this year alone. And I've worked with many
dedicated teachers who strive every day to help students
achieve, fulfill their potential, and prepare them for the
global challenges that they will face. For me, it's simple: I
trust parents, and I believe in our children.
Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you. I
look forward to answering your questions.
[The prepared statement of Ms. DeVos follows:]
Prepared Statement of Betsy DeVos
Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray, and Senators, thank you
for the opportunity to be with you this afternoon.
I want to begin by thanking my family for their support: my
husband, Dick, my sons, and daughters, and sons-in-law--as well as the
rest of my family, including five grandchildren, who could not join us
today.
I am honored that President-elect Trump asked me to join his team
and am grateful for his dedication to education. If confirmed, I look
forward to working with him, Vice President-elect Pence and all of you
to bring educational opportunity to every family in this great Nation.
While we may have differences, I think we can all agree that
learning as a lifelong pursuit is a fundamental American virtue.
We are blessed beyond measure with educators who pour themselves
into students.
The schools in which they work are as diverse as the students they
educate. In fact, all of us here--and our children--have attended a mix
of traditional publicly funded and private schools. This is a
reflection of the diversity that is today's American public education.
Growing up in Holland, MI, I attended local Christian schools and
then Calvin College. My greatest educational influence in life was a
public school teacher named Elsa Prince.
While her students called her Mrs. Prince, to this day, I just call
her ``mom.''
When Dick and I became parents, education took on a whole new
meaning. We recognized that other parents were not able to make similar
decisions about their children's education, based on their income or
the zip code in which they lived.
When our oldest reached school age, we visited The Potter's House,
a Christian school which serves many low-income families in my
hometown. We saw the struggles and sacrifices many of these families
faced when trying to choose the best educational option for their
children. For me this was not just an issue of public policy but of
national injustice.
I committed to do something about it, and it's become my life's
work. I applaud the great work of The Potter's House and its founder
John Booy--who is here with us today--he and his team of teachers are
doing a great job. Here's the sad reality: in the past 28 years, the
need and demand for these other options have grown, unabated.
I share President-elect Trump's view that it's time to shift the
debate from what the system thinks is best for kids to what moms and
dads want, expect and deserve.
Parents no longer believe that a one-size-fits-all model of
learning meets the needs of every child, and they know other options
exist, whether magnet, virtual, charter, home, religious, or any
combination thereof. Yet, too many parents are denied access to the
full range of options . . . choices that many of us--here in this
room--have exercised for our own children.
Why, in 2017, are we still questioning parents' ability to exercise
educational choice for their children? I am a firm believer that
parents should be empowered to choose the learning environment that's
best for their individual children.
The vast majority of students in this country will continue to
attend public schools. If confirmed, I will be a strong advocate for
great public schools. If a school is troubled, or unsafe, or not a good
fit for a child--perhaps they have a special need that is going unmet--
we should support a parent's right to enroll their child in a high
quality alternative.
It's really pretty simple.
Every child in America deserves to be in a safe environment that is
free from discrimination.
Every student in America dreams of developing his or her unique
talents and gifts.
Every parent in America dreams of a future when their children have
access to schools with the rigor, challenges, and safe environments
that successfully prepare them for a brighter, more hopeful tomorrow.
Every teacher in America dreams of breaking free from
standardization, so that they can deploy their unique creativity and
innovate with their students.
Our Nation's schools are filled with talented, devoted
professionals, who successfully meet the needs of many, many children.
Even our best schools don't work for all. This isn't the fault of
teachers, but a reality that all students are unique, learn
differently, and excel at their own pace.
Students also face new challenges today. In particular, our high
school graduates are having increasing difficulty accessing affordable
higher education.
Escalating tuition is pricing aspiring and talented students out of
college. Others are burdened with debts that will take years--or even
decades--to pay off.
There is no magic wand to make the debt go away, but we do need to
take action. It would be a mistake to shift that burden to struggling
taxpayers without first addressing why tuition has gotten so high.
For starters, we need to embrace new pathways of learning. For too
long a college degree has been pushed as the only avenue for a better
life. The old and expensive brick-mortar-and-ivy model is not the only
one that will lead to a prosperous future. Craftsmanship is not a
fallback--but a noble pursuit.
Students should make informed choices about what type of education
they want to pursue post-high school and have access to high quality
options. President-elect Trump and I agree we need to support all post-
secondary avenues, including trade and vocational schools, and
community colleges.
Of course, on every one of these issues, Congress will play a vital
role.
If confirmed, I look forward to working with you to enact solutions
that empower parents and students, provide high quality options and
spend tax dollars wisely.
We will work together to ensure the Every Student Succeeds Act is
implemented as Congress intended--with local communities freed from
burdensome regulations from Washington. I look forward to working with
Congress and all stakeholders to reauthorize the Higher Education Act
to meet the needs of today's college students.
President-elect Trump and I know it won't be Washington, DC. that
unlocks our Nation's potential, nor a bigger bureaucracy, tougher
mandates or a Federal agency. The answer is local control and listening
to parents, students and teachers.
For nearly three decades, I've been involved in education, as a
volunteer, an advocate for children, and a voice for parents.
I've worked as an in-school mentor for students in the Grand Rapids
Public Schools, and have had the privilege of interacting with students
and their families and teachers in ways that have changed my life and
my perspective about education forever.
I've worked with Governors, legislators, and business and community
leaders to expand educational opportunity through options that are
making a lifetime of difference for hundreds of thousands of kids this
year alone.
I've worked with many dedicated teachers who strive every day to
help students achieve, fulfill their potential, and prepare them for
the global challenges that they will face.
For me, it's simple: I trust parents, and I believe in our
children.
Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you. I look
forward to answering your questions.
The Chairman. Thank you, Ms. DeVos.
We'll now begin our round of 5-minute questions. I'm going
to defer my questions until later, so we'll begin with Senator
Enzi and then Senator Murray.
Statement of Senator Enzi
Senator Enzi. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Ms.
DeVos. I want to welcome you here and thank you for being
willing to take on this kind of a project and to appear before
us. I enjoyed our meeting last month and look forward to
working with you as we consider your nomination and then after
that.
You're going to be dealing with a great variety of States
from high population to low population. I happen to come from
the lowest population State. It has some special challenges in
education. I call it rural and frontier challenges. We don't
allow a child to travel more than an hour by bus to or from
school, and as a result, we have some schools that have one or
two students. It's a little different situation than was even
envisioned with No Child Left Behind, so I'm glad that we've
changed to ESSA.
The Federal Government--there was a Quality Counts 2017
report, and I'm pleased that Wyoming was ranked No. 7 out of
the 50 States in that, and in the area of financing education,
we were No. 1. That comes at a time when our State is going
through some economical suffering because of the Obama
administration's war on coal and fossil fuels and the
hardworking families that support those industries.
Our frontier has some special problems. Part of them are
that the submission of some of the applications and some of the
applicable reports have no bearing on what we're doing, and
that's important when we have the rural aspect as well as the
Wind River Indian Reservation, which is the home of two tribes.
In Every Student Succeeds, there are provisions to permit
the Secretary to reduce the department's workforce. With the
return of educational authority to the States and the
elimination of Federal programs, it's important that that
workforce be reduced to ensure more educational funding is
provided to the schools and not kept in Washington.
Also, I'm troubled by the Government Accountability Office
report that was issued at my request last November that showed
the cost projections for the income-driven college loan
repayment program are tens of billions of dollars higher than
the original estimates, and those estimates were based on data
and accounting methods that were deeply flawed. You'll inherit
that. The current Department of Education's data lacked
transparency, omitted key information, and made other flawed
assumptions. As an accountant, I was appalled.
Then there's the career and technical education that you
mentioned. I appreciate your emphasis on the value of
craftsmanship and also technology. I just saw the movie,
``Hidden Figures,'' that introduced people to computers and the
value of women in the workplace in NASA to get them into space.
I have one-sixth of my schools that don't participate in
Perkins Career and Technical Education funding because the low
population gives them such a low amount of funding that it
isn't worth doing it, and that needs to change.
Ms. DeVos, one of the most important jobs you'll have is
the implementation of Every Student Succeeds Act. I'm pleased
with what you said about it. Can you talk about your plans to
engage rural and frontier States and communities in that
process?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thank you. Thank you for that question,
and I, too, enjoyed our meeting in your office. I particularly
enjoyed hearing a little bit about the special needs of schools
like the Wapiti school that has the grizzly bear fence
surrounding it. That is a unique need to Wyoming, certainly.
Certainly, rural schools and rural settings require
different approaches and different options. I refer to the
Every Student Succeeds Act, and the implementation of that and
Wyoming's plan for that will be particularly important to
recognize the unique needs of the rural population that you
have, as well as many of the other States represented here in
the committee.
When we think about the future, I think about the
opportunity for more choices and options for those parents in a
distance learning type of situation and the possibility that
course choices or online courses could be offered in ways that
they may not have been previously. I would, if confirmed, look
forward to working with you and some of your other colleagues
that face those same types of challenges, such as Senator
Collins and Senator Murkowski, and work with you to address the
specific needs of rural communities and high rural population
States.
Senator Enzi. Thank you. I look forward to working with
you.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Enzi.
Senator Murray.
Senator Murray. Mr. Chairman, it's your committee. If you
want to go first----
The Chairman. No. Thank you for the courtesy. I'm going to
go a little later. Thank you.
Senator Murray. Ms. DeVos, I really am troubled by some of
the comments and things you've said about public education and
how you see the role of the department you've been nominated to
lead now. My first question for you, really, is yes or no. All
I want is a yes or no. Do you believe that the mission of the
Department of Education should be to strengthen public
education for all of our students?
Ms. DeVos. Yes, I do.
Senator Murray. Good. Can you commit to us tonight that you
will not work to privatize public schools or cut a single penny
from public education?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thanks for that question. I look
forward, if confirmed, to working with you, to talk about how
we address the needs of all parents and all students. We
acknowledged today that not all schools are working for the
students that are assigned to them, and I'm hopeful that we can
work together to find common ground and ways that we can solve
those issues and empower parents to make choices on behalf of
their children that are right for them.
Senator Murray. I take that as not being willing to commit
to not privatizing public schools or cutting money from
education.
Ms. DeVos. I guess I wouldn't characterize it in that way.
Senator Murray. OK. Let me ask you about conflict of
interest. President-elect Trump thinks he can resolve his
financial conflicts by having his family manage his interests
while he's in office. Do you think it's OK for family members
to profit off of companies that are directly impacted by the
decisions you will make if confirmed? Yes or no?
Ms. DeVos. No, I do not.
Senator Murray. We do know that from press reports you and
your family have invested in what you call the education
industry. That includes investments in SoFi, which is a student
loan refinancing company, and K12, Inc., which is a chain of
for-profit online charter schools.
You told this committee that you would sever ties with your
family businesses if confirmed. You also said that you intend
to return to these businesses owned by your family when you
leave public service. How is that different from President-
elect Trump's arrangement?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, first of all, let me be very clear
about any conflicts. Where conflicts are identified, they will
be resolved. I will not be conflicted, period. I commit that to
you all. And with respect to the specific ones that you cited,
one of them we were aware of as we entered the process, and
that is in the process of being divested. If there are any
others that are identified, they will be appropriately divested
as well.
Senator Murray. From your answer, I assume that you and
your family intend to forego all investments in education
companies from now on.
Ms. DeVos. Anything that is deemed to be a conflict will
not be--yes, will not be a part of our investing.
Senator Murray. How do you intend to convince this
committee that no entity will feel pressure to purchase,
partner, or contract with corporate or nonprofit entities you
and your family invested in should you be confirmed as
Secretary?
Ms. DeVos. I can commit to you that nobody will feel any
pressure like that.
Senator Murray. As you know, this committee has not
received your required paperwork from the Office of Government
Ethics, and they have told me they cannot provide me assurance
right now that your conflicts of interests have been identified
and resolved by the Office. Again, will you be providing this
committee with 3 years of tax returns that we've requested?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, I have provided the committee with
everything that's been requested and required of the committee.
I'm, frankly, very proud of the team that's been working very
hard on my behalf to get all of this together. I know that the
OGE is working very hard to work through my and others'
confirmation processes as well, as is the department. I'm very
hopeful that we will get this resolved and to a point of
resolution here very soon.
Senator Murray. Since we do not have your ethics paperwork
tonight, we've not had a chance to look at it, and we've not
had a chance to know whether we have additional questions.
Would you commit to coming back before this committee once we
have that from the OGE so we can ask additional questions?
Ms. DeVos. I commit to making sure we have an ethics
agreement resolved and reached.
Senator Murray. I hope that we have a chance, Mr. Chairman,
if we have questions, to be able to follow up on that.
I just have a few seconds left. You have vast wealth,
obviously, and you have used it, as you said yourself, to
influence the political system and elect candidates who support
your ideological agenda. If you are confirmed, I want to know
if you believe it's appropriate for you and your family to
continue to use its wealth to pressure State, local, and
Federal candidates to support your agenda.
Ms. DeVos. Senator, if I am confirmed, I will not be
involved or engaged in political contributions, and my husband
will not be, either.
Senator Murray. OK. Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Murray.
Senator Burr has deferred to Senator Isakson.
Statement of Senator Isakson
Senator Isakson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Ms. DeVos, for your commitment to your State,
your commitment to education, and for being here today, and
congratulations on your nomination. I have a statement, and
then I'd like to ask you three questions in regard to that
statement.
This committee established a task force on government
regulation and identified 59 specific burdensome regulations
that engage public education, primarily higher education. Of
the 59 recommendations, 12 are totally at the auspice of the
Secretary of Education. They can be invalidated and changed
immediately.
In 2015, Senators Bennet, King, Booker, Burr, Alexander,
and myself introduced a bill to drastically simplify the
burdensome and aggravating application process families fill
out for Federal financial aid known as FAFSA. The University of
Georgia, Emory University, and Georgia Tech, three well-known
institutions in my State, have all said this is a priority for
them to move forward and simplify the process of giving our
kids the best education they can get.
My question is: Would you commit to working with our office
to advance the recommendations of the task force on higher
education?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thanks for that question. I'm aware of
this task force report, and it sounds like the direction that
it has taken is very promising, and, if confirmed, I look
forward to working with you and the others who have been
working on this to implement the things that are deemed
appropriate to be done.
Senator Isakson. Will you commit to us that you will work
with us to implement those items identified by the task force
that the Secretary, herself or himself, currently has the
authority to change, meaning this won't be another government
report that goes on the shelf, but one that will be acted on
one way or another?
Ms. DeVos. You have my commitment on that, Senator.
Senator Isakson. And, last, will you work with this
committee to simplify the application for Federal financial
aid, known as FAFSA, to reduce the burden and aggravation on
families and make it easier for students to apply to college
and to attend college?
Ms. DeVos. Indeed, I will. I know that's been a very
burdensome process and application. In fact, I recall Chairman
Alexander actually unfolding the entire length of it. It's a
very long process, and I would look forward to working with you
to simplify that process.
Senator Isakson. It's 104 questions. If I remember
correctly, Mr. Chairman, 104 questions. The committee came up
with a 2-page, four-question application that worked just as
well. It's an important way to improve attending college and
getting financing done.
Ms. DeVos. Let me just say I don't think we should make it
any more difficult than absolutely necessary for students to be
able to further their education.
Senator Isakson. Right answer. Is Mr. Booy here? You
referred to the Potter's House.
Ms. DeVos. He is, indeed. He's right here.
Senator Isakson. Mr. Booy, would you stand up, please? I
just want to thank you for what you've done to show the kind of
leadership we need to help people who otherwise don't get any
help, aren't getting any help, and may be discarded through
life's disposal. You've done a great job with Potter's House.
We have a number of Georgia investments in Potter's House. We
appreciate what you've done very much. Thank you.
Mr. Booy. Thank you, sir.
Senator Isakson. That brings me to this point. Senator
Murray was talking about privatizing schools and talking about
the lack of importance of charter schools and the importance of
protecting public education. She talked about her goal and my
goal, which we've shared with each other, and that is to work
toward requiring 4-year-old pre-kindergarten for every student
in the country, because we think it's so important during the
early learning years for kids to get access.
We did it in Georgia, and how we did it in Georgia was
taking faith-based educational 4-year-old prekindergarten
programs and private 4-year-old prekindergarten programs and
private institutions to provide us with the classrooms and the
teachers to teach the curriculum in the new program. Today, in
Georgia, 61,000 4-year-old kids go to 4-year-old
prekindergarten paid for by the State. It is delivered by a
variety of private and public institutions and entities.
My point is if you're going to meet the challenges of
public education today and have to depend solely on the
resources that are available to it, you'll never get where you
want to go. If you get the private sector making an investment
in public education and have seamless standards that everybody
commits to, you can greatly expand the opportunity of
education, greatly expand accessibility to education, and do it
through using faith-based, private, and other types of
institutions. Would you agree with that?
Ms. DeVos. It's a very interesting approach that Georgia
has taken, and it's very similar to what Florida has done as
well. As the ESSA Act is implemented, It would be really
interesting for States to take a look at some other successful
programs. I would also look forward to working with the other
agencies that are involved with some of the preschool funding
of Head Start and so forth, HHS, and see if there's ways to
more effectively use those monies to help kids be ready for
kindergarten when they reach kindergarten.
Senator Isakson. My time is up. I just want to acknowledge,
in reading your testimony and talking to you in my office, that
I appreciate your recognition that the nontraditional student
of 25 years ago has become the traditional student of today.
Not every kid lives in a two-parent household, and not every
kid lives in an academic environment. We have to come up with
programs necessary to train our kids to be able to do the jobs
of the 21st century in different ways all the time.
Congratulations on your nomination.
I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Isakson.
Senator Sanders.
Statement of Senator Sanders
Senator Sanders. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. DeVos, thanks for being with us and thanks for dropping
into the office a few days ago.
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator.
Senator Sanders. Ms. DeVos, there is a growing fear in this
country that we are moving toward what some would call an
oligarchic form of society, where a small number of very, very
wealthy billionaires control to a significant degree our
economic and political life. Would you be so kind as to tell us
how much money your family has contributed to the Republican
party over the years?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, first of all, thank you for that
question. I, again, was pleased to meet you in your office last
week. I wish I could give you that number. I don't know.
Senator Sanders. I have heard the number was $200 million.
Does that sound in the ball park?
Ms. DeVos. Collectively, between my entire family?
Senator Sanders. Over the years, yes.
Ms. DeVos. That's possible.
Senator Sanders. My question is--and I don't mean to be
rude--but do you think if you were not a multibillionaire, if
your family has not made hundreds of millions of dollars of
contributions to the Republican party, that you would be
sitting here today?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, as a matter of fact, I do think that
there would be that possibility. I've worked very hard on
behalf of parents and children for the last almost 30 years to
be a voice for students and to empower parents to make
decisions on behalf of their children, primarily low-income
children.
Senator Sanders. Thank you. In your prepared statement, you
say,
``Students should make informed choices about what
type of education they want to pursue post-high school
and have access to high-quality options.''
Some of us believe that we should make public colleges and
universities tuition-free so that every young person in this
country, regardless of income, does have that option. That's
not the case today.
Will you work with me and others to make public colleges
and universities tuition-free through Federal and State
efforts?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, that's a really interesting idea, and
it's really great to consider and think about. We also have to
consider the fact that there's nothing in life that's truly
free. Somebody's going to pay for it, and so----
Senator Sanders. Oh, yes, you're right. You're right.
Somebody will pay for it, but that takes us to another issue,
and that is----
Ms. DeVos. I think it----
Senator Sanders [continuing]. If I may, and that is right
now, we have proposals in front of us to substantially lower
tax breaks for billionaires in this country while at the same
time low-income kids can't afford to go to college. Do you
think that makes sense?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, if your question is really around how
can we help college and higher education be more affordable for
young people as they anticipate----
Senator Sanders. Actually, that wasn't my question. My
question is: Should we make public colleges and universities
tuition-free so that every family in America, regardless of
income, will have the ability to have their kids get a higher
education? That was my question.
Ms. DeVos. Senator, I think we can work together, and we
could work hard on making sure that college or higher education
in some form is affordable for all young people that want to
pursue it, and I would look forward to that opportunity, if
confirmed.
Senator Sanders. Would you agree with me that if there is a
mom watching this hearing who makes $30,000, $40,000 a year, a
single mom perhaps, who has to pay $10,000 or $15,000 a year
for childcare for her daughter, that that is a burden that is
almost impossible to deal with? What are your proposals about
making childcare universal for our working families? Do you
have ideas on that? Do you agree with that idea?
Ms. DeVos. That certainly is a burden, and I can understand
the challenge that that family, that young mother, would face
in deciding how to best serve her child's needs. Again, if
we're talking about the future of that child and their
education, I would look forward to working with you. I know we
have common ground on a lot of things, and we could find ways
to work together to ensure that that young mom's child will
have a great opportunity for a great education in the future.
Senator Sanders. There are countries around the world which
do provide universal, very inexpensive, or free childcare.
Would you work with me in moving our government in that
direction?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, again, I feel very strongly about the
importance of young families having an opportunity for good
childcare for their children. I'm not sure that that's a part
of the education----
Senator Sanders. It's not a question of an opportunity.
It's a question of being able--very often, my Republican
friends talk about opportunity. It's not a question of
opportunity. It's a question of being able to afford it. How do
we help somebody who is making eight or nine bucks an hour at a
time when we can't raise the minimum wage here because of
Republican opposition? How do we make sure that those moms can
get quality childcare that they can afford?
Ms. DeVos. I would look forward to helping that mom get a
quality education for their child or their children so that
they could look forward to a bright and hopeful future.
Senator Sanders. Thank you very much.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Sanders.
We're going next to Senator Hatch.
Statement of Senator Hatch
Senator Hatch. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
We're certainly happy to have you here, Ms. DeVos, and I
appreciate the abilities that you've exemplified and the work
of your family, the care that you have for education, the hard
work that you've done. I have to say there are very few people
in this country who could even come close to what you've done.
Let me just say I welcome you to the committee. It's a
pleasure to be here today to consider your nomination to serve
as Secretary of Education. I appreciate your commitment to
expanding opportunities for all children and your tireless work
in the field of education. Your record of service is in line
with Utah values, especially your commitment to restoring local
autonomy over schools. Those closest to students know what is
best for their education, a truth you have championed as a
reformer.
This committee's support and passage of the Every Student
Succeeds Act illustrates that these values are not unique to
you and me, but are instead shared by many of my colleagues who
care for education as a reality. All I can say is many who make
comments on selections for this position have worked very hard
to try and make sure that good people serve in these positions,
not just people in stereotypical education, but those who might
bring really new things to the forefront.
All I can say is that we've helped many of our colleagues
to usher--we've ushered them through this process on both sides
of the floor, and I hope my colleagues will extend the same
courtesy to you. I also believe in extending Presidential
selections the benefit of the doubt, recognizing, for example,
that a person's views as a private citizen do not necessarily
reflect their future actions as a holder of public office.
From my private conversations with you, I trust that you
will not have--that you will not force particular policies on
States, unlike what some in education do, as your predecessors
have done, in some cases, in violation of congressional intent.
I also recognize that support for parental choice for all
students is not an attack on public education. My children and
grandchildren and great grandchildren have attended public
education as a reality, and I have to say that they've attended
these schools. I believe that you share my commitment to
ensuring that every child receives a quality education,
regardless of the type of school they attend.
I've spent my entire service here fighting to make equity
in education a reality, and I believe that you will be an
indispensable partner in this fight, and I look forward to
working with you on the priorities that are important to the
people of Utah, including increasing transparency,
accountability, and access to higher education, as well as
increasing innovation and evidence-based reforms. Unlike others
here who may be interested in attacking your donations, I know
you want to do right by all children, so I will stick to
focusing on how we can work together on sound policy.
Right now, the Department of Education does not have a
uniform measure for describing whether borrowers are repaying
their loans. Adding to the confusion, the department is using a
different borrower repayment rate methodology for each policy
it comes up with. A uniform metric might prove helpful in
making information available to Congress, the higher education
community, and the public about the success of former students
in repaying their Federal student loan debts.
This information could also tell us the extent to which
student loan repayment rates vary across institutions. I
believe students should have access to a wide variety of data
when choosing a school, just like they would when choosing a
car. Greater access to information would lead to wise
decisionmaking when choosing an institution. Do you support
increasing transparency regarding loan results for students and
parents to use when deciding upon a post-secondary school?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thank you. Thank you for that question
and for your kind comments. I agree with you 100 percent that
the issue of student debt and the amount of student debt--over
$1.3 trillion right now, up almost 1,000 percent in the last 8
years--is a very serious issue and one which we all have to pay
very close attention to and resolve in some way. If confirmed,
I certainly will look forward to working with you and your
colleagues on ways to get after this issue. The issue of the
cost of education as well as debt repayment kind of go hand in
hand, and I will look forward to working with you and your
colleagues should I be confirmed.
Senator Hatch. Thank you so much. I hope you'll be
confirmed, and I think you'll make a great Secretary.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Hatch.
Senator Casey.
Statement of Senator Casey
Senator Casey. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. Put me on
record as asking for a second round as well. I know that's
under consideration.
The Chairman. It's not under consideration, but I'll be
glad to put you on record.
[Laughter.]
Senator Casey. We'll keep trying.
Ms. DeVos, thank you for being here. We appreciate you and
your family being with us tonight.
I wanted to start with a basic question. Would you agree
with me that the problem--and that's an understatement, in my
judgment--but the problem of sexual assault on college campuses
is a significant problem that we should take action on?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thank you for that question. I agree
with you that sexual assault in any form or in any place is a
problem, and no disagreement there.
Senator Casey. The second question is would you uphold--let
me give you a little background here that you might know. In
2011, the Department of Education issued guidance on title IX
by this administration, the current administration. I'd ask you
would you uphold that 2011 title IX guidance as it relates to
sexual assault on campus?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, I know that there's a lot of
conflicting ideas and opinions around that guidance, and if
confirmed, I would look forward to working with you and your
colleagues and understand the range of opinions and understand
the issues from the higher ed institutions that are charged
with resolving these and addressing them, and I would look
forward to working together to find some resolutions.
Senator Casey. I agree with the guidance, so I'm just
asking for a yes or no. I guess you're not going to give me a
yes or no answer on committing to upholding that guidance.
Ms. DeVos. It would be premature for me to do that today.
Senator Casey. This problem is--to say it's an epidemic is
also an understatement. The Centers for Disease Control told us
back in 2009 that one in five women are the victims of sexual
assault on campus, and yet a lot of those women who are in that
one in five never have an opportunity or never report
incidents. It's a major problem for women.
In so many ways, it's the ultimate betrayal. Parents, for
generations, have told their daughters,
``Study hard in school, get good grades, because when
you get good grades, you might have an opportunity to
go to college, and if you go to college, the world is
open to you, and you can succeed by having a higher
education.''
It happens every year on many campuses around the country.
Too often, a young woman is a victim, sometimes on the first
day she's there, or the first week, and sometimes over the
course of her first year, and her life is destroyed by that.
We have a long way to go to addressing this problem. We
took some good action on this issue as part of the Violence
Against Women Act. It just happened to be my bill that got
passed into law, the so-called Campus SaVE Act. What we did in
that bill was, for the first time, say to colleges and
universities, ``You have to do more than you're doing,''
certainly on one broad topic of prevention and on awareness.
Young men on the campus who are the perpetrators of this have
to be part of the solution. They have to be part of bystander
education, a preventative strategy.
In addition to all kinds of transparency and requirements,
this is what the act did for women--for victims, I should say,
or victims of assault. Colleges and universities must provide
clear statements regarding the procedures followed. They must
do more than they had been doing when it comes to enforcement,
and, in particular, with regard to victims, it says the college
or university must indicate to the victim her right to notify
law enforcement should the victim choose to, that the
institution has an obligation to help the victim report the
incident to law enforcement, including helping her get a
protective order, among other things that the school has to do.
That's what the law is now, based upon my bill. In the fall
of 2015, this went into effect across the country. There's an
organization called the Foundation for Individual Rights in
Education. They support a bill that would totally change that.
They would force a victim to go to a police department to
report, and they would change the standard of evidence.
Would you commit, as Secretary of Education, to retaining
the standard of evidence that is currently the law?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, let me just say my mom's heart is
really piqued on this issue. Assault in any form is never OK,
and I just want to be very clear on that. If confirmed, I look
forward to understanding the past actions and the current
situation better and to ensuring that the intent of the law is
actually carried out in a way that recognizes both the victim,
the rights of the victims, as well as those who are accused and
that the institutions----
Senator Casey. I'm out of time, but let me just--the
organization that has that position, which is contrary to the
current law and contrary to the spirit of what we tried to do
in that piece of legislation, is a recipient of donations from
you totaling about $25,000 over 4 years. I hope, I hope that's
not a conflict of interest, but I would hope that you would
make a definitive commitment as a nominee to enforce the law as
it relates to sexual assault on college campuses. I'll send you
more questions about it.
The Chairman. Thank you Senator Casey.
Senator Paul.
Statement of Senator Paul
Senator Paul. Congratulations, Ms. DeVos, and thanks for
your testimony.
I grew up and went to public schools and got a great
education, and I'm a big fan of public schools. My kids have
gone to public schools. There are also some public schools that
aren't doing very well. Even the Department of Education says
about half of them aren't doing very well, and half the kids
that are dropping out are kids of color. I commend you for your
work, trying to help lower income kids and trying to help
everybody get a better education.
I think the status quo just isn't really working. I have
traveled to a lot of schools, though, and been amazed at some
of the schools. I went to Josephinum in Chicago, Saint Anthony
in Milwaukee, Boys' Latin School in Philadelphia--just amazing
success stories. You see the success in front of you where 100
percent of the kids are going to college--just amazing stories
where 50 percent, 40 percent, or 30 percent maybe of their
contemporaries in their community are going. So there are great
successes.
We need to think about the kids. People get so caught up
in, ``Oh, I don't want any religious schools'' or ``I don't
want any private schools,'' and all of this, and it's like look
at the kids and look at the success there. I thought maybe if
you would take a couple of minutes and tell us about some of
the things you've seen in Michigan, schools that you've either
visited that are a success, or just some of what you've seen
that has excited you about the potential, that all these kids
do have potential, and we shouldn't leave them behind.
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator. Thanks for that opportunity.
I would love to talk about some of the schools and some of the
individuals that I have seen benefit from the success of being
able to choose the right educational setting. I've already
mentioned the Potter's House School and John Booy, who is with
us here today. That's a school I regularly visit. The students
there come from a multitude of different countries, speak many
different languages, and most of them are from very, very low-
income circumstances. It's just amazing to see the
transformation that those students have made going through
their Potter's House years.
There's another student here, right behind me, Denisha
Merriweather, who I've gotten to know the last few years, who
is the recipient of a tax credit scholarship program in the
State of Florida. Denisha will tell you very promptly that she
had a very troubled early childhood in her grade school years.
I think she was kicked out multiple times before her godmother
actually finally found a school that was going to work for her,
and the transformation was just almost overnight. Denisha is
the first in her family to have graduated high school. She has
graduated college, and in May, she's going to get her master's
in social work degree. She's just a tremendous example of what
can happen when you get an opportunity to go to the right
school.
Nydia Salazar is also here, and she has--her mom took her
and immigrated from Peru because of the opportunity--she knew
she would have a much greater opportunity to succeed and
thrive. Nydia has been the beneficiary of a tax credit
scholarship program in Arizona, and she is now in college and
pursuing a higher education there.
Those are two students. There's many schools that I see
that are doing amazing things, actually trying new and
innovative ways of approaching education for children. One of
them I'd love to mention is called Acton Academy, and it's
truly a unique model in that it's totally student-directed.
They form their own constitution, and there's no teacher in the
classroom. There's just a coach or a guide, and the guide
cannot answer questions. They can only pose a question back to
the students. The results from this Acton Academy are simply
amazing, and the school is actually proliferating pretty
rapidly throughout the country.
Those are just a few examples. I could give you dozens
more.
Senator Paul. Putting a face on it and meeting these kids
and seeing that they're going to succeed and looking them in
the eye and knowing that these young ladies are going to
succeed is an amazing thing. For those who have this
philosophic hatred for vouchers and school choice, watch the
movie ``Waiting for Superman'' and see the mom with tears down
her face whose child got the lottery and won to get in a good
school, and then the one who didn't get in.
Senator Alexander and I went to a Kipp charter school in
Nashville, and we met a young woman there. She got a full
scholarship to Boston College, and I'll never forget--here we
are. We'd like to talk to the media. The media didn't want to
talk to us at all. They wanted to talk to this young lady,
because she was just an amazing success story.
I wish you the best of luck. Thank you.
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Paul.
Senator Franken.
Statement of Senator Franken
Senator Franken. Yes. I'm a member of the Minnesota DFL
Party, the party that the chairman invoked at the beginning of
this hearing. Charter schools are not the issue here. Minnesota
is thoroughly in the mainstream. There are 37 States in this
country that constitutionally prohibit the use of public school
money for religious schools. It is the DFL Party in Minnesota--
thank you very much--that is in the mainstream and not our
witness or the chairman.
Senator Lieberman mentioned proficiency in the NAEP test,
and it just reminded me of this. When I first got into the
Senate in 2009, I had a roundtable of principals, and one of
the principals--in Minnesota--said, ``We think of the NCLB
tests as autopsies.'' And I knew exactly what he meant, because
what he was saying is that the students take the tests in late
April. If they're lucky, they get them back in late June. The
teachers can't use the results to inform their instruction.
I saw in Minnesota that in addition to the NCLB tests, a
lot of schools, a majority of schools, were taking a computer
adaptive test, a computer test so you get the results right
away, and adaptive so that you can measure outside of grade
level. This brings me to the issue of proficiency, which the
Senator cited, versus growth. I would like your views on the
relative advantage of doing assessments and using them to
measure proficiency or to measure growth.
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator, for that question. If I'm
understanding your question correctly around proficiency, I
would also correlate it to competency and mastery so that each
student is measured according to the advancement that they're
making in each subject area----
Senator Franken. That's growth. That's not proficiency. In
other words, the growth they're making is in growth. The
proficiency is an arbitrary standard.
Ms. DeVos. If they've reached a level--the proficiency is
if they've reached a, like, third grade level for reading, et
cetera.
Senator Franken. No, I'm talking about the debate between
proficiency and growth----
Ms. DeVos. Yes.
Senator Franken [continuing]. And what your thoughts are on
them.
Ms. DeVos. I was just asking to clarify, then, what----
Senator Franken. This is a subject that has been debated in
the education community for years, and I've advocated growth,
as the chairman and every member of this committee knows,
because with proficiency----
Ms. DeVos. You're looking back.
Senator Franken [continuing]. Teachers ignore the kids at
the top who are not going to fall below proficiency, and they
ignore the kid at the bottom who, no matter what they do, will
never get to proficiency. I've been an advocate of growth. It
surprises me that you don't know this issue.
Mr. Chairman, this is a good reason for us to have more
questions, because this is a very important subject, education,
our kids' education, and we're selling our kids short by not
being able to have a debate on it. I didn't know of any rule
about this--everyone gets one question and then one other
Senator gets a question. I don't know where that rule comes
from.
The Chairman. I'll tell you where it comes from, Senator
Franken. It comes from the committee precedent and the way we
treated President Obama's nominees, John King, and the way we
treated Arne Duncan and the way I was treated when I was the
Secretary. I'm going to apply--I'm applying the same rules to
them--or to Ms. DeVos----
Senator Franken. I think we're selling our kids short by
not being able to ask followup questions, and I was kind of
surprised--well, I'm not that surprised that you did not know
this issue.
Ms. DeVos, your family has a long history of supporting
anti-LGBT causes, including donating millions of dollars to
groups that push conversion therapy, the practice of trying to
change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity. For
example, you and your family have given over $10 million to
Focus on the Family, an organization that currently states on
its website that, ``homosexual strugglers can and do change
their sexual behavior and identity.''
Ms. DeVos, conversion therapy has been widely discredited
and rejected for decades by every mainstream medical and mental
health organization as neither medically or ethically
appropriate. It has been shown to lead to depression, anxiety,
drug use, homelessness, and suicide, particularly in LGBT
youth. In fact, many of the leaders and founders of conversion
therapy, including both religious ministries and mental health
professionals, have not only publicly renounced it, but have
issued formal apologies for their work and how harmful it has
been to the individuals involved.
Mr. Chairman, I would ask that this be included in the
record.
The Chairman. It will be.
Senator Franken. Ms. DeVos, do you still believe in
conversion therapy?
Ms. DeVos. Senator Franken, I've never believed in that.
First of all, let me say I fully embrace equality, and I
believe in the innate value of every single human being, and
that all students, no matter their age, should be able to
attend a school and feel safe and be free of discrimination.
Let's start there. Let me just say that your characterization
of contributions I don't think accurately reflects those of my
family. I don't----
Senator Franken. You've been----
Ms. DeVos. I would hope that you wouldn't include other
family members beyond my core family.
Senator Franken. In terms of throwing numbers around, you
said that student debt has increased by 1,000 percent since----
Ms. DeVos. Nine-hundred and eighty percent in 8 years.
Senator Franken. I'm sorry?
Ms. DeVos. Nine-hundred and eighty percent. That's almost
1,000.
Senator Franken. That's just not so. It's increased 118
percent in the past 8 years.
I'm just asking if you're challenging my figures, I would
ask that you get your figures straight about education policy.
That's why we want more questions, because we want to know
if this person that we are entrusting or may entrust to be the
Secretary of Education--if she has the breadth and depth of
knowledge that we would expect from someone who has that
important job.
Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Franken. I had as many
disagreements with Secretary King as you apparently do with Ms.
DeVos, and we're treating her in exactly the same way that we
treated him, and that's what I would call the Golden Rule.
Senator Franken. I did not hear one member of the committee
ask to ask more questions. Here, virtually every member of the
minority is asking to ask more questions, and that's a very
substantial difference.
The Chairman. We have--because you've got a nominee of the
Republican Party. We're not going to treat a Republican nominee
differently than we treat a Democratic nominee. We've had the
same situation with both of President Obama's nominees.
Senator Franken. I think----
Senator Murray. Mr. Chairman, I do want to put in the
record that Michael Leavitt had two rounds.
The Chairman. Michael Leavitt was never the Education
Secretary.
Senator Murray. HHS. Rod Paige under Bush had 10-minute
rounds. There is other precedent, so that's why my members
really are asking for more questions.
The Chairman. I appreciate that, Senator Murray, and I
appreciate your saying that. I'm trying to be fair by treating
Ms. DeVos in the same way we treated both of President Obama's
Education nominees.
We'll go next to Senator Cassidy.
Statement of Senator Cassidy
Senator Cassidy. Ms. DeVos, thanks. It's good to see you
again. I enjoyed our meeting in anticipation of this.
I am really struck at the kind of reaction your nomination
has elicited. Let me just ask some questions. Do you support
public education?
Ms. DeVos. Absolutely, Senator.
Senator Cassidy. Man, that's amazing. Some would have us
think that you do not. Do you believe that all children, all
children, deserve to have the opportunity to receive quality
education?
Ms. DeVos. Absolutely, I do.
Senator Cassidy. Do you support the rights of all children,
regardless of income or race--by the way, this means a lot to
me, this next one--to have the option to choose the school that
meets their child's needs?
Ms. DeVos. Absolutely, I do. And I commend you and your
wife for the school that you've started that's specifically
focused on dyslexic students.
Senator Cassidy. I will tell you, by the way, that my son--
he's very bright--graduated from--speaking of dyslexia--
graduated from an inner city school, public school, and then
graduated with honors from some fancy school in the Northeast.
My daughter who has dyslexia--we were able to pay the tuition
so that she can have her needs addressed, and not all parents
can pay that tuition. It matters very much to me that a parent,
regardless of her income, can get her child's needs addressed.
Thank you for doing that.
Just a few more. Do you support the belief that decisions
affecting our children's education are best left to the States
and locals to decide, to allow them to tailor the education
policies and programs that best meet the needs of their
students?
Ms. DeVos. I do, indeed.
Senator Cassidy. Oh, my gosh. Do you view the role of the
U.S. Secretary of Education as an opportunity to advance your
personal education views and agenda?
Ms. DeVos. Not mine, personally. I'm going to, hopefully,
be able to advance the President-elect's and also the views of
many, many parents nationally.
Senator Cassidy. As Secretary of Education, is it your
intention to undermine our Nation's public education system?
Ms. DeVos. Not at all.
Senator Cassidy. As Secretary, will you carry out the
implementation of Federal education laws in a way that reflects
the very letter and intent of the law?
Ms. DeVos. Indeed.
Senator Cassidy. Do you intend to mandate, direct, coerce,
or control any State, local school district, or school on any
education program that is specifically prohibited by the
Secretary in Federal law, one such example being Common Core?
Ms. DeVos. No.
Senator Cassidy. Do you intend to mandate, direct, coerce,
or control any State, local school district, or school to
require school choice policies, including private school
vouchers or scholarships?
Ms. DeVos. No.
Senator Cassidy. Let's just clear that for the record.
Next, you mentioned dyslexia. I am passionate about that.
Twenty percent of us are dyslexics, 20 percent. I'm told that
one out of four children of color by age four reads
substantially--by fourth grade--reads substantially below grade
level. That's important because we learn to read, and then we
read to learn. If you've not learned to read, you're behind the
eight ball. That is an issue I'm passionate about.
As Secretary of Education, will you commit to working with
me and others to find common ways to promote better awareness
and understanding of dyslexia, and will you commit to working
with me and this committee to develop better Federal education
policies to ensure that dyslexic children and all students with
differences have the resources they need?
Ms. DeVos. I would look forward to that opportunity,
Senator.
Senator Cassidy. As Secretary, you may not agree to this
one or not. Will you commit to working with me and this
committee to develop new Federal policies that will ensure the
early screening for dyslexia in school or universal screenings
for all students in school to ensure that any learning
differences are diagnosed early and that the appropriate
services are provided to students?
Ms. DeVos. I would look forward to exploring that with you
to see whether that's a Federal role or whether that's best
left to the States. I would look forward to that opportunity.
Senator Cassidy. That is a fair answer. I have a couple
more I could ask, but this meeting is going long. I will thank
you for your answers, and I will yield back.
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Cassidy.
Senator Bennet.
Statement of Senator Bennet
Senator Bennet. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and in view of how
fair you've been to me and to other members of the committee,
it pains me to say this. I really wish we had a second round of
questions, too. I really wish we had the tax returns from this
nominee.
I don't believe you are a precedent for this. When you
became--when you were the nominee, you had been a Governor, you
had been the president of a university. John King had been a
school principal, had been the Commissioner of Education in the
State of New York. Arne Duncan had been the superintendent of
the Chicago Public Schools. Those were the experiences they
brought to their committee hearing, and their records were
well-known and well-established.
There is no way in the period of time we have here that
we're going to be able to elicit that level of background. I
would ask that some consideration be given to our having
additional questions and that the tax returns be made available
to the committee.
I want to thank Ms. DeVos for your willingness to serve and
for being here, for your passion about education, for your
family as well. I agree with you--and the committee members
know this--that our public school system is not working for too
many of our kids, particularly those living in poverty. That's
utterly unacceptable, and the fact that we don't pay attention
to it, the fact that we treat America's children like they're
someone else's children is something that this generation is
going to have to pay for in the future.
Every kid in this country should have access to a great
public school. I support parents' choices among high-quality
public schools and charter schools, and it plays a critical
role in education. The goal for me has never been school choice
for its own end. The goal is high-quality public schools where
every kid in every neighborhood can receive a great education.
For a kid from a low-income family, there's no difference
between--there may be a philosophical difference, but there's
no practical difference between being forced to attend a
terrible school and being given a chance to choose among five
terrible schools. That's no choice at all, and it's certainly
not a meaningful one. In Denver, we made a different deal, a
deal that said we're going to create a public choice system,
we're going to authorize charters, we're going to create
innovation schools and strengthen traditional schools.
Without exception, we demanded quality and implemented
strong accountability, and as far as I can tell, Detroit and
Michigan, to a degree, has followed exactly the opposite path.
According to one analysis that said Detroit public schools--
and, by the way, it's not easy to figure this out because
there's so little accountability in Michigan. The Detroit
public schools averaged 9 percent--9 percent of the kids are
proficient. The charter schools did a little better--14 percent
of the kids are proficient.
I'll stipulate that the charter schools are doing better,
but that's a horrible outcome for everybody involved. According
to an Education Trust report in 2013, the majority of charter
schools in Michigan performed worse than the Detroit public--in
Michigan--performed worse than the Detroit public schools when
it came to African American students in eighth grade math.
Nearly half of charter schools in Michigan ranked in the bottom
quarter of all schools statewide.
My question is this--not a false choice about whether we
should have choice or whether we shouldn't have choice. We
should have choice. What have you learned in the last 20 years
of this work in Michigan that has changed your mind about what
it is that kids need in America in the 21st century?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thank you for that question, and, first
of all, I look forward to correcting some of the record
regarding Detroit. It's really important, first of all, to put
Detroit in context. In 1950, there were 1.8 million people
living in the city of Detroit. Today, there's less than
700,000--675,000, roughly. Anyone with any means in the city of
Detroit with school-age children has basically left the city,
and the students there today----
Senator Bennet. I'm sorry. With respect, I'm not asking for
a history of Detroit. What I'd like to know--what I asked about
was the last 20 years of school reform that you've been so
involved with in Michigan.
Ms. DeVos. Yes, but you were referring specifically to the
Detroit schools.
Senator Bennet. Right.
Ms. DeVos. The reality today is that 8 out of 10 students
in Detroit are living in poverty. Nobody accepts that the
results in Detroit overall are acceptable. There's clearly room
for a lot more improvement. The reality is that more than half
of the----
Senator Bennet. What--I'm sorry. I'm sensitive because I'm
not going to get a second round of questions. What have you
learned about the failures of the Detroit public schools and
Detroit charter schools that has informed your decisionmaking
as the Secretary of Education? What went wrong there that's
going to go right in cities all across America as a result of
your philosophy about how we ought to move the country forward?
Ms. DeVos. Actually, I believe that there's a lot that has
gone right in Detroit and in Michigan with regard to charter
schools, and the notion that there hasn't been accountability
is just wrong. It's a faulty--it's false news. It's not correct
at all. The reality is that charter schools in Michigan have
been accountable, fully accountable, to their overseeing bodies
and to the State. Since their history, 122----
Senator Bennet. If that's true, why are there so many
failing charter schools in Michigan?
Ms. DeVos. A hundred and twenty-two charter schools have
been closed since charter schools came into existence in
Michigan. The reality today is that students attending charter
schools in the city of Detroit are getting 3 months, on
average, more learning than their counterparts in the
traditional public schools.
The recent legislation that was passed now actually brings
all schools in Detroit under accountability, including the
traditional schools. Heretofore, there's never been a
traditional public school that's been closed due to poor
performance. And, finally, for the people of Detroit, there is
accountability across the board, and I'm pleased and thankful
that that's the case.
Senator Bennet. Mr. Chairman, I'm out of time, and I
apologize.
I'd like to say this, Ms. DeVos. Thank you for your
willingness to do this, and I'd like to invite you to Denver,
to the Denver Public Schools, if you'd be willing to come, to
see what we're working on there.
Ms. DeVos. I would love to do that.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Bennet.
Senator Young.
Statement of Senator Young
Senator Young. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. DeVos, I thank you so much for putting yourself forward
for this position. I think you'll make a fine Secretary of
Education.
I'd like to bring to your attention something we discussed
in our office, and we spent quite a bit of time talking about
teachers. You actually started talking about teachers, and it
was encouraging here today that in your prepared remarks, you
said we are blessed beyond measure by educators who pour
themselves into their students.
I shared with you--I'm a father of four young children, age
10 and under, and I've really come to appreciate how essential
it is to have prepared teachers, teachers who are empowered to
do their very best work, and immersed in an atmosphere that's
supportive. My objective, in part, in sitting on this committee
is to try and play a constructive role in that process,
hopefully, working with you. My wife--her family is full of
teachers. In fact, a number of them are still teaching today in
a low-income town in Indiana, Paoli, IN.
I like to look to the evidence, and I'm always open to
evidence from all comers. There's a 2007 study--not all that
dated--by McKinsey and Company. They examined education systems
all around the world to try and figure out what works, what
makes for an effective education environment, and it wasn't the
amount of money spent per student. In fact, we've tried that in
this country. In 1970, the cost to educate a student was
roughly $57,000. Adjusting for inflation, 40 years later, it
was $165,000 per student. We know right there it's not money.
What McKinsey found was that one of the most important
factors was the quality of our teachers. I feel very strongly
that we need to remove barriers to quality teaching and enable
and equip these teachers to do their very best work. As someone
who has studied this issue extensively, I'd just like to get
your thoughts on how we might do that.
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator, and I did enjoy our meeting
in your office as well, talking about some of these issues.
First, let me re-state again that a quality teacher cannot be--
the importance of a quality teacher cannot be overstated, and
the opportunities abound for empowering and re-empowering
teachers in a new way, unleashing and unencumbering them with a
lot of rules and regulations today that really prohibit and
inhibit creativity and innovation with their students.
When you take a step back and look at how we deliver
education today, for the most part, it hasn't changed
significantly in a century and a half, and yet the world has
changed significantly. There's a great opportunity--and this
goes for teachers of all kinds of schools and all varieties--
and that is to really empower them in a new way to do what they
do best.
I know that in a couple of the States, when charter schools
were actually introduced, those that founded the charter
schools were actually teachers who were wanting to express
themselves in a different way and found a new opportunity to
unleash from their previous circumstances.
Senator Young. Thanks. In my remaining 90 seconds here,
I'll just emphasize that I've spent the last 4 years in the
House of Representatives, focused, in the main, on trying to
ascertain whether or not our social support programs, those
programs that are targeted toward helping the poor, the needy,
the vulnerable, those who need a hand-up in society--whether or
not those programs are working. What I discovered is there are
roughly 80 of these programs, depending upon how you count
them. Of those 80, only 12 have ever been rigorously evaluated,
using the gold standard of evaluation, randomized control
trial, multisite, and of those 12, only one has been found to
meaningfully work, and even that one is a bit complicated.
We need to apply evidence-based approaches to the education
system in the same sort of way and just stare at the evidence
and let it guide us accordingly, hopefully, in a bipartisan
way. Do I have your assurance that you'll operate in this
fashion? It's a threshold issue for me.
Ms. DeVos. Absolutely, Senator. It's a great opportunity,
and, if confirmed, I would look forward to working with you on
that.
Senator Young. Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Young.
Senator Whitehouse.
Statement of Senator Whitehouse
Senator Whitehouse. Thank you, Chairman.
Good evening, Ms. DeVos. Welcome to the committee. It is
reputed, at least, that Sigmund Freud said there are times when
a cigar is just a cigar. There are times when charter schools
are just charter schools. When that's the case, everybody in
this room supports them. Certainly, we have a very strong
charter school community in Rhode Island.
There are times when it appears that charter schools are
used as a wedge to attack public education, and the signals of
that tend to be that failing charter schools are protected
compared to failing public schools, that the standards really
aren't there. As I said, in Rhode Island, we demand a lot of
our charter schools. They succeed very well. We are proud of
them.
I have read that 80 percent of charter schools in Michigan
are run by for-profit entities, and most of them perform below
the State average, suggesting that a failing charter school is
automatically better than a successful traditional public
school in the view of that system. We, in Rhode Island,
wouldn't want to see that system moved into Rhode Island or
moved to a national level.
The second signal is when the charter school advocates fail
to recognize--as I believe you have actually recognized--that
there are ongoing costs and responsibilities that a traditional
public school must continue to shoulder, even as students leave
with their funding for charter schools. That is so clear a
proposition now that the investment service, Moody's, has
written about it and talked about the danger of a downward
spiral because it actually adds cost when you have to maintain
the public traditional school and the charter school until the
system can adjust.
Can you assure us that your desire for charter schools is
sincere, and that as the Secretary of Education you will steer
away from efforts to deny traditional public schools the
funding that they need to manage the charter school transition,
and that you will make sure that charter schools have to live
up to their promise and you're not just going after traditional
public schools when they are failing?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thanks for that question. Let me just
begin by, again, stating that my advocacy and my orientation is
really around parents and students and their choosing the right
education for their children. When parents choose charter
schools, they're doing so because they think that it's a better
spot for their children. You have my commitment that I will be
an advocate for all great schools, no matter their form, their
version. I will be an advocate for parents being able to make
those choices, because they're the primary educator for their
children.
Senator Whitehouse. I get that. The question is do you
understand that when the parent makes that choice and the child
moves to the charter school and the funding moves with the
child, that leaves a funding gap at the previous school that it
can't instantaneously or magically fill, that that is a real
problem that Moody's respects and has----
Ms. DeVos. Indeed. This is a good example of an issue that
is best addressed at the State level by each State,
acknowledging that each State will have unique circumstances in
that regard.
Senator Whitehouse. The problem is that it will be hard to
address that at the State level if you make the Federal
Department of Education a crusader for moving kids to charter
schools without any recognition of the legacy costs of the
public school system. If it is your intention to create a
downward spiral, that is not solved by different State
policies. That's where we need you, as Secretary of Education,
to commit to recognize that there is this problem and that you
will keep in mind not only the charter schools and the parents
going there, but the traditional schools and the parents
staying there.
Ms. DeVos. Certainly, as we spoke in your office, this is
an issue, and it's probably unique to some States more than it
is to others. Again, I will refer back to the implementation of
the Every Student Succeeds Act and the opportunities that
States have to address the unique challenges of their States. I
will be a crusader for parents and students and the quality of
their education, not for specific systems and not for specific
arrangements of how school is delivered.
Senator Whitehouse. Let me ask you just one other quick
question. For 10 years, you served on the Board of the Acton
Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, which calls
climate change unfounded and of undue concern. You and your
husband have contributed to the Thomas More Law Center, touting
itself as the sword and shield for people of faith, which has
repeatedly promoted fake science, even going so far as to
represent the Dover Area School District of Pennsylvania in a
lawsuit over the adoption of a biology textbook including
intelligent design.
The S in STEM which everybody is for is science. If school
districts around the country try to teach students junk
science, will the Department of Education be with the students
or with the political entities trying to force the junk science
into the science programs?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, it's pretty clear that the expectation
is that science is taught in public schools, and I support the
teaching of great science and especially science that allows
students to exercise critical thinking and to really discover
and examine in new ways. Science is to be supported at all
levels.
Senator Whitehouse. I would have liked, Mr. Chairman, to
make some inquiries about Pell grants, to followup on some of
these answers which were directed toward the question but maybe
not completely responsive to the question, and to ask about
where the department will go on the nightmarish problem of
college for-profits that have taken these kids and robbed them
of their education, robbed them of their money, and set them
loose with a piece of paper that isn't worth anything.
I believe this is--as I said, I'm very fond of you, and I'm
very fond of this committee, and I don't recall ever being told
that I could never have a second round in a hearing as a matter
of principle before.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Whitehouse.
I'm going to take my 5-minute round now and go back to
something that Ms. DeVos brought up and something that several
Senators have brought up. I want to talk about the law that the
President called the Christmas miracle that this committee
produced which fixed No Child Left Behind. It was passed in
December 2015.
Under the current administration, the plans are, under the
law we call ESSA--Senator Franken may have been the first
person to suggest that--but under the plan----
Senator Franken. May I ask a question on that?
[Laughter.]
The Chairman. No.
Senator Franken. That was a joke.
The Chairman. No. I should have known better. Yes, I know.
The department is planning--is on a path to say to States,
``Go ahead and''--every State will have to get their new title
I plan in to get their Federal money and their title II plan,
which is really a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of
the innovation States have wanted and the flexibility that we
have given them.
The current administration is on a path to say to States,
``Get your plans in, and we'll approve them in the
spring or in the summer, and you can then implement the
plans in the school year that begins next year.''
Is it your intention to continue on that path, on that
schedule?
Ms. DeVos. Absolutely, Senator, and if there's any
confusion or question around transition, rest assured it would
be a high priority, if confirmed, for me to ensure that the
plan is adhered to and that the law is implemented as you all
intended it.
The Chairman. My guess is in most of our States, plans are
being circulated among various groups, and people will--if you
are confirmed--be looking for a signal from you to go ahead and
get your plan in the spring and summer and we'll try to approve
it or consider it so that you can get on in the next year.
A second question is--as you can tell, we have some
considerable differences of opinion here in the committee, and
we resolved them well enough to pass a bill that I think 85 of
us voted for. We worked out some difficult issues. We even put
what Senator Murray likes to call guardrails on the States, and
we even put some guardrails on the Secretary of Education,
which my colleagues on the Democratic side may now think better
of, that we did that.
What is your attitude toward respecting the authority that
Congress gives you and trying to implement the law according to
the way it's written rather than trying to legislate from where
you are? For example, you believe very strongly in giving low-
income parents more choices of schools. We debated that and
only got 45 votes for Senator Scott's bill and for my bill, so
it's not in the law. Would you then try to write a regulation
to implement that through the U.S. Department of Education even
though Congress couldn't do it?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, it would be my goal, if confirmed, to
implement laws as you intended them. I acknowledge that it's
your role to write laws and pass laws, and it would be the
department's role to implement as intended, and that's my
commitment.
The Chairman. No matter how strongly you feel about school
choice, for example, you wouldn't be prepared to mandate
Washington State or Tennessee to adopt a particular school
choice plan.
Ms. DeVos. No. I would hope I could convince you all of the
merit of that in maybe some future legislation, but certainly
not any kind of mandate from within the department.
The Chairman. The Scholarship for Kids legislation that I
proposed that got 45 votes, which wasn't enough, and that
Senator Scott proposed, a more limited version which had to do
with students with disabilities, basically said that we could
take the $24 billion of Federal dollars we now spend--$24
billion of the Federal dollars we now spend, and a State could
choose to take its share of that money and turn it into $2,100
scholarships and let it follow the students to the schools that
the State chose. If the State did not approve of dollars going
to private schools or religious schools that were accredited,
it didn't have to do that. Or if a State did that, which I
think 25 do, it could do that.
In that case, it would allow the States to make the
decision and the parents to make the choice rather than
Washington giving an order that you have to do school choice.
Is that the kind of school choice proposal that you would
support or not?
Ms. DeVos. Yes, absolutely, and we've seen a wide variety
of approaches to school choice, including private school
choice, in the now 25 States in which programs exist. It would
really be dependent on each State's political realities and
culture and how they wanted to approach that opportunity and
that option. Or if they wanted to expand it, that would be
another alternative as well.
The Chairman. Thank you.
Senator Baldwin.
Statement of Senator Baldwin
Senator Baldwin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to weigh
in also that I hope that we will get additional opportunity to
ask questions. I would like it to be not in writing but to give
the American people a chance to hear the exchange and
responses.
Mr. Chairman, I also associate myself with the concerns
raised by our Ranking Member regarding the holding of this
hearing prior to receipt of the Office of Government Ethics
plan for elimination of possible conflicts of interest.
Ms. DeVos, you had the chance to answer questions already
about your and your family's indirect investments in education-
related, for-profit companies, including Social Finance and
Performant, which I understand to be a collection agency that
specializes in student debt collection. I won't repeat those.
Let me get to that ethics agreement that will be forthcoming.
What decision you will need to make is whether to take
advantage of Section 1043 of the Internal Revenue Code, which
allows you to defer capital gains taxes on the sale of assets
divested in order to comply with ethics rules. This provision
can allow wealthy individuals to save hundreds of millions of
dollars. It's why, when I became aware of this, that I joined
Senators Whitehouse and Warren on this committee as well as our
colleague, Senator Feinstein, in introducing a bill to close
this loophole or at least limit the amount of capital gains
that could be deferred to $1 million.
Because we don't have your financial information yet from
the Office of Government Ethics, my question to you is: Are you
planning on taking advantage of this tax loophole?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thank you for that question. Let me
just re-state again that I look forward to the ethics agreement
finalization with the Office of Government Ethics and am
committed to ensuring that I have no conflicts and will go
forward with no conflicts. With respect to your specific
question, I do not intend to take advantage of that loophole.
I've already made that conclusion, that decision. In fact, it
probably would be useful to note here that, again, if
confirmed, I will only take a salary of $1 so I can be
official, but I don't intend to take a salary, either.
Senator Baldwin. I also listened carefully to your opening
statement and your exchange with Senator Franken related to
your sizable donations to a number of anti-LGBT organizations
that have been associated with advocacy for the discredited
practice of conversion therapy. I was heartened by your
response, I will say. I would note that these same
organizations, anti-LGBT organizations, also have been hostile
to nondiscrimination protections, issues like adoption,
marriage equality.
Given the alarm that parents have expressed to me about
these donations to anti-LGBT organizations, I guess I want to
ask--I assume that there are LGBT students and their parents
watching tonight. What would you say to them to assure them
that you're going to use your position as Secretary to support
LGBT students or students with LGBT parents?
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator. Let me just re-state again
that I embrace equality, and I firmly believe in the intrinsic
value of each individual, and that every student should have
the assurance of a safe and discrimination-free place to become
educated. I want to re-state those principles, those values for
me.
Let me just comment to the contributions that you've
referred to again and suggest that you may be confusing some
other family members in some of those contributions and also
looking at contributions from 18 or 20 years ago. I just want
to again refer to what I just said about my approach. As a mom,
I just can't imagine having a child that would feel
discriminated against for any reason, and I would want my child
in a safe environment.
Senator Baldwin. I note that I have run out of time, and,
Mr. Chairman, I have many more questions that I would like to
propound.
I will say, Ms. DeVos, if you think that there is--and
we've been fairly general, given our restricted time, about the
issue of charitable contributions, if you will, or
contributions to these anti-LGBT advocacy organizations. If you
feel like there has been a family member who has contributed,
and you're being identified, and that the public record is
incorrect, please, in writing, followup. I have certainly seen
information quite to the contrary.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Baldwin.
Senator Roberts.
Statement of Senator Roberts
Senator Roberts. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for
holding the hearing, and I thank the Ranking Member as well.
Ms. DeVos, thank you for being responsive, articulate,
informed, and, in my view, specific.
I suppose, Mr. Chairman, all members could submit any
specific questions they have for the record, and we could have
a time period on that, and then if they have any concern, they
could always speak on the Senate floor.
Thank you for coming by my office. We had a nice visit.
I'll let you know that way back, I had the opportunity to teach
also while trying to put out a newspaper on the west side of
Phoenix, not Kansas, but Phoenix. At any rate, I know you fully
understand that a one-size-fits-all education system just does
not work. You just said that in your testimony.
I told you that I held a roundtable discussion in Kansas at
Washburn University in Topeka with 12 college presidents--we
got all of them except a few--and 12 business stakeholders very
important to those universities to discuss higher education and
workforce development, given the fact that we are going to
attempt to pass a higher education bill. In particular, I heard
from the higher education leaders about the impact of Federal
programs, obviously, policies, obviously, but more especially
regulations on Kansas institutions of higher education.
During our meeting last month in my office, I shared with
you an information chart--I need a bigger chart. It's like the
guy who said he needed a bigger boat with a shark coming after
him. Maybe that's not a proper allegory. At any rate, these are
34 topics or areas of Federal regulations, some of them very,
very, very important. The collective judgment was that they
were so intrusive, so expensive, so time consuming that they
had to get an Office of Compliance just to look at the Federal
regulations, and then they assigned bad news bears to go tell
all the various departments that make up the Johnson County
Community College, which, by the way, has the highest
enrollment of any college or university in Kansas, more than
the Jayhawks, more than the Wildcats, and more than the
Shockers.
These 34 areas of Federal regulations, so costly and
impactful to the school, basically indicate that we need to
work together to eliminate many of these burdensome regulations
that hinder the institutions of higher education's main goal to
educate our students effectively and efficiently. As you know--
and I think I would have agreement on the other side of the
dais as well--regulations are one of the key areas this
committee will focus on as we work on reauthorization of the
Higher Education Act.
Will you be a partner in addressing many of the time-
consuming regulations?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thanks for that question, and thanks
for the meeting in your office. I appreciate seeing the chart
again. As I'm a visual learner, I really appreciate that one in
particular. Yes, I can commit to you that, if confirmed, I will
look forward to working with you and this committee on that act
and on the regulations that you've referred to, and wanting to
help free our institutions of higher learning to the greatest
extent possible to do what they do best.
Senator Roberts. Being an ombudsman for Kansas education,
along with my fellow Senator, it's tough when you try to go
directly to the person who is in charge of that department,
namely you. I tried that before, sitting down across from
President Obama and complaining about regulations to learn of
his Executive order to make sure every department ascribed to a
cost-benefit yardstick, if you will, but that didn't happen.
The person in charge who was supposed to get back to me was his
top gun, his right arm, Dennis. Dennis was in charge of war and
peace and other things.
I'm going to recommend that maybe we ought to do it
regionally. Obviously, we've had people from rural areas, urban
areas. It's going to be terribly important that we get to
somebody that can actually see the problem and report back to
you or to somebody else in your department. You can't do all
this. I don't know anybody who can. At least, when we have a
real problem with the 12 universities or, for that matter, 5,
6, or even 1, we could say, ``Hey, here's a regulation that
just doesn't make sense. Can we at least address it?'' Maybe we
can tweak it. Maybe we can get rid of it, or maybe we can do
better.
I hope that you can work out some kind of SWAT team, if you
will, with regards to over-regulation, because that really was
the No. 1 issue that I heard. Thank you.
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator. That sounds like a great
idea.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Roberts.
Senator Murphy.
Statement of Senator Murphy
Senator Murphy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
If Senator Alexander decided to allow us more than a meager
5 minutes of questions, Ms. DeVos, do you have anywhere to be
tonight? Would you be able to stick around and answer those
questions?
Ms. DeVos. I am going to defer to the Chairman on this.
Senator Murphy. I assume you probably don't have other
obligations. Let me just count myself in. This is a real shame,
this rush job, this inability to allow the public to see this
debate, the imperative to get this hearing in before we have
all the information. It really violates the best traditions of
this committee, and it suggests that this committee is trying
to protect this nominee from scrutiny, and I hope we would
reconsider.
Ms. DeVos, let me try to rush through these questions in
the time that I have. Your family has been investors in a
company called K12. It's a for-profit online charter operator.
It gets about 80 percent of its money from the Federal or State
taxpayers, and it paid its CEO over a million dollars in the
first year. It's made millions and millions of dollars in
profit.
I could go through a long litany of examples in which
people have made their fortune off of public education
dollars--a charter school principal in Orlando who got a
$519,000 payout when her school was closed for poor
performance. I guess my question is simple. Do you support
companies and individuals profiting from public education
dollars that is essentially taking money away from students to
pay salaries for CEOs in return for investors?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thank you for that question. Let me
just say that when it comes to education, what's important is
what the outcomes are, what the achievements are, and I don't
think the delivery mechanism is the issue as much as it is are
students receiving the benefit of a great education.
Senator Murphy. Have you met many principals in Detroit
that say that they have enough, that they don't need more?
Ms. DeVos. I can't really answer that question. I haven't
asked them specifically if they have enough.
Senator Murphy. If we can't agree that folks shouldn't get
rich off of schools, then maybe we can agree that they
shouldn't be getting rich off of terrible schools. You and I
had the chance to talk in my office about the accountability
regulations that were a big part of the underlying new Federal
education law. The department has issued final regulations that
incorporate comments of basically everyone in the education
field to make sure that to the extent public dollars are
flowing to private schools that they meet real standards. These
accountability regulations are supported by the Council of
Chief State School Officers, the School Superintendents
Association, civil rights groups, teachers unions.
Can you assure this committee that you're going to
implement those accountability regulations to make sure that
all schools are performing and not throw ESSA implementation
into chaos for States and districts around the country? Are you
going to implement those accountability regulations?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, let me just re-state again that
accountability is highly important, and I support
accountability for all schools, which is why I supported the
most recent legislation in Michigan that is now holding all
schools, including traditional public schools, accountable for
performance. I will continue to support accountability, and I
will continue to support the implementation of Every Student
Succeeds Act as Congress has intended it.
Senator Murphy. Let me ask you again. Are you going to
support the implementation of the existing regulations, again,
supported by a wide cross-section of the educational community,
that requires schools to come up with their own accountability
standards, State- and local-based, that will require that all
schools meet some basic performance standards? I'm asking you a
specific question about this existing regulation and whether
you're willing to support it or whether you're going to use
your position to undermine it or to change it.
Ms. DeVos. As would be tradition with a change of
administrations, I will look forward to reviewing that, and,
again, I will re-state my orientation to pro-accountability and
pro-responsibility to parents and taxpayers.
Senator Murphy. That's going to raise a lot of questions
for administrators and schools superintendents who are now
trying to implement that regulation. One final question. Do you
think that guns have any place in or around schools?
Ms. DeVos. That's best left to locales and States to
decide. If the underlying question is----
Senator Murphy. You can't say definitively today that guns
shouldn't be in schools?
Ms. DeVos. I will refer back to Senator Enzi and the school
that he was talking about in Wapiti, WY. Probably there--I
would imagine that there's probably a gun in the school to
protect from potential grizzlies.
Senator Murphy. If President Trump moves forward with his
plan to ban gun-free school zones, will you support that
proposal?
Ms. DeVos. I will support what the President-elect does.
Senator, if the question is around gun violence and the results
of that, please know that I--my heart bleeds and is broken for
those families that have lost any individual due to gun
violence.
Senator Murphy. I look forward to working with you, but I
also look forward to you coming to Connecticut and talking
about the role of guns in schools.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Murphy.
Senator Scott.
Senator Scott. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Ms. DeVos, for taking the time to be here and
your willingness to serve. A couple of questions I have as it
relates to kids who are consistently attending schools that are
underperforming. If you look at the outcomes of the lives of
the children, which is very important and should be a central
part of this conversation that we're having, how is the
education system that our kids are involved in preparing them
for the future that we hope we all get to live, a future that
includes achieving the American dream?
When we look at the underperforming schools, and
specifically schools in the rural areas as well as in the inner
cities, many schools are still underperforming. Kids that come
from those underperforming schools consistently have
significantly higher rates of incarceration. They have
significantly higher rates of unemployment.
The importance of education can't be emphasized enough for
the quality of life that the child will experience and the
responsibilities that the government will bear because of that
poor education system. What we can do to make sure that there's
access to quality education in every zip code should be of
paramount importance for this Nation, for this committee, as
well as the entire Senate. I'd love to hear your thoughts on
that before I get into the Perkins CTE Programs.
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thank you for that question and for the
thought and your observations and experience behind it. I
couldn't agree more that we have continued to do a disservice
to so many young people in our country by continuing to force
them to attend schools that are simply not working for them or
not working for many. The fact that 1.4 million students drop
out of school every year--that's one every 42 seconds--it's a
human tragedy when you think about the lost human potential
and, as you've mentioned, essentially a pipeline to prison for
so many of those students.
That's why I continue to be an advocate for allowing
parents and empowering parents with the opportunity to make the
right choices for their children, and I understand that there's
a full range of those choices based on the realities of a
State. That's why States really need to grapple with this issue
in a meaningful way. If confirmed, I hope to be able to talk
with Governors and legislators about opportunities and options
that they have to address the needs of the students to whom you
have referred.
Senator Scott. Thank you very much. There's another part of
the education apparatus that doesn't get enough good attention.
Often we think of technical schools as a subpar choice, as the
place you go if you can't get into a 4-year school. It's as if
we have this bachelor's of diction that may not be in the best
interest of the student. I hope that you are committed to
taking a serious look at encouraging and providing great
support for high-quality technical schools.
I know in South Carolina, the importance of our technical
schools can't be overemphasized. When we think about the high-
tech manufacturing hub, it really, for us in South Carolina,
starts in our technical schools that create the hub, in all
honesty. The sectors that we benefit from, in the
transportation sector, from the Boeing 9,000 jobs in
Charleston, SC, to the BMWs, the Mercedes, the Michelins, the
Bridgestones--our technical schools are the reason why we're
succeeding on the high-tech manufacturing jobs.
One of the things I've noted is that we probably need to
have a robust conversation about making sure that there's
flexibility in the course work at some of the technical
schools, because there's almost 6 million openings in this
country. Seventy-five percent do not require a college degree,
which means that if we can align what's available in the
marketplace with the training in the technical schools, we
might solve a major part of our unemployment.
Ms. DeVos. Absolutely, Senator. Students, as they
anticipate higher education, really need to have a full menu of
options shared with them, and they need to know and understand
where the opportunities are, what the costs are for the various
avenues that they might take, and, certainly, technical
schools, community colleges, apprenticeships--there's really a
wide variety of alternative pathways to a really great future
if students are really made aware of them.
Senator Scott. I'm about out of time, Mr. Chairman.
Just to finish, you may be familiar with the 529 plans that
provide--I think you can put about $50,000 into an account for
college education. Five-hundred and twenty-nine plans could be
a wonderful apparatus to be able to pay for or subsidize some
of the costs, even K through 12. I would love for us to have a
longer conversation on that.
Ms. DeVos. I would look forward to that, Senator. Thank
you.
Senator Scott. Thank you, ma'am.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Scott.
Senator Warren.
Statement of Senator Warren
Senator Warren. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the only other
party to the so-called precedent of we don't have a second
round, I asked my staff to actually pull the record from the
hearing we had with King, and you said when you called on me,
``I think we have time for a second round. Senator Warren, you
can be the first in the second round.'' It just turns out I was
the only one who stayed and had questions.
The Chairman. That's why we had time.
Senator Warren. I understood that precedent meant that
anybody who had questions for a second round could stay and ask
them. While we're doing precedents, I also understand that the
precedent was that President Obama's nominees that came before
this committee had all filled out their ethics forms and that
those were available before we had a hearing so that we would
have a chance to ask questions about them in public. I'm a
little confused about what precedent means here.
Ms. DeVos, many of my Democratic colleagues have pointed
out your lack of experience in K-12 public schools. I'd like to
ask you about your qualifications for leading the Nation on
higher education. The Department of Education is in charge of
making sure that the $150 billion that we invest in students
each year gets into the right hands and that students have the
support they need to be able to pay back their student loans.
The Secretary of Education is essentially responsible for
managing a trillion-dollar student loan bank and distributing
$30 billion in Pell grants to students each year. The financial
futures of an entire generation of young people depend on your
department getting that right.
Ms. DeVos, do you have any direct experience in running a
bank?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, I do not.
Senator Warren. Have you ever managed or overseen a
trillion-dollar loan program?
Ms. DeVos. I have not.
Senator Warren. How about a billion-dollar loan program?
Ms. DeVos. I have not.
Senator Warren. OK. No experience managing a program like
this. How about participating in one? It's important for the
person who is in charge of our financial aid programs to
understand what it's like for students and their families who
are struggling to pay for college.
Ms. DeVos, have you ever taken out a student loan from the
Federal Government to help pay for college?
Ms. DeVos. I have not.
Senator Warren. Have any of your children had to borrow
money in order to go to college?
Ms. DeVos. They have been fortunate not to.
Senator Warren. Have you had any personal experience with
the Pell grant?
Ms. DeVos. Not personal experience, but certainly friends
and students with whom I've worked that have----
Senator Warren. You have no personal experience with
college financial aid or management of higher education. Ms.
DeVos, then, let's start with the basics. Do you support
protecting Federal taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and
abuse?
Ms. DeVos. Absolutely.
Senator Warren. Oh, good. Do I, because now we all know
that President-elect Trump's experience with higher education
was to create a fake university, which resulted in his paying
$25 million to students that he cheated. I'm curious about how
the Trump administration would protect against waste, fraud,
and abuse at similar for-profit colleges.
Here's my question. How do you plan to protect taxpayer
dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse by colleges that take in
millions of dollars in Federal student aid?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, if confirmed, I will certainly be very
vigilant in----
Senator Warren. No, I'm asking how.
Ms. DeVos. The individuals----
Senator Warren. How are you going to do that? You said
you're committed.
Ms. DeVos. The individuals with whom I work in the
department will ensure that Federal monies are used properly
and appropriately, and I will look forward to working with----
Senator Warren. You're going to subcontract making sure
that what happened with universities that cheat students
doesn't happen anymore.
Ms. DeVos. No, I didn't say that.
Senator Warren. You're going to give that to someone else
to do? I just want to know what your ideas are for making sure
we don't have problems with waste, fraud, and abuse.
Ms. DeVos. I want to make sure we don't have problems with
that as well, and, if confirmed, I will work diligently to
ensure that we are addressing any of those issues.
Senator Warren. Let me make a suggestion on this. It
actually turns out that there are a whole group of rules that
are already written and are there, and all you have to do is
enforce them. What I want to know is will you commit to
enforcing these rules to ensure that no career college receives
Federal funds unless they can prove that they are actually
preparing their students for gainful employment and not
cheating them?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, I will commit to ensuring that
institutions which receive Federal funds are actually serving
their students well.
Senator Warren. You will enforce the gainful employment
rule to make sure that these career colleges are not cheating
students?
Ms. DeVos. We will certainly review that rule and see
that----
Senator Warren. You will review it? You will not commit to
enforce it?
Ms. DeVos [continuing]. See that it is actually achieving
what the intentions are.
Senator Warren. I don't understand about reviewing it. We
talked about this in my office. There are already rules in
place to stop waste, fraud, and abuse, and I don't understand
how you cannot be sure about enforcing them. Swindlers and
crooks are out there doing back flips when they hear an answer
like this. If confirmed, you will be the cop on the beat, and
if you can't commit to use the tools that are already available
to you in the Department of Education, then I don't see how you
can be the Secretary of Education.
I look forward to having a second round of questions.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Warren.
Senator Collins.
Statement of Senator Collins
Senator Collins. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I
could not help but think that if my friends on the other side
of the aisle had used their time to ask questions rather than
complaining about the lack of a second round, they each would
have been able to get in a second question, and I now have just
used 15 seconds of my time to make that point.
Ms. DeVos, first of all, let me say that I have no doubt
that you care deeply about the education of all children, and I
say that despite the fact that you and I do not agree on all
the issues. Given your lifelong work and commitment to
education, any suggestion such as was made earlier that your
nomination is linked to your political contributions is really
unfair and unwarranted, and I just wanted to say that for the
record.
I now would like to move on to some questions about how you
view the Federal role in education versus the State and local
role. I want to put aside the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship
Program, because Congress' relationship to the District of
Columbia is unique, and I want to ask you at what level of
government do you believe that decisions about charter schools
and vouchers should be made. Is that a Federal role, or is that
a State role?
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator, for that question. Let me
just say I really enjoyed the conversation we had in your
office. Let me respond to your question about Federal versus
State and local role by saying I absolutely support the fact
that it is a State role and State decision what kind of
offering there might be with regard to choices in education.
As we discussed in your office, Maine has some unique--it
has a unique situation with students attending school on
islands and in rural areas, and to suggest that the right
answer for Maine is the same as the right answer for Indiana or
any other State is just not right, and I would not support a
Federal mandate and a Federal role in dictating those.
Senator Collins. I'm glad to hear that. I have heard
repeatedly from school officials, whether it's superintendents,
teachers, or school board members, that the single most
important action that the Federal Government could take would
be to fulfill the promise of the 1975 Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act to fund 40 percent of the additional
cost of educating a special needs child. It's been many years
since that law was passed. We have never come close to the 40
percent.
Would you commit to taking a look at the funding of the
department to see if we could do a better job of moving toward
fulfillment of that promise? That is an action that would help
every single school district in this country.
Ms. DeVos. Senator, absolutely, I would commit to that, if
confirmed, and I actually think this is an area that could be
considered for an approach that would be somewhat different in
that maybe the money should follow individual students instead
of going directly to the States. Again, that's something that
we could discuss and that I would look forward to talking about
with the members of this committee.
Senator Collins. Another of my concerns, having worked at a
college level for a period of time, is the low rate of college
completion. There's nothing worse than a student being saddled
with educational debt and not earning the credential or the
degree that would enable that student to pay off that debt. I'm
a strong supporter of the Federal TRIO Program, which helps
prepare students for higher education and helps to raise
aspirations, particularly of children who come from families
without experience in higher education.
Do you have any thoughts on how we can do a better job in
supporting college success programs so that we can ensure that
students are able to complete their degrees or earn their
credentials?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, thank you. I do think that we can do a
better job with preparing students, informing them before they
enter college, and I know the TRIO Program helps to mentor and
prepare students that might not otherwise have an opportunity.
That's a very important and valid one to look at--perhaps is
there another and more effective way to advance that or to
replicate that or use that in a new way to help increase the
participation of students that may not otherwise pursue higher
education and complete it.
Senator Collins. Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Collins.
Senator Hassan.
Statement of Senator Hassan
Senator Hassan. Thank you, Mr. Chair and Ranking Member
Murray. I certainly look forward to working on this committee
with all of you and I appreciate the opportunity to
participate.
Ms. DeVos, it's nice to see you again. Thank you for being
here today and your family as well.
I think all of us here share a commitment to public
education and understand the essential nature to our democracy.
I would echo my colleagues' call for another round, at least,
of questioning, because our job here is not just to talk about
ideas, but actually to drill down to how things actually work
in practice. I want to talk about one of those situations that
we began to touch on in my office when we met. It echoes a
little bit of what Senator Collins was just talking about in
terms of a full commitment to our students with disabilities
and what Senator Cassidy was talking about in terms of access
to quality education for children with dyslexia.
My son, Ben, experiences very severe physical disabilities.
He has cerebral palsy. He can't speak. He can't use his fingers
for a keyboard. He doesn't walk. But he's smart and the best
kid on Earth, if I do say so myself. He got a quality public
education at our local school. He's a graduate of Exeter Area
High School in Exeter, NH. The reason he got there was because
countless advocates and champions, before the Hassan family,
worked so hard to make sure that he had the right to that
education.
I am concerned that when students who experience
disabilities receive a publicly funded voucher to attend a
private school, they often don't receive adequate resources
and, in some cases, have to sign over their legal rights under
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Do you think
that families should have a recourse in the courts if their
child's education does not adequately meet his or her needs,
whether it's at a school where they get a voucher or in a more
traditional public school?
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator, for that question, and,
again, I appreciated our meeting earlier last week. Let me
begin by saying I appreciate and am thankful that you've had
the opportunity with your son, Ben, to find the right setting
for him, and I would advocate for all parents to be able to
have that opportunity to choose the right school for their
child and----
Senator Hassan. I actually had the opportunity to send him
to the same public school that my daughter went to, because the
law required that school provide him resources that were never
provided before that law was passed, because they're hard. The
question is will you enforce the law with regard to kids with
disabilities if a voucher program did allow them to go
someplace else, and the school said, ``It's just too expensive.
We don't want to do it.''
Ms. DeVos. There are great examples of programs that are
already underway in States. Ohio has a great program, and, in
fact, Sam and his mom are here today, a beneficiary of the Jon
Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program.
Senator Hassan. I understand that, and because my time is
limited, excuse me for interrupting. What I'm asking you is--
there is at least one voucher program in Florida, the McKay
voucher program, which makes students sign away their rights
before they can get that voucher. That is fundamentally wrong,
and I think it will mean that students with disabilities cannot
use a voucher system that a department under your leadership
might start.
I want to know whether you will enforce and whether you
will make sure that children with disabilities do not have to
sign away their legal rights in order to get a voucher should a
voucher program be developed.
Ms. DeVos. I'd love to comment to the McKay Scholarship
Program in Florida, where I believe today, 31,000 students are
taking advantage of it, and 93 percent of the parents that are
utilizing that voucher are very, very pleased----
Senator Hassan. I'm sorry----
Ms. DeVos [continuing]. As opposed to 30-some percent
that----
Senator Hassan. I'm sorry, but that isn't the question I
asked. For right now, I'm going to move on to one final
question. I really do wish we had a second round, because
there's a lot here that is critical to our children, especially
with disabilities. With all due respect, Ms. DeVos has not
answered my question.
The other question I had--again, because we don't have a
second round, I'm trying to followup on an answer you gave
earlier to some of my colleagues. I understand that there is a
foundation, the Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation, which I take
it is a foundation named for your parents. Is that correct?
Ms. DeVos. It's my mother's foundation, yes.
Senator Hassan. It's your mother's foundation, and you sit
on the board.
Ms. DeVos. I do not.
Senator Hassan. You do not?
Ms. DeVos. No.
Senator Hassan. OK. When it made its over $5 million
donation to Focus on the Family, you didn't know anything about
it?
Ms. DeVos. My mother makes the decisions for her
foundation.
Senator Hassan. Thank you.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Hassan.
Senator Burr.
Statement of Senator Burr
Senator Burr. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. DeVos, thank you for agreeing to serve. A lot of
Americans watch what goes on here and say, ``Never me. I'll
never go through it,'' and most of us say that after an
election cycle. It's rare to find somebody who's full monty.
You don't have to do this. That's apparent. You didn't have to
choose education as your life's ambition, but you did.
I thank you for the investment that you made for all the
kids that have been impacted, for the unbelievable statistics
that you know about Florida or about wherever--and I'm sure you
and the Senator from Minnesota can come to an agreement on what
the numbers were that he was talking about. I've sat here, and
I remember in my first election, I went in to get the support
of educators, and I was 10 minutes into what looked to be a 30-
or 45-minute question and answer, and after 10 minutes, I
looked and said, ``Are there any questions that deal with kids
or outcomes?'' And they said no. So I got up and left.
We can ask you all sorts of questions about you,
personally, and what you've done. You came into my office, and
before I ever asked a question, in several minutes, you
convinced me that you were passionate about making sure that
every child had the opportunity for a successful education, and
from that, that every child that got that education would have
an opportunity to reach for the American Dream of a life that's
unlimited, an opportunity that's unlimited. You convinced me
without me asking a question.
I've only got one question today. Why is it so difficult
for us to figure out how to focus on outcomes versus to get so
hung up on process?
Ms. DeVos. Senator, that's a very good question, and we
could have a very robust debate in this room about that. Human
tendency is to protect and guard what is, because change is
difficult, and yet we see the fact that there are millions of
students who are simply not getting an equal opportunity for a
quality education. We try to tinker around from the top, and we
try to fix things, but it becomes more about the system, I'm
afraid, than it does about what's right for each child.
I thank you for your support and your encouragement around
the notion that every child should have the opportunity--every
parent should have the opportunity on behalf of their child to
choose the right educational environment for them. I'm hopeful
that if we can continue having a robust conversation about this
that we will talk about the great schools that our children
have the opportunity to go to 10 years from now, many of which
may not even exist today or look very different than what
exists today, because the opportunity to innovate in education
is virtually unlimited and has been really untested to a large
extent. I'm very hopeful that we'll have that opportunity and
that opportunity for that kind of conversation.
Senator Burr. We will, and I hope that the committee sees
it in their actions to make sure that you're at the helm of the
Department of Education. As I look across America and as I look
across the world, I see an age where technology is going to
impact things that we didn't even dream about 5 years ago, that
what we've seen happen to our PDAs is now going into
healthcare. It's going to drive manufacturing.
I still remember my father at 90 years old looking at me
just about 5 years ago, 6 years ago, and saying, ``I don't
understand how a fax machine works.'' You know what? I never
was able to explain to him, but that didn't limit my use of it
and my belief that it served an important purpose. Education is
going to change drastically. What's most important is to have
somebody passionate at the top, concerned about every child and
every child's opportunity. For that, I'm grateful you're here.
I yield.
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Burr.
Senator Kaine.
Statement of Senator Kaine
Senator Kaine. Thank you, our committee leadership, and
thank you, Ms. DeVos.
How much information do you have about the finances of the
President-elect, his family, or Trump-related organizations?
Ms. DeVos. I don't have any of that information, Senator.
Senator Kaine. So, I take it that you won't have any way of
knowing when asked by the President to take official action in
your capacity as Secretary how those actions might affect his
personal financial situation.
Ms. DeVos. I'm not sure I could comment on that.
Senator Kaine. This isn't theoretical. He owns a
university. It's relevant to assessing the wisdom of an
education policy proposal to know how that proposal might
affect the President's personal finances. Do you disagree with
me?
Ms. DeVos. The President-elect has taken steps to ensure
that his----
Senator Kaine. Can I ask--do you disagree with me?
Ms. DeVos. Can you state your question again?
Senator Kaine. Yes. It's relevant to assessing the wisdom
of an education policy proposal to know how the proposal might
affect the President's personal finances. Do you disagree with
me?
Ms. DeVos. I don't disagree with you.
Senator Kaine. Thank you. The nation deserves a Secretary
of Education who is a champion of kids, parents, State and
local control, and outcomes, and I also think the Nation
deserves a Secretary who is a champion of public education. In
a 2015 speech on education, you were pretty blunt, ``government
really sucks,'' and you called the public school system a,
``dead end.'' In order to clarify, you never attended a public
school, K-12 school, did you?
Ms. DeVos. Correct.
Senator Kaine. Your children did not, either, correct?
Ms. DeVos. That's correct.
Senator Kaine. And you've never taught in a K-12 public
school, correct?
Ms. DeVos. I did not, but I've mentored in one.
Senator Kaine. I worry about the effect of a leader who
believes government sucks on the morale of the workforce.
Teachers and others do better when their morale is high. Would
you agree with me?
Ms. DeVos. Absolutely, and I support great teachers.
Senator Kaine. The attitude of a leader of an organization
matters a lot to the morale of the workforce. Would you agree
with me on that?
Ms. DeVos. Absolutely, and just with reference to the quote
that you made----
Senator Kaine. I would like to introduce that for the
record. I don't have other questions about it, and I have a
very limited amount of time.
I want to move on to another quote. You and your husband
spoke at a conference a number of years ago, and your husband
said--this is not attributed to you, but you were together at
the conference, if what I read is correct--``the church has
been displaced by the public school as the center for activity,
the center of what goes on in the community.'' Thomas Jefferson
didn't view public education as contrary to or competitive with
church or religion. Do you?
Ms. DeVos. I do not.
Senator Kaine. Do you think that K-12 schools that receive
government funding should meet the same accountability
standards, outcome standards?
Ms. DeVos. All schools that receive public funding should
be accountable, yes.
Senator Kaine. Should meet the same accountability
standards.
Ms. DeVos. Yes, although you have different accountability
standards between traditional public schools and charter
schools.
Senator Kaine. I'm really interested in this--should
everybody be on a level playing field. Public, charter, or
private K-12 schools, if they receive taxpayer funding, they
should meet the same accountability standards.
Ms. DeVos. Yes, they should be very transparent with the
information, and parents should have that information first and
foremost.
Senator Kaine. If confirmed, will you insist upon that
equal accountability in any K-12 school or educational program
that receives Federal funding, whether public, public charter,
or private?
Ms. DeVos. I support accountability.
Senator Kaine. Equal accountability for all schools that
receive Federal funding.
Ms. DeVos. I support accountability.
Senator Kaine. Is that a yes or a no?
Ms. DeVos. I support accountability.
Senator Kaine. Do you not want to answer my question?
Ms. DeVos. I support accountability.
Senator Kaine. OK. Let me ask you this. I think all schools
that receive taxpayer funding should be equally accountable. Do
you agree with me or not?
Ms. DeVos. Well, they don't. They're not today.
Senator Kaine. I think they should. Do you agree with me or
not?
Ms. DeVos. No.
Senator Kaine. You don't agree with me. Let me move to my
next question. Should all K-12 schools receiving governmental
funding be required to meet the requirements of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act?
Ms. DeVos. I think they already are.
Senator Kaine. I'm asking you a should question. Whether
they are or not, we'll get into that later. Should all schools
that receive taxpayer funding be required to meet the
requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education?
Ms. DeVos. That is a matter that's best left to the States.
Senator Kaine. States might--some States might be good to
kids with disabilities and other States might not be so good,
and then what? People can just move around the country if they
don't like how their kids are being treated?
Ms. DeVos. That's an issue that's best left to the States.
Senator Kaine. What about the Federal requirement? It's a
Federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Let's limit it to Federal funding. If schools receive Federal
funding, should they be required to follow Federal law, whether
they're public, public charter, or private?
Ms. DeVos. As the Senator referred to----
Senator Kaine. Just yes or no. I've only got one more
question.
Ms. DeVos [continuing]. In the Florida program, there's
many parents that are very happy with the program there.
Senator Kaine. Let me state this. All schools that receive
Federal funding, public, public charter, or private, should be
required to meet the conditions of the Individuals with
Disabilities in Education Act. Do you agree with me or not?
Ms. DeVos. That is certainly worth discussion, and I would
look forward to----
Senator Kaine. So you cannot yet agree with me. And,
finally, should all K-12 schools receiving governmental funding
be required to report the same information regarding instances
of harassment, discipline, or bullying, if they receive Federal
funding?
Ms. DeVos. Federal funding certainly comes with strings
attached.
Senator Kaine. All such schools should be required to
report equally information about discipline, harassment, or
bullying. Do you agree with me or not?
Ms. DeVos. I would look forward to reviewing that
provision.
Senator Kaine. If it was a court, I would say to the court,
``Let the judge direct the witness to answer the question.''
It's not a court. You're not under oath. You're not under a
subpoena. But you're trying to win my vote.
Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Thanks, Senator Kaine.
Senator Murkowski.
Statement of Senator Murkowski
Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Ms. DeVos, thank you for coming to my office. I had an
opportunity to walk you through the map of Alaska and hopefully
educate you some to some of the challenges that we face as a
State in delivering education in what is not a rural State, but
what has been described as a frontier State in many, many ways.
Eighty-two percent of the communities in the State of Alaska
are not attached by road. They are truly islanded in every
sense of the word.
I had an opportunity on Saturday to meet with about 400
teachers from around the State, and I will tell you that they
are concerned about your nomination. They're concerned because
they would love to have the choice that we're talking about.
When you are a small school in Buckland, when you are a small
school in King Cove, when there is no way to get to an
alternative option for your child, the best parent is left
relying on a public school system that they demand to be there
for their kids.
I want to make sure--and I think every one of those
teachers that I met with on Saturday wants to make sure--that
your commitment to public education, particularly for our rural
students, who have no choices, is as strong and as robust as
the passion that you have dedicated to advancing charter
schools. I appreciated your responses to Senator Cassidy,
because he was very direct, and you gave very reassuring
answers there that you are not seeking to undermine or to erode
public schools. I appreciated what you said in response to
Senator Alexander's, the Chair's, questions about whether you
would work to move toward a voucher type of a system if, in
fact, we in the Congress said no, that is not the direction.
I tried to assure the teachers that I was talking to that
there is not this--there are not sufficient votes to, what I
call, voucherize the system. I appreciated the inquiry that
Senator Kaine has been making, though, about the level of
accountability. This was something that was brought up in the Q
and A section there in Anchorage, a concern that there would
not be an effort to match that accountability to those schools
that receive Federal funding either through a voucher program,
a Federal match, through education saving account dollars, but
that in addition to performance standards, that there would be
true accountability with adhering to Federal laws for civil
rights as well as students with disabilities.
I will ask for a continuation of that discussion. You have
provided some very responsive comments that will help our
teachers in Alaska, where, again, their options and their
choices are very limited. How can you provide assurance to
these teachers, these families, these students, for whom
alternatives and options are severely limited, not because we
don't want them, but our geography really isolates us?
Ms. DeVos. Thank you, Senator, for that question, and I
really appreciated our conversation and a review of the map,
because it does remind us of these unique challenges that
Alaska has. I would just say that I can assure you that, if
confirmed, I will support Alaska and its approach to educating
its youngsters. I have to say that the creativity and
innovation that Alaska has employed through the traditional
public system is one that other States could probably take note
of and learn some lessons from, and I would hope that they
would continue to feel that freedom and that drive to continue
to educate and innovate.
Senator Murkowski. We are quite proud of some of the
innovations that we have made. We have a great deal of choice
within our urban centers. For my colleagues' education and
edification, Anchorage hosts six of the most ethnically diverse
schools in the United States of America, and we're sitting in
Anchorage, AK. I have that level of diversity. But then I have
rural villages where I may have no more than 60 kids in a
school, and in order for them to have the same benefits and
opportunities--the dollars that flow, the commitment that flows
to those families--there is that level of accountability
throughout, that remains a very significant challenge.
I need to have a very clear and a very firm commitment that
the focus that you will give to not only Alaska, but to States
that have significant rural populations, that these students
who will not have alternatives, that that public school system
is not undermined, eroded, or ignored.
Ms. DeVos. Absolutely, Senator. You have my commitment,
and, in fact, as I said, there's so much that Alaska can share
with others in terms of how to address challenges of a very
widespread student population.
Senator Murkowski. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The Chairman. I'll now turn to Senator Murray.
Senator Murray. Mr. Chairman, I just have to start by
saying--and I hope this doesn't count against my time on
questions, but it's not a question, for questions sake. I have
questions that I know all of our committee want to followup,
including on the response I just heard on IDEA, sexual assault,
and Pell grants, and a number of other questions.
Let me just say I'm really disappointed that you have
preemptively cutoff our members from asking questions. It
really is unprecedented, and you and I have worked together,
and I appreciate that. I hope you change your mind. I don't
know what you're trying to protect Ms. DeVos from. She should
get robust scrutiny. She's going to oversee the education of
all of our kids and what's happening in higher education and
much more.
To be very clear, this is not what we have done in this
committee. For Michael Leavitt, President Bush's second
Secretary of Health and Human Services, five members
participated in a second round. For Andrew Von Eschenbach,
President Bush's third FDA Commissioner, three members
participated in a second round.
For Hilda Solis, President Obama's first Secretary of
Labor, three members participated in a second round. The
hearing was actually over 4 hours. For Tom Daschle, President
Obama's nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human Services,
four members participated in a second round. For Alexis Herman,
President Clinton's second Secretary of Labor, 3\1/2\-hour
hearing, 10 minutes of questioning. For Rod Paige, as I
mentioned, Secretary of Education, President Bush's nominee, 10
questions.
I hope we're not just cherry-picking Secretary Duncan and
King, who had a long, broad history behind them when they came
to this. I really would like to enter these transcripts that I
have showing the actual precedent of this committee into the
record. It's important for all of us to remember that.
[The information referred to may be found in the following
printed Senate hearings: Michael Leavitt (2004)--S. Hrg. No.
109-56; Andrew Von Eschenbach (2006)--S. Hrg. No. 109-816; Hild
Solis (2009)--S. Hrg. No. 11-319; Tom Daschle (2009)--S. Hrg.
No. 111-469; Alexis Herman (1997)--S. Hrg. No. 105-25; Rod
Paige(2001)--S. Hrg. No. 107-2; Kent Yoshiho Hirozawa and Nancy
Jean Schiffer (2013)--S. Hrg. No. 113-808. Donna Shalala's
information may be found @ www.congress.gov, #PN76-9--(1993)
103d Congress.]
Senator Murray. Given the lack of paperwork from the OGE
and numerous outstanding questions that I know my members
have--they're still sitting here. It's 8:15 at night. They
wouldn't be sitting here if they didn't have additional
questions. I'd like to call at least for a second hearing for
this nominee.
The Chairman. Do you want me to respond to that now----
Senator Murray. I would like you to.
The Chairman [continuing]. Then will you have additional
questions?
Senator Murray. I do have additional questions, yes.
The Chairman. Let me respond in this way. The respect I
have for you and for each member of this committee and for how
we've worked together. What you're asking me to do is to treat
Ms. DeVos differently than we treated President Obama's two
Education Secretaries, and I'm not going to do that. We're
already at--this hearing started at 5:15. It's 8:15. That's 3
hours and 5 minutes of questions.
For Secretary Duncan, President Obama's first Secretary,
the hearing was 2 hours and 2 minutes. For John King, President
Obama's current Secretary, it was 2 hours and 16 minutes. This
is already 3 hours, and we're not finished yet.
As far as questions go, each member of this committee has
had an opportunity to visit with Ms. DeVos in their office, and
I believe she has done that. Several members of this committee
have already sent her written questions, which she will answer
before we vote on her nomination. She has complied with all the
rules of the committee. The committee rules do not require that
the Office of Government Ethics report be in by the time we
actually have a hearing. She submitted her information there on
the 12th--I believe the 12th of--on the 4th of January.
Ms. DeVos, I understand you are working and will continue
to work with the Office of Government Ethics and sign an ethics
agreement. Is that correct?
Ms. DeVos. That's correct, Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. The purpose of that, just for those watching,
is there's a designated government office that works with
nominees and that comes to an agreement with them if there is
any conflict of interests. If she, for example, needs to divest
herself of something, that will be part of the agreement.
She has said that she will do whatever she needs to do to
gain an agreement with the Office of Government Ethics so that
the letter of agreement will say she has no conflicts of
interest. I have said that that letter will be public, at least
by Friday, before we vote on her nomination by next Tuesday.
You will have the opportunity to question her in your
office, to question her today as extensively as you did either
of President Obama's nominees. You have an opportunity to
submit additional written questions after this hearing for up
to 2 days. When we had Secretary Perez before the committee,
Senator Harkin only gave us 1 day. I would say 2 days. That's
by the close of Thursday.
Then you will have 3 or 4 days after the Office of
Government Ethics letter of agreement saying she has no
conflicts of interest is public to decide how to vote. That
seems to me to be entirely reasonable. I've already agreed to
move the hearing 1 week at the request of the Democratic and
Republican leadership so they could consider other nominations.
And, finally, on the tax returns issue, it is not a
requirement of this committee that nominees provide us with
their tax returns. They provide us with their financial
information, just as Senators provide publicly their financial
information. It is not a law that she provide her tax return.
She's doing everything that the rules of the committee say she
should do, and I'm treating her in terms of questions in the
same way that we treated President Obama's two Education
Secretaries.
I'm not going to have a second round. I'll be happy to
extend to you, if you would like, a chance to ask questions,
and then I will do the same, which is consistent with what we
did with the two previous Obama secretaries.
Senator Murray. Mr. Chairman, with all due respect, this
nominee is the only one to not submit OGE paperwork before our
hearing. Our members have not had a chance to review it or to
ask questions about it. I appreciate private meetings. I'm sure
we all do, but all of our constituents want to hear what this
nominee has to say, too, because of a vast history on the issue
of education that concerns a lot of people.
The Chairman. If I may----
Senator Murray. Let me just say that Tillerson had three
rounds of hearing, Sessions had two rounds, Carson had two
rounds, Zinke had three rounds. I'm unclear why education is
not just as important as these others.
The Chairman. If it's important under Trump, it's important
under Obama. I don't know why, suddenly, we have this sudden
interest as far as--several people have mentioned Secretary
Paige here tonight. He didn't have his Office of Government
Ethics letter in before his hearing. It came in after his
hearing. The same was true with Elaine Chao when she became a
Cabinet member. That's not been a consistent pattern, either.
I've tried to be as fair as I can in following what I
believe to be the Golden Rule, and we've gone for more than 3
hours in an extensive hearing, which is simply part of a
discussion as you evaluate how you're going to vote when it
comes up before the committee.
Senator Casey. Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman. Yes, Senator Casey.
Senator Casey. If the request is reasonable--we're only
asking for 5 minutes per member on a set of issues that are
this important at the beginning of a new administration, which
is a change in party. It's a new--a lot of new policies coming
forward, and as Senator Murray said, we did have time in our
office. Most of us probably had half an hour. Our constituents
weren't there for half an hour. Asking for another 5 minutes I
don't think is in any way unreasonable.
The Chairman. Senator Casey, I have enormous respect for
you, but the Obama administration was also a change in
administration, and I didn't hear any great cry for a second
round of questions.
Senator Casey. Mr. Chairman----
The Chairman. This is a 3-hour hearing, 3 hours and 10
minutes now, in addition to all the other information that's
there, and I don't think it's fair to expect that we'll treat a
Republican president's Education nominee differently than we
treated a Democratic president's Education nominee.
Senator Bennet.
Senator Bennet. Mr. Chairman, I think you're one of the
fairest people in this town.
The Chairman. I thank you for that.
Senator Bennet. No, you've earned that. You really are. To
me, the fact that Republican members of the Senate did not want
to ask a second round of questions for the Obama nominees in
the Senate--the idea that that should be a precedent for the
Democrats, eight of whom are here tonight, to ask questions,
even followups to questions that we've heard tonight, is really
unfair and uncharacteristic.
I hope that if we can't have this hearing, that we will
have--if we can't have the questions here, that we'll have
another hearing. If we can't have another hearing, that we'll
have an assurance that every single question asked by every
single member of this panel submitted in writing is answered
before this vote can go forward on the floor, and that the
paperwork is submitted before we can go forward on the vote. I
don't think that's a satisfactory result. If we can't ask the
questions today, I hope you and the majority leader will
consider that.
The Chairman. I've already said that members will have an
opportunity to ask questions in writing, which they already
have--many of you have already done that--and to ask additional
questions in writing, if you have them in by 5 p.m. on
Thursday. I also said that's one more day than Senator Harkin
gave us when Perez was Labor Secretary. I'd say that's fair.
I said, second, that we will schedule an executive session
on next Tuesday, when we'll be glad to discuss the tax return
issue, whether we want to apply tax returns to future nominees
who come before this committee, and we'll vote on Ms. DeVos,
but only if the letter agreement with the Office of Government
Ethics is complete by this Friday and made available to all
members of the committee so you have 3 or 4 days to see how
that might affect your vote.
Senator Franken. Mr. Chairman, a very short question.
The Chairman. Senator Franken.
Senator Franken. Are we assured that before this vote on
Tuesday that we will have the answers to these questions?
Because what I've heard is that we can submit the questions,
but here, at least the nominee has to answer them. Are you
assuring us that before the vote on Tuesday, our questions will
have been answered?
The Chairman. The number of questions needs to be
reasonable and the answers need to be reasonable, and that's in
the eye of the beholder sometimes. The number of questions--the
most number of questions that was ever asked a nominee before
this committee, I'm told, was 191 to Secretary Perez. I won't
say there's a certain number that is reasonable. Then I'm
confident that Ms. DeVos will make every effort to give a
reasonable and as complete an answer to the question as she
can.
Senator Franken. The answer is no, we won't be assured of
that.
The Chairman. Well, yes, you'll be assured that--Ms. DeVos,
what would your answer to that be? Will you do your best to
answer the questions that you will receive by after 5 o'clock
on Thursday before the possibility of a vote on next Tuesday?
Ms. DeVos. I will certainly endeavor to have all the
questions responded to.
The Chairman. Senator Baldwin.
Senator Baldwin. Mr. Chairman, did you make any
announcements about whether there will be more than one round
of questions tomorrow when we convene to hear Mr. Price's,
Representative Price's----
The Chairman. I was not planning on more than one.
Senator Baldwin. Because I heard various members who have
done the research during the course of this proceeding indicate
that there have been additional rounds for witnesses who have--
or nominees who have come before this committee for other
departments than Education. I can tell you that perhaps half--I
perhaps got a chance to propound half of my questions today.
Tomorrow, given the breadth of that department, I have many,
many more.
The Chairman. Since I'm talking a lot about precedent
tonight, let me look at the precedent and see what that says. I
told Dr. Price that, in my experience, one round of questions
would pretty well do it, except, usually, we had--Senator
Murray and I followed up, and occasionally Senator Warren does,
as a diligent member of the committee and is often here. I
congratulate her for that. Let me think about that.
Senator Warren. Mr. Chairman, can I just ask about the
precedent, just because I want to make sure I understand it.
When we go back and examine the record, will we find instances
where people asked for a second round of questions and were
refused?
The Chairman. Will you find instances where they were asked
and refused? I don't know the answer to that. If you go back to
President Obama's two Education Secretaries, there was one
round of 5-minute questions, and then the chairman asked a
question and one other Senator asked a question, and that's
what we're doing tonight.
Senator Warren. As you said in that hearing, ``I think we
have time for a second round.'' Those were your words. Then you
said, ``Senator Warren, you can be the first in the second
round,'' which I believe to mean had there been anyone else who
wanted to ask a question, they could have, that no one was
refused the opportunity to ask. It's just that people were
satisfied with the nominee and had no further questions.
The Chairman. I can guarantee you that many of us were not
satisfied with the last nominee, but out of deference to the
President and the institution thought that it would be
appropriate for us to defer to the President and that it was
important to have a Secretary in place. You're a very
exceptional law professor, and I don't want to get into that
kind of discussion with you. My guess is that I looked over
there and saw you, and you asked if there could be a second
round, and I said yes. I think we were the only ones still in
the room.
We have to bring this to a conclusion. Ms. DeVos has--we're
not going to have a second round of questions tonight.
Senator Warren. Mr. Chairman, I just want to be clear,
then. Then this is the first time ever that someone has asked
for a second round and been refused?
The Chairman. No, no, no. No one ever said that except you.
[Laughter.]
Senator Warren. But you haven't said otherwise----
The Chairman. That's an Alice--Lewis Carroll would be proud
of that. That's a little exceptional.
Senator Warren. I'm sorry. Did you say that you had refused
anyone a second round?
The Chairman. I said Lewis Carroll would be proud of that
kind of reasoning. What I am saying is I looked
straightforwardly at the process that we had with President
Obama's Education Secretaries and determined that we would do
the same thing for President-elect Trump's nominee.
If I were to be even more careful, I would point out that
she's now spent 50 percent more time here in this hearing than
either Secretary Duncan or Secretary King did for President
Obama. She has visited every one of your offices. She asked to
go in December. Nobody made time to see her in December, so she
came in January. I believe that's correct. And then she's
received questions from you, which she's going to answer.
We have said that she's completed the FBI background. She's
followed every rule the committee has. I've said we will
consider the tax return question at an executive session next
week, about whether we want to change the rules and require
that of future nominees. You can decide to do that if you wish
to do that. We Senators don't do it for ourselves, and we don't
do it for our nominees, so we can talk about that.
You'll have 2 days to ask additional written questions--a
reasonable number of them. She'll do her best to give you
reasonable answers to them, and that we will not go forward
with a vote on next Tuesday unless her letter agreement is
public by Friday and available for you to review it.
That's my decision and that's what we'll do tonight. We'll
conclude the hearing by inviting Senator Murray if she has any
additional questions to ask to do that, and I'll ask some, and
then we'll be finished.
Senator Murray. Mr. Chairman, I take that as a definitive
answer?
The Chairman. That's as definitive as I can be.
Senator Murray. Since I only have one question, I'll ask
one you probably won't like.
Ms. DeVos, President-elect Trump was recorded bragging
about kissing and groping and trying to have sex with women
without their consent. He said on tape that when you're a star,
they let you do it. You can do anything. I was, and I remain,
very outraged by those comments, and that outrage grew
following the release of that recording as a series of women
came forward to publicly accuse President-elect Trump of
exactly the type of behavior he bragged about on that tape.
I take accusations of this type of behavior very seriously.
If this behavior, kissing and touching women and girls without
their consent, happened in a school, would you consider it a
sexual assault?
Ms. DeVos. Yes.
Senator Murray. One in five young women will experience
sexual assault while in college. We are joined tonight by
several sexual assault survivors, who are brave enough to come
here tonight because this issue is so important to them. Can
you promise them and me that you will not, as has been in the
press, consider, ``reining in the Office for Civil Rights and
the department's work to protect students from campus sexual
assault?''
Ms. DeVos. Senator, if confirmed, I commit that I will be
looking very closely at how this has been regulated and
handled, with great sensitivity to those who are victims and
also considering perpetrators as well. Please know that I am
very sensitive to this as a----
Senator Murray. I have heard you say that, but you will not
take back the words that you will reign in the Office for Civil
Rights?
Ms. DeVos. I don't believe that those were the words that I
used.
Senator Murray. That is a quote that has been attributed to
you. We've spent--I thank Senator Casey on this as well. This
is extremely important to women and men across the country, and
I hope that you will take back the words of reigning in the
Office of Civil Rights and the department's work on sexual
assault.
Mr. Chairman, I'm going to turn to Senator Hassan for the
last part of my questions.
Senator Hassan. Thank you, Senator Murray.
Just two quick things, Ms. DeVos. I just wanted to clarify
the issue about whether you were on the Board of your mother's
foundation. I have 1990s up through 2013 where you're listed as
the vice president and a Board member. Was that just a mistake
on your part?
Ms. DeVos. That was a clerical error. I can assure you I
have never made decisions on my mother's behalf on her
foundation Board.
Senator Hassan. So the listing that you were the vice
president of the Board is incorrect.
Ms. DeVos. Yes, that is incorrect.
Senator Hassan. Thank you. The other thing I just wanted to
circle back to--I want to go back to the Individuals with
Disabilities in Education Act. That's a Federal civil rights
law. You stand by your statement a few minutes ago that it
should be up to the States whether to follow it?
Ms. DeVos. The law must be--Federal law must be followed
where Federal dollars are in play.
Senator Hassan. Were you unaware of what I just asked you
about the IDEA, that it was a Federal law?
Ms. DeVos. I may have confused it.
Senator Hassan. It guarantees absolutely basic protections
to students with disabilities to ensure that they are afforded
a high-quality education with their peers. One of the reasons
that it is difficult to have this hearing and feel that we
fully understand your perspective is because we do know that
children with disabilities in at least some of the voucher
programs that you have supported have gone with a voucher to a
school, because of their disability, had to leave the school,
and the school keeps the money, and they go back to public
schools that now have even less resources to deal with them.
Many of us see this as the potential for turning our public
schools into warehouses for the most challenging kids with
disabilities or other kinds of particular issues, or the kids
whose parents can't afford to make up the difference between
the voucher and the cost of private school tuition. I just
would urge you to become familiar, should you be nominated,
with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and I do
have to say I'm concerned that you seem so unfamiliar with it
and that you seem to support voucher schools that have not
honored--have made students sign away their rights to make sure
that the law is enforced. That's very troubling to me.
Ms. DeVos. Senator, I assure you that, if confirmed, I will
be very sensitive to the needs of special needs students and
the policies surrounding that.
Senator Hassan. With all due respect, it's not about
sensitivity, although that helps. It's about being willing to
enforce the law to make sure that my child and every child has
the same access to public education, high-quality public
education, and the reality is that the way the voucher systems
that you have supported work don't always come out that way.
That's why it's something we need to continue to explore.
Thank you.
Ms. DeVos. Certainly.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Hassan, Senator Murray.
Thank you, Ms. DeVos, for being here. I appreciate your
being here for 3 hours and 15 minutes and giving us a chance to
ask you questions. You've set a record in terms of the last
three Education Secretaries, in any event.
I'm going to put in the record with consent a letter from
the Log Cabin Republicans, who wrote to me, as chairman of the
committee, about a suggestion that you might be anti-gay.
[The information referred to may be found in Additional
Materials.]
The Chairman. According to Gregory T. Angelo, president, he
said,
``Far from being an anti-gay fire breather, Ms. DeVos
actually has a history of working with and supporting
gay individuals. When her senior adviser, Greg
McNeilly, was accosted by a Michigan State Senator who
threatened to make his sexual orientation a matter of
public record because of his opposition to a
constitutional amendment banning marriage equality, Ms.
DeVos put an end to the bullying and harassment.
``Furthermore, in 2013, Ms. DeVos called for the
resignation of then-Republican National Committeeman
Dave Agema for posting erroneous and vitriolic anti-gay
statements online. Ms. DeVos should be commended for
proving that differences of opinion related to marriage
equality do not equate to anti-gay animus. Log Cabin
Republicans stands in support of her nomination for
Secretary of Education and encourages her swift
confirmation.''
Senators who wish to ask additional questions of our
nominee--those are due----
Senator Warren. Mr. Chairman.
The Chairman [continuing]. By the close of business on
Thursday, January 19. For all other matters, the hearing record
will remain open for 10 days. Members may submit additional
information for the record within that time.
The next hearing of our committee will be tomorrow morning
at 10 o'clock on the nomination of Tom Price for the United
States Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Thank you for being here today.
Senator Warren. Mr. Chairman, I also have a letter I'd just
like to have put in the record as well from the Massachusetts
Charter Public School Association raising questions about
accountability. They're strong supporters of charter schools,
but they are very concerned about Ms. DeVos' record with
accountability for charter schools in Michigan.
The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Warren. It will be
included in the record.
[The information referred to was not available at time of
press.]
The Chairman. The committee will stand adjourned.
Senator Bennet. Mr. Chairman.
Senator Murray. Mr. Chairman, Senator Bennet has----
The Chairman. Let me adjourn the committee for a moment.
Were you trying to get my attention?
Senator Bennet. I had a suggestion that I hope might
resolve the problem earlier, which is my understanding is that
under Rule 26 of the standing rules of the Senate, three of us
have the right to ask you to call minority witnesses before the
committee to whom we could address questions. Maybe that's a
way through this. I'd make that request assuming----
The Chairman. That request has been made earlier, and I've
denied it. We've not done that in my experience. Our tradition
is to invite the nominee, ask the nominee questions, which
we've done. They go through the process, which I've described
at length. I appreciate your request, but I'm not going to
agree to it.
The committee is adjourned.
[Additional Material follows.]
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Letters of Support
U.S. House of Representatives,
Washington, DC 20515-2202,
January 9, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building,
Washington, DC. 20510.
Dear Chairman Alexander: I write to support Betsy DeVos, President-
elect Trump's nominee to serve as the next Secretary for the Department
of Education.
Betsy DeVos has been at the forefront of the effort to ensure every
child in America has access to a quality education no matter their zip
code. I believe that Secretary-designate DeVos will be a tremendous
advocate for students and parents. She has the knowledge and skill set
to improve education by cutting bureaucratic red tape, restoring local
control, and empowering parents to have a greater say in their
children's education.
As the U.S. Representative for Michigan's Second congressional
district, I have watched Betsy dedicate her life to fighting for
Michigan's children. She disrupted the status quo in the Michigan
education system, helping to reform school districts where too many at-
risk children were not receiving the kind of education they deserved.
Because of her efforts, children in Michigan now have access to quality
and accountable schools that can meet their needs. Even more,
Secretary-designate DeVos championed Michigan charter schools. They
were recently named the ``most improved'' in the country by the
National Association of Charter School Authorizers, an independent
group that advocates for effective charter schools.
I witnessed Betsy's passion and discipline firsthand when we served
together on the board of the Compass College of Cinematic Arts, a Grand
Rapids-based film and media production college, where we implemented
strict standards that set compass up for accreditation. She is a
passionate and dedicated servant with a big heart. I know that Betsy is
up to the challenge of ensuring our kids are prepared to compete and
thrive in a global economy and urge the committee to swiftly approve
her appointment.
Sincerely,
Bill Huizenga,
Member of Congress.
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20515,
January 10, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Re: Nomination of Betsy DeVos for U.S. Secretary of Education
Dear Chairman Alexander: In advance of Mrs. DeVos's January 17
confirmation hearing in your committee, I share my strong support for
her confirmation as our next U.S. Secretary of Education.
Young people in America today are entering a workforce that is the
most competitive we have seen in our lifetime. Our economy is truly
global, and how well our students are learning is being measured on an
international scale.
We also know that, in too many communities across our country,
students are receiving an education that is leaving them unprepared for
next steps after high school--a reality that has a deep impact on the
success and future of our citizens.
I devoted much of my post-U.S. Senate career to improving public
education in Tennessee in an effort to jump start long-term educational
change in our State and ensure that every child graduates high school
prepared for college or a career. As a surgeon, I also know that
education impacts all aspects of our life, including health. Studies I
led for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that education is one
of the best predictors of health outcomes from life expectancy to the
infant mortality rate.
It is for these reasons that I am both excited and hopeful about
the nomination of Betsy DeVos as the next U.S. Secretary of Education.
I have known Mrs. DeVos for many years, and I know firsthand that her
passion for education comes from a deep desire to do what's best for
our Nation's children.
In Tennessee, we have shown what is possible in improving public
education. Tennessee has gone from 46th in the Nation to 25th in 4th
grade math in just 4 years.
We now rank 19th in the country in 4th grade science. More
Tennessee students are enrolling in and completing education beyond
high school--education that will help them secure a bright future for
themselves and their children.
This progress has been made due to the reforms Tennessee has
committed to--stronger teacher evaluations, higher expectations for
students, teacher tenure reform, and expanding high-quality school
choices for parents, among others--and those reforms must continue in
order to ensure success for all students. As the center of gravity in
education moves away from the Federal Government and into locals'
hands, we need a secretary of education who can both safeguard the
flexibility States need to advance these reforms and inspire innovation
that will challenge the status quo. I believe Betsy DeVos is that
leader.
She has more than 28 years of experience advocating for policies
that are good for students, policies like more choices for parents,
ensuring high-quality teachers in the classroom, and protecting the
right for every child to receive an excellent publicly funded
education. With a devotion to transforming our K-12 education system
that has received wide-ranging bipartisan support at the local and
national levels, Mrs. DeVos fits the bill for the trailblazer needed at
the helm of Federal education policy.
Most importantly, she puts children at the forefront of her
advocacy efforts. As a mother and grandmother who, together with her
husband, helped start a high-performing public charter school in
Michigan, Mrs. DeVos is intimately familiar with education policy from
all angles. In fact, West Michigan Aviation Academy is the top-rated
public charter high school in the State of Michigan.
Betsy DeVos will bring a renewed sense of urgency and focus to
improving schools in neighborhoods across America. As someone who has
worked with Mrs. DeVos for years, I urge the U.S. Senate to confirm her
nomination. She is the public servant our country needs leading the
U.S. Department of Education.
Sincerely,
William H. Frist, M.D.,
U.S. Senator.
Commonwealth of Kentucky,
Office of the Governor,
Frankfort, KY 40601,
January 17, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Alexander: From our past conversations, I know that
both you and I care deeply about the education of our Nation's
children. As Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, I also know that
State and local governments bear the chief responsibility for funding
our K-12 systems. Nonetheless, the Federal Government often imposes
mandates on States which serve little purpose but to cause unnecessary
burden on the educational process.
This is why I am writing to express my strong support for
President-elect Trump's Secretary of Education nominee, Betsy DeVos.
She is intelligent, principled, articulate and gracious. She is a
proven thought leader in education and a proven champion of all
children seeking educational opportunity. I believe that she will work
to streamline the Federal education bureaucracy, return authority back
to States and local school boards, and ensure that more dollars reach
the classroom unfettered by layers of red tape. This is exactly what
America needs.
Betsy DeVos is also a passionate advocate for increasing the role
of parent engagement in their children's education. She believes in
harnessing the power of competition to drive school improvement in all
schools, whether they be public or private. Again, this is exactly what
America needs.
I am confident that Betsy DeVos, as Secretary of Education, will
work with Governors as well as State and local policymakers to craft
innovative solutions for ensuring that our children receive the
knowledge and skills needed to succeed in today's workforce.
There is no doubt in my mind, that Betsy DeVos will fight to ensure
better educational opportunities for every child. The results will
empower all of America's children to become the best possible version
of themselves. This, too, is exactly what America needs.
Sincerely,
Matthew G. Bevin,
Governor.
State of Ohio,
Office of the Governor,
Columbus, OH 43215-6117,
January 24, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC. 20510
Dear Chairman Alexander: I am writing to urge the members of the
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP)
to confirm Betsy DeVos to be our next Secretary of Education.
Mrs. DeVos has built two of the most successful education reform
organizations in America, the Great Lakes Education Project and
American Federation for Children. Her advocacy for school choice,
parental control of schools and accountability standards has made a
difference in the lives of thousands of school children. She is well-
qualified to serve as education secretary and she has the compassion
for children that this job demands.
I believe we are truly measured by how we treat the most vulnerable
among us. Betsy DeVos has met this character test. She has long been a
leader in the mentoring movement, serving as a mentor and helping to
find role models for at-risk children. You can see her love for
learning and commitment to kids throughout her 28-year fight for
education reform.
Mrs. DeVos understands the proper role for the Federal Government
is limited. In education, she knows that States, local school boards,
educators and parents should be the drivers of reform, not the Federal
Government. As a Governor, I am excited about the prospects of working
with a U.S. Secretary of Education who is committed to unleashing the
power of the State laboratories of democracy. I believe Betsy DeVos has
the potential to usher in an era of real and meaningful education
reforms in our country. She is a strong leader with the right vision
and leadership skills to raise the bar on education in America and help
ensure that our children are receiving the skills they need to compete
in the global economy.
Sincerely,
John R. Kasich,
Governor.
State of Michigan, Executive Office,
Lansing, MI 48909,
January 9, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Alexander: I'm proud to support the nomination of
Michigan native, Betsy DeVos, to be the next Secretary of Education.
I've had the opportunity to meet with and work on education reform
ideas during my time in public service. Betsy has always put the
interest of children first and that mindset to make sure every single
child has access to the best educational opportunities available to
them will help elevate the education system in our Nation.
I have seen her passion and energy for children on display in my
home, west Michigan. Betsy and her family are strong supporters of both
public and charter schools, making sure the students of our great State
receive the best possible education.
Their commitment to higher education is obvious by the sheer number
of higher education institutions and scholarships they support.
I'm excited for the opportunities for our children in the future
with a strong advocate for them as our next Secretary of Education. Our
future is brighter because Betsy DeVos has accepted the call to serve
our country.
Sincerely,
Brian Calley,
Lt. Governor.
January 16, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Alexander: We are writing to express our strong
support for Betsy DeVos to be our next Secretary of Education. Mrs.
DeVos is one of the most dedicated and successful education reformers
in America.
For the past 28 years, Betsy has been on the frontlines fighting to
expand school choice and to give parents a greater voice in how and
where their children are educated. Thanks to her advocacy, thousands of
at-risk children have gained access to better schools.
We need a leader who is willing to challenge the education
establishment in our Nation. The reality is our K-12 system is failing
far short of what children deserve and what our Nation requires to
remain an economic power. Today, America ranks 40th in math education
and 25thin science, and less than 40 percent of high school graduates
are college- or career-ready. This is unacceptable.
Betsy DeVos will be a forceful advocate for the interests of school
children and their parents, and she will fight to curtail Federal
overreach into our classroom, and ensure more authority and money is
sent back to the States. She is a woman of immense character and
determination who has the leadership skills and vision to bring about
real change in our education system.
We enthusiastically endorse her nomination and respectfully ask the
members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions (HELP) to confirm her promptly.
Sincerely,
Dick Cheney,
Lynne Cheney.
Michigan House of Representatives,
Speaker of the House,
January 6, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Chairman Alexander and members of the committee: I would like to
take this opportunity to express my unwavering support for Betsy DeVos
in her nomination as our Nation's next Secretary of Education. I have
been heavily involved in Michigan government and politics for many
years, and I have truly learned the impact Betsy has made in our State.
In November, I was selected to serve as Speaker of the Michigan House
of Representatives for my final 2-year term in the House, and while I
am disheartened that during my tenure as Speaker we may not have
Betsy's full drive and expertise in Michigan when it comes to education
reform, I am happy to think about all she can do for the rest of the
country in her new role.
Betsy DeVos is a true fighter for the children of Michigan and for
common sense education reform. She has bravely served on the frontlines
of the education reform movement, and I know she will continue that
incredible effort for our entire nation as our Secretary of Education.
Most importantly, she has been consistently committed to expanding
access to a quality education for every child in the United States,
regardless of their parents' income or the quality of their family's
local traditional school district. She believes--as do I--that the best
way to do that is by equipping parents with as many options and as much
control as possible, including public schools, charter public schools,
home schooling, online education, and more.
In Michigan, we have seen first-hand how important education
options can be, especially in communities like Detroit, where the local
public school system is consistently rated among the lowest performing
districts in the entire Nation. Thanks in large part to the leadership
and efforts of Betsy DeVos, families In Detroit now have access to more
options than ever before, and roughly half of the students in the city
currently attend a school other than their neighborhood public school,
including many high quality charter public schools.
Helping children is Betsy's passion, and I cannot imagine a better
quality for someone in her role to have. Betsy will make a tremendous
Secretary of Education, and I urge you to confirm her as soon as
possible.
Sincerely,
Tom Leonard,
State Representative, 93d District.
Michigan House of Representatives,
Lawton, MI 49065,
January 6, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Alexander: I am writing in support of the nomination
of Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education and encourage you and your
colleagues to swiftly approve her nomination for the post. As a west
Michigan native, former legislative leader, and an advocate for school
reform, I know that she will follow through with what American's
demanded on November 8, 2016: empowering the individual over the State.
And that is exactly what Ms. DeVos will take the lead on--ensuring that
our families have the power to choose the education that best fits the
needs of our children.
Ms. DeVos has served as a tireless advocate for reform over the
past several decades. She's a reformist that has the best interest of
the child at heart. She ignores the bureaucrats and union bosses and
even political leaders in her own party to fight for what experience
has shown is best for the child: family empowerment. Time and time
again, her efforts around the Nation have shown that you can stand up
to the education establishment and win.
It is evident through President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of
Ms. DeVos that he wants a change agent to lead the U.S. Department of
Education. And that is what we will get, somebody who will work
tirelessly to defend the best interest of the child over the interest
of bureaucrats.
I hope after the hearings you will find what I see in Ms. DeVos--a
tireless advocate, a good administrator, and a reform agent for our
children.
With warmest regard,
Aric Nesbitt,
Former Member,
Michigan House of Representatives.
Attorney General,
State of Michigan,
Lansing, MI 48909,
January 11, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Alexander: We are writing to express our support for
President-elect Donald Trump's selection of Betsy DeVos to serve as
Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.
Like the President-elect, Betsy DeVos is a champion of change and
reform. The incoming President has made it clear he expects America to
win again, and the place to start is in America's classrooms. Providing
a quality education where students can safely learn to read, write and
think creatively is the No. 1 goal for the new Secretary of Education.
Furthermore, Betsy DeVos is committed to excellence across the
board. She realizes the best way in which to pursue excellence is to
empower students and parents, so that children are able to attend the
school that best suits their needs.
In addition, Betsy DeVos is committed to ensuring that children
across the country can read. This may be the single most powerful
reform of all--raising the rates of literacy so all students have a
chance to achieve the American Dream.
James Madison wrote,
``Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; And a people who
mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the
power which knowledge gives . . .''
Betsy DeVos understands the challenge, and with almost 30 years as
a passionate advocate for children and education, she is uniquely
qualified to lead the U.S. Department of Education.
Sincerely,
Bill Schuette,
Attorney General,
State of Michigan.
Alan Wilson,
Attorney General,
State of South Carolina.
Brad D. Schimel,
Attorney General,
State of Wisconsin.
Patrick Morrisey,
Attorney General,
State of West Virginia.
Leslie Rutledge,
Attorney General,
State of Arkansas.
Arizona Charter Schools Association,
Phoenix, AZ 85032,
January 10, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC. 20510.
Dear Sen. Alexander: As you and your committee colleagues undertake
the many important tasks before you in Congress, we write on behalf of
the Arizona Charter Schools Association, as unanimously resolved by its
Board of Directors, to enthusiastically endorse President-elect Donald
J. Trump's nomination for U.S. Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.
Betsy DeVos has dedicated her considerable intellect, determined
energies and material resources for long years in the effort to renew
and advance American education. We believe that Betsy DeVos is well-
chosen by President-elect Trump as America's next Secretary of
Education. She has demonstrated a commitment to school choice and
public charter schools. She brings passion, energy and a skill set to
the process which gives those working so hard to raise the level of
education for all students across America the hope that our schools
will once again lead the world, and our children will grow to be
lifelong learners, with a sustaining sense of both their heritage and
their future.
This nomination signals to our Nation, and indeed the world, that
President-elect Trump is serious about the continuing improvement of
American education. Mrs. DeVos' nomination does not signal an ``anti-
public school'' agenda, but rather, follows the great work of both of
President-elect Trump's immediate predecessors, President George W.
Bush and President Barack Obama, in committing to quality school
choices for every American child.
The Arizona Charter Schools Association represents one of the
largest public charter school movements in the country, with student
achievement results outpacing States across the country. On the
Nation's Report Card, Arizona charter schools, if measured as a State,
outperformed nearly all other States in the recent National Assessment
of Educational Progress exams in English, Math and Science. In
addition, Arizona charter students are also outperforming their peers
on statewide exams. About 30 percent of Arizona public schools are
charters, with more than 180,000 students choosing this quality option.
Over the past decade, Arizona has produced a number of rapidly
growing, high-achieving public school models in the charter sector,
which have lengthy wait-lists in Arizona and have now been recruited
and begun to replicate in States across America. The promising
developments that school choice is revealing in diverse communities
across our country are still in their early stages. If access to public
charter schools is sustained and accelerated in Federal and State
policy, the opportunity exists to lift student achievement, educational
attainment and life outcomes for all students.
The Arizona Charter Schools Association urges the Senate to
expeditiously confirm Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Jay Heiler,
Chairman.
Eileen Sigmund,
Chief Executive Officer.
Association of Christian Schools International
(ACSI),
Washington, DC 20005,
January 17, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Alexander: The Association of Christian Schools
International (ACSI) would like to express its support for the
nomination of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. We encourage the
committee and the full Senate to confirm the nomination.
Mrs. DeVos is an inspired choice for the position. She is a
creative thinker who will bring new approaches to the field of
education. She is a proven bipartisan advocate for policies which
benefit all students and has stayed true to her conviction that
``education should be non-partisan''. This commitment to all students--
in the well-known formula: ``no matter their zip code''--brings a fresh
breath to Washington policy debates. All Americans can appreciate her
commitment to the widest possible diversity of education options.
In her statement upon nomination, the Secretary-designate stated
that, ``the status quo is not acceptable. I am committed to
transforming our education system into the best in the world.'' Given
her lifetime of implementing creative policies which give multiple
education options to parents, this commitment on her part is certain
and a strong point in her favor. She offers a unique perspective with a
proven track record of openness to all voices in crafting solutions to
benefit all students.
It may help Senators to know that the Association of Christian
Schools International (ACSI) is a nonprofit, non-denominational,
religious association providing support services to nearly 24,000
Christian schools in over 100 countries. ACSI is the world's largest
association of Protestant schools; our members educate 5.5 million
children worldwide. In the United States, we serve nearly 3,000
Christian preschools, elementary and secondary schools, and 90 post-
secondary institutions. ACSI accredits pre-K-12 schools, provides
professional development and teacher certification, and offers
curricula, student testing and student activities. Member-schools
advance the common good by providing quality education and spiritual
formation to their students. ACSI thanks you for your consideration.
Respectfully submitted,
P. George Tryfiates,
Director for Government Affairs.
The Center for Education Reform,
Washington, DC 20036,
January 6, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I write to express the strong support of the
Center for Education Reform for Betsy DeVos, whose nomination to be
Secretary of Education will be taken up by your committee on January
11.
The Education Department needs a fresh thinker, a leader who is not
beholden to any membership organization. At a time when barely 40
percent of our students can read or write or do math at even basic
levels, our Nation needs someone who can see beyond the day to day of a
multitude of Federal programs and ensure that all efforts are driving
in the direction of the very purpose of that work--the education of our
youth.
Betsy DeVos has devoted much of her adult life to the cause of
finding and supporting efforts to eradicate illiteracy, to equalize
education options for children, and to ensure that those who do not
have what she has been fortunate to have in life have just as many
opportunities.
I have had the pleasure of working with Betsy in many places where
we've shared the ramparts in a common battle for education reform,
choice and innovation. Most importantly, parents everywhere, especially
those who despair at finding their children locked into failing schools
and robbed of hope for their futures, will find that they have a true
friend in Betsy DeVos.
It is time to break through political barriers to opportunity for
all learners, at all levels. We at the Center know that education
opportunity, combined with the ability to expose our schools to
unprecedented innovations in teaching and learning, are together, the
key to the American Dream.
I urge you and all of your colleagues to look past the political
posturing and understand that a fresh, worldly, bold thinker is
precisely what we need today as the helm of the U.S. Department of
Education.
Best Regards,
Jeanne Allen,
Founder and CEO.
Charter Schools USA,
Ft. Lauderdale, FL,
January 9, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Alexander: I am writing you in support of the
nomination of Betsy DeVos for the position of Secretary of Education. I
am the founder, president & CEO of Charter Schools USA. Charter Schools
USA is one of the oldest, largest and fastest-growing education
management companies in the United States. In AdvancEd awarded CSUSA
the first Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) district
accreditation for an education management company in the United States.
CSUSA has successfully completed re-accreditation through 2021. We
successfully manage high performing schools in seven States from pre-
Kindergarten through grade 12. Every one of the schools we manage has
increased its academic performance over time and closed the achievement
gap, especially for low-income students.
I am thrilled that Betsy DeVos has been nominated to be Secretary
of Education. I know Betsy, and I know that what motivates her is to
see public education work for all children--not just children from
families with means. Betsy has worked tirelessly for over 20 years to
bring more educational options to low-income children. I also know that
she believes in accountability and that it should be applied to all
schools. Her dedication, drive and innovative spirit will benefit the
Department, but more importantly the children of our country.
Sincerely,
Jonathan K. Hage,
President & CEO.
Foundation for Excellence in Education,
Tallahassee, FL 32302,
January 9, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
154 Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray: It is a
privilege to support the nomination of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
I have known Betsy for more than 20 years. She started out in
education at the grassroots level, one person making a difference for
children in one school--The Potter's House in Grand Rapids.
That experience touched her personally, and she made the commitment
to become informed, and to make a difference as much with knowledge,
ideas and leadership as with generous charitable support.
Her efforts on behalf of families expanded throughout Michigan and
then the Nation.
Simply put, Betsy believes deeply that each child should be
equipped with the knowledge required to succeed in life. And her
passion runs deepest when it comes to extending this opportunity to
disadvantaged children, those who struggle and fail in classrooms that
don't meet their needs while parents look on helpless to do anything
about it.
Betsy has become the voice of mothers and fathers who for too long
have lacked one in America's education system.
Two false narratives about the parental choice movement are
pertinent to this nomination and to the future of our education system.
One narrative says those who support school choice are hostile to
traditional public schools. Such simply is not the case. Rather, the
choice movement seeks flexibility for putting children in the right
learning environment, embracing all high-quality providers. I can tell
you that Betsy celebrates every child who succeeds in the public school
system and supports increasing the choices given to parents within this
system.
The second narrative says choice weakens traditional public
schools. Here in Florida, public schools have improved dramatically
over the past 16 years, even when a vast increase in options were given
to parents, including charter schools and private school scholarships.
And notably, those student groups that have traditionally struggled in
school made the greatest gains, be it on the fourth grade NAEP reading
results or successful participation in Advanced Placement and industry
certification courses in high school. Instead of diminishing student
outcomes in Florida, choice has been a positive game changer.
Betsy is a champion of families, not institutions. For her, local
control of education decisions means local control. She trusts parents
to choose what is in their unique child's best interests, and she
believes in providing every parent with the resources to pursue those
decisions.
I'm confident that, as Secretary, Betsy will pursue every
opportunity to improve all of our Nation's schools and empower States,
districts and parents to maximize the number of high-quality learning
opportunities available to our kids.
In my almost 30 years of involvement in education reform, I have
never met a person better versed in policy or more effective in pursing
reforms that benefit children.
There is no one more qualified to lead the U.S. Department of
Education. I encourage the swift confirmation of Betsy DeVos.
Sincerely,
Jeb Bush,
Chairman.
Ferris State University,
Big Rapids, MI 49307-2747,
January 12, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Alexander and committee members: It is a pleasure to
provide this letter of strong support for Mrs. Betsy DeVos, who has
been nominated to be the next Secretary of Education. During my 14
years as a university president in Michigan it has been my honor and
privilege to observe, and to be encouraged and supported by the
extraordinary educational commitment of Mrs. DeVos. I believe it would
be difficult to find a major institution of higher education in west
Michigan that has not benefited from her support and determination to
make a difference for our students and their education experience.
Beyond higher education, it is clear that Mrs. DeVos has unwavering
interest and desire to help children receive the best possible
education. Her commitment to choice for students and their parents
exemplifies an approach that students and their future is of the
highest priority and utmost importance.
Mrs. DeVos is a trustee emeritus of our Kendall College of Art and
Design in Grand Rapids. When this institution needed increased and
better space to accommodate its growth, she was quick to support our
renovation of the historic Federal Building and make this dream a
reality for our students and faculty there. During my 41 years of
higher education experience I have observed many in the public sector.
Few people have demonstrated Mrs. DeVos' passion for educational
excellence and for helping students have access to the education that
will shape their future success.
Education needs a leader who will put students first. I believe
that Betsy DeVos will be that leader for the Department of Education.
Thank you for considering these thoughts in support of her nomination.
Sincerely,
David L. Eisler,
President.
Focus on the Family,
Colorado Springs, CO 80920,
January 12, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Alexander: It's my privilege to write and offer my
unreserved support of Betsy DeVos to serve as U.S. Secretary of
Education. I'm familiar with Mrs. DeVos' expertise in this field and
her wholehearted commitment to ensuring that every child is given the
opportunity to receive a first-class education. America's children need
more passionate champions like Mrs. DeVos, and I'm confident her tenure
as Education Secretary would be marked by excellence, effectiveness,
and a tireless dedication to advocating for our schoolchildren. I trust
she will be given all due consideration by your committee.
Again, I'm honored to add my voice to the many who have come
forward to testify to Mrs. DeVos' qualifications that make her an
excellent choice for this vital role. All the best to you and your
fellow committee members in the days ahead.
Sincerely,
Jim Daly,
President.
Idaho Charter School Network,
Boise, ID 83702,
January 3, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Alexander: President-elect Donald Trump should be
commended for nominating Betsy DeVos to be our next Secretary of
Education.
Mrs. DeVos is one of the most dedicated and effective education
reformers in America. In fact, few citizens have done more in our
Nation to fight for the interests of students, especially at-risk
children that are often trapped in failing schools because of their zip
code.
In Idaho and Ohio, two States where I have worked on education
reform issues and have had children in public and charter schools, Mrs.
DeVos has worked side-by-side with advocates for school choice to
create greater parental control and drive improvements in all K-12
schools, whether they be public, private or virtual. She has repeatedly
taken on powerful teachers' unions and an education establishment that
too often accepts failure to protect the interests of adults.
As Education Secretary, Mrs. DeVos will fight to return
decisionmaking back to State and local government, and empower parents
to choose better schools for their children. There is a reason that the
Nation's teachers' unions and education establishment are nervous about
Mrs. DeVos nomination. They know she will upend a failed status quo.
Sincerely,
Terry Ryan,
President.
Log Cabin Republicans,
Washington, DC 20005,
January 9, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Chairman Alexander: This week the Senate Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions will consider the nomination of Betsy
DeVos for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. Log Cabin
Republicans, the country's original and largest organization of LGBT
conservatives and straight allies, strongly encourages her
confirmation.
Ms. DeVos has been maligned in the media as an ``anti-gay''
activist--allegations directly stemming from her personal views on
marriage (which are now immaterial in the aftermath of the Supreme
Court's 2015 Obergefell ruling), and contributions from her family
foundation (to which she was not a direct party).
Far from an ``anti-gay'' firebreather, Ms. DeVos actually has a
history of working with and supporting gay individuals.
When Ms. DeVos' Senior Advisor Greg McNeilly was accosted by a
Michigan State Senator who threatened to make his sexual orientation a
matter of public record because of his opposition to a constitutional
amendment banning marriage equality, Ms. DeVos put an end to the
bullying and harassment (Prominent Gay Republican Said DeVos Stood Up
for Him, Detroit News, December 3, 2016).
Furthermore, in 2013, Ms. DeVos called for the resignation of then-
Republican national committeeman Dave Agema for posting erroneous and
vitriolic anti-gay statements online (``Filthy homosexuals'': Michigan
GOP Leader Dave Agema's Facebook Post Sparks Furor, M Live, March 28,
2013).
Ms. DeVos should be commended for proving that differences of
opinion related to marriage equality do not equate to anti-gay animus.
Log Cabin Republicans stands in support of her nomination for Secretary
of Education, and encourages her swift confirmation.
Gregory T. Angelo,
President.
Michigan Association of Non-Public Schools (MANS),
Lansing, MI 48933,
January 9, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Alexander: President-elect Donald Trump should be
commended for nominating Betsy DeVos to be the next Secretary of
Education. Ms. DeVos brings with her excellent credentials and a
passion for children that will enable the U.S. Department of Education
to be an effective advocate for all students in America.
Her passion for educational reform is rooted in her strong belief
that parents must be empowered to select a school that positions their
children for long-term success and as contributing members of families,
the workforce, communities, and society. She recognizes that all
schools are called to ensure that students achieve at the highest
level. Most importantly Ms. DeVos understands that education policy
should be driven by State and local officials, not handed down from
Washington, DC. The States are the true laboratories for education
reform and she understands that the role the Federal Government can
play to support States in pursuing reform is critical.
Ms. DeVos fully recognizes that our K-12 schools must improve their
performance, particularly in math, science, engineering and technology
(STEM) education. I am confident that Mrs. DeVos, through her support
of expanded school choice, parental control and tougher accountability
measures, can drive real gains in student achievement, helping to make
the next generation ready to compete and win in the global economy.
Betsy Devos values the importance of high-performing schools and
the role that parents must play in the education of their children. I
am confident that she will be successful in ushering in an era of
reform that will give America's current generation of school children
the skills to compete and succeed. I wholeheartedly encourage her
confirmation as the next Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Brian D. Broderick,
Executive Director.
Michigan State University,
East Lansing, MI 48824,
January 12, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Alexander: It is a great honor to write in support of
the nomination of Betsy DeVos to serve as the next Secretary of
Education.
I have known Betsy for many years and am familiar with her lifelong
commitment to education at all levels. Though Betsy's great passion
focuses on the education of young people from pre-Kindergarten through
their high school years, I can attest to her commitment to the
education of all people at all levels.
As a member of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees for
over 12 years, having served both as chair of the finance committee and
vice-chairperson of the board, I have directly witnessed Betsy's impact
on higher education. Betsy has a deep understanding of how the cost of
an education can affect accessibility and can directly impact student
success. She has a unique commitment to low-income, minority and under-
served students and their struggle to achieve a college degree and she
has directed much of her energy toward making that happen.
In addition to her policy and advocacy, Betsy has also been
directly involved in education with a ``hands-on'' approach. She has
mentored students, she has gone into classrooms and tutored students,
and she has invited students into her home to work with them
personally. In short, Betsy's commitment to education goes well beyond
the theoretical; it is real and it is personal. Betsy wants all members
of our society to have the skills they need to succeed and she
appreciates that so often education is one of the most critical
elements driving that success.
In addition to her years of experience and her passionate
commitment to education for all, Betsy is a thoughtful doer who can
effectively lead the Department of Education. Betsy will be able to
effectively buildupon your work represented by the Report of the Task
Force on Federal Regulation of Higher Education, working to lessen the
regulatory burdens on institutions of higher education and the students
who attend them and, in doing so, decrease the cost of and increase
accessibility to a college degree.
In sum, it is hard to imagine an individual more committed to
education as a mechanism to create a more robust, productive and
peaceful society than Betsy DeVos. And it is hard to imagine a person
more capable of fulfilling that promise, of actually doing the work,
than Betsy DeVos.
I appreciate the opportunity to provide the committee with this
recommendation and thank you for allowing me to do so.
Sincerely,
Melanie Foster.
______
Letters of Concern and Opposition
Congress of the United States,
Washington, DC 20515,
January 12, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
455 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member,
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray: As co-chairs of
the congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, we write to express our deep
concern with President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for the Secretary
of the U.S. Department of Education, Betsy DeVos. While Ms. DeVos'
stances on a number of public education issues raise concerns, we
cannot hold our silence regarding her opposition to the rights of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students.
Betsy DeVos' career has been marked by repeated attempts to
undermine the rights of the LGBT community. She and her family have
donated extensively to groups which promote the idea that students who
identify as LGBT must undergo ``conversion'' therapy and have also
affiliated with groups that oppose anti-bullying legislation. The next
Secretary of Education must represent all students in our country.
Anyone who promotes such fervently anti-LGBT viewpoints is wholly
unqualified to serve as the Secretary of Education.
Since 1998, Betsy DeVos and her family's foundations have donated
at least $6.1 million to Focus on the Family, a right-wing organization
which has spent millions of dollars attempting to defeat marriage
equality amendments at the State level. Even more troubling, this
organization supported by the DeVos family promotes ``conversion
therapy,'' opposes the right of LGBT parents to adopt children, and has
referred to transgender individuals as ``mentally ill.'' This
organization has even gone so far as to oppose anti-bullying policies
and opposes basic workplace protections for LGBT individuals. The DeVos
family's support for anti-LGBT groups and policies extends beyond just
this organization to many other groups known for their anti-LGBT
activities, such as:
$1,000,000 to the Institute for Marriage and Public
Policy, which has claimed that the overturning of the Defense of
Marriage Act amounted to a ``fatwa;"
$15,000 to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which
has opposed adoption with same-sex couples;
$433,750 to the Council for National Policy, a highly
secretive group that is led by extremists like Focus on the Family's
James Dobson among other extremists; and
$13,498,000 to the Heritage Foundation, which has stated
that ``Despite activist judges' opinions, the majority of Americans
continue to affirm the reasonable conclusion that marriage is the union
of one man and one woman.''
The DeVos family does not stop with contributions to intolerant
organizations as they also support anti-LGBT politicians. For example,
the DeVos family--including Ms. DeVos--were top contributors to
Michigan State Representative Andrea LaFontaine, who sponsored
legislation allowing adoption agencies to discriminate against LGBT
parents and deny them the ability to adopt a child.
The LGBT community has made significant and long overdue
advancements when it comes to equality in education. During President
Obama's tenure in office, the Department of Education took important
steps to combat bullying and ensure that title IX, which prohibits
discrimination based on sex, appropriately reflects the rights of
transgender students. It is imperative that the rights of LGBT students
are adequately protected moving forward.
As you move to consider the nomination of Betsy DeVos, we strongly
encourage you to seek out answers regarding Ms. DeVos' stance on
important education equity issues, including her views on protecting
LGBT students from bullying and discrimination in K-12 and higher
education spaces. We are particularly troubled by Betsy DeVos' past
support for inhumane ``conversion therapy'' treatments and believe it
is imperative that any Secretary of Education nominee denounce such
practices before being confirmed.
As Members of the LGBT community, we know our schools must be a
safe place for all children. As you consider the nomination of Betsy
DeVos for Secretary of Education, we strongly encourage you to stand up
for the civil rights of LGBT students and ensure the next Secretary
opposes any action to roll back our progress toward equality.
Sincerely,
Mark Pocan,
Member of Congress.
David Cicilline,
Member of Congress.
Sean Patrick Maloney,
Member of Congress.
Jared Polis,
Member of Congress.
Mark Takano,
Member of Congress.
Congress of the United States,
Washington, DC 20515,
January 17, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Senate HELP Committee,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member,
Senate HELP Committee,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray: As Members of
the Congressional Tri-Caucus--composed of the Congressional Asian
Pacific American Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus--we are dedicated to ensuring that all
children, particularly children most at-risk in our society, such as
children of color, low-income children, children with a disability,
children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and children learning
English, have access to a high quality education. A child's educational
opportunities should not be determined by their zip code, what language
they speak at home, or the income of their parents. We are committed to
advancing a nominee for the Secretary of Education who will continue
the progress we have made to improve outcomes for these children and
will enforce education and civil rights laws with fidelity.
Unfortunately, Betsy DeVos is committed to moving us in the opposite
direction.
Betsy DeVos is a billionaire who has spent her career advocating
for the privatization of vital government services, which has adversely
impacted the rights and opportunities of historically disadvantaged
students and families. She advocates for moving taxpayer dollars away
from public schools and toward unaccountable for-profit and non-public
schools. DeVos was a key architect of Michigan's 1993 charter school
law, which allows almost anyone to open a charter school or run a
failing school for years without providing any recourse for action.\1\
In Michigan, where 8 out of 10 charter schools are for-profit,\2\ the
State's irresponsible charter school law allows such schools to secure
revenue, even while failing to serve children and families. Despite a
clear mandate to improve this system, DeVos advocated against
increasing accountability and transparency for Michigan's failing
charter school sector, even at the request of a broad, bipartisan
coalition of community members.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Hall, Austin. ``Issue Brief: President-elect Trump's Education
Secretary Selection.'' Washington Partners, November 20, 2016,
http:wpllc.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/DeVos-Bio-Brief.pdf; and
Prothero, Arianna. ``Betsy DeVos Helped Create Michigan's Charter
Sector. Here's How it's Doing.'' Education Week, December 7, 2016,
http//blogs.edweek.org/edweek/charterschoice/2016/12/
betsy_devos_helped_create_michigan_charter_sector_how_its_
doing.html.
\2\ Gross, Allie. ``Did Michigan waste $3.5 Million on Charter
Schools with Questionable Futures?'' Detroit Metro Times, November 18,
2015, http://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/did-the-michigan-department-of-
education-waste-35-million-on-charter-schools-with-questionable-
futures/Content?oid=2381723.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DeVos's privatization agenda has been devastating for the people of
Michigan, and particularly for children of color in urban areas like
Detroit and Flint.\3\ Privatization of public education is a failed
approach, allowing for-profit corporations to maximize value to
shareholders rather than students. Introducing incentives to make money
by exploiting the needs of poor students and families is a failing
strategy that undermines core civil rights protections and jeopardizes
educational opportunity for our most vulnerable children. The failure
of privatization in Michigan is staggering--according to the National
Assessment of Education Progress, Detroit is the lowest performing
urban school system in the country.\4\ DeVos's advocacy for private
school vouchers and for-profit charter schools has led to increased
segregation within Detroit and across Michigan.\5\ Instead of using her
fortune to support Detroit and Michigan public schools to provide an
excellent education for all children, DeVos has worked to dismantle and
defund already cash-strapped school districts to line the pockets of
profit-seeking corporations. The ideology to which the nominee
subscribes ultimately treats vulnerable children as a means to a
profit-seeking end. This worldview is counter to the charge of the U.S.
Department of Education and has no place in public education.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Dawsey, Chastity Pratt and Ron French. ``Betsy DeVos's Michigan
Legacy.'' Bridge Magazine, December 6, 2016, http://bridgemi.com/2016/
12/betsy-devoss-michigan-legacy/.
\4\ Lewis, Shawn D. ``Detroit Worst in Math, Reading Scores among
Big Cities.'' The Detroit News, October 28, 2015, http://
www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2015/10/28/national-
assessment-educational-progress-detroit-math-reading-results/74718372/.
\5\ Wilkinson, Michael. ``Betsy DeVos and the Segregation of School
Choice.'' Bridge Magazine, November 29, 2016, http://bridgemi.com/2016/
11/betsy-devos-and-the-segregation-of-school-choice/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additionally, DeVos has advocated against Federal involvement in
education. The Supreme Court case's decision in Brown v. Board of
Education affirmed that the Federal Government has a unique and
important role to play in protecting and promoting civil rights and
advancing an equitable education system and society. The Elementary and
Secondary Education Act is fundamentally a civil rights law, aimed at
ensuring that every American child had access to a quality education
and the American dream. Tri-Caucus Members were proud to play an
important role in preserving the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act's key guardrails for educational equity last year during
negotiations leading to enactment of the Every Student Succeeds Act.
However, these guardrails are only as good as their implementation. It
will be up to the new Secretary of Education to enforce these
guardrails, and DeVos is clearly not up to this task.
At a time in which children and families in our districts and
across the country are concerned about their safety, their rights, and
their opportunities, the last thing we need is a billionaire Secretary
of Education with no experience in public schools who has worked to
turn public education into a windfall for shareholders. We strongly
urge the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to
vote no on her nomination and instead confirm a Secretary of Education
who champions civil rights protections and will advance the goal of
quality education for each and every child.
Sincerely,
Cedric L. Richmond, Chair, Congressional
Black Caucus (CBC); Michelle Lujan Grisham,
Chair, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC);
Judy Chu, Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific
American Caucus (CAPAC); Members of Congress:
Adam B. Schiff, Adriano Espaillat, Alan S.
Lowenthal, Albio Sires, Ben Ray Lujan, Alma S.
Adams, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Andre Carson,
Brenda L. Lawrence, Barbara Lee, Colleen
Hanabusa, Joyce Beatty, Danny K. Davis, Dwight
Evans, G. K. Butterfield, Eddie Bernice
Johnson, Grace F. Napolitano, Eleanor Holmes
Norton, Grace Meng, Elijah E. Cummings, Gwen
Moore, Frederica S. Wilson, Hakeem S. Jeffries,
Alcee L. Hastings, John Conyers, Jr, Henry C.
``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., John Lewis, Jackie
Speier, Jose E. Serrano, Janice D. Schakowsky,
Juan Vargas, Joaquin Castro, Karen Bass Keith
Ellison, Marc A. Veasey, Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Marcia L. Fudge, Linda T. Sanchez, Mark Takano,
Lucille Roybal-Allard, Maxine Waters, Luis V.
Gutierrez, Bennie G. Thompson, Norma J. Torres,
Ro Khanna, Nydia M. Velazquez, Robert C.
``Bobby'' Scott, Pete Aguilar, Robin L. Kelly,
Pramila Jayapal, Ruben Gallego, Raul M.
Grijalv, Ruben Kihuen, Salud O. Carbajal, Val
Butler Demings, Sheila Jackson Lee, Wm. Lacy
Clay, Ted Lieu, Yvette D. Clarke, Terri A.
Sewell, A. Donald McEachin, Tony Cardenas,
Donald M. Payne, Jr., Jerrold Nadler, and Doris
O. Matsui,
AFSCME,
Washington, DC 20036-5687,
January 9, 2017.
Dear Senator: On behalf of the 1.6 million members of the American
Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), I am
writing to express our strong opposition to the nomination of Betsy
DeVos to be the next U.S. Secretary of Education .
The Department of Education plays an essential role for our
country, ``to promote student achievement and preparation for global
competitiveness by fostering academic excellence and ensuring equal
access.''AFSCME recognizes that high quality, accessible public
education is a lynchpin for individuals to pursue and achieve the
American dream and to maintain our country's role as a world leader.
America needs an experienced, qualified Secretary of Education
committed to upholding the Department's mission to foster, monitor and
ensure equal access to public education and to continue successful
efforts to improve underperforming public schools and increase the
number of students graduating high school and college.
Betsy DeVos, however, lacks the necessary qualifications. She has
no public education experience or training. Unlike any previous
Education Secretary, she has never been a teacher or school
administrator, served on any board of education, directed any public
education or higher education programs, attended a public school or
even had her own children attend a public school.
Rather, DeVos' only experience in the education sector is as a
lobbyist and political donor, where her family's wealth has bought
influence to push for the transfer of public resources to private
schools, including through voucher programs. Yet, voucher programs have
been proven ineffective, failing to improve student achievement and
deprive students of civil rights protections ensured by law to public
school students. Vouchers also divert the limited resources available
to public schools away from public schools serving all children to fund
the education of a few, select voucher students.
DeVos, through her Great Lakes Education Project PAC, was
unsuccessful at funding efforts to create private school voucher
programs with public funding in her home State of Michigan. She pushed
for the widespread expansion of for-profit charter schools and opposed
efforts to hold these schools accountable. The results in Michigan are
devastating. Michigan now diverts $1 billion in public education funds
to charter schools, 70 percent of which are run by for-profit
organizations and the majority of which perform below the State
average. As a result, Michigan's national rankings are now lower in
math and reading tests than 20 years ago before this failed experiment.
Betsy DeVos lacks the experience, qualifications and commitment to
improving public education that Americans expect and deserve from their
Secretary of Education. AFSCME strongly urges you to continue to
fulfill your constitutional responsibility to thoroughly review and
assess her qualifications, commitment to public education, any
potential conflicts and impact on public education. AFSCME is strongly
opposed to the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be U.S. Secretary of
Education.
Sincerely,
Scott Frey,
Director of Federal Government Affairs.
American Federation of Teachers (AFT),
January 6, 2017.
Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC. 20015.
Dear Ranking Member Murray: On behalf of the 1.6 million members of
the American Federation of Teachers, I strongly urge you to oppose the
nomination of Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education. DeVos has
neither the qualifications nor the experience to serve as the Nation's
secretary of education, and her record clearly demonstrates that, if
confirmed, she will undermine and seek to privatize public education.
AFT members are committed to protecting and expanding a public
education system that reinforces our country's promise of economic
opportunity, democratic values rooted in pluralism, and equality; that
nurtures children in a safe learning environment that is adequately
supported, not defunded or privatized; and that includes public higher
education that is affordable and inclusive and promotes free inquiry.
And AFT members are not alone. In a recent poll conducted by Hart
Research Associates, American voters said they believe we need a
secretary of education whose priority is strengthening and improving
all public schools (78 percent) rather than someone whose priority is
helping parents send their children to private and nontraditional
public schools (8 percent). Seventy-three percent of voters want a
secretary of education who will ensure every child has access to a good
public school in his or her community that provides safe conditions, an
enriching curriculum with both academics and extras such as music and
art, and effective teachers.
DeVos' education agenda is antithetical to the direction Americans
want the next secretary of education to take. First, she is simply not
qualified to serve as America's secretary of education. She has no
public education experience or training of any kind; she has never been
a teacher or school administrator, served on any public board of
education, or even attended a public school.
Indeed, DeVos' only involvement in education has been funding
efforts to undermine and privatize our public schools. The job of the
secretary of education is to support and strengthen America's public
education system. Voters want strong neighborhood public schools that
are available to all children, not private school vouchers and for-
profit charters. However, DeVos and her family for decades have wielded
their billions to undermine public education, while promoting private,
for-profit schooling with little or no regulation, transparency,
accountability or respect for civil rights or the Constitution's
separation of church and State.
To this end, DeVos has made private school vouchers a priority. In
2000, she and her husband funded a multimillion-dollar and ultimately
unsuccessful ballot initiative to create school vouchers in Michigan.
Voters rejected the plan to shift public dollars to private schools by
a margin of 69 to 31 percent.
Michigan voters knew then, as we know now, that voucher programs
have proven ineffective, lack accountability to taxpayers, and deprive
students of rights provided to public school students. Sixty-eight
percent of those polled in the recent Hart Research survey stated that
DeVos should be opposed because of her support for vouchers. Vouchers
divert desperately needed resources away from public schools, which
serve all children, to fund the education of a few select voucher
students. In addition, private school vouchers violate the fundamental
guarantee of religious freedom by funding religious schools with public
money.
DeVos has used her influence to push an anti-public education
agenda that defunds and destabilizes public schools and communities. It
is clear that DeVos, who has never had any experience in public
education or even attended or sent her children to public schools, and
who seeks to undermine public schools, is not qualified to be the head
of the U.S. Department of Education.
Again, I urge you to vote no on the confirmation of Betsy DeVos.
Sincerely,
Randi Weingarten,
President.
Americans United for Separation of Church and
State,
Washington, DC 20005,
January 9, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Senate HELP Committee,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member,
Senate HELP Committee,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray: Americans United
for Separation of Church and State writes to voice our strong
opposition to the nomination of Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education.
We oppose taxpayer-funded private school vouchers because they drain
funds from our public schools to support private, religious schools.
Accordingly, we oppose Ms. DeVos, who has been a champion for private
school vouchers for many years, and has said she will advocate for
``school choice,'' including vouchers, as the Secretary of
Education.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Alyson Klen, Trump, DeVos Call for Ending Common Core at
Michigan Rally, Educ. Week (Dec. 11, 2016), http://biogs.edweek.org/
edweek/campaign-k-12/2016/12/trump_devos_call
_for_ending_co.html.
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Ms. DeVos has pushed for States across the country to adopt private
school vouchers, in large part to promote her specific religious
viewpoint. She has stated that private school vouchers are a means ``to
confront the culture in which we all live today in ways which will
continue to help advance God's kingdom,'' and a way to let families
choose to ``educate their children in a school that reflects their
world view.'' \2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Benjamin Wermund, Trump's Education Pick Says Reform Can
``Advance God's Kingdom'', Politico (Dec. 2, 2016).
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Indeed, vouchers primarily flow to private religious schools.\3\
This threatens one of the most dearly held principles of religious
liberty: government should not compel any citizen to furnish funds in
support of a religion with which he or she disagrees, or even a
religion with which he or she does agree. Vouchers also threaten the
autonomy of religious schools by opening them up to government audits,
control, and interference. Parents certainly may choose a religious
education for their children, but they may not insist that the
taxpayers pay for it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ See, e.g., U.S. Dep't of Ed., Evaluation of the D.C.
Scholarship Program: Final Report, 17-18 (June 2010) (finding that
approximately 80 percent of the students participating in the DC
voucher program attend religious schools).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private school vouchers have numerous other flaws as well. They
undermine public schools, fail to improve educational outcomes,\4\ and
lack accountability and oversight. Private school vouchers also fail to
provide the same rights and protections to students that they would
otherwise have in public school, including those in Titles VI and IX of
the Civil Rights Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Every Student
Succeeds Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Recent studies of both the Louisiana and Ohio voucher programs
revealed that students who used vouchers actually performed worse on
standardized tests than their peers who are not in the voucher
programs. Morgan Winsor, Louisiana's Controversial Voucher Program
Harms Poor Students, Lowers Grades, New Study Finds, Int'l Bus. Times,
(Jan. 10, 2016), http://www.ibtimes.com/louisianas-controversial-
voucher-program-harms-poor-students-lowers-grades-new-study-2258417;
David Figlio and Krzysztof Karbownik, Evaluation of Ohio's EdChoice
Scholarship Program: Selection, Competition, and Performance Effects 32
(Fordham Institute 2016), available at https://edex.s3-us-west-
2.amazonaws.com/publication/pdfs/FORDHAM%20
Ed%20Choice%20Evaluation%20Report_online percent20edition.pdf.
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Private school vouchers hide under the umbrella of school choice,
yet paradoxically do not provide any actual choice to parents or
students in the program; rather, they funnel taxpayer funds to private
schools that, unlike public schools, have the ability to accept or
reject students based on a number of characteristics including sex,
religion, sexual orientation and gender identity, economic status, and
academic achievement.
Ms. DeVos' nomination is deeply troubling because she has been
selected to serve as head of the Department of Education, but has
repeatedly sought to undermine the public school system through her
advocacy for private school vouchers. Therefore, we oppose Ms. DeVos'
nomination to be Secretary of Education. During the committee hearing
on her nomination, we urge you to question her on her longstanding
support for private school vouchers and her plans to continue pursuing
policies that would undercut the very education system she is meant to
lead.
Sincerely,
Maggie Garrett,
Legislative Director.
Elise Helgesen Aguilar,
Federal Legislative Counsel.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and
Human Rights,
Washington, DC 20036,
January 9, 2017.
Dear Senator: On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and
Human Rights, a coalition of more than 200 national organizations
committed to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all
persons in the United States, we are writing to express our strong
opposition to the confirmation of Betsy DeVos to be the next U.S.
Secretary of Education. All parents and students in this country--a
majority of whom are of color or are low-income\1\--want the best
education, support and dignity for their own children. We stand with
them and cannot support a nominee who has demonstrated that she seeks
to undermine bedrock American principles of equal opportunity,
nondiscrimination and public education itself.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See: http://www.southerneducation.org/0ur-Strategies/Research-
and-Publicationss/New-Majority-Diverse-Majority-Report-Series/A-New-
Majority-2015-Update-Low-Income-Students-Now.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DeVos argues her opposition to public education serves students,
especially students who are the most vulnerable.\2\ We reject the
notion that children are well-served by the dismantling of a public
school system that serves 90 percent of all American students\3\ or by
the elimination of civil rights protections that require the Federal
Government to intervene when students are discriminated against.\4\ The
civil rights community has served as agitator and critic of schools and
school systems that failed to meet the needs of students of color and
low-income students since long before Thurgood Marshall successfully
argued the Brown v. Board of Education decision.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ See: http://www.federationforchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/
2015/03/Betsy-SXSWedu-speech-final-remarks.pdf?e40fe9.
\3\ See: https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372.
\4\ See: http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.copaa.org/resource/resmgr/
2016_Conference/COPAA
_Voucher_paper_final_R6.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Opportunity and achievement gaps that demonstrate longstanding bias
against students of color, English learners, Native Americans, girls,
students with disabilities, low-income students and other marginalized
students are indefensible and unacceptable and we have fought at the
Federal, State, local and classroom level to ensure every student the
quality education to which they are entitled by law and birth. Rather
than joining with us in support of accountability, oversight and
intervention, DeVos instead argues for an unaccountable education
system which serves only to exacerbate inequality of opportunity.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ See: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/betsy-devos-
michigan-school-experiment-2323
99.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
While parent frustration with schools failing to meet their child's
need is real and parents have waited far too long for meaningful action
by policymakers, the result of anti-public education agendas such as
DeVos' has often, as in Louisiana\6\ been worse outcomes for vulnerable
students. The Michigan example, where DeVos' impact on education policy
and the proliferation of unregulated and for-profit charter schools is
considerable, demonstrates clearly that this agenda does not result in
the improved outcomes students, parents and communities deserve.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ See: http://www.nber.org/papers/w21839.
\7\ See: http://bridgemi.com/2016/12/betsy-devos-michigan-legacy/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equal access to education is a cornerstone of the civil rights
movement. The Secretary of Education's role as the enforcer of
education and civil rights laws\8\ is central to advancing our shared
vision of an inclusive and diverse system of high-quality public
education that enables every student to live up to their potential.
DeVos has demonstrated no previous commitment to ensuring equal
educational opportunity in schools.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ Department of Education Organization Act (Public Law 96-88).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
While she is entitled to her personal views as a private citizen,
government officials are charged with enforcing our laws equally.
DeVos' connections to anti-LGBTQ organizations including those that
promote dangerous and discredited ``conversion therapy'',\9\ groups
that seek to limit a woman's right to health care\10\ and civil rights
protections for survivors of violence,\11\ and her opposition to
affirmative action policies\12\ demonstrate a lack of respect and
appreciation for the diversity of our Nation's classrooms and fail to
recognize a long and pernicious history of discrimination against
groups of students. While we have heard little of DeVos' record with
regard to the rights and interests of English learners, immigrant
students, students with disabilities and religious minorities, we are
deeply troubled by the unacceptable rhetoric of the President-elect
during his campaign and the absence of a record of DeVos' support for
these students.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ See: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/betsy-devos-
education-secretary-civil-rights-gay-transgender-students-231837.
\10\ See: https://rewire.news/article/2016/03/21/devos-family-
promoting-christian-orthodoxy-political-donations/.
\11\ See: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/11/28/betsy-
devos-trumps-choice-educa-
tion-secretary-has-unclear-higher-ed-priorities.
\12\ See: http://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2016/3/1/school-
choice-but-much-more-ma-
king-sense-of-devos-family-phi.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
When compared with Secretaries of Education through the history of
the department, DeVos' lack of experience stands out.\13\ She has never
been an educator or worked directly with children and families in
public schools. She has never led a school, district or State agency
tasked with educating students. She has never been a public school
parent or a public school student. This lack of experience makes her
uniquely unfamiliar with the challenges and opportunities facing the
Nation's students, families, educators and schools.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ See: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2016/12/
betsy_devos_would_
be_first_ed_.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The U.S. Department of Education is responsible for implementing
and enforcing laws protecting students from discrimination on the basis
of race, color, national origin, sex and disability and those laws that
provide for educational opportunity from early childhood through
graduate school. The person responsible for leading that department
must absolutely be committed to respecting, valuing and protecting
every single student in this country--without regard to LGBTQI status,
family income, race, home language, gender, religion, disability or
immigration status. Our nation's laws, economy, future and children
deserve no less.
Sincerely,
Wade Henderson,
President & CEO.
Nancy Zirkin,
Executive Vice President.
Legal Aid At Work,
San Francisco, CA 94104-4244,
January 9, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray: We write to
strenuously oppose the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of
Education. Legal Aid at Work (formerly Legal Aid Society-Employment Law
Center) is a 100-year-old nonprofit providing free legal services
across California to low-income individuals and their families who face
unlawful discrimination and other injustices. We advance equality and
access in the workplace, schools, and other community and public
facilities, including through enforcement of title IX.
Given Ms. DeVos' long-running record of hostility toward public
schools and the rights of those who are most vulnerable in our
educational systems, we believe she is unfit to serve as the Nation's
overseer of public education. Further, Ms. DeVos has a history of
supporting causes that promote diversion of public funding toward
religious and private education, effectively rendering many schools
exempt from title IX's crucial civil rights protections.
America's schoolchildren, teachers and administrators deserve an
Education Secretary who is deeply committed to protecting and serving
all students--regardless of their gender, religion, race, class, or
sexual orientation and one who will strengthen the public school system
while ensuring that every person has quality educational access.
However, Ms. DeVos' record includes the following troubling actions,
suggesting her lack of fitness with respect to protecting and enforcing
civil rights in the educational context.
Establishing the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil
Society, within the Heritage Foundation, which funds research and
publications opposed to same-sex marriage and transgender rights;
Financially supporting a number of organizations that
oppose LGBT equality;
Funding groups that seek to limit women's reproductive
freedom, and;
Supporting school vouchers in a manner risking
discrimination and lower educational outcomes.
Furthermore, both the lacking transparency and inadequacy of Ms.
DeVos' responses to the committee's questionnaire reflect red flags
regarding her capacity to serve.
For these reasons, we believe Ms. DeVos is unqualified to serve as
Education Secretary and we urge you to oppose her confirmation.
Sincerely,
Kim Turner,
Senior Staff Attorney.
National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW),
January 11, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray: On behalf of the
90,000 members and supporters of the National Council of Jewish Women
(NCJW), I write to urge you to reject the nomination of Betsy DeVos to
be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.
Betsy DeVos has spent most of her adult life promoting charter
schools at the expense of public education and pushing for publicly
funded vouchers for religious schools. She has used her considerable
family wealth in her home State of Michigan to denigrate public
education, shift funds from public school budgets to vouchers and
charter schools, and undermine the very idea of public education, which
she terms a ``government monopoly.''
Government funding of religious institutions threatens the First
Amendment by putting the government in the position of endorsing or
rejecting religious groups when deciding how to award scarce humans-
needs funding. NCJW vigorously opposes Federal funding for faith-based
institutions that discriminate in their hiring policies. Religious
liberty and the separation of religion and State are constitutional
principles that must be protected and preserved in order to maintain a
democratic society.
In addition to her support of school vouchers, DeVos has donated
millions of dollars to anti-LGBTQ causes under the auspices of her
family's charities. DeVos' own foundation donated hundreds of thousands
of dollars to Focus on the Family, an organization that labels
transgender people ``broken.'' The Department of Education is
responsible for implementing and enforcing laws protecting students
from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex
and disability and those laws that provide for educational opportunity
from early childhood through graduate school. The person responsible
for leading that department must absolutely be committed to respecting,
valuing and protecting every single student in this country--without
regard to LGBTQ status, family income, race, home language, gender,
religion, disability or immigration status. DeVos' history raises
doubts as to whether she will protect the safety of LGBTQ students in
our schools.
If confirmed, DeVos would undermine one of the crowning
achievements of American democracy--free public education for all
students through high school. We urge you to reject her confirmation.
Sincerely,
Nancy K. Kaufman,
CEO, National Council of Jewish Women.
National Education Association (NEA),
Washington, DC 20036,
January 9, 2017.
U.S. Senate,
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee,
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator(s): On behalf of the three million members of the
National Education Association and the students they serve, we wish to
express in the strongest terms, our opposition to the nomination of
Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education. As the committee begins its
hearing process, we note that based on her record, Mrs. DeVos lacks the
experience and qualifications to lead the U.S. Department of Education
in furthering its mission to foster educational excellence and ensure
equal access to education for all students.
Public education is the foundation of our 21st-century democracy.
Educators strive every day to make public schools a place that welcomes
every student and prepares them to reach their full potential and
contribute to our society, economy, and citizenry. We expect our
elected leaders and policymakers, regardless of party affiliation, to
value and support this uniquely American vision for a strong and
inclusive public education system that ensures that all students can
succeed, regardless of their ZIP code.
Sadly, Mrs. DeVos has consistently worked against these values, and
her efforts over the years have done more to undermine public education
than support all students. Further, Mrs. DeVos has zero experience with
the public school system, either as a student, educator, administrator,
or even as a parent. She would be the first Secretary of Education with
no experience with public schools, including in early childhood and
higher education.
As an advocate and political donor, Mrs. DeVos has consistently and
systematically worked to dismantle and privatize our public schools. As
chair of multiple education reform advocacy groups, Mrs. DeVos has been
a national leader in supporting and promoting private school vouchers
and attacking political adversaries who do not support these schemes to
privatize public education.\1\ Through aggressive political action
committees, Mrs. DeVos has sought to wield significant influence over
policymakers but has also done so outside of the lines of campaign
finance laws. Not only did her All Children Matter Political Action
Committee knowingly violate Ohio campaign finance law but as of
December 2016 it had not paid the fines for breaking the laws despite
the events taking place 10 years ago.\2\ Yet if confirmed as Secretary
of Education, Mrs. DeVos will have oversight of the Nation's Federal
student loan program, including ensuring borrowers repay loans on time.
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\1\ Philanthropy Roundtable, Spring 2013.
\2\ Politico, November 29, 2016.
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For decades, Mrs. DeVos has lobbied for and bankrolled failed
schemes, like private school vouchers and tuition tax credits--which
take away funding and local control from our public schools that
educate 9 out of 10 students--to fund private schools at taxpayers'
expense. These schemes fail to help our most vulnerable students and
they ignore or exacerbate glaring opportunity gaps. Vouchers do not
create choice for parents so much as choice for private schools--they
can reject students based on economic status, academic achievement,
disabilities, or even gender.
Importantly, vouchers deprive students of the rights and
protections they receive in public schools. Despite receiving public
money, private schools that participate in voucher programs are not
subject to the same civil rights laws, and do not face the same
accountability and transparency standards that public schools must
meet, including those in Title VI, Title IX, and the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act.
There is no significant evidence that schemes like vouchers or for-
profit charters improve the performance of either the students
receiving them or those who remain in public schools. In Mrs. DeVos'
home State of Michigan, where she is considered an architect of the
for-profit charter school system, 8 in 10 Michigan charters had
academic achievement below the State average in both reading and math,
according to the Center for Research on Educational Outcomes.\3\ In
2011, Mrs. DeVos and the Great Lakes Education Project, an education
reform advocacy group she founded, successfully lobbied to lift a cap
on the number of charter schools in Detroit including repealing the
requirement to issue yearly reports monitoring charter school
performance.\4\ After the cap was lifted the number of charter schools
increased dramatically and 18 charters whose existing schools were at
or below the district's performance expanded or opened new schools.\5\
The situation constructed by DeVos has been described by charter
advocates as the biggest school reform disaster in the country.\6\
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\3\ Center for Research on Educational Outcomes, January 1, 2013.
\4\ New York Times, December 12, 2016.
\5\ New York Times, June 28, 2016.
\6\ New York Times, November 25, 2016.
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We also wish to raise concerns regarding the application of
students' civil rights protections based on Mrs. DeVos' background. The
Secretary of Education oversees the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), which
works to vigorously enforce civil rights for students across the Nation
in an effort to ensure equal access, one of the main tenets of the
Department of Education. Among other things, OCR has issued guidance
around school discipline--especially for students of color, English
language learners and students with disabilities; greater enforcement
of title IX on college campuses--particularly around sexual assault;
discrimination issues and protection of LGBTQ students. Mrs. DeVos has
given financial support to organizations whose missions contradict such
equality and protection. Her support of anti-LGBTQ organizations
includes Focus on the Family,\7\ which has pushed the discredited
practice of ``conversion therapy''; and the Foundation for Individual
Rights in Education, which argues that current administration
directives hinder rights of those students accused of sexual
assault.\8\ We are deeply troubled by her support of organizations like
these with a history of discriminatory positions and are concerned that
it reflects how Mrs. DeVos would work to further minimize these
populations if confirmed.
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\7\ Conservativetransparencv.org, accessed January 8, 2017.
\8\ Politico, November 28, 2016.
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Educators believe that the chance for the success of a child should
not depend on winning a lottery or gaining admission to a private
school, or living in the right ZIP code. It is our duty to ensure all
students have access to a great public school in their community and
the opportunity to succeed no matter their background or circumstances.
The public deserves a Secretary of Education who will champion
innovative strategies that we know help to improve student success,
including creating more opportunities and equity, classes small enough
for one-on-one attention, a well-rounded education, and safe, welcoming
learning environments for every student. Further, we need a Secretary
of Education who is qualified and experienced enough to take on the
monumental task of leading the Department of Education in its mission
to foster educational excellence and ensure equal access. Regrettably,
Mrs. DeVos is not that person, and we urge you to oppose her nomination
for Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Marc Egan,
Director of Government Relations.
National Organization for Women (NOW),
Washington, DC 20005,
January 16, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chair,
Senate HELP Committee,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member,
Senate HELP Committee,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Chair Alexander, Ranking Member Murray and committee members:
On behalf of the National Organization for Women (NOW), the largest
grassroots feminist activist organization in the United States with
hundreds of chapters in every State and the District of Columbia and
hundreds of thousands of members and contributing supporters, we wish
to state our strong opposition to the confirmation of Ms. Betsy DeVos
as Secretary of the Department of Education (DoEd). There is nothing in
Ms. DeVos's education, training or experience that indicates she is
qualified for a position of leadership in what is one of our Nation's
most important Federal agencies--an agency whose primary mission is
strengthening public education and assuring that all students are
treated fairly and have access to a quality education.
Strong public support exists for locally controlled, accountable
public schools which follow the law, and which strive to serve all
students. Public education must remain the central concern for the
Department of Education and its resources should not be diverted to
for-profit private schools or to vouchers for religiously affiliated
schools or for-profit online schools. Our organization is deeply
concerned that Ms. DeVos may use her position as secretary to undermine
longstanding programs and policies on which States and local districts
depend. And we fear that if confirmed she would pursue her vision of
using taxpayer money to promote schools which teach religious dogma and
to attempt to move the Nation's education system closer to sectarianism
and privatization. Ms. DeVos is reported to have described her work as
a way to ``advance God's kingdom.''
Remarkably, Ms. DeVos has no experience with the public school
system, not as a student, an educator, an administrator or as a parent.
Neither has she experience with early childhood education programs or
higher education--both important to helping economically disadvantaged
students achieve. The nominee's well-financed efforts over many years
to divert taxpayer funding from public schools to vouchers is well-
documented. In many cases, this diversion has undermined States' and
local districts' capacity to adequately fund public schools.
A billionaire, DeVos's activities have financed numerous
organizations and campaigns that promote the privatization of
education. Reportedly, Ms. DeVos has attacked political adversaries who
do not support her efforts and deployed substantial funds through
aggressive political action committees to pressure education
policymakers, spending millions to elect and lobby State legislators.
She has also provided financial support to organizations that work to
undermine protections for survivors of sexual harassment and sexual
assault, including important protections for LGBTQIA students.
Students who use vouchers are deprived of the rights and
protections all other students receive in public schools; voucher-
supported schools are often not subject to the same accountability and
transparency standards that public schools have to meet. There have
been numerous reports from various States of financial mismanagement by
voucher-supported school administrators, often resulting in the loss or
theft of substantial sums of taxpayer dollars. Education historian
Diane Ravitch reports that corruption becomes a problem when for-profit
charter school operators have purchased property for their schools and
then rented it to themselves at a rate that is up to 10 times the
market rate, making a tremendous profit at public expense.
In California, an investigation by the San Jose Mercury News
revealed that K12 Inc., the Nation's largest operator of for-profit
charter and online schools which receives hundreds of millions of
dollars in State funds, had a dismal record of academic achievement.
After several State agency investigations and lawsuit against K12 Inc.,
a $168.5 million settlement agreement with K12 Inc. was reached in July
2016. According to a statement by California Attorney General Kamala D.
Harris,
``K12 and its schools misled parents and the State of
California by claiming taxpayer dollars for questionable
student attendances, misstating student success and parent
satisfaction, and loading nonprofit charities with debt.''
Betsy DeVos and her husband, Dick DeVos, are investors in K12 Inc.
The company pays its executives millions, gets most of its funding from
taxpayer funds to operate ``virtual'' schools and pays millions to
lobby State legislators and donate to their campaigns. Education Week
reported in November 2016 that political influence and cash overwhelms
any accountability for online charter schools' poor performance, as
noted by People for the American Way (PFAW--http://www.pfaw.org/media-
centeripublications/betsy-devos-nomination-new-high-water-mark-right-
wing-s-long-war-public-ed). A 2015 national study by economists at the
Center for Research and Educational Outcomes, Stanford University,
found that ``math scores for online schools were so low, it was almost
as if the students didn't attend school,'' (https://credo.stanford.edu/
pdfs/Online%20Charter%20Study%20Final.pdf)
There is little evidence that voucher-supported schools and for-
profit charter schools result in improved student achievement. Of the
20 studies conducted by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice,
an advocacy organization for school vouchers, half of those ``found
vouchers had no effect on participants' tests scores'' at all,
``according to a report by Libby Nelson of www.vox.com. Recent studies
of voucher programs in Louisiana and Ohio found that students who use
vouchers to attend private schools, on average, score lower on
standardized tests than demographically similar students who do not use
vouchers, according to education writer and New York Times best-selling
author Dana Goldstein. In Michigan, where Ms. DeVos has focused much
energy over two decades, more than $10 billion in education funds are
sent to charter schools annually, 80 percent of which are for-profit
organizations; the State's rank on national reading and math tests has
fallen. As a report in the New York Times noted, most charter schools
in Michigan perform below the State average. A November 2016 report by
the Economic Policy Institute on the effects of charter school
expansion in cities across the U.S. cited increased stress on public
schools along with numerous problems with conflicts of interest and
financial malfeasance among private school managers and charter school
management companies.
The emphasis on evidence-based policy which has become more fully
embraced in recent years has helped the Department and education
leaders to revise counter-productive educational reforms based on
standardized test results. Hopefully, this more productive focus will
help increase investment in effective teacher training, combined with a
clearer determination of the needs of students--especially students of
color in free and reduced lunch schools--and in helping States and
local district access the necessary resources. An effective Secretary
of Education must continue on that path and provide informed leadership
as this is the most promising process for closing a yawning achievement
gap between students from mostly white, wealthier school districts and
poorly resourced schools whose students are mainly African American and
Hispanic. An effective Secretary must also be dedicated to
strengthening public education policies and programs at every level,
must be committed to equal educational opportunity for all and to
transparency and accountability in education programs. The Secretary
should be well-informed of the progress made in the last few years in
adjusting policies and programs to adequately support teachers and
focus more effectively on the educational challenges of at-risk
students, rather than exacting punishment when schools do not improve
student test scores.
We have found nothing in Ms. DeVos's record to reassure us that she
would do so.
The National Organization for Women maintains a primary interest in
the continuing effective implementation of equal educational access
under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 [Public Law No. 92-
318, 86 Stat. 235, codified at 20 U.S.C. 1681-1688] for girls and young
women, boys and young men to academic and athletic programs at all
grade levels, as well as in post-secondary institutions. Sex
discriminatory practices, unfortunately, remain a factor at all grade
levels and both sexual harassment and sexual assault serve to deter
girls and young women, especially at secondary and post-secondary
institutions, from equal education opportunities. Additionally, LGBTQIA
students, students with disabilities and girls of color bear the brunt
of discriminatory, neglectful and often punishing practices in schools.
Students--many of whom experience violence and economic insecurity in
their lives--suffer from depression, anxiety, eating disorders,
withdrawal from school activities and increased absences. As a result,
they frequently fail to graduate, have encounters with law enforcement
and the juvenile justice system, and suffer from a lifetime of under-
and unemployment, among numerous other negative outcomes. It is the
responsibility of schools to protect all students and to assure that
they receive equal educational opportunity as title IX requires.
A critical concern for the National Organization for Women is the
continuation of the important work of the Department's Office of Civil
rights (OCR) in ensuring that schools meet their obligations to prevent
sexual harassment and violence on campus. We urge that the Secretary
uphold the principles outlined in the Department's 2011 Dear Colleague
Letter (DCL) on Sexual Violence (https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/
list/ocr/letters/colleague-201104.pdf) and 2014 Guidance Documents
Clarifying Schools' legal responsibilities to prevent and address
sexual harassment under title IX (https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/
list/ocr/docs/qa-201404-title-ix.pdf). Sexual violence and forms of
sexual harassment threaten students' ability to learn and remain in
school and for those institutions which receive Federal funding, they
are required to take certain actions under title IX and the Clery Act
of 1990 [Public Law 101-542, codified at 20 U.S.C. 1092]. We believe
that it is essential that every effort be made in accordance with the
law to protect survivors, provide a fair and equitable process for
complainants and respondents in school grievance procedures and to
prevent, respond to, and address the effects of sexual harassment
within all of the recipient's educational programs and activities. We
have seen scant evidence that Ms. DeVos would prioritize these goals
over her stated commitment to ``advance[ing] God's kingdom.''
The Education Department's 2011 Dear Colleague Letter made clear
that schools must promptly respond when rape or sexual assault occurs
in that these types of sex-based harassment constitutes a hostile
environment that constrains a survivor's civil right to equal education
access. This principle was affirmed by the courts a decade prior and
has been repeatedly reaffirmed in case law. However, because many
schools have ignored their obligations under that law or failed to
understand the law, gender-based sexual harassment and sexual assault
was pervasive on campus. The law and the 2011 DCL provides schools with
a useful framework to meet their legal obligations and provides tools
needed to comply with the law, while affording students the information
they need to defend their rights. The Department's role in assuring
that schools meet these legal responsibilities is critically important
for the post-secondary education success of young women and LGBTQIA
persons, in particular, as they are most often the targets of gender-
based harassment and violence.
A key factor in assuring protection for students is the maintenance
of transparency in title IX enforcement. Accordingly, the Department
regularly publishes a list of higher education institutions under
investigation for mishandling gender violence complaints. In addition,
schools that had requested and received religious exemptions from legal
requirements not to discriminate against students on the basis of
pregnancy, reproductive health decisions, sexual orientation or gender
identity are listed. The exemptions allow schools to punish, refuse to
admit or even expel pregnant students or those who identify as LGBT.
Continuing disclosure of the identity of exempted schools must be
assured to allow for students and parents to make informed decisions.
We can find no basis for hoping, let alone believing, that Ms. DeVos
would honor this critical practice.
The Department of Education's 2015 Dear Colleague Letter on
Transgender Students (https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/
letters/colleague-201605-title-ix-transgender.pdf) is an important
guide in helping schools better protect transgender and non-conforming
students who suffer from high rates of harassment, bullying and
violence. It is essential that schools develop policies and practices
which will better protect transgender students who face severe
mistreatment and are at a higher risk of leaving school. Both the
Department of Education and the Department of Justice agree that
harassing a student for not conforming to the sex they were assigned at
birth is clearly discrimination on the basis of sex.
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals recently granted a preliminary
injunction ordering a school board to allow a transgender student to
use a restroom facility that correlates with his gender identity. It is
important to note that for more than 15 years, courts have held that
Federal laws prohibiting sex discrimination protect transgender people
from discrimination on the basis of gender identity. Federal appeals
courts for the First, Sixth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits have made this
same determination. This important protective policy must be sustained.
We are deeply concerned that if confirmed Ms. DeVos would not do so.
In closing, much important work remains to fully achieve equal
educational access for all. We know that girls and young women--though
excelling at school in many ways--encounter bias and barriers. For
girls of color, their educational challenges are very similar to those
of boys of color and, in some ways, are even more daunting. Well-
trained teachers and counselors who can provide appropriate
interventions are key for at-risk students to stay in school and to
thrive. Better access to science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) programs as well as to an array of advanced
placement opportunities should be available for every student who
aspires. Full equality for girls and young women to participate in
athletic programs, including access to playing fields, equipment and
competitive opportunities has not yet been achieved in all schools and
remains an important title IX equal education objective.
NOW believes that the progress that has been made over many decades
to advance equality in public education and the very foundation of our
public education system will suffer a serious setback under Ms. DeVos
and urges committee members to reject this nominee.
Sincerely,
Terry O'Neill,
President.
National Women's Law Center,
Washington, DC 20036,
January 9, 2017.
Hon. Lamar Alexander,Chairman,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20515.
Hon. Patty Murray, Ranking Member,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
525 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20515.
Dear Chairman Alexander & Ranking Member Murray: The National
Women's Law Center has worked for 45 years to advance and protect
equality and opportunity for women and girls and, from its founding in
1972, has had a focus on title IX and its importance in ensuring all
girls and women have equal access to a quality education. Given the
centrality of educational opportunity to the lives and futures of
women, the Center strongly opposes the confirmation of Betsy DeVos to
be Secretary of Education.
The Secretary of Education has the responsibility of ensuring that
all students have equal access to a quality education. Key to that work
is the enforcement of the Federal statutes that prohibit discrimination
in education, including title IX. Over the last 8 years, the
Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), has resolved 66,000 civil
rights cases and proactively investigated 204 cases. OCR's work is
especially important in light of the uptick in hate crimes after the
election, with the majority of those incidents occurring in schools.\1\
The Secretary is also responsible for enforcing and implementing the
Every Student Succeeds Act. Effective implementation of this law will
be critical to ensuring that all students are prepared for college and
careers, including requirements that State and districts intervene in
schools that repeatedly fail to close the achievement gap and important
transparency requirements around student performance, resource
disparities, exclusionary discipline and harassment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Southern Poverty Law Center, Update: 1,094 Bias-Related
Incidents In the Month Following the Election, Hatewatch, Dec. 16,
2016, https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2016/12/16/update-1094-bias-
related-incidents-month-following-election.
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Ms. DeVos' record stands in stark contrast to the Department's
crucial function of ensuring equal access to high-quality education for
all students. Her strong and vocal opposition to commonsense oversight
of charter schools and her efforts to dramatically expand vouchers
would threaten the Department's goal of providing a quality education
that provides a pathway to economic stability and prosperity. Just last
summer, Ms. DeVos aggressively lobbied State legislators and spent
$1.45 million to derail provisions that would have provided more
oversight of Detroit charter schools, including one that would ``stop
failing charter operators from creating new schools.'' \2\ Shielding
charter schools from oversight hardly better serves students, but
rather removes accountability, including with regard to civil rights
principles of equality of opportunity.
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\2\ Kate Zernike, How Trump's Education Nominee Bent Detroit to Her
Will on Charter Schools, N.Y. Times, Dec. 12, 2016, http://
www.nytimes.com/2016/12/12/us/politics/betsy-devos-how-trumps-
education-nominee-bent-detroit-to-her-will-on-charter-schools.html.
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Moreover, many of the provisions proposed in Michigan are common in
many States and accepted by many charter school proponents, but Ms.
DeVos' stance appears to go beyond that of many charter school
proponents. She has reportedly ``pushed back on any regulation as too
much regulation'' \3\--a stance that has contributed to Detroit's
charter system being recognized as one of the greatest school reform
failures in the country.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Id.
\4\ Douglas N. Harris, Betsy DeVos and the Wrong Way to Fix
Schools, N.Y. Times, Nov. 25, 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/
opinion/betsy-devos-and-the-wrong-way-to-fix-schools.html?_r=0; see
also Erin Einhorn, Why Detroit Is an Education-Funding Vacuum, The
Atlantic, July 31, 2016, http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/
2016/07/why-detroit-is-an-education-funding-vacuum/493589/ (noting how
Detroit's charter system has resulted in a lack of infrastructure,
decreased school quality, which is one of many reasons philanthropies
have slowed investment in the city's school reform efforts).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Furthermore, Ms. DeVos has a history of supporting controversial
organizations whose work undermines the protections of students, often
those most at need. For instance, through her foundation--the Dick and
Betsy DeVos Foundation--Ms. DeVos has contributed to the Foundation for
Individual Rights (FIRE),\5\ which has fought efforts to enforce title
IX and protect students because they are subjected to gender violence.
FIRE has lobbied to eliminate schools' obligation to address sexual
assault, as required by title IX, which is crucial for survivors'
continued education in the wake of violence and to prevent others from
being subjected to such harassment and assault. FIRE also supports
bills that would force police to intervene in student incidents, even
when the victims do not want to pursue criminal prosecution but would
prefer school accommodations so they can continue their education free
from harassment or continued trauma. In fact, the Department's recent
work has contributed to increased awareness and understanding by
educational institutions of gender-based violence and has started to
correct unfair processes and responses that for too long pushed
survivors out of school. Ms. DeVos' support for a group aggressively
seeking to undermine that work and the protections afforded by one of
the laws she would be charged with enforcing reinforces why she is not
suited to fulfilling the obligations that would be entrusted to her as
Secretary.
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\5\ Financial Record Search on FIRE & the DeVos Family Foundation,
http://conservativetransparency.org (follow ``By Donor'' hyperlink;
then select ``Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation'' from dropdown
menu; then search ``Enter Search Query'' by ``Foundation for Individual
Rights in Education''; then follow ``Submit'' hyperlink ; see also, Dan
Berret, et al., What Does Betsy DeVos Have in Mind for Higher Ed?, The
Chronicle of Higher Educ., Nov. 23, 2016, http://www.chronicle.com/
article/What-Does-Betsy-DeVos-Have-in/238514.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ms. DeVos has also given millions of dollars to anti-choice causes
and organizations, including ``crisis pregnancy centers.'' \6\ Reports
show that the primary goal of crisis pregnancy centers is to dissuade
pregnant individuals from having an abortion, often by using misleading
marketing practices and providing anti-abortion propaganda and
misinformation about abortion and birth contro1.\7\ At least two of the
centers\8\ to which Ms. DeVos donated have inaccurate information about
abortion on their websites. In addition, Ms. DeVos has given $6.5
million to ``pass-through'' organizations, which have in turn donated
to groups that promote policies and legislation to restrict access to
reproductive health in the States.\9\ This support raises concerns
about Ms. DeVos' ability to be the lead enforcer of title IX's ban on
discrimination against students and teachers who have had an abortion
or who use contraceptives, or even unmarried students who are pregnant.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ Ally Boguhn, The DeVos Family: Promoting Conservative Religious
Values Through Political Donations, Rewire, Mar. 21, 2016, https://
rewire.news/article/2016/03/21/devos-family-promoting-christian-
orthodoxy-political-donations/.
\7\ See, e.g., U.S. House of Representatives Comm. on Gov't Reform,
False and Misleading Health Information Provided by Federally Funded
Pregnancy Resource Centers (2006), at http://www.chsourcebook.com/
articles/waxman2.pdf.
\8\ See Pregnancy Resource Center of Mid-Michigan--Risks of
Abortion, http://www.prcmidland.org/Pregnancy/What-Are-My-Options/
Abortion/Risks-of-Abortion (last visited Jan. 9, 2017); see also
Abortion Pill Reversal--Pregnancy Resource Center, http://
www.prcgr.org/abortion-pill-reversal/ (last visited Jan. 9, 2017).
\9\ See Boguhn, supra note 6.
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Additionally, Ms. DeVos has poured millions into anti-LGBTQ
efforts, including the campaign against marriage equality and an
organization that supports ``conversion therapy.'' \10\ Conversion
therapy is a practice that has been widely discredited as ineffective,
and those who are subject to it are almost nine times more likely than
their peers to consider or attempt suicide.\11\ One of the recipients
of this support, Focus on the Family, even opposed efforts to combat
bullying against LGBTQ students. Ms. DeVos' support of anti-LGBTQ
organizations further underpins why she is not suited to fulfill the
Secretary's responsibility as the lead Federal enforcer of the rights
of girls and women who are LGBTQ students.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ Benjamin Wemund, Trump's education secretary pick supported
anti-gay causes, Politico, Nov. 25, 2016, http://www.politico.com/
story/2016/11/betsy-devos-education-secretary-civil-rights-gay-
transgender-students-231837.
\11\ Zach Stafford, Gay conversion therapy ruins lives. We cannot
afford to keep it legal, The Guardian, May 28, 2015, https://
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/28/gay-conversion-therapy-
ruins-lives-lgbt-rights.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
While what we do know about Ms. DeVos is deeply troubling, we also
emphasize the need for a thorough and comprehensive hearing and process
to inform Americans of Ms. DeVos' other qualifications--or lack
thereof--for Education Secretary. She does not have a record of general
engagement in the educational system at every level. Little is known
about her stance on a host of many educational issues in general, and
with respect to students most in need of the Department of Education's
programs. Further exploration is essential of her positions on the
rights and interests of students of color, English learners, immigrant
students, students with disabilities and religious minorities.
Time for a thorough public inquiry into issues affecting civil
rights, early childhood education, K-12 schools, higher education, and
career and technical education programs is necessary. Additionally, the
lack of transparency and adequacy in the nominee's responses to the
committee's questionnaire makes going forward now unacceptable. Failure
to provide copies of published op-eds she has written or to indicate
potential conflicts of interests--despite media reports indicating a
potential conflict in student lending\12\--are prime examples. To
ensure members have a complete record from which to draw questions, we
urge you to delay the hearing until the nominee discloses potential
conflicts and makes her previous writings publicly accessible.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ Anupreeta Das & Peter Rudegeair, Trump Education Secretary
Pick Has Indirect Stake in Student Lender, Wall St. J., Dec. 5, 2016,
http://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-education-secretary-pick-has-
indirect-stake-in-student-lender-1480977577.
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Given Ms. DeVos' record, the Center urges you to reject Betsy
DeVos' nomination to be Secretary of the Department of Education, and
to delay hearings on her nomination until a complete record on her
conflicts and public statements are produced.
Sincerely,
Marcia Greenberger,
Co-President.
Nancy Duff Campbell,
Co-President.
OCA--Asian Pacific American Advocates,
Washington, DC 20036,
January 5, 2017.
embracing the hopes and aspirations of asian pacific americans
Chairman Alexander, Ranking member Murray, members of the
committee, on behalf of OCA--Asian Pacific American Advocates and our
100 chapters and affiliates around the country, we thank you for the
opportunity to submit this statement for inclusion in the record for
today's hearing.
Since its inception in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, the
Department of Education's mission has been to ``promote student
achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering
educational excellence and ensuring equal access.'' \1\ The Secretary
of Education is tasked with ensuring that this promise is upheld in all
of America's classrooms. The current nominee, Betsy DeVos, lacks the
experience necessary for the position having no professional experience
as an educator, having never attended public schools, and having never
sent her children to public schools. The extent of her exposure to
education is as a lobbyist that advocates for the use of public dollars
to support private schools and the privatization of public school
systems. Both of these systems tout themselves as an innovative
solution to provide social mobility to title I students, but instead
have problematic effects for civil rights.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/mission/mission.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diverting public funds to private schools through vouchers will
hinder our efforts to provide a quality education for all students.
Theoretically, vouchers are seen as a system to assist low-income
students transfer out of struggling public schools. In practice, data
indicates that students who traditionally are able to use vouchers are
less likely to be low-income than their counterparts in the public
schools, and are also less likely to come from low performing
schools.\2\ Moreover, school vouchers rarely cover the full cost of
private school tuition, which limits the utility of vouchers for truly
low-income students.\3\ From 2007 to 2011, the number of Asian
Americans in poverty increased by 37 percent and Pacific Islander
poverty increased by 60 percent, which far surpasses the national
average of 27 percent.\4\ School accessibility is a top concern for the
AAPI community and Betsy DeVos' commitment to these school systems call
into question her ability to analyze the exclusionary affects of
voucher models to our community.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ http://www.policymattersohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/
ClevelandVouchers.pdf.
\3\ http://www.edchoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2016-ABCs-
WEB-2.pdf.
\4\ https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/
AAPI-IncomePoverty.pdf.
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When schools accept publicly funded vouchers they are not obligated
to comply with all Federal anti-discrimination laws.\5\ Private schools
have the right to deny entrance to students with high-cost special
needs like limited English proficiency. A U.S. Department of Education
report found that 85 percent of large central city private schools
would ``definitely or probably'' not be willing to participate in a
voucher program if they were required to accept students with special
needs, including limited English proficiency.\6\ Limited English
proficient children are twice as likely to live in poor families
compared to children who speak only English very well and 1 in 3 AAPI
individuals are limited English proficient; therefore, the AAPI
students that need vouchers the most are the most likely to be
discriminated against by schools accepting vouchers.\7\ AAPI students
deserve to have a Secretary of Education with experience in schools
systems that have a working infrastructure to prevent systemic
discrimination.
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\5\ http://www.aclu-md.org/uploaded_files/0000/0484/
nonpublic_schools_discrim_factsheet.pdf.
\6\ https://www.pfaw.org/sites/default/files/file_186.pdf.
\7\ http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/spotlight-limited-
english-proficient-students-united-states#9.
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The United States must continue to support innovation in school
systems to allow increased social mobility for America's most
disadvantaged students. However, the privatization of public school
systems and voucher models that DeVos purports as beneficial to
disadvantaged students and their families is damaging in a financial
and civil rights aspect. OCA strongly recommends that the committee
solely confirm a Secretary of Education that has experience with many
models of innovative school systems and further, understands the
ramification of privatizing schools and allowing voucher systems on the
Asian American and Pacific Islander community.
Outright Vermont,
Burlington, VT 05401.
Hon. Lamar Alexander, Chair,
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions,
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
Washington, DC 20510.
Hon. Lamar Alexander: The confirmation hearing of Ms. Betsy DeVos
as education secretary is of utmost concern to the lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, and queer youth we are dedicated to serving at
Outright Vermont. Ms. DeVos's utter lack of professional experience
with public schools, coupled with her enthusiastic promotion of charter
schools and tax-funded vouchers for private and religious schools, pose
unique and intersectional risks to marginalized youth.
The school policies Ms. DeVos has a record of championing
disproportionately impact the most vulnerable youth by funneling public
dollars to institutions who have no obligation to accommodate youth
with learning disabilities, behavioral challenges, or marginalized
gender and sexual identities. Such policies, actively endorsed by Ms.
DeVos in Michigan, will push youth into private institutions with no
obligation to ensure equal access to public accommodations. This will
put the emotional and physical safety of LGBTQ youth directly in harm's
way, all in the interest of promoting a religious agenda by leveraging
the full clout of the Federal Government.
Ms. DeVos's overwhelming financial support of religious
organizations who proselytize conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth
compounds that concern. While such interventions have recently been
made illegal in the State of Vermont, youth across the country remain
in jeopardy of this dangerous, damaging practice. Ms. DeVos's
nomination begs a very serious question: Will she use the office to
bolster religious and private institutions at the direct expense of
LGBTQ and other marginalized youth?
Outright Vermont has been dedicated to building safe, healthy,
supportive environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer,
and questioning youth in Vermont since 1989. We ask that you continue
that work on the national level by strenuously objecting to the
confirmation of Ms. DeVos.
With gratitude,
Amanda Rohdenburg,
Director of Advocacy, Outright Vermont
People for the American Way,
Washington, DC 20005,
December 9, 2016.
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator: On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of members and
activists of People For the American Way, I write to urge you to reject
the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Education.
American students deserve a Secretary of Education who is committed
to helping public schools deliver an excellent education, not one who
has worked relentlessly to undermine public education. As a report on
DeVos's nomination in The New York Times noted, ``It is hard to find
anyone more passionate about the idea of steering public dollars away
from traditional public schools than Betsy DeVos.''
The nomination of DeVos, who has been called ``the four-star
general of the voucher movement,'' is a fox-guarding-the-chicken-coop
moment if ever there were one. After voters rejected a series of
voucher initiatives around the country, she turned her efforts to
buying legislators and legislation with aggressive political spending
and lobbying. DeVos and her family have used their considerable
financial resources to target and defeat legislators who support public
education and replace them with others who are willing to assist in the
dismantling of public education through vouchers, tax schemes, and
other projects.
From the perspective of using money to buy political influence,
DeVos's efforts have been impressive. But the results are less
impressive from the point of view of students. For example, DeVos and
her family have been the biggest political and financial supporters of
a major experiment with school choice in her home State of Michigan,
where 80 percent of charter schools are run by for-profit organizations
and where the DeVos family spent nearly $1.5 million to prevent
Michigan from strengthening charter school oversight.
But, as The New York Times has noted,
``If Michigan is a center of school choice. it is also among.
the worst places to argue that choice has made schools better.
As the State embraced and then expanded charters over the past
two decades, its rank has fallen on national reading and math
tests. Most charter schools perform below the State average.''
As one of the architects of Detroit's charter school system, DeVos
``is partly responsible for what even charter advocates acknowledge is
the biggest school reform disaster in the country,'' according to
Tulane University professor Douglas Harris, founding director of the
Education Research Alliance for New Orleans. And while charter schools
have provided mixed educational results, the outcomes are even worse
for the kind of unregulated vouchers DeVos has championed, making her
nomination, in Harris's words, ``a triumph of ideology over evidence
that should worry anyone who wants to improve results for children.''
As an editorial from the Madison, WI Capital Times said in
describing DeVos as a ``horrible'' choice for Secretary of Education:
Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos has sought for years to
undermine public education as an advocate for irresponsible and
discredited schemes to steer money away from the programs and
the public school students that need them most.
She's a special-interest power player who has used her money
to warp the politics of Wisconsin and States across the country
in order to advance an education agenda that is as unworkable
as it is irresponsible. . . . Trump could not have chosen a
worse nominee than DeVos. . . .
In short, Betsy DeVos is one of the leading figures in a decades-
long campaign by Religious Right leaders and anti-government ideologues
to divert public education funds into religious schools and replace
public education with a profit-maximizing marketplace model.
People For the American Way believes that public education is a
core democratic institution, one that has provided generations of
Americans with the tools to become productive members of society, and
has helped integrate generations of immigrants more fully into our
communities.
We believe that a thorough review of Betsy DeVos's record will make
it clear that she is unfit to serve as U.S. Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Marge Baker,
Executive Vice President for Policy and Program,
YouthCare,
Seattle, WA 98105,
January 9, 2017.
Hon. Patty Murray,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510.
Dear Senator Murray: On behalf of YouthCare, I'm writing to express
our alarm regarding President-elect Trump's cabinet nominees. As one of
the largest service providers for homeless youth and young adults in
King County, we are particularly concerned about the nomination of Ben
Carson to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Tom
Price to head the Department of Health and Human Services.
In the past 6 months, we've partnered with attorneys from the Legal
Counsel for Youth and Children who provide free, legal aid to youth in
our drop-in center. The No. 1 request made by youth is help signing up
for medical benefits.
On Fridays, YouthCare's James W. Ray Orion Center runs a health
clinic where young people can meet with a doctor. Their needs are many:
blood infections, back problems, diabetes, abscesses, cellulitis, MRSA,
pneumonia, broken bones, foot necrosis, seizure disorders, Hepatitis C,
HIV/AIDS, kidney/liver damage from substance abuse, mental health
disorders, and drug treatment. The Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act has been essential for paying for tests and lab work that are
not available in our clinic, such as MRIs, X-rays, and CT imaging.
Indeed, of the 6-8 young people who visit the clinic each Friday,
between 1-2 young people are referred to the hospital following their
visit. It is hard to stay healthy without a home. Our clinic has been a
lifesaver.
For example, we recently had a young man visit the clinic because
of an injury that caused him to pass out. The clinic doctor was able to
call the hospital and order imaging. The results showed that he was
also suffering from a heart condition and complex migraines. He was
able to get treatment and his health has improved. Without the ACA, we
would not have been able to get him this care.
Repealing the ACA would have a devastating impact on youth who have
regular prescriptions, are pregnant, and are having serious medical
problems--which, over the course of the year, includes many of the
young people we serve.
Additionally, YouthCare serves a disproportionately high rate of
youth who identity as LGBTQ as well youth who have been trafficked.
Approximately 20-40 percent of the youth we serve identity as LGBTQ.
The anti-women and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric of both Mr. Carson and Mr. Price
scares us. These are our most vulnerable youth. They need support, not
further marginalization.
YouthCare also serves over 200 unaccompanied, undocumented minors
per year through our Casa De Los Amigos program. This program is
supported almost entirely by the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Because Casa De Los Amigos is the only residential shelter services
program in the Seattle area for undocumented minors, and the least
restrictive residence in western Washington, it fulfills an important
need in the regional ORR continuum of care for unaccompanied children.
We are very worried about the sustainability of this program and our
ability to serve these youth under Mr. Price's leadership.
Finally, we'd like to express our concern about the nomination of:
Jefferson Sessions for Attorney General due to his racist
record and staunch anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and anti-LGBTQ
positions.
Andrew Puzder for the Department of Labor due to his
opposition to a higher minimum wage, paid overtime, and paid sick
leave, and his hostility toward unionization and government assistance.
Betsy DeVos for the Department of Education due to her
lack of experience in both public office and education, and her
advocacy of school choice and unregulated, free-market charter schools.
We thank Senator Murray for her steadfast support of our most
vulnerable youth. We respectfully urge her to oppose these
confirmations.
Sincerely,
Melinda A. Giovengo, Ph.D.,
Executive Director.
Response by Betsy Devos to Questions of Senator Murray, Senator
Collins, Senator Young, Senator Roberts, Senator Murkowski, Senator
Sanders, Senator Casey, Senator Franken, Senator Bennet, Senator
Whitehouse, Senator Baldwin, Senator Murphy, Senator Warren, Senator
Kaine, and Senator Hassan
senator murray
Question 1. The President-elect who has nominated you has promised
to ``end Common Core.'' ESSA prohibits the Secretary or Department from
encouraging the adoption of any set of standards. As his Education
Secretary, what specifically would you do to deliver on that promise
while also complying with the law?
Answer 1. If confirmed, I will implement the statutory requirements
of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), including by adhering to the
prohibitions on the Secretary interfering with decisions concerning the
academic standards States choose to adopt. I believe in high standards
of excellence and achievement and it is the job of States to set those
standards. While the Federal Government can highlight their successes,
Congress was explicit that there be no Federal role in determining
standards.
Question 2. We have to measure what all students learn in order to
ensure that all students receive an equitable education. In fact,
before the 95 percent testing participation rate required by the No
Child Left Behind Act, schools could engage in unscrupulous practices
that kept low performing students from taking required tests. Keeping
students with disabilities or English Learners from taking these tests
made school's performance look better and hid achievement gaps. It was
not until the 95 percent testing rate requirements of No Child Left
Behind that we had data to prove the achievement gap existed on a
national scale. Requiring testing participation is an important lever
to ensure that all students are taught at high standards. Given this
important lever for equity, and the Federal Government's role in
ensuring equity, do you intend to allow opt-out to continue and
overlook the law's requirement requiring that 95 percent of all
students and each group of students participate in annual tests?
Answer 2. If confirmed, I will implement the statutory requirements
of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) including ensuring compliance with
the requirement that States must annually measure not less than 95
percent of students on annual reading and math assessments. At the same
time, I will respect the intent of Congress under ESSA to defer to
State and local laws and decisions concerning both parents'
determinations about whether their children participate in such
assessments and State approaches to holding schools accountable where
less than 95 percent of students or students within subgroups are
assessed.
Question 3. The regulations implementing ESSA incorporate the
valuable feedback that the Department received through the public
comment process, while maintaining the focus on providing States with
new flexibility to ensure that every child gets a high-quality and
well-rounded education, and enhancing equity and preserving critical
civil rights protections for all students. Do you agree to fully and
faithfully execute the existing ESSA regulation concerning
accountability, State plan approval, data requirements and the ESSA
regulation concerning assessments and any other regulations from the
day you would assume office? Are there any current regulations you
would seek to modify or change? If there are regulations you would seek
to modify or change, please list the regulations and provide the
statutory authority, legislative history, and public policy reasons to
support a change.
Answer 3. If confirmed, I will carefully review all existing
regulations to ensure they adhere to the law.
Question 4. The Every Student Succeeds Act requires States to
identify schools for targeted intervention if they have a consistently
underperforming subgroup of students. ESSA and the accountability
regulations issued under the Obama administration allow States to
define what it means to be ``consistently underperforming,'' and also
allows districts and schools to determine what interventions will be
implemented when schools are identified. As Secretary, how will you
work with States to ensure they define the term ``consistently
underperforming'' rigorously and implement effective interventions to
ensure that all students have the opportunity to graduate from high
school prepared for post-secondary education?
Answer 4. If confirmed, I will implement the requirements of the
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as Congress intended, including
allowing States to define what it means to be a ``consistently
underperforming'' subgroup of students when identifying schools for
intervention in their State-designed accountability systems. While it
is necessary and critical for States to have flexibility to determine
how to identify and improve schools, the Department has an important
role to play in providing States and local educational agencies with
technical assistance and guidance to aid with successful implementation
of the law.
Question 5. On September 22, 2016, House Education and Workforce
Ranking Member Bobby Scott and I sent a letter to the Secretary of
Education, Dr. John King, asking him to prioritize the critical issue
of addressing teacher shortages as the U.S. Department of Education
works to help States implement the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Later that fall, the title II guidance outlined ways that States and
districts could use their title II funds to eliminate teacher shortages
by recruiting excellent teachers, providing meaningful evaluation and
support, and creating teacher leadership structures. Do you plan to
maintain this guidance? What other guidance do you think needs to be
issued to ensure successful implementation of the Every Student
Succeeds Act? Will you commit to transparency and commit to having the
Department's previously issued guidance being readily available online
for the students, families and schools who rely on it?
Answer 5. If confirmed, and in keeping with past practice when
there is a shift to a new administration, I will carefully review the
guidance and confirm it serves as a helpful tool to States, local
school districts, teachers, school personnel, and others charged with
implementation. I support great schools--in all forms--and great
teachers and school leaders who dedicate their lives to help students
achieve and succeed.
Congress took steps under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to
provide States and local school districts with more flexibility in how
they use Federal funds, including under the title II-A program, to
improve the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and
other school leaders. I intend to adhere to that flexibility and
provide appropriate guidance to ensure successful implementation of the
law.
Question 6. Will you commit to holding schools accountable by
continuing to publish the list of schools with title IX investigations?
Answer 6. Yes, schools that violate civil rights statutes will be
held accountable. But let's be clear, we are a rule of law nation.
Opening a complaint for investigation in no way implies that the Office
for Civil Rights (OCR) has made a determination about the merits of the
complaint. Any decision to release information must balance the desire
for transparency with mechanisms needed to conduct an appropriate
investigation. If confirmed, I look forward to discussing this with the
OCR leadership to understand how the release of information addresses
its mission.
Question 7. To identify and prevent discrimination, OCR has
provided technical assistance to school districts through the release
of policy guidance documents, which, unlike the law and regulations are
not legally binding, but play a significant role in helping
administrative personnel understand the law and regulations, and how to
apply it. How would you utilize these policy documents to advise State
and local educational recipients of Federal funds on how to comply with
civil rights laws?
Answer 7. Technical assistance and policy guidance are important
tools to prevent discrimination and respond to policies and procedures
that may have an impact on protecting civil rights in our Nation's
schools. If confirmed, I will continue to examine opportunities to
provide guidance as has been the practice of previous administrations
to facilitate compliance with the laws that the Department is charged
to enforce.
Question 8. Do you think it's important for OCR to continue to
investigate complaints alleging violations of title VI's disparate
impact provisions? Do you think there continues to be a need for laws
prohibiting policies and practices that have a disparate impact on
minority students? Why or why not?
Answer 8. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has been charged with
enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If confirmed, I
will support OCR fulfilling that responsibility, including
investigating and responding to evidence alleging disparate impact on
students.
Question 9. OCR has provided vigorous legal defense of improvements
to gender equity in schools and on college campuses across the country
and at the U.S. Supreme Court. Would you withdraw from any current
civil rights litigation pending before any court in which the
Department of Education, any of its agencies, or employees acting in
the scope of their employment are listed? Please list those cases and
provide relevant case law, legislative history and statutory authority,
as well as the public policy purpose served by withdrawing from those
cases.
Answer 9. If confirmed, I will work with the Office of General
Counsel as well as the Department of Justice to receive their advice
and counsel on this matter and decide on a case-by-case basis.
Question 10. Office for Civil Rights (OCR) also is directed to
receive and act upon the complaints of families when student's civil
rights are not being upheld. In your role at ED, how will you assure
that OCR continues to provide an effective system of checks and
balances when State systems of monitoring and compliance fail?
Answer 10. If confirmed, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) would
have my strong and continued support in carrying out its statutory
obligations to enforce the civil rights laws under its jurisdiction.
Question 11. If you are confirmed as Secretary of Education, would
you change the structure or role in enforcing title IX complaints
(including claims regarding admissions, athletics, different treatment/
exclusion/denial of benefits, discipline, dissemination of policy,
employment discrimination, financial assistance/scholarships, grading,
pregnancy/parenting, procedural requirements, retaliation, sexual/
gender harassment/sexual violence)? Please be specific in how you would
change the role and please include in your answer relevant legislative
history and statutory authority, as well as the public policy purpose
served by structural or role changes.
Answer 11. The Office for Civil Rights' (OCR) investigations of
allegations of violations of the statutes it enforces, including title
IX, are guided by principles and processes outlined in its Case
Processing Manual. If confirmed, I would look forward to working with--
and receiving the advice and recommendations from--OCR with respect to
any changes proposed to be undertaken which may impact enforcement
procedures, structures or roles.
Question 12. Given the high volume of complaints related to
education received by the U.S. Department of Justice in recent years,
do you believe that there continues to be a need for the OCR to
investigate complaints of discrimination in our Nation's public
schools? Why or why not?
Answer 12. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is statutorily charged
with enforcing civil rights laws in our Nation's schools, colleges and
universities. Unless that obligation is statutorily revised it remains
an affirmative obligation of the Department and the Office for Civil
Rights, which I will vigorously enforce if confirmed.
Question 13. Given the enormity of the job, what qualifications,
experience, and skills will you be looking for when you nominate your
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights to lead the Office for Civil
Rights? Do you anticipate any changes to the role of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights or the Office for Civil Rights under your
leadership?
Answer 13. The Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights should be a
person of integrity, knowledge, and commitment to public service
capable of leading and managing a large organization with multiple
offices throughout the United States. Knowledge of legal processes,
appreciation of the need for fair and efficient enforcement of the laws
that protect our Nation's students, and a desire to work with a team
dedicated to analysis and application of the rule of law are additional
desired qualities.
Question 14. Do you believe that the rights of a victim of sexual
violence to continue his or her education is just as important as the
right of an accused student to continue his or her education? Will you
commit to continuing to catalog the complaints by types listed above so
the public and Congress can have a clear picture about trends in title
IX enforcement? Will you commit to providing this report annually and
making it available publicly on the website and to Congress?
Answer 14. Students have a right to feel safe and protected in
their learning environment. Sexual violence is particularly disturbing
as its victims often are reluctant to pursue action by the criminal
justice system. Protecting the victim's right to privacy and right to
decide how and whether to pursue all the legal avenues afforded him/her
must be respected.
Sexual violence can impact a student in profound ways, destroying
trust and potentially re-victimizing the victim as the most private of
relationships is on display for judgment, ridicule and challenge.
Innocent victims and survivors of sexual violence who want to continue
their education deserve our strong, and unrelenting support. Alleged
perpetrators of this violence are also entitled to certain protections,
including the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
In a non-criminal context, many schools have a zero-tolerance
policy for violence as well as honor codes that set these expectations
for the entire student body. It is expected that schools will have in
place mechanisms to respond to allegations of violence, and processes
to fully investigate and respond to allegations of criminal activity,
including sexual violence, on their campuses. Those procedures must be
fair, accessible, and consistent. If confirmed, I will work to ensure
robust enforcement of laws that protect students from violence and
commit to working with the leadership at the Department to examine
mechanisms that improve public access to information and empower
students, parents, and others to ensure a safe environment.
Question 15. Do you have any experience working with adult learners
or adult basic education programs? If so, please describe this
experience, what it has taught you, and how you will use that
experience in your oversight of these programs.
Answer 15. Too many Americans are suffering in the current economy.
President-elect Trump made improving the employment opportunities of
these Americans a cornerstone of his campaign, and his administration
will work to improve the prospects of those forgotten individuals.
Reforms enacted in the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act,
which was reauthorized in 2014 as part of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act, were meant to help States and communities improve
services for adult learners to better provide them the education and
skills they need to obtain employment and increase self-sufficiency. If
confirmed, I will work through the Office of Career, Technical, and
Adult Education to implement these reforms to improve outcomes for
adult learners. Combined with other efforts across the government, we
have an opportunity to restore the American Dream for all Americans.
I have had personal experience mentoring students in our local
public school system. I became very well acquainted with one student's
mother, and encouraged her to pursue her GED. Her experience made me
realize how difficult the system made this for a single working mother.
Many courses were only available during routine business hours,
creating an additional hardship for her and her family. The lack of
flexibility and adaptability in the system itself is all too often a
barrier to success for nontraditional students.
Question 16. What role do you believe the U.S. Department of
Education should play to disseminate, promote, or incentivize the
policies, practices, initiatives, or programs that you believe
contribute to creating a high-quality, accountable, autonomous charter
school sector? How would you use your funds for National Activities
under the Federal Charter Schools Program program to do so?
Answer 16. I believe the primary responsibility for creating a
high-quality, accountable, and autonomous charter school sector rests
with States, local communities, and the broader charter school sector
itself, not with the Federal Government or the U.S. Department of
Education.
At the same time, I support high quality, accountability, autonomy,
and transparency. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you to
discuss how funds for National Activities under the Federal Charter
Schools Program can most effectively be used to disseminate technical
assistance and best practices to States, local school districts,
charter schools, and charter school authorizers to help improve
quality, strengthen accountability, and protect the autonomy of charter
schools.
Question 17. At a 2015 South by Southwest education conference, you
told a story about Aviation Academy, the charter school you and your
husband founded. You said,
``There's also, you know a contract that parents will sign--
parents and students will sign--that talks about what the
expectations are for personal behavior and commitment to one's
education and so forth.''
And you said that, ``some students self-disqualify based on what
expectations are communicated.'' Based on this statement, should we
conclude that you believe that charter schools do not have an
obligation to serve all students--that is that some students--maybe,
using your example, students with challenging behaviors do not need to
be served by public charter schools?
Answer 17. To your first question, no, you should not conclude
anything other than what I said. To correct the record further, the
school you reference--the West Michigan Aviation Academy--was founded
by my husband.
Parents may choose not to enroll their children in a charter school
or a student may decide that a particular charter school is not right
for them. These scenarios are perfectly acceptable and, in no way,
suggest that charter schools are unwilling to serve all students.
Hopefully local communities encourage school cultures where
transparency around expectations and culture are communicated honestly,
openly and freely.
Public charter schools serve all children.
Question 18. Will you continue Federal data collection efforts to
link charter schools with their management entities; specifically, will
you continue collecting information on Charter Management Organizations
and Charter Contracts listed in the SY2016-17 EDFacts files C196, C197,
and C198?
Answer 18. If confirmed, I will review these data collection
efforts and determine what is necessary for effective charter school
management. As well, I will look forward to working with charter school
officials, management organizations and other stakeholders.
Question 19. In a report released by the Office of the Inspector
General for the U.S. Department of Education on September 29, 2016, the
U.S. Department of Education outlined ways it intends to help Federal
agencies and States assess and mitigate the financial risks posed by
charter schools with Charter Management Organizations (CMO)
relationships. This included providing guidance and technical
assistance to States, convening a formal oversight group within the
U.S. Department of Education, and working with external partners and
interest groups like charter schools and charter school authorizers.
Under your tenure, what actions will the Department of Education take
to honor these commitments?
Answer 19. If confirmed, I will review the Inspector General's
report and issues raised. I am committed to giving parents high quality
educational options from which to choose the right learning environment
for their children. I will work with States, local communities, charter
management organizations, charter schools, and other stakeholders to
hold schools accountable for educating students and providing them the
skills and knowledge they will need to be successful.
Question 20. Your record speaks to being a big believer in free
markets and competition, but the record of for-profit virtual schools
shows that they operate in anything but a ``free'' market. K-12, Inc.--
where you and your husband were previously investors--spends millions
of dollars lobbying in State capitals around the country to weaken
accountability for virtual schools. Kevin Huffman, an education
reformer who served as education commissioner for a Republican Governor
in Tennessee, described his unsuccessful efforts to close the failing
virtual school there as one of his biggest regrets during his tenure as
commissioner. The value-added scores measuring how much students learn
were dead last for that K-12, Inc. school out of 1,600 schools in the
State in its first year and in the lowest level of performance in
subsequent years. Yet through intense lobbying pressure the school has
remained open. In a true free market, this school would have closed
down long ago. As Secretary, how would you support State leaders
wanting to hold these failing schools accountable for results?
Answer 20. I have not had a financial interest in K12, Inc. in
nearly a decade. I believe States have the obligation to set
accountability standards and if schools consistently fall below those
standards, they should be closed whether they are virtual, place-based,
traditional, or charter schools. I will certainly support States in
their efforts to hold all schools accountable and will provide
technical assistance, training, or other support as appropriate.
Question 21. You've been on the record supporting full-time virtual
schools. But recent studies of virtual charter schools funded by the
charter-supporting Walton Family Foundation, the conservative Fordham
Foundation, reports published by the National Alliance for Public
Charter Schools and National Association of Charter School Authorizers,
and an investigation by Education Week painted a very concerning
portrait of their performance. In particular, the Walton funded study
from CREDO found that students in virtual charter schools had far less
growth in math and reading compared to similar students in traditional
public schools. Those gaps equate to 72 fewer days of growth in reading
and 180 days--a full school year--in math. Given those results, do you
think it is appropriate to continue to advocate for virtual schools?
Why do you think their performance is so poor?
Answer 21. I support great schools in all forms--public, private,
magnet, home, religious and virtual. Unlike other public schools,
charter schools can--and should--be closed when they fail to meet the
obligations outlined in their charters. We need to bring traditional
neighborhood schools up to the same high-level of accountability as
public charter schools.
High quality virtual charter schools provide valuable options to
families, particularly those who live in rural areas where brick-and-
mortar schools might not have the capacity to provide the range of
courses or other educational experiences for students. Because of this,
we must be careful not to brand an entire category of schools as
failing students. For example, the following virtual academies have 4-
year cohort graduation rates at or above 90 percent:
Idaho Virtual Academy (IDVA): 90 percent,
Nevada Virtual Academy (NVVA): 100 percent,
Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA): 92 percent,
Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy (OVCA): 91 percent,
Texas Virtual Academy (TXVA): 96 percent,
Utah Virtual Academy (UTVA): 96 percent, and
Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA): 96 percent.
As the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions has said, ``Washington, DC should not be a national
school board.'' We need to respect the differences between rural, urban
and suburban communities and help ensure every community has the tools
to succeed.
If confirmed, I will implement each Federal program under my
jurisdiction consistent with the requirements spelled out by Congress
to ensure that taxpayer funds are spent well and students are well-
served.
Question 22. The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence
for Hispanics is critical in shedding light on the educational
disparities facing Hispanic students. What are your plans for WHIEEH?
The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African
Americans is critical in shedding light on the educational disparities
facing African American students. What are your plans for WHIEEAA? The
White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders is
critical in shedding light on the income and educational disparities
facing the AAPI community. What are your plans for WHIAAPI and other
affinity groups that contribute to monitoring the needs of AAPIs?
Answer 22. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing these
initiatives and their outcomes on behalf of Hispanics, African
Americans, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. All students
deserve to have access to high-quality educational environments where
they can learn, thrive and succeed.
Question 23a. The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil
Rights' mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote
educational excellence through vigorous enforcement of civil rights in
our Nation's schools.
Under your leadership, how will students, parents, educators and
other community stakeholders access important data and information to
interpret civil rights laws set forth by Congress, promote
accountability and transparency, and ensure equal educational
opportunity?
Answer 23a. In addition to several large data sets and collections
maintained by the Department of Education, the Office for Civil Rights
(OCR) is statutorily authorized to collect or coordinate the collection
of data necessary to ensure compliance with civil rights laws within
the jurisdiction of OCR.
Additionally, the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights is required
to make an annual report to the Secretary, the President-elect, and the
Congress summarizing the compliance and enforcement activities of OCR
and identify significant civil rights or compliance problems on which,
in the judgment of the Assistant Secretary, adequate progress is not
being made. If confirmed, I will continue to support this information
being made available as required by law.
Question 23b. Will you prioritize funding for Civil Rights Data
Collection?
Answer 23b. The Civil Rights Data Collection is an important,
longstanding tool of the Department. If confirmed, it will continue to
have my support.
Question 23c. Will you provide resources for technical assistance
to districts seeking to address student discipline, racial and gender
diversity, accommodations for students with disabilities, and pregnant
and parenting students?
Answer 23c. Yes. If confirmed, I will work to ensure schools,
colleges and universities have access to the information and technical
assistance needed to address these issues.
Question 23d. Between fiscal year 2009 and fiscal year 2016, OCR
resolved over 66,000 civil rights cases. Will you prioritize funding
for investigations into potential civil rights violations?
Answer 23d. If confirmed, I will work to ensure that the Office for
Civil Rights has the requisite resources to fulfill its statutory
mission.
Question 24a. OCR has issued a number of guidance documents on the
topic of rethinking discipline to address disparities on the basis of
race, sex, and disability and reduce the use of exclusionary discipline
practices.
Do you intend to maintain these documents and enforce the
protections and support the approaches outlined in them?
Answer 24a. If confirmed, I will look forward to reviewing those
documents and encouraging all stakeholders to dialog on the right next
steps.
Question 24b. Exclusionary discipline practices (e.g., suspensions,
expulsions, referrals to law enforcement, and school-based arrests)
disproportionately impact Black and Latino students, students with
disabilities, and students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) in both traditional public schools and
charter schools. What should be done to address this problem?
Answer 24b. Ensuring that schools are safe learning environments
for all students--as well as safe work environments for all staff--is
an important shared priority. If confirmed, I look forward to exploring
this important issue with State Education agencies, local education
agencies and other key stakeholders and to examining ways to
disseminate effective best practices.
Question 25. While 39 percent of White girls tested at or above
proficient on the science portion of the 8th grade National Assessment
of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam in 2011, only 9 percent of Black
girls, 13 percent of Hispanic girls, and 15 percent of American Indian
and Alaska Native girls achieved proficiency. Similar disparities exist
across multiple subjects and multiple grade levels. What will you do to
close the STEM gender and racial gap?
Answer 25. A strong pipeline of students interested in pursuing
STEM careers, including research in these subject areas, is important
to our Nation's success. And this strong pipeline would not be complete
if we do not work to dramatically increase the number of girls and
minorities who pursue STEM careers. If confirmed, I will work closely
with other agencies, including the NSF, to improve coordination of STEM
education and research initiatives and to highlight best practices
related to engaging more girls and minorities in these fields of study.
Question 26. Many hoped ESSA would require disaggregation of
student data for all AAPI subgroups. While there is no Federal
statutory requirement in ESSA, States and school districts can (and do)
disaggregate their student data by AAPI subgroups. Will the Department
continue grant programs such as the Asian American and Pacific Islander
Data Disaggregation Initiative (the ``D2 Program''), issue guidance,
and provide technical assistance to help and encourage States and local
school districts to obtain and evaluate disaggregated data on AAPI
subpopulations?
Answer 26. It is critical for all parents, including Asian American
and Pacific Islander (AAPI) parents, to know their children are
learning and how schools are performing. If confirmed, I will look
carefully at these grant programs to ensure States and local school
districts have the information they need to serve all populations well
and provide high-quality educational environments that encourage all
children to learn, thrive, and succeed.
Question 27. If you claim to support accountability and
transparency, why do the model voucher policies from the American
Federation for Children that you chaired fail to require students in
private schools receiving vouchers to take the same assessments and
report the same data as those in public schools?
Answer 27. The model voucher policies include strong accountability
provisions. I've included the language below for your review:
(C) Academic Accountability Standards. There must be sufficient
information about the academic impact Parental Choice Scholarships have
on participating students in order to allow parents and taxpayers to
measure the achievements of the program, and therefore:
(1) participating schools shall:
(a) annually administer either the State achievement tests
or nationally norm-referenced tests that measure learning gains
in math and language arts, and provide for value-added
assessment, to all participating students in grades that
require testing tinder the State's accountability testing laws
for public schools;
(b) provide the parents of each student with a copy of the
results of the tests on an annual basis, beginning with the
first year of testing;
(c) provide the test results to the State or an
organization chosen by the State on an annual basis, beginning
with the first year of testing;
(d) report student information that would allow the State
to aggregate data by grade level, gender, family-income level,
and race; and
(e) provide rates of high school graduation, college
attendance and college graduation for participating students to
the Department or an organization chosen by the State in a
manner consistent with nationally recognized standards.
Question 28. Since our Nation's Federal Government continues to
face tightening budgets and growing demand for services, we need to
invest taxpayer dollars in the most efficient and effective ways
possible. Building evidence of what works in education and then making
decisions based on that information could help address this situation.
The Federal Government has taken some important steps in this
direction, including setting aside funds for rigorous, independent
evaluations to build the evidence base of interventions that are most
effective; structuring Federal competitive grant programs using a
tiered-evidence approach that gives greater funds to grantees with
greater evidence and less to those with less evidence; and giving
preference points in Federal competitive grant programs to grantees
demonstrating evidence of effectiveness. But surely more can be done to
ensure tax dollars are spent efficiently and effectively. Secretary,
what do you think the Department can and should do to use evidence,
data and evaluation to inform policy and drive continuous improvement
in federally funded education programs?
Answer 28. To be responsible with taxpayer dollars and ensure that
our programs are effective, responsive and impactful, we should use
reliable data, strong research and rigorous evaluations.
Question 29. Personnel shortages in special education are the
result of recruitment and retention challenges. There is both a
shortage of professional to fill available positions and a shortage of
positions to meet the growing demand for services for America's six
million children and youth with disabilities who receive special
education services. Shortages of fully certified personnel and unfunded
positions impede the ability of students with disabilities to reach
their full academic potential and hinder work of districts to prepare
all students to be college- and career-ready. The National Commission
on Teaching and America's Future estimates that the national cost of
public school teacher turnover could be over $7.3 billion a year. As a
result of high turnover, high need urban and rural schools are
frequently staffed with inequitable concentrations of under-prepared,
inexperienced teachers. The constant retraining of new staff means that
high-needs schools can neither close the teacher quality staff nor the
student achievement gaps. As the U.S. Secretary of Education what is
your plan to ensure a well-prepared, sufficient special education
workforce?
Answer 29. Educating, training and preparing great teachers is
critical work. All students, including our special education students,
deserve effective teachers to help them achieve and succeed. If
confirmed, I will work with States, universities, colleges of education
and other stakeholders to ensure we have a strong pipeline of well-
prepared and effective teachers to meet the important demands of
today's student population. We must also strive to attract new teachers
to the workforce to address the teacher shortage in urban and rural
schools.
Question 30. Research shows that at-risk children who participate
in high-quality preschool programs are dramatically less likely to be
retained in school, be placed in special education classes, drop out of
high school, or depend on public benefits when they are adults. What
will you do to help States expand high-quality, affordable early
childhood education programs?
Answer 30. Early childhood education is important. This is why it
is exciting to see so many States invest in and support early education
programs for families. If confirmed, I look forward to working with
State and local leaders to support their efforts to provide early
childhood education. As you know, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
included the authorization of Preschool Development Grants to help
States improve the services they are providing. If confirmed, I will
work with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to confirm the
efficiency and effectiveness of all early childhood education programs
and initiatives.
Question 31. Have you invested in pay for success programs or
social impact bonds? Do you support using ``pay for success'' contracts
in early childhood education?
Answer 31. Not to my knowledge, no. It is an idea worth looking
into.
Question 32. As you may know, the Department of Education's Office
of Early Learning has played a crucial role in improving access to
high-quality early learning across the country. In addition to jointly
administering the Preschool Development Grants program, the Office will
need to provide technical assistance to States regarding the new
provisions around early learning in ESSA. Can we count on you to
maintain and strengthen the Office of Early Learning if confirmed?
Answer 32. Early childhood education is important and can help put
a child on a path to success and the workforce. That is why it is
exciting to see so many States invest in and support early education
programs for families. If confirmed, I look forward to working with
State and local leaders to support their efforts to provide early
childhood education. As you know, ESSA included the authorization of
Preschool Development Grants to help States improve the services they
are providing. I will work with the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of early childhood
education programs.
Question 33. Back in the 1970s, the Supreme Court held in Lau v.
Nichols that it was discriminatory for schools to fail to provide
meaningful English language instruction. Today, there are 4.5 million
English learners in public schools across the United States. Do you
believe in bilingual education? If not, what is the best way to teach
those students English, so they can become full members of the
classroom and productive members of our society? What can we expect
your office to do when schools tell parents to bring their own
interpreters to parent teacher conferences or IEP meetings? Do you
believe this is a violation of Lau v. Nichols?
Answer 33. I support bilingual education. If confirmed, I'll
support States and districts in their efforts to provide English
learners the resources they need to be successful. We want all students
to know English and be active participants in our Nation's community.
Question 34. Your organization, American Federation for Children,
which helped craft Mr. Trump's education proposal, has advocated for
portability of title I funding within a national school privatization
model. Nationally, around 9 million low-income students rely on title I
funding. A study from The Education Trust points to the likelihood that
under a portability structure, districts with the highest poverty
levels are likely to lose a significant share of title I funding, and
districts with the lowest poverty levels are likely to gain funding.
Why should we endanger the funding for some of the most vulnerable
children in our Nation to prop up a system that has not yielded
discernibly better results in your State; and what specific steps would
you take to ensure that title I funding is not stripped from the
communities that need it most?
Answer 34. All parents, regardless of zip code or income level,
want to enroll their children in the learning environment that best
meets their individual needs. If the local assigned school is not a
good fit--perhaps the child has a need that is going unmet--a parent
should have the ability to move that child to a different school. As
well, what might work for one child, may not work for a sibling, hence
the need to give parents options. They know that a one-size-fits-all
model of education no longer works for all and that other options exist
to personalize and individualize learning. If confirmed, I look forward
to working with the President-elect to enhance educational options for
all students.
Question 35a. Our financial aid rules allow for-profit colleges to
get up to 90 percent of their funding from Federal student aid (known
as the ``90/10'' rule) but a loophole in current law does not count
veteran and military benefits as student aid. Recent data released by
the Department showed that more than 180 colleges are exceeding 90
percent Federal funding when Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs
benefits are included, which results in approximately $8 billion in
Federal aid throwing through this loophole. Many have raised concerns
that this loophole also leads to colleges seeing servicemembers and
veterans as nothing more than dollar signs in uniform, and to use
aggressive marketing to draw them in. For every $1 attached to a
service member or veteran (or spouse or child, in the case of the post-
9/11 G.I. bill) enrolled at a for-profit college and paying with
military education funds, that college can then enroll nine more
dollars from other students who are using nothing but title IV money.
Some colleges could derive 100 percent of their revenue from Federal
funds, and many come quite close. For these reasons, I am interested to
know your thoughts to the following questions.
Do you believe Department of Veterans Affairs Post-9/11 GI bill and
Department of Defense Tuition Assistance benefits, paid for by Federal
taxpayers, are Federal funds?
Answer 35a. I believe that both the 9/11 GI bill and the Department
of Defense tuition assistance programs are benefits earned by our
veterans and service-
members for their dedicated service to our country.
Question 35b. Do you believe it is reasonable to close the 90/10
loophole and count veteran and military benefits as part of the 90
percent cap? If not, please explain why you do not think this is
reasonable.
Answer 35b. If confirmed, as Secretary I will enforce the Higher
Education Act (HEA) as written. When Congress wrote this rule into the
HEA, GI bill benefits were not included. Should Congress change this
calculation, I will ensure that its implementation is carried out as
prescribed.
Question 35c. Do you believe it is reasonable to expect that
colleges receive at least 15 percent of their revenues from sources
other than taxpayer dollars? If not, please explain why you do not
think this is reasonable.
Answer 35. Originally when this provision was added to the Higher
Education Act, Congress set the ratio at 85/15; however, in subsequent
legislation Congress changed the ratio to the current 90/10. Should
Congress change this calculation, I will ensure that its implementation
is carried out as prescribed.
Question 36a. I've been troubled by behavior from a number of
colleges over the past several years that have blatantly misused
taxpayer dollars and defrauded their students. Unfortunately, in too
many instances, the executives that ran these colleges and the
accreditors that oversaw bad behavior have not been held accountable.
For each of the following questions, please indicate ``yes'' or ``no''
whether you believe that their actions represent acceptable or
allowable behavior.
(a) Northwestern Polytechnic University: Operated as a Potemkin
college that changed failing grades by hand and faked classes and a
librarian when it was visited. Do you believe this is acceptable and
allowable behavior by a college?
(b) FastTrain College: A college whose owner used exotic dancers to
recruit students and was sent to jail for committing fraud in the
Federal aid programs. Do you believe, this is acceptable and allowable
behavior by a college?
(c) Minnesota School of Business and Globe University: Found guilty
of committing fraud in marketing and recruitment. Do you believe this
is acceptable and allowable behavior by a college?
(d) American Commercial College: A college sued by the Department
of Justice for lying about the percentage of its revenue received from
the U.S. Department of Education. Following the suit, the college's
owner was sentenced to 24 months in prison and ordered to repay
$975,000 after pleading guilty to theft of Federal financial aid. Do
you believe this is acceptable and allowable behavior by a college?
(e) Anamarc College: A college that was raided by the FBI in 2014
after an abrupt closure. Family members of the college's owners were
later sued and settled a lawsuit for stealing more than $450,000 from
the school. Do you believe this is acceptable and allowable behavior by
a college?
(f) Corinthian Colleges Inc. (Everest): A company that refused to
comply with Department of Education requests for data on job placement
data and for which investigations by attorneys general in California
and Massachusetts later found evidence of widespread falsification of
job placement rates and other problems. Do you believe this is
acceptable and allowable behavior by a college?
(g) Alta Colleges Inc. (Westwood College, Redstone College): A
company sued by Department of Justice for falsifying claims for Federal
financial aid, the Colorado attorney general for misleading students,
and the Illinois attorney general for abusive marketing practices. The
company settled all three for a total of $26.5 million. Do you believe
this is acceptable and allowable behavior by a college?
(h) Career Education Corporation (Brooks Institute, Harrington
College of Design, International Academy of Design and Technology, Le
Cordon Bleu, Missouri College, Pittsburgh Career Institute, Sanford-
Brown): A corporation that settled a lawsuit for $10.25 million with
the New York State attorney general in 2013 for falsifying job
placement rates and was separately investigated by nearly 20 States'
attorneys general for potential violations of statutes and regulations.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and the Federal
Trade Commission, or FTC, are also investigating the company. Do you
believe this is acceptable and allowable behavior by a college?
(i) Computer Systems Institute: A college that was denied re-
certification to participate in Federal student aid programs in 2016
for falsifying job placement rates. Do you believe this is acceptable
and allowable behavior by a college?
(j) Daymar College: A college that settled a $12.4 million lawsuit
with the Kentucky attorney general for violating the Consumer
Protection Act, including lying about transferability of credits. Do
you believe this is acceptable and allowable behavior by a college?
(k) Education Affiliates Inc. (Fortis): A college that settled a
$13 million lawsuit for using fake high schools to help students
illegally obtain Federal student aid. Do you believe this is acceptable
and allowable behavior by a college?
(l) Education Management Corporation (Art Institutes, Brown
College, Brown Mackie College): A company that settled lawsuits with
the Department of Justice and several States attorneys general for
$198.3 million for using illegal and deceptive recruiting practices. Do
you believe this is acceptable and allowable behavior by a college?
(m) ITT Educational Services Inc.: A company with schools
investigated by State attorneys general, the SEC, and the DOJ for
illegal recruitment practices. The company was also sued by the
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for concerns around its private
student loans. Do you believe this is acceptable and allowable behavior
by a college?
(n) Lincoln Technical Institute: A college that settled lawsuit
with the Massachusetts attorney general for $1 million for falsifying
job placement rates. Do you believe this is acceptable and allowable
behavior by a college?
(o) National College: A college sued by the Kentucky attorney
general in 2011 for misrepresenting job placement rates. Do you believe
this is acceptable and allowable behavior by a college?
(p) Salter College: A college that settled a lawsuit by the
Massachusetts attorney general for $3.75 million over questionable
recruitment tactics and falsifying job placement rates. Do you believe
this is acceptable and allowable behavior by a college?
(q) Spencerian College: A college sued by the Kentucky attorney
general for misrepresenting job placement numbers. Do you believe this
is acceptable and allowable behavior by a college?
Answer 36a. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad actors
clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions--and when we
find them, we should act decisively to protect students and enforce
existing laws.
Question 36b. With regard to the colleges and examples listed in
the previous question, please indicate your views on the following
questions with a ``yes'' or ``no'' answer.
(r) If you were someone tasked with overseeing the quality of these
schools, would you consider it acceptable behavior to name many of
these colleges to your ``honor roll'' 90 times over a 5-year period?
(s) If you were someone tasked with overseeing the quality of these
schools would you consider it acceptable to have your approval allow
institutions like the ones described above receive more than $5.7
billion in Federal funds over 3 years?
(t) If you were someone tasked with overseeing the quality of these
schools would you consider it acceptable behavior to have on your board
an employee of a school who was accused by the California attorney
general of intentionally faking job placement rates?
(u) If you were someone tasked with overseeing the quality of these
schools would you consider it acceptable behavior to have one-third of
your board come from institutions facing lawsuits or other forms of
investigations?
(v) Do you believe that failing to do anything about the above
examples represents someone who is a reliable authority regarding the
quality of education and training?
(w) As a parent, would you be concerned about your child attending
an institution of higher education that was being investigated or sued
by several State attorneys general or Federal agencies for unfair,
deceptive, or abusive practices?
(x) If confirmed, will you ensure that accreditation agencies
maintain high standards and are held accountable when they fail to act?
Answer 36b. If confirmed as Secretary of Education, my legal role
would not be to determine the quality of a school but rather ensure
that they meet all of the eligibility standards for participation in
title IV programs as dictated by the Higher Education Act. Each member
of the so-called ``triad''--States, accreditors, and the Federal
Government--has a role in ensuring accountability and protecting
students, under current law.
If any one of them discovers information that raises concerns, then
that information should be shared among them all so that each may
conduct a thorough review and investigation according to their specific
role in protecting students.
Question 37. The U.S. Department of Education recently published
final ``borrower defense'' regulations to ensure borrowers who are
defrauded receive the relief to which they are entitled under the HEA.
These rules contain provisions that would also protect taxpayers from
the abuse committed by colleges and universities. Unfortunately, there
are far too many examples of this sort of abuse. In November 2015, the
U.S. Department of Education and then-California Attorney General
Kamala Harris announced a review of job placement rates at locations of
Corinthian Colleges, Inc. For example, they found that Everest
University accounting associate degree at Brandon had a posted
placement rate of 92 percent, but an actual placement rate of 12
percent. Everest University computer information sciences associate
degree at Brandon had a posted placement rate of 62 percent, but an
actual placement rate of 13 percent. These are just two examples of
substantial misrepresentations to students.
(a) Do you commit to implementing provisions in the recently issued
``borrower defense'' rule that would hold schools accountable for
abuses through early warning indicators for potential risks to the
taxpayer?
(b) Do you think schools that embellish students' job prospects
should have access to taxpayer dollars?
(c) Do you believe there should be consequences for institutions
that engage in manipulation of job placement rates?
(d) For students who were in these programs where there is verified
proof of problems with job placement rate data, will you commit to
ensuring that these borrowers receive student debt relief, including
discharges and refunds, for having been defrauded?
(e) In what other ways do you intend to disincentivize
inappropriate treatment of students, including widespread fraud and
abuse?
Answer 37. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad actors
clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions--and when we
find them, we should act decisively to protect students and enforce
existing laws. If confirmed, I will review the regulations issued by
the Department and utilize those tools to ensure a fair review that
protects all parties, including student and taxpayer interests.
Question 38. Nearly five million parents of dependent children are
enrolled in college in the United States. However, access to on-campus
childcare continues to decline, which hinders student parents' ability
to persist and graduate. Research also shows that parenthood is more
common among undergraduate students than many realize, and women,
students of color, low-income students, and first-generation students
are especially likely to be parents. Yet, many colleges do not track
the number of student parents enrolled at their specific school, making
it difficult for institutions to understand student parents' needs and
improve their educational outcomes. At your nomination hearing, you
said that you ``understand the challenge that young mothers face in
deciding how to best serve her child's needs.'' Given what we know
about national trends and the importance of higher education to a
family's economic security and their children's future success, I am
interested to know your thoughts on ways we can support.
(a) Given this, how will you make sure student parents have access
to the resources, such as affordable, quality child care, that they
need to earn a degree?
(b) As Secretary of Education, how will you work with colleges and
universities to ensure that data on students' parental status and their
academic outcomes are collected and reported?
Answer 38. If confirmed, I will provide technical support to
institutions on best and efficient practices in addressing students'
child care needs. In addition, I will review the information the
Department currently collects from institutions and evaluate how that
data aligns with requirements in the Higher Education Act, including
determining what additional information may be necessary.
Question 39. In 2015, the Department released nearly 20 years'
worth of higher education data spanning across all 7,000-plus
institutions within the United States. This data was made available
through the College Scorecard, a web-based tool aimed at helping
students and families make more informed decisions when choosing a
college. Other government websites, like the GI Benefits Comparison
Tool hosted through Veterans Affairs, also use information from the
college scorecard to provide information to veterans who are in the
process of considering their post-secondary options. How do you plan to
continue to expand the information available to consumers so that they
can make the best choices with their investment in higher education?
Answer 39. If confirmed, I will review the information that the
Department currently collects from institutions and evaluate how that
data aligns with requirements in the Higher Education Act, including
determining what additional information may be necessary. Further, I
will ensure the information provided conforms with the requirements of
the Higher Education Act for the college navigator and college cost
information.
Question 40. As part of a package of regulations in 2011, the U.S.
Department of Education created a definition for ``credit hour'' of at
least 1 hour per week in lecture and 2 hours on work outside of class.
The definition creates a baseline for how colleges measures how much
time students spend in class and on coursework and, critically, how
that time translates into Federal aid dollars. As a result, it also
creates a basic level of insurance that taxpayer dollars are not being
used to fund wildly different amounts of student work. Do you think
it's appropriate for the same level of work done by two students to get
different taxpayer support?
Answer 40. If confirmed, I will work to ensure that taxpayer
dollars are protected and that rules encourage--not discourage--the
creation or expansion of innovative delivery systems. I look forward to
working with members of the committee in addressing these issues and
striking a reasonable balance that protects taxpayers, but also allows
institutions to offer education in a manner that best meets the needs
of students.
Question 41. One way to reduce regulatory burden on colleges and
universities, increase transparency, and improve the focus on outcomes
in higher education would be to establish a student level data system.
Information on employment outcomes already exists (at the Federal
level) within data sets at the Internal Revenue Service and Social
Security Administration, and this data can easily be provided a secure,
anonymized, and aggregate basis for institutions and programs as it is
for other student aid operations. But policymakers, accreditors,
institutions and students do not have access to that information
because of a 2008 provision in the Higher Education Opportunity Act to
block access to student-level data. An analysis by the New America
Foundation suggests colleges could save 633,000 hours of burden if the
Federal Government used a more efficient student-level data system.
Will the Administration support be reducing regulatory burden by
lifting the ban on transparent, student-level data?
Answer 41. As you note, Section 134 of the Higher Education Act
(HEA) prevents the Department of Education from implementing a student
unit record system. As Congress works to reauthorize the HEA, I look
forward to working with you, if confirmed, to ensure that privacy
concerns are addressed and implementing the law.
Question 42. The U.S. Department of Education has maintained the
Federal Student Aid Data Center to collect and provide information
about the Federal student aid programs. Will you commit to maintaining
the public availability of each data item below (please indicate yes or
no):
(a) Quarterly updates on loan and grant volume by an institution,
including breakdowns of recipients by loan and grant type, as well as
unduplicated counts.
(b) Financial responsibility scores.
(c) Overall portfolio analytics, including but not limited to
delinquency rates, repayment plans, loan statuses, and usage of income-
driven repayment plans.
(d) FAFSA completion data by high school and by State.
(e) Final program reviews.
(f) Required letters of credit.
(g) 90/10 revenue percentages for proprietary schools.
(h) VA and DOD estimates on the amount and percentage of funds
received by institutions from each Federal educational program,
including VA's Post-9/11 GI bill benefits and Military Tuition
Assistance.
Answer 42. The Federal Student Aid Data Center provides information
that is used by students, institutions, researchers, and policymakers.
If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the information that is
provided and ensuring that the Data Center is providing useful
information about activity related to title IV programs.
Question 43. Cohort default rates (CDRs) are currently used by the
U.S. Department of Education to determine institutional eligibility for
title IV student aid. Yet using CDR's as a barometer for borrower
outcomes often does not show the full picture of how borrowers are
faring while repaying their loans. CDRs do not account for the
percentage of students who borrow, nor do they indicate whether or not
a borrower is actually paying down the principle of their loan. Many
have suggested using loan repayment rates in lieu of default rates as
an accountability metric. One commonly used definition of repayment
measures the number of borrowers who have repaid at least $1 of their
principal balance over a certain period of time (1, 3, 5, or 7 years
after entering repayment).
(a) Do you believe that repayment rates are a better indicator of
borrower behavior than cohort default rates?
(b) Do you believe students and parents should be able to easily
see the percentage of students who borrow when viewing any indicator of
borrower behavior or success?
(c) What metric do you believe should be used to measure borrower
outcomes and determine institutional eligibility for student aid?
Answer 43. If confirmed, I will gather stakeholders and look
carefully at this issue to determine whether the use of cohort default
rates is the best tool for determining institutional eligibility for
title IV student aid. I believe students and parents need reliable
information and transparency about student loans, default rates, and
repayment rates to make informed choices. We, as a country, have simply
not done a good job of giving students and their families the best
possible information upon which to base their choices.
We need to work together to find solutions. As you consider the
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, and if I am confirmed, I
look forward to working with you to find the right way to get that
valuable information to students and families.
Question 44. For students, the most critical relationship they have
when managing their student loans is with their servicer, who is
responsible for helping to manage students' accounts, process their
monthly payments, and communicate directly with them about their
repayment options. However, a 2015 report by the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau found that many servicers are failing to provide the
basic level of support necessary to meet borrowers' needs, including
losing key paperwork, misapplying payments, or not giving students
accurate information about their repayment options. A June 2016 report
by GAO found widespread customer service problems with Federal student
loan servicers, including no minimum standard for servicer call center
hours. As a result, each student loan servicer sets its own hours, and
some borrowers have limited access to assistance. The same GAO report
acknowledged there may be a disincentive, in terms of lack of
compensation, for servicers to counsel borrowers on debt relief
programs that may benefit the borrower but necessitate loan transfer to
a different servicer. Finally, as you may know, the Department of
Education is currently in the process of recompeting the Federal
contracts for servicing the Direct Loan portfolio. Two critical
components of this recompete are: (a) streamlined borrower experience
via a single web portal through which all borrowers can find the latest
information about their loans, make payments and apply for benefits,
and (b) better customer service practices that will be common for all
borrowers and that meet high standards to ensure borrowers' needs are
met consistently, regardless of what contractor is providing that
customer service.
(a) The single web portal and consistent standards would eliminate
these problems. If confirmed, do you commit to continuing the
development of a single web portal for borrowers and to implementing
new servicing standards to ensure borrowers receive the help they
deserve?
(b) If confirmed, do you commit to promptly implementing the GAO's
recommendation that the Secretary of Education should develop a minimum
standard that specifies core call center operating hours to provide
borrowers, including those on the West Coast?
(c) What actions will you take as Secretary to hold servicers
accountable and help to create consistent and transparent standards for
all servicers so that students are getting the help they need to manage
their loans?
(d) What other actions do you think should be done to continue to
improve service to borrowers?
Answer 44. We should do everything possible to ensure our students
are getting excellent servicing on their student loans. As you consider
the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, and if I am confirmed,
I look forward to working with you to find the right way to improve the
experience of students regarding the servicing of their student loans.
Question 45. Millions of young people across the country have
access to higher education only because of the Federal loan and grant
programs. In 2010, Congress passed legislation that ended the Federal
Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, requiring all Federal loans since
that time to be made through the direct lending program. The
partnership established through the Direct Loan program between private
loan servicers and the Federal Government has saved American taxpayers
billions of dollars while increasing the efficiency of delivery. CBO
has estimated that ending costly subsidies to banks and private lenders
would save the Federal Government more than $60 billion over a decade.
But there have been conversations to re-instate this type of indirect
lending program back into the Federal student loan system, once again
diverting critical taxpayer money away from student supports to private
banks. President-elect Trump has said that the Federal Government
should not be making money off of student loans, so I am very
interested in your views on how to support current and future borrowers
with student loans.
(a) Do you support bringing private banks back into the student
loan program and subsidizing them with taxpayer dollars?
(b) If confirmed, will you commit to taking no action that will
undermine the operational capacity, financial health, or long-term
viability of the Direct Loan program?
(c) If confirmed, will you oppose a change in accounting rules that
merely hides student loan revenues and does not actually improve
benefits for students or borrowers?
(d) Do you think there are any changes we should make to the
defaulted student loan debt collection process?
Answer 45. As you know, the U.S. Department of Education is now one
of the country's largest banks. I think we must look carefully at how
the direct loan program is functioning. It's the responsible thing to
do, especially with taxpayer dollars at stake. If confirmed, I look
forward to working with the committee during the reauthorization of the
Higher Education Act to find the best ways for students, institutions,
States and the Federal Government to share the risk of bearing the
costs of higher education. A lot has changed since 2008, when the Act
was last reauthorized. I think the law needs to be updated to reflect
those changes and we need to think more innovatively about how we help
students finance their post-secondary education.
Question 46. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been an
enormously effective regulatory body. The agency has highlighted cases
of deceptive financial practices, pursued this misconduct, and
recovered nearly $12 billion for consumers. Specifically, the CFPB's
Office of Students and Young Consumers has highlighted poor student
loan servicing practices and in doing so, has not only given students a
voice, but has also advocated and defended the rights of our service
members. How will your Department support, collaborate, and work with
the CFPB?
Answer 46. I will collaborate with other agencies and applicable
regulatory bodies to ensure that students and their families are
getting transparent data and reliable information about the
institutions or services in which they are interested so they can make
informed decisions.
Question 47. Many students and families are concerned by the
complexity and time needed to complete the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to receive critical financial aid. During
your committee testimony, you agreed it was a worthwhile effort to
simplify the FAFSA, saying ``I don't think we should make it any more
difficult than absolutely necessary for students to be able to further
their education.'' With that in mind:
(a) In any effort to simplify the FAFSA, which population(s) of
students do you believe should receive the greatest decreases or
increases in ``burden'' as measured by time to complete the
application?
(b) Do you believe low-income students and families should have an
easier process of applying for aid than students and families with more
complicated financial circumstances?
(c) Do you support letting students and families know about all the
benefits they might qualify for after they complete the FAFSA,
including means-tested benefits?
Answer 47. I agree we need to simplify the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid. The act of applying for student aid should never,
in and of itself, be a barrier to post-secondary education.
Question 48. As you may know, misconduct related to the use of
taxpayer dollars at for-profit colleges is not a new phenomenon, with
previous major scandals occurring in the 1950s, 1970s, and the late
1980s. When the problems emerged in the Reagan administration,
Secretary of Education William Bennett released a report about for-
profit colleges in 1988 that said, among other things, that,
``You will find accounts of semi-literate high-school
dropouts lured to enroll in expensive training programs with
false hopes for a better future cruelly dashed. You will read
of falsified scores on entrance exams, poor-quality training,
and harsh refund policies. The pattern of abuses revealed in
these documents is an outrage perpetrated not only on the
American taxpayer but, most tragically, upon some of the most
disadvantaged, and most vulnerable members of society.''
Secretary Bennett pledged to ``put some of them out of business
right now . . . to get institutions that are exploiting kids and
exploiting taxpayers out of the business.'' In 2012, a Senate HELP
Committee investigation and report on for-profit college abuses was
released to help guide the Department in developing policy.
(a) Will you commit to reviewing the institutional history of the
Department of Education's actions to constrain abuses by for-profit
colleges since the inception of the Higher Education Act of 1965?
(b) Have you seen and read the 2012 Senate HELP Committee report?
If not, will you commit to reading it before you are confirmed?
Answer 48. Let me be clear: Fraud should never be tolerated.
Period. Bad actors clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic
institutions. When we find them, we should act decisively to protect
students and enforce existing laws. What I do not want to do is
discriminate against or be intolerant of an institution of higher
education simply because of its tax status. If confirmed, my role as
Secretary, in part, would be to ensure the Higher Education Act is
faithfully implemented and I will work to ensure faithful
implementation across the board--whether the school is a public,
private non-profit, or a for-profit school. Accountability is for ALL
schools, and I intend to use the various tools at my disposal to
enforce the law. If I am confirmed, I believe the Department can play a
role in highlighting the best and worst practices in this regard.
Question 49a. One of my key areas of focus for higher education
policy and regulation will be institutional accountability, and how the
Federal Government can better protect the approximately $150 billion
that colleges and universities receive from students from the Federal
student grant and loan programs. For-profit institutions only enroll
about 10 percent of all post-secondary students but receive a
disproportionate share of Federal dollars and account for 35 percent of
all student loan defaults. Owners and executives of for-profit colleges
can also pocket as much of the tuition money as they want, while public
and other nonprofit schools must commit their resources to education
and instruction and are not allowed to allocate net revenue to
themselves.
Do you believe that protecting students and taxpayers is an
ideological or partisan matter?
Answer 49a. No.
Question 49b. If confirmed, what steps will you take to address the
disparity of for-profit institutions using a disproportionate share of
Federal aid?
Answer 49b. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the data
related to the use and flow of Federal student aid, as well as the
factors behind the data.
Question 49c. If confirmed, what steps will you take to reduce the
outsized number of defaulters coming from for-profit colleges?
Answer 49c. If confirmed, I look forward to engaging with Congress,
borrowers, and institutions of higher education regarding ways to
reduce student loan defaults.
Question 49d. Do you believe that fundamentally different types of
corporate control structures governance by owners versus governance by
trustees--results in different decisions and behaviors by for-profit
institutions compared to nonprofit and public schools?
Answer 49d. No.
Question 49e. What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages
of each form of institutional control?
Answer 49e. I believe institutions have a responsibility to serve
their students in the best manner possible regardless of tax status, or
organizing structure.
Question 50. Last year, ITT Educational Services, Inc. (``ITT
Tech'') announced that it would close 137 campuses and declared
bankruptcy following oversight actions by the Department. This national
for-profit college chain was told by its own accreditor that the
company ``is not in compliance, and is unlikely to become in compliance
with [ACICS] Accreditation Criteria.'' However, the company took in
more than $11 billion from students and from taxpayer-financed grants
and loans over the last decade. ITT Tech was under investigation or
sued in recent years by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the attorneys general of New
Mexico, Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and
Washington. But these investigative actions have stalled as a result of
ITT Tech's legal tactics and its Federal bankruptcy trustee, which have
sought to halt any new evidence against the company from becoming
public.
(a) Do you believe that students and taxpayers have a right to know
the truth about the company's actions potentially fraudulent actions,
or do you believe that investigations should stop in order to protect
the company's executives?
(b) If the Department obtains any information that would be
pertinent to these investigations, do you commit to making that
information public?
Answer 50. Fraud should not be tolerated. Period. If confirmed, I
will use the tools available to address these types of concerns.
Question 51. A recent working paper from the National Bureau of
Economic Research (NBER) by Stephanie R. Cellini, Rajeev Darolia, and
Lesley J. Turner explored the enrollment implications of sanctioning
colleges that fail to serve students, and in particular colleges that
leave too many students unable to repay their student loans. Ensuring
that students are able to continue their educational pursuits when
their colleges harm their prospects through default or unmanageable
debt is critically important. This NBER study found that enrollment
losses from sanctioned colleges, which are predominantly in the for-
profit sector, are offset by gains in enrollment in local community
colleges. This suggests that the loss of Federal student aid for poor-
performing for-profit colleges does not reduce overall college-going
but instead shifts students across higher education sectors and to more
affordable options. The NBER study also found that sanctions are
associated with sizable reductions in county-wide borrowing and
default, which is unsurprising given lower costs and better job
placement at community colleges.
(a) Do you believe it is a positive outcome to protect students and
taxpayers from poorly performing colleges, particularly when the
evidence shows that impacted students can and do find alternative
programs to fit their needs?
(b) Given that there is little to no negative impact on college
access, is there any reason you would not take action to protect
students and taxpayers by enforcing current Federal laws and
regulations?
Answer 51. If confirmed, I will protect students and taxpayers. As
such, I will faithfully implement the provisions of the Higher
Education Act.
Question 52a. One reason much of the deception and fraud in the
for-profit industry went unnoticed for so long was the use of
restrictive clauses by the institutions to silence students and
employees from speaking out when they encountered problems, also known
as ``gag orders.'' Additionally, some institutions choose to use pre-
dispute or ``forced'' arbitration to prevent students from seeking
legal redress to fraud and abuse through the courts. I find these
practices very concerning.
Do you believe that students who have concern or complaints about
their institutions have the right to raise those concerns publicly?
Answer 52a. Yes.
Question 52b. Will you work on behalf of students, former students,
and employees to provide them with a choice for how they can file and
pursue a complaint?
Answer 52b. Numerous complaint processes exist through the States
and courts.
Question 52c. When students are defrauded by their college, do you
believe they have a right to seek legal remedies in court?
Answer 52c. Yes.
Question 52d. If students who believe they were defrauded by Trump
University were able to get some of their money back in a $25 million
settlement with the President-elect, do you believe our Federal loan
borrowers should also get relief when their schools mistreat them?
Answer 52d. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad actors
clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions. If confirmed,
I will act decisively to protect students and enforce existing laws.
I should note, Trump University was not a recipient of Federal
student aid, nor an accredited college or university, and therefore
would not fall under my jurisdiction as Secretary of Education.
Question 52e. What role will you play as Secretary to ensure that
all institutions of higher education remain transparent in their
dispute resolution processes, to allow students to complain publicly
and to go to court if they so choose?
Answer 52e. If confirmed, I will use the tools available to the
Secretary outlined in the Higher Education Act.
Question 53. A promising practice to improve student success at
community colleges around the country is ``career pathways.'' The
current Administration has improved coordination between the
Departments of Education and Labor to promote and support the expansion
of this innovative practice.
(a) If confirmed, would you direct the Department of Education to
continue its collaboration with the Department of Labor on career
pathways?
(b) In what other ways might the coordination between the
Departments of Education and Labor be improved?
Answer 53. I strongly believe there needs to be alignment between
post-secondary education and workforce needs. But to be clear,
productive employment is not the only purpose of higher education.
Too many people are unemployed and underemployed while many good
jobs are being left unfilled. This is an issue that I hope we can work
together on as Congress considers the reauthorization of the Higher
Education Act, if I am confirmed. I am interested in the coordination
between the Departments of Education and Labor around career pathways
and, if confirmed, will look carefully at these coordination efforts
and consider how the Department of Education can work with other
agencies to do everything possible to help students find a successful
path to a fulfilling job or career.
Question 54. According to a recent report, racial gaps in college
completion between white and African American and Hispanic students
have widened significantly since 2007. At the same time, the face of
the American college student is changing. Students from low income
backgrounds, as well as older students and students with children, are
increasingly enrolling in colleges across the country. Yet, retention
and graduation rates are low for these students compared with so-called
``traditional college'' students.
(a) With 65 percent of jobs by 2020 requiring education beyond high
school, how will you as Secretary help ensure that our historically
disadvantaged students are able to access and complete college at a
rate comparable to their white classmates, in order to ensure that
students from all backgrounds have a fair shot of getting the jobs they
need to be successful in a 21st century economy?
(b) Given that creating a highly skilled, competitive American
workforce increasingly requires a college degree, what will you do to
ensure that traditionally underserved students are able to enter and
succeed in college?
Answer 54. The goal of the Federal student aid programs is to
ensure access to post-secondary education for traditionally underserved
populations. These programs are supported by college access programs
like TRIO and GEAR UP. If confirmed, I will review these and other
programs to ensure they are operating as effectively as they can be.
Should these programs need reform because they are not producing
appropriate outcomes, I look forward to working with you and your
colleagues to strengthen them during the upcoming reauthorization of
the Higher Education Act.
Question 55. Many students who attend community colleges plan to
transfer onto a 4-year university, which can save them a lot of money
on tuition and fees. About 40 percent of all of America's undergraduate
students are enrolled at community colleges, and a large majority (81
percent) say their ultimate goal is to earn at least a bachelor's
degree. However, there have been numerous reports documenting the
difficulty that community college students face due to the loss of
credits from courses that 4-year institutions do not accept or do not
count toward a major. A 2014 study from the City University of New York
found that than more than 1 in 10 community college students lose
nearly all of their course credits and must essentially start over
after transferring, and a further 17 percent transferred less than 10
percent of their credits.
(a) What responsibilities do you believe that receiving
institutions have to accept student credits?
(b) Do you think States should establish articulation agreements to
smooth this process and give students assurance about which credits
will transfer to in-State institutions?
Answer 55. Matters related to the transfer of credit are academic
in nature and the Higher Education Act specifically prohibits the
Secretary from being involved in matters of an academic nature.
Question 56. As you well know, while some adults enrolled in adult
education are still seeking their high school diploma or equivalent, a
surprising number of American adults with a high school diploma still
struggle with basic skills. Twenty percent (20 percent) of adults with
a high school diploma have less-than-basic literacy skills and 35
percent of adults with a high school degree have less-than-basic
numeracy skills. According to a recent study, conducted by OECD's
Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), at
least three million low-skilled American adults would like to enroll in
Adult Education services, but cannot access a program. Without access,
undereducated, underprepared adults cannot qualify for jobs with family
sustaining incomes that require not only a high school equivalency, but
also some college--preferably a 1- or 2-year certificate. Adults
without a high school diploma or functioning below high school level
have a difficult time qualifying for community college programs or
access high demand occupations. If confirmed, how do you envision the
Department and the Administration incorporating Adult Education into
its competitiveness agenda?
Answer 56. In raising the issue of ``undereducated, underprepared
adults'' you make a case for the need to improve education. When
schools fail our students, there are long term consequences, both for
individuals who are deprived of the knowledge and skills they need to
be successful and our Nation which is dependent on the innovative,
creative and economic contributions of it citizens. It is why we need
to do more to provide parents with high quality educational options.
Sadly, too many Americans are suffering from a lack of skills.
President-elect Trump made improving the employment opportunities of
these Americans a cornerstone of his campaign, and his administration
will work to improve the prospects of those left behind in this
economy. If confirmed, I will work with the Office of Career,
Technical, and Adult Education and other relevant agencies to improve
outcomes for adult learners. Combined with other efforts across the
government, we have an opportunity to restore the American Dream for
all Americans.
Question 57. The price of college textbooks has increased
substantially over past decades. For many students, this cost can
represent a significant portion of the overall costs of attendance.
Some students avoid or postpone expensive textbook and access code
purchases, putting them at risk of missing valuable course content and
assessment activities. However low- or no-cost digital resources have
rapidly expanded in recent years. Not only do these resources reduce
the cost of education, but many community colleges have found that
overall course retention and success increases when all students access
course materials at the same time, at the start of a course.
(a) If confirmed, will you help to advance the use of ``open
textbooks'' which are freely used, adapted, and distributed--and can
save students significant money?
(b) Do you support requiring recipients of competitive Federal
grant dollars to make any content they generate with taxpayer dollars
more freely available?
(c) Would you support the development of a Federal open course
library to share course materials that are freely available to
students?
Answer 57. The 2008 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act
(HEA) created a number of new requirements designed to help students
better understand the cost of textbooks and get the appropriate
information so they could shop for their books. If confirmed, I would
first ensure the law is being implemented appropriately. If confirmed,
I will work with you and your colleagues to explore any remaining
issues, including the question about the proliferation of ``open
textbooks'' during the HEA reauthorization.
Question 58. Today, more than 42 million Americans owe a collective
$1.4 trillion in student loan debt. About 70 percent of bachelor's
degree graduates borrow for college.
(a) Do you believe that student debt holds back some borrowers from
starting a family?
(b) What do you believe should be done to reduce current levels of
debt for existing borrowers?
Answer 58. I think we can all agree the growing amount of student
debt in America is a serious challenge. A key component of the American
Dream is the belief that tomorrow will be better than today, especially
for the next generation. Yet, that opportunity is now at risk. For too
many Americans, higher education has become unaffordable and
disconnected from the Nation's economic realities.
As I said during my confirmation hearing, there is no magic wand to
make the debt go away, but we do need to act. It would be a mistake to
shift that burden to struggling taxpayers without first addressing why
tuition has gotten so high. For starters, we need to embrace new
pathways of learning. The old and expensive brick-mortar-and-ivy model
is not the only one that will lead to a prosperous future. Students
should be able to make informed choices about what type of education
they want to pursue post-high school and have access to a variety of
high quality options. President-elect Trump and I agree we need to
support all post-secondary avenues, including credentials, trade and
vocational schools and community colleges.
In addition, President-elect Trump spoke about several ways to
address the issue of student debt during the campaign. One of the best
ways to address this issue is ensure students can get jobs after they
complete their post-secondary program. And President-elect Trump has
spoken extensively about his plans to put Americans back to work and
boost the Nation's stagnant economy.
We are also interested in making sure students have good
information about the costs of college and the labor market outcomes of
fields so they can make informed decisions.
Question 59. Campus-based aid is a key source of support for
millions of post-secondary students. Yet the distribution of campus-
based aid has been based on a formula that largely considers past
participation in the program as well as institutional cost, neither of
which are closely associated with level of need that students have for
this aid. The result is that institutions serving the largest number of
low-income students, such as community colleges, often receive less aid
for their students under Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
and Federal Work Study. Would you support efforts to reform the campus-
based programs to align it more closely with the number or percentage
of needy students served?
Answer 59. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you during
the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act to review the campus-
based aid program.
Question 60. In late 2015, Congress reached a bipartisan deal to
extend the Federal Perkins Loan program on a limited basis. That deal
provided institutions with the ability to disburse new Perkins Loans to
undergraduate students through September 30 of this year, while winding
down any new graduate student eligibility. The Perkins Loan program
provides support to more than 500,000 students who rely on this low-
cost loan program to afford college, and required colleges to put some
of their own ``skin in the game'' by providing contributions to a
revolving fund. After this current deal expires on September 30, many
students and institutions of higher education will be left in an
extremely difficult position, so I am interested in your thoughts on
how we should deal with this urgent problem.
(a) Do you agree that the Perkins Loan is an important part of the
financial aid package that participating institutions create for their
students?
(b) Do you believe that students who have exhausted their Direct
Loan eligibility should have additional Federal resources made
available to help them cover college costs?
(c) If confirmed, will you support congressional efforts to replace
the Perkins Loan program with other affordable Federal loan options for
undergraduates who rely on it?
Answer 60. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress
and engaging in discussions about the structure and future of the
Federal aid system during the reauthorization of the Higher Education
Act.
Question 61. As you may know, Michigan, North Carolina, and
Louisiana are a few of the growing number of States to designate a
``single point of contact'' on college campuses for homeless and foster
youth. These contacts help homeless and foster youth navigate higher
education and connect them to college and community resources. In light
of the tremendous success of the single point of contact model in these
States, do you support requiring all institutions of higher education
to designate such a contact?
Answer 61. Foster care and homeless youth face unique challenges in
accessing post-secondary education, and I am eager, if confirmed, to
help States and institutions of higher education continue to develop or
improve policies that prove effective at helping foster and homeless
students across our country.
Question 62. Due to the complexity of the unaccompanied homeless
youth determination process, many homeless students must go to great
lengths to prove that they are homeless and to obtain the required
documents to do so. Large numbers of homeless youth report that this
documentation is often lost or discarded between academic years,
causing them great difficulty in maintaining their eligibility for
financial aid. Do you believe that institutions of higher education
should retain all required documents for continuously enrolled students
that are unaccompanied and homeless?
Answer 62. The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act will
provide an excellent opportunity to consider ways to more effectively
support homeless students, address their unique challenges in accessing
post-secondary education, and help States and institutions of higher
education develop or improve policies that are effective at helping
these vulnerable students.
Question 63. Homeless and foster youth often lack the financial
resources they need to stay enrolled in higher education, and are at a
greater disadvantage than other low-income students due to their
extreme poverty, lack of family support, and histories of trauma. Work-
study programs can help these students earn additional financial
resources and stay in school. Do you support policies that would
require institutions of higher education to prioritize work-study
opportunities for homeless and foster youth?
Answer 63. Foster care and homeless youth face unique challenges in
accessing post-secondary education, and I am eager, if confirmed, to
help States and institutions of higher education continue to develop or
improve policies that prove effective at helping foster and homeless
students across our country. The reauthorization of the HEA will
provide an excellent opportunity to look at these issues and consider
ways to more effectively support homeless and foster students.
Question 64. Homeless youth face unique barriers to accessing the
higher education that is their best hope of escaping poverty. A May
2016 GAO report found that burdensome financial aid program rules and
extensive documentation requests can hinder the ability of homeless
youth to access Federal supports. This same report found that limited
academic preparation, family support, and awareness of resources make
it harder for homeless youth to pursue college. What will you do to
ensure that financial aid administrators understand the specific
vulnerabilities of homeless youth, and do not force homeless youth to
provide unnecessary documentation of their status?
Answer 64. The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act will
provide an excellent opportunity to consider ways to more effectively
support homeless students, address their unique challenges in accessing
post-secondary education, and help States and institutions of higher
education develop or improve policies that are effective at helping
these vulnerable students.
Question 65. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning
students are particularly susceptible to be homeless and make up the
largest group of college students affected by seasonal or permanent
homelessness. According to the National Conference of State
Legislatures, between 20 and 40 percent of homeless youth identify as
LGBTQ. This population often lacks a fixed, regular, or adequate
nighttime residence. Often, they report themselves to be ``couch
surfers,'' transitioning from friend's or family's homes but having no
established residence. Without a permanent mailing address, financial
aid and educational correspondence is often not received and further
hinders the ability for these students to complete their studies. How
will you ensure that LGBTQ students are provided with the opportunity
to afford college as ``independents,'' while also creating a safe
campus climate for them?
Answer 65. All students deserve an opportunity to pursue their
education in a safe and supportive environment. Additionally, as I have
stated, I support equality.
If confirmed, I will work with States and institutions of higher
education to continue to develop or improve policies that will be
effective in helping LGBTQ homeless students. I know homeless youth
face unique challenges in accessing post-secondary education and I am
eager to help ensure that they have access to education that will
enable them to lead happy and productive lives.
The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act will also provide
an excellent opportunity to look at these issues and consider ways to
more effectively support homeless students.
Question 66. The Department's Student Loan Ombudsman is a neutral,
informal, and confidential resource to help students resolve disputes
about their Federal student aid. Sometimes, unaccompanied homeless
youth encounter difficulties in completing the process of accessing
their financial aid due to conflicts with their college or university
financial aid office over the homeless youth determination process. For
example, some students are asked to provide documentation that is not
required by law or guidance and which would be impossible for those
students to obtain--placing them in a terrible position that often
leads to the students dropping out. Do you commit to utilizing the
Ombudsman group to help homeless youth resolve these disputes and
access their financial aid?
Answer 66. If confirmed, I will look closely at the role of the
Student Loan Ombudsman and evaluate if there are changes needed to
better assist homeless youth in accessing financial aid.
Question 67. Unaccompanied homeless youth and foster youth face
numerous barriers to staying enrolled in higher education, including a
lack of housing between terms, including winter and summer breaks. This
is often a problem even at colleges and universities that offer on-
campus housing, but close these facilities between terms.
(a) Do you support policies that would require institutions to have
a plan to secure housing for unaccompanied homeless youth and foster
youth between terms and academic years?
(b) What additional resources such as financial aid, counseling,
and tutoring services do you believe should be offered at the
institutional, State, and Federal levels to support unaccompanied
homeless youth in higher education?
Answer 67. The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act will
provide an excellent opportunity to look at these issues and consider
ways to more effectively support homeless and foster students. If
confirmed, I am eager to support homeless and foster care youth as they
address their unique challenges in accessing post-secondary education
and to help States and institutions of higher education continue to
develop or improve policies that are effective at helping these
vulnerable students.
Question 68. Several recent studies have found that roughly a
quarter of college students are going hungry due to a lack of money for
basic food, even among students who are employed, participate in a
campus meal plan, or receive other financial aid or material help.
Thankfully, there are some means-tested benefits programs that serve
students or families who have high levels of economic need. I am
interested in better ways to integrate government services to make it
easier for the most at-risk students to be able to access and persist
in higher education.
(a) Do you believe that the Department of Education should be able
to work with the Department of Agriculture to conduct outreach to
students that could be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP)?
(b) How would you utilize the abilities and resources of the
Department of Education, such as the FAFSA, to inform students and
families of other financial resources and benefit programs they may be
eligible for?
(c) What strategies would you employ to address barriers to other
Federal, State, or local benefit programs that could assist students
with financial need?
(d) What should institutions of higher education do to similarly
assist students?
Answer 68. Students and families should be able to avail themselves
of programs and benefits offered by the Federal Government without
having to fight reams of red tape. If confirmed, I look forward to
discussing ways the Department of Education and other agencies,
including the Agriculture Department, and institutions of higher
education can assist our Nation's students as they pursue their post-
secondary education. I will look closely at the budget to determine the
best allocation of taxpayer dollars to programs when making a proposed
budget for future fiscal years, and will consider carefully the
financial needs of all our institutions during that review. Finally, I
plan to review the various ways in which the Federal Government is
making its programs known to students and families and will take action
should I determine the information is not reaching its intended
audience.
Question 69. A 2014 report by the University of Pennsylvania
Graduate School of Education's Center on MSIs found that, when making
appropriations, State governments prioritize predominantly white
institutions and flagship institutions at the expense of Minority-
Serving Institutions (MSIs). Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs),
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Asian American
and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs),
and Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs), also enroll a
disproportionate number of first-generation and low-income students.
Combined, these MSIs have historically had fewer resources to meet the
needs of this growing student population. Do you think that MSIs having
fewer resources to serve the students with the greatest need is a
problem? If you are confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Education, will you
commit to using your position and resources to address this problem and
what specific actions do you plan to take to address this funding
disparity?
Answer 69. If confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to discussing
ways the Department of Education and institutions of higher education
can assist our Nation's students as they pursue their post-secondary
education and thrive while they are in school. I will look closely at
the budget of the Department of Education to determine the best
allocation of taxpayer dollars to programs when making a proposed
budget for future fiscal years, and will consider carefully the
financial needs of all our institutions, including Minority Serving
Institutions, during that review.
Question 70. Every President since President Carter has issued an
Executive order on HBCUs in order to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs
to provide the highest-quality education to a greater number of
students, and to require Federal entities to establish annual plans to
increase the participation of HBCUs in Federal programs and
initiatives. Would you recommend that the Trump administration re-issue
an HBCU Executive order and continue a White House Initiative on HBCUs?
Answer 70. Yes.
Question 71. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
play a key role in our higher education system, and like all colleges
and universities, undertake capital projects to ensure their students
have well-maintained, functional, and safe facilities. Yet, because
HBCUs were created to educate a historically underserved community,
they have faced challenges achieving financial stability. This is due,
in part, to the legacy of discrimination which has, at times, affected
their ability to access capital for construction or renovation. To help
ensure HBCUs have access to funding for capital projects, the
Department of Education provides grants through the Strengthening HBCUs
Program and low-cost loans through the HBCU Capital Financing Program
which can be used to construct or renovate facilities. There have been
concerns, however, that these programs may be underutilized. In order
to gain a better understanding of the issue, I wrote--along with House
Education and Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott, Senate Subcommittee
on Children and Families Ranking Member Bob Casey, and Congressional
Black Caucus Chairman G.K. Butterfield--to the Government
Accountability Office on July 1, 2016 to ask them to evaluate the
capital project needs of HBCUs, the extent that HBCUs are using these
existing programs to address their needs, and what steps, if any, can
the Federal Government take to better ensure HBCUs have access to
funding for capital projects. If you are confirmed as Secretary of
Education, will you commit to closely reviewing the GAO report when it
is released and, if feasible, incorporate their recommendations for
better administering the programs?
Answer 71. If confirmed, I will review the GAO report and
thoughtfully consider the recommendations.
Question 72. The Higher Education Act was last reauthorized in
2008. One important provision in the law for Hispanic-Serving
Institutions is title III, part F, which is intended to support STEM-
focused grants and articulation programs between 2- and 4-year
institutions. This provision is set to expire in fiscal year 2019,
during your tenure as Secretary of Education. Considering the dearth of
Latinos in STEM fields and the threat this represents to American
economic success, will you support congressional efforts to extend the
authority and the funding of title III, part F?
Answer 72. I know many of these programs will be a part of a robust
discussion as we all examine outcomes of the various programs
authorized by the Higher Education Act. We share a goal of ensuring
taxpayer dollars are being spent well. If confirmed, I look forward to
engaging in that dialog with you and your colleagues.
Question 73. Over 8 million people rely on Pell Grants to afford
higher education and attend a college or university of their choice.
However, the Pell Grant now covers just 29 percent of college costs at
public university compared to 79 percent shortly after the grant was
created 40 years ago--forcing low-income and middle-class students to
more heavily rely on loans today. To make matters worse, after this
year, statutory adjustments that make sure the Pell Grant keeps pace
with inflation will expire, thereby freezing critical grant aid for
students with financial need as college costs only continue to rise.
The declining value of the Pell Grant is also affecting women. And
around 40 percent of part-time or part-year undergraduate women, and
around 50 percent of full-time, full-year undergraduate women, use Pell
Grants to attend college. Many of these women seek education in order
to provide a better life for their families. So I am very focused on
protecting the Pell Grant to help keep college affordable. During the
campaign, President-elect Trump said that he would help students pay
for college and manage their debt. However, Republican budget
resolutions over the past several years have proposed making staggering
cuts to Pell Grants and allowing interest to accrue and balloon for
student borrower while they are going to school.
(a) What policy steps will you take not only to protect Pell, but
to expand and strengthen it for the next generation of students?
(b) In the President-elect's 2018 budget, will you advise him to
make sure the Pell Grant continues to keep up with inflation, or will
you let these increases expire, causing 8 million Pell Grant recipients
to have fewer resources to cope with rising college costs?
(c) If confirmed, will you stand up against harmful proposals to
cut Pell Grants and balance other funding needs on the backs of college
students who are working hard to pay for school?
Answer 73. I, too, am concerned with the increasing costs of higher
education. For too many Americans, higher education has become
unaffordable and disconnected from the Nation's economic realities.
Calls for free college and debt elimination in response are in stark
contrast to an approach that seeks to address the core challenges in
higher education. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you, the
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the
Congress to find solutions to these concerns.
Question 74. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
provides a path to higher education for critically needed work in
public service fields such as first responders, teachers, social
workers, and public defenders. Each year, public service employers
report difficulty in recruiting and retaining talented staff, leaving
many Americans without critically needed services. In particular, our
rural, tribal, or other under-resourced communities report enormous
difficulties with recruitment and retention of public service workers,
and the PSLF program has been of great benefit to these communities.
However, there has been a lot of hype from political opponents of PSLF
about how many people could benefit from the program. According to the
Government Accountability Office report in 2015, only about 643,000
direct loan borrowers repaying their loans through IBR, PAYE, and ICR
are likely employed in public service, which would represent less than
1 percent of more than 130 million U.S. workers. I am very interested
in your views on protecting this program and making it work better for
borrowers.
(a) Will you protect the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to
ensure that thousands of students enrolled in the program can obtain
the debt relief they were promised?
(b) Will you actively oppose any efforts to undermine the Public
Service Loan Forgiveness program through statute or regulation?
Answer 74. If confirmed, I will faithfully implement the Higher
Education Act and will look forward to discussing these issues with you
as Congress considers its reauthorization.
Question 75. Do you believe it is appropriate for institutions of
higher education to be able to use Federal dollars for marketing,
advertising, and recruitment?
Answer 75. I recognize this has been a topic of debate among the
members of the Committee in both the House and Senate. If confirmed, I
will faithfully implement the Higher Education Act.
Question 76. I am extremely concerned about poor outcomes in higher
education, particularly when it comes to students who struggle with the
crushing burden of student debt.
(a) What do you propose as solutions for students who have amassed
enormous and unmanageable levels of student debt but are unable to
obtain licenses or careers in their field of study?
(b) Do you believe it should be permissible for taxpayer dollars to
loans for higher education programs from which the bulk of its
borrowers that leave the institution persistently fail to earn above
the poverty line?
Answer 76. I agree student debt can create strains on individuals.
That is why, if confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress on
ways to ensure that borrowers of Federal student loans continue to have
manageable repayment options that are simple and easy to understand.
Question 77. Federal law prohibits the payment of commissions,
bonuses, and financial incentives from being directly or indirectly
based on enrolling a student or obtaining their financial aid. On
October 30, 2002, then-Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Education William Hansen wrote a memo on the policy for violations of
the incentive compensation that dramatically changed the Department's
enforcement. In the memo, Hansen stated that, while the Department had
historically ``measured the damages resulting from a violation as the
total amount of student aid provided to each improperly recruited
student,'' he was directing Federal Student Aid to no longer view
violations of incentive compensation as resulting in monetary loss to
the Department. Therefore, Mr. Hansen indicated that the sanction for
violations would largely be smaller fines and penalties. Shortly
thereafter, the Department also created 12 so-called regulatory ``safe
harbors'' to further codify enforcement loopholes in the incentive
compensation bans. These actions were very concerning to me and other
Members of Congress who viewed them as an end-run around congressional
intent in the Higher Education Act. Thankfully, these safe harbors have
largely been revered. On October 29, 2010, the Department published
final regulations to eliminate the safe harbors. In the preamble of its
regulations, the Department stated that,
``Unscrupulous actors routinely rel[ied] upon these safe
harbors to circumvent the intent of section 487(a)(20) of the
HEA. As such, rather than serving to effectuate the goals
intended by Congress through its adoption of section 487(a)(20)
of the HEA, the safe harbors have served to obstruct those
objectives and have hampered the Department's ability to
efficiently and effectively administer the title IV, HEA
programs.''
If confirmed, you will be in charge of administering the incentive
compensation regulations.
(a) Do you believe that high-pressure sales have any place in
higher education recruitment?
(b) Will you commit to enforcing the incentive compensation ban
with integrity and without reinstating any loopholes for ``unscrupulous
actors'' that the previous safe harbor provisions created?
(c) Considering that Federal financial aid represents a $150
billion taxpayer investment in the higher education system, if
confirmed, will you commit to viewing a violation of the incentive
compensation ban as resulting in monetary loss to the U.S. Department
of Education?
Answer 77. I will faithfully implement the Higher Education Act.
Question 78. There are more than 5.5 million distance education
students at degree-granting institutions, including nearly 3 million
exclusively online students. As you may know, the oversight of students
enrolled in online or distance education can pose challenges, because
students often take courses from institutions that are not located in
the State in which they reside. To ensure that institutions offering
distance education are legally authorized and monitored by States, as
required by the Higher Education Act, the Department recently published
rules that clarify State authorization requirements for institutions to
participate in Federal student aid programs.
(a) If a student has a complaint with an institution that only
provides distance education, where and how should that student file
their complaint, given that distance education colleges are often
located in different States than their institutions?
(b) Do you agree that institutions should document the State
process for resolving student complaints regarding distance education
programs?
(c) Do you believe that the Federal Government or other States
should be able to pre-empt other States' laws?
Answer 78. I believe it is important to ensure students have a
clear and transparent way to make complaints. If confirmed, I will
review the current regulations and complaint process already on the
books to determine whether it is effective in meeting the needs of
students, and act accordingly.
Question 79. In 1990, tuition made up less than 40 percent of
revenue at public colleges and universities in your home State of
Michigan. Today, it makes up nearly 70 percent, far higher than the
national average. Per-student funding, adjusted for inflation, has
dropped by over $2,000 per student. In other words, what used to be
paid for by the public is now funded by individuals and families. This
has all occurred with the simultaneous stagnation of household income.
In your home State of Michigan, median household income has actually
declined since 1990. Do you view this increasing reliance on tuition,
lowering of student funding, and decrease in college affordability is a
problem that the Federal Government should have a role in addressing?
Answer 79. It takes a partnership between the Federal Government,
States, institutions of higher learning, and families to ensure post-
secondary education is affordable. If confirmed, I would work with
States and institutions to ensure they are holding up their end of the
bargain.
Question 80. Last year, the U.S. Department of Education announced
a new process to proactively identify and assist Federal student loan
borrowers with disabilities who may be eligible for Total and Permanent
Disability (TPD) loan discharge because they are totally and
permanently disabled. The Department sent customized letters to
potentially eligible borrowers who collectively owe nearly $7.8 billion
in student loan debt. Still, about 179,000 of these likely TPD-eligible
borrowers are currently in default, and the government is prepared to
garnish the Social Security benefits of more than 100,000 of them. Many
others are facing a tax bill on their TPD discharge as this benefit is
treated as income. I believe this process can and should be improved.
(a) Do you believe that it is appropriate for borrowers who should
otherwise have their loans discharged to have their Social Security
benefits garnished?
(b) If confirmed, will you support efforts to eliminate taxation of
TPD discharges?
(c) How do you see yourself working with other Federal agencies to
verify that students who are deemed permanently disabled, including
U.S. veterans, are actually receiving the appropriate benefits of the
loan discharges they are owed?
(d) Will you commit to disclosing on at least an annual basis the
data on the number of notices sent to potentially TPD-eligible
borrowers and the number of discharges actually processed?
(e) If confirmed, will you commit to continuing an agreement
between the Departments of Education Veterans Affairs to identify
veterans with service-connected disabilities and help them apply for
TPD discharge?
(f) If confirmed, will you proactively send notifications related
to TPD discharge to borrowers in an accessible format, such as braille,
so that those who are visually impaired or otherwise unable to complete
a paper form will be able to access their benefits?
Answer 80. If confirmed, I plan to review the regulations and the
processes put in place to ensure the Higher Education Act is being
implemented faithfully.
Question 81. I'm very concerned that any attempt to involve Wall
Street, banks, or private capital in new ways in the Federal student
loan program would mean many students borrower losing benefits and
access to higher education. Therefore, it is important to understand
where you believe improvements can be made in our current student loan
system. For each of these questions please indicate whether you
``agree'' or ``disagree'' with each statement.
(a) Borrowers should be able to repay their loans based on a
percentage of their income.
(b) Borrowers should be able to have their loans forgiven after no
more than 20 years in repayment while making payments no greater than
10 percent of their discretionary income.
(c) Borrowers that require a co-signer should not be punished if
their co-signer dies.
(d) If a loan is co-signed and either the student or the co-signer
dies, the loan should not be automatically collected on or sent to
default.
(e) Loan forgiveness at the end of the maximum years of repayment
should not be taxed.
(f) Student loans should be dischargeable in bankruptcy without
having to prove undue hardship.
(g) Borrowers that were defrauded should have their loans forgiven.
(h) Borrowers who have their loans discharged or refunded due to
being defrauded should not have to pay taxes on that relief.
(i) Borrowers should be able to pay fixed interest rates as defined
by the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act.
Answer 81. I, too, have concerns with student debt. There are
numerous factors that contribute to students borrowing and the Federal
Government may or may not be the appropriate entity to address all of
them. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you, the Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Congress
in finding viable and appropriate solutions for addressing issues
related to student debt as the Congress debates the reauthorization of
the Higher Education Act.
Question 82. Last fall, President-elect Trump proposed an income-
based repayment plan for student debt that allows borrowers to cap
their monthly student loan payments based on their income and then have
their student loans forgiven after a certain period of time. In a
speech in Ohio he said, ``Students should not be asked to pay more debt
than they can afford.'' I wholeheartedly agree. Thankfully, borrowers
have access to income-driven repayment (IDR) options to help them pay
back their loans based on their income. The Master Promissory Note
(MPN) is a legally binding document that all student loan borrowers
must sign when they take out a Federal student loan. Borrowers signing
and MPN promise to repay their loans and any accrued interest and fees
to the U.S. Department of Education under specified terms and
conditions of their loan.
(a) Do you believe it is acceptable to change the terms and
conditions of loan repayment programs for borrowers currently
participating in them?
(b) Do you promise that, if you are confirmed, that you will not
approve any action that would result in steps that would change the
benefits, terms, or conditions of borrowers who have already signed
their master promissory notes?
(c) Will you commit to ensuring that any changes to income-driven
repayment plans do not negatively impact existing borrowers or force
them to change their repayment plans?
Answer 82. I believe changes to the loan programs should be made
carefully and will study this issue before making any decisions if
confirmed. Students deserve certainty and an understanding of the terms
and conditions of their loans. I look forward to discussing these
issues with you as the committee works on the reauthorization of the
Higher Education Act.
Question 83. Improving access to student supports on college
campuses, such as transportation and housing assistance, accessible
childcare, food pantries, and the availability of emergency aid, is
critical to improving post-secondary retention rates, and therefore,
creating a more educated and competitive American workforce. This is
especially true for underserved student populations, including low-
income students, independent students, and students with dependent
children. As Secretary of Education, what will you do to ensure that
students across the country have access to nonacademic student supports
that acknowledge the multiple demands on nontraditional student
populations?
Answer 83. I am aware of the needs of what used to be considered
``non-traditional'' college students. If confirmed, I look forward to
working with you and your colleagues in reauthorizing the Higher
Education Act to ensure its provisions are flexible enough to allow all
students to be served.
Question 84. My State has a large number of farm workers. Due to
the nature of their parent's work, children of farm workers frequently
move from State to State and face many challenges in getting their
education. These frequent disruptions and other factors contribute to
very high dropout rates and low rates of enrollment in higher education
opportunities. To addresses these challenges, the Federal Government
created the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and the College
Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) to ensure these students receive the
educational assistance and support they need to succeed in K-12 and
higher education. Given the need for and success of the HEP/CAMP
programs, will you commit to continuing these programs? Will you also
commit to advocating for increased funding for these critical programs?
Answer 84. If confirmed, I look forwarding to working with you to
address these issues through the Higher Education Act reauthorization.
Question 85. The first Federal TRIO Program, Upward Bound, was
established in the Educational Opportunity Act of 1964 and was created
to remove barriers to college access and completion for disadvantaged
youth. Since then, TRIO has grown to eight programs serving nearly
800,000 students in 2,800 programs across the country. Current
citizenship requirements for TRIO participants, however, mandate that
only students who are U.S. citizens, national, or legal permanent
resident can benefit from these services. The U.S. Department of
Education has the power to allow all students regardless of immigration
status benefit from these programs. As Secretary of Education, will you
commit to changing the Federal regulation that limits which students
can have access to these programs?
Answer 85. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act prohibits Federal post-secondary assistance or other
similar benefits to those who are not otherwise ``qualified aliens.''
Similarly, under the student eligibility requirements for title IV-
authorized programs under the Higher Education Act, a student must be a
citizen or national of the United States, a permanent resident of the
United States, or able to provide evidence from the Immigration and
Naturalization Service that he or she is in the United States for other
than a temporary purpose with the intention of becoming a citizen or
permanent resident.
Question 86. The TRIO and Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for
Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) are competitive grant programs that
identify and seek to increase the number of low-income students who are
successful in K-12 and higher education. These programs have strong
bipartisan support and play a critical role in ensuring that promising
students from low-income families have the resources and the community
that they need to be successful. Do you think that students who face
greater barriers to success in their education, such as the students
who participate in TRIO/GEAR UP, need additional resources such as
tutoring and financial assistance to be successful in K-12 and higher
education? If so, do you think the Federal Government has any role in
providing those services?
Answer 86. The Higher Education Act (HEA) has several programs
designed to help underserved students gain access to higher education
and be successful in their pursuits. If confirmed, I look forward to
reviewing the effectiveness of these programs and working with you and
your colleagues to strengthen programs with a demonstrated track record
of success in the HEA reauthorization.
Question 87. In recent years, we have made considerable progress
standing up for veterans and servicemembers in higher education. This
has been in part due to the passage of legislation I helped develop to
require transparency from schools receiving GI bill money. But this
progress is also due to critical administrative and regulatory steps.
On April 27, 2012, President Obama signed Executive Order 13607,
directing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of
Defense, and the Department of Education to undertake a number of
measures to ``stop deceptive and misleading'' promotional efforts that
target the GI bill educational benefits of servicemembers, veterans,
and eligible family members and survivors. Trademarking ``GI Bill'' was
part of that order to protect military families from being misled by
schools that target their Federal education benefits. The Department of
Education has also withdrawn recognition of an accrediting body that
failed to provide any meaningful oversight of the schools for which it
was responsible, and Congress responded by ensuring GI eligibility
would continue in the case of recognition being withdrawn.
(a) Do you believe that some veterans and servicemembers are taken
advantage of in higher education? If so, does that concern you?
(b) If confirmed, what actions would you take to ensure that
veterans and servicemembers receive a high-quality higher education?
(c) If confirmed, will you advise the President-elect to maintain
current Executive orders protecting veterans and servicemembers?
(d) Will you continue to implement a recent data sharing agreement
to calculate cohort default rates, median loan debt, and repayment
rates at the aggregate and institutional level for veterans and their
beneficiaries who are using Post-9/11 GI bill education benefits and
who also receive Federal student loans?
(e) If confirmed, will you vigorously enforce all laws,
regulations, guidance, or other policies that protect veterans and
servicemembers?
Answer 87. We owe a large debt of gratitude to our Nation's
veterans and servicemembers, and their commitment to preserving our
Nation's freedoms should not go unnoticed. If confirmed, I commit to
faithfully implement the provisions of the Higher Education Act that
protect all students, including our veterans and service members from
fraudulent and other illegal actions.
Question 88. Under the Obama administration, there has been
enhanced collaboration between HHS, HUD, and ED regarding the
intersection between homelessness and education. For instance,
Secretaries King, Fox, and Castro supported an inter-agency effort to
help promote school and community integration by examining the
interplay between housing, schools, and transportation. Will and how
will the Department of Education continue that collaboration under your
direction, if confirmed?
Answer 88. We can agree that homeless students are a particularly
vulnerable population. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing these
collaborative efforts and examining their effectiveness in assisting
the homeless population.
Question 89. Child homelessness continues to skyrocket in the Unitd
States, with 1 in 30 children experiencing homelessness at some point.
Homelessness is a complex problem beyond a lack of affordable housing
and interventions to address child and family homelessness must be
designed and implemented in true partnership between housing agencies,
homeless service providers and other systems such as human service
agencies and early childhood providers that understand the trauma and
complex barriers faced by homeless children and their families. What do
you see as the role of the U.S. Department of Education in addressing
child and family homelessness? What specific steps will you take to
ensure that homeless students are appropriately identified, especially
in rural and suburban communities? How will you ensure that the title I
part A program appropriately and adequately serves homeless students,
including through the mandatory LEA reservation of funds?
Answer 89. Homeless students are a particularly vulnerable
population. If confirmed, I look forward to engaging in collaborative
relationships with stakeholders to ensure the Department of Education
is meeting the needs of these students. Often, the best solutions come
from the local level and the Federal Government can help disseminate
best practices so communities can learn from one another. As far as the
provisions included in the Every Student Succeeds Act, I commit to
faithfully implementing the law as it was written.
Question 90. In the past year, the Department of Education has
worked collaboratively with the Department of Health and Human Services
to provide guidance to States, local educational agencies, and child
welfare agencies concerning the new requirements to support students in
foster care in the Every Student Succeeds Act and Fostering Connections
to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act. How do you plan to collaborate
with HHS to ensure that States, local educational agencies, and child
welfare agencies follow through with their commitments to support
students in foster care?
Answer 90. Students in foster care are a particularly vulnerable
population. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing these
collaborative efforts and examining their effectiveness for foster care
students. I know there were many provisions included in the Every
Student Succeeds Act intended to help and support students in foster
care and I am committed to faithfully implementing these provisions to
ensure that these students have the opportunity to achieve and succeed
in school.
Question 91. As Secretary of Education, how would you ensure that
all students in public and charter schools--most particularly, students
of color, impoverished students, undocumented students, students with
disabilities and those with particular disadvantages such as
homelessness--gain equitable access (not just a chance to apply but
actual inclusion in) to selective enrollment, higher performing and
magnet schools, or schools of choice like charter schools and
specialized programs? What resources will you dedicate to ensure that
transportation is provided to students who require it in order to
attend or remain in such schools?
Answer 91. Charter schools are public schools and are subject to
the same standards of compliance as traditional public schools. Given
your role on the Labor-HHS-ED appropriations subcommittee, I would be
willing to dialog with you on the transportation needs for students
attending public charter schools, if confirmed.
Question 92. In 2014, The U.S. Government Accountability Office
(GAO), published the ``Education of Homeless Students: Improved Program
Oversight Needed'' found that Homeless Liaisons only have about 2 hours
a week to spend with students experiencing homelessness, what do you
believe is an adequate investment to sufficiently carry out the duties
of a LEA and SEA homeless liaison, and how will you insure this
investment is made?
Answer 92. In general, I believe it is best to defer to the
judgment of State and local officials about how best to implement
education policies and spend their education dollars. As the Chairman
of the Senate Committee on Health, Labor, Education, and Pensions has
noted, ``Washington, DC. should not be a national school board.''
If confirmed as Secretary, I would welcome the opportunity to share
data and research from the Department of Education with State and local
officials seeking to improve educational opportunities for homeless
students. I will travel the country to identify best practices and
successful programs and then disseminate that information to encourage
others to try adapting these successful approaches to their unique
circumstances.
I also hope that States and local leaders will think outside the
box and innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing educational
problems. I know of your long history in advocating for homeless
students and I look forward to working with you to help States and
school districts more successfully meet the needs of these vulnerable
students.
Personally, I have helped support an organization in my hometown
focused on helping homeless minors, including homeless LGBT youth. This
nonprofit organization has been helpful in providing a safe and stable
place to meet the basic needs of these vulnerable youth. It is clear,
for these youth, basic needs must first be met before educational goals
can be realized.
Question 93. In May 2016, Senators Murray, Hatch, Wyden, Grassley,
and Franken sent a letter asking for joint guidance and technical
assistance for States, school districts, and child welfare agencies to
implement the new foster care requirements under ESSA. The Department
of Education responded promptly, providing helpful guidance to
implement the new law. Will you maintain this guidance and provide
technical assistance as requested by this joint group of Senators?
Answer 93. If confirmed, I will carefully review all existing
guidance to ensure it serves as a helpful tool to States, local school
districts, teachers, school personnel and others, and not as a
hindrance to State and local efforts to follow the laws.
Foster care children face unique challenges in accessing a high-
quality education and I am eager to help States continue to develop or
improve policies that prove effective at helping foster students
succeed.
Question 94. As a result of the monumental changes made for
students in foster care under ESSA, the Department of Education
designated a staff person solely in charge of implementing the foster
care portfolio. Will you continue this practice if confirmed as
Secretary of Education?
Answer 94. If confirmed as Secretary, I will carefully review the
personnel policies and staffing responsibilities within the Department
to ensure that the mission and responsibilities of the Department are
fully met.
Question 95. In the past month, there have been many incidences of
bullying and harassment of students based on their actual or perceived
immigration status. What do you think the role of the Department of
Education is to ensure all children, regardless of their immigration
status, have unrestricted access to an equal education?
Answer 95. I am opposed to bullying and harassment of any student
for any reason. Schools should be a place of learning and improving
oneself, and, if confirmed, I will work with the First Lady to speak
out against bullying and harassment and encourage States and school
districts to improve policies and procedures to prevent and deter
bullying and harassment. I believe the role of the Department of
Education is to help States and local school districts enforce the law
and improve education for all students.
While the focus on bullying is important, it is also important to
focus on encouraging positive behavior. Simply put, let's share best
practices which encourage students to be kind, civil and treat everyone
with dignity and respect.
Question 96. In an interview with 60 minutes, the President-elect
has said he plans to immediately deport 2 to 3 million undocumented
persons living in the United States. Presumably, with numbers this
large, he is including some children under the age of 18.
(a) Do you plan to enact his agenda by removing young students who
are undocumented from our public schools?
(b) Do you support allowing Federal authorities to arrest
undocumented students at school and other sensitive locations?
(c) If the new administration pursues a rollback of DACA, will you
oppose punitive actions toward campuses that, absent a Federal Court
order or valid Federal warrant, resist attempts to cooperate with
immigration enforcement efforts that would disrupt enrollment of
students who are currently enrolled? If no, explain your reasoning and
how this benefits the education system in the United States?
Answer 96. Many young people were brought here at a very young age
and for those whose caregivers brought them here illegally, these
students came through no fault of their own. President-elect Trump
recently said that he wanted to find a future accommodation for them
that makes us ``happy and proud.'' We need to be sensitive to these
situations. Because enforcement of our Nation's immigration laws falls
under the responsibility and jurisdiction of the Department of Justice
and the Department of Homeland Security, I would respectfully defer to
those agencies as they address this matter. But where the Department of
Education may have a role, if confirmed, my default approach is founded
upon the twin principles of compassion and sensitivity.
Question 97. President-elect Trump's proposed restrictions on
immigration and new visa rules would greatly limit the ability of
colleges to recruit immigrant and international students. Despite this
rhetoric, many colleges and universities around the country are
striving to welcome immigrants to study and learn.
(a) In particular, some institutions have re-stated that they will
not release private student information to third parties or the Federal
Government without permission from the student, a judicial warrant, a
subpoena, or a court order based on probable cause. Will you commit to
taking no action to punish or challenge in any way institutions that
exercise their Fourth Amendment rights?
(b) The President-elect has made troubling statements related to
limiting the ability of Muslims to enter the country, leading to many
countries warning their own citizens about traveling and studying in
the United States. Reports indicate that more than 1 million
international students contributed more than $30 billion to the U.S.
economy, supporting more than 400,000 jobs in the United States. This
figure includes more than $1 billion in economic benefits from
international students last year in Michigan. Approximately 15 percent
of foreign students come from Muslim-majority nations. Do you support
banning all Muslims from entering our country, and have you
communicated your views to the President-elect?
(c) Do you support limitations or caps on students coming from
Muslim-majority countries?
Answer 97. First, I believe prejudice and intolerance are
unacceptable and un-American. Second, I support two-way educational
exchange at the post-secondary level; it's a wonderful way to expose
international students to America and the rich resources that are a
part of our higher education system. Similarly, such exchanges enable
American students to experience other cultures.
Question 98a. I have introduced legislation for several years to
support undocumented college students by incentivizing States to
provide some form of need-based financial aid and in-state tuition
rates to students, without discriminating based on their immigration
status, through my IN-STATE for DREAMers Act. And during bipartisan
negotiations on ESSA, I ensured that programs for English learners
(ELs) were improved so that ELs, including students who are
undocumented, could gain an education.
If confirmed, how do you intend to support undocumented DREAMer
students at the Department of Education?
Answer 98a. Many young people were brought here at a very young age
and for those whose caregivers brought them here illegally, these
students came through no fault of their own.
President-elect Trump recently said that he wanted to find a future
accommodation for them that makes us ``happy and proud.'' We need to be
sensitive to these situations. Because enforcement of our Nation's
immigration laws falls under the responsibility and jurisdiction of the
Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, I would
respectfully defer to those agencies as they address this matter. But
where the Department of Education may have, if confirmed, my default
approach is founded upon the twin principles of compassion and
sensitivity.
Question 98b. Do you believe that students who were brought to this
country as children should qualify for in-State tuition and State
financial aid, if a State chooses to provide that using non-Federal
resources?
Answer 98b. I believe this is a decision for the States.
Question 99. You and your family have donated large sums of money
to organizations that support anti-LGBTQ ``pray-the-gay-away''
conversion therapy, oppose LGBTQ marriage equality, refer to
homosexuality as a ``sexual disability,'' and oppose same-sex couples
from being able to adopt, among other anti-LGBTQ causes. What can you
tell this committee about how your personal views on homosexuality
would become part of how you approach your job as the Nation's watchdog
to protect the civil rights of all children?
(a) There is case law finding that title IX forbids schools from
discriminating against students on the basis of their sexual
orientation and gender identity.
(b) Under your leadership, what would the position of the
Department be regarding LGBT students' right to receive an education
free from discrimination?
(c) Do you support LGBT students right to use the facilities
consistent with their gender identity? If yes, will you commit to
ensuring the Department works to uphold those rights? If no, can you
please explain how your position is consistent with title IX and other
civil rights laws?
(d) Are you familiar with the Supreme Court's unanimous decision in
Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, which held that same-sex sexual
harassment may establish a claim under title VII?
(e) Do you agree with Justice Scalia's statement in the Court's
unanimous opinion that ``it is ultimately the provisions of our laws
rather than the principal concerns of our legislators by which we are
governed''?
(f) Are you familiar with the Supreme Court's decision in Price
Waterhouse v. Hopkins, which held that discrimination based on sex
stereotyping constitutes sex discrimination and therefore violates
title VII? Based on Price Waterhouse, do you believe title IX's
prohibition on gender discrimination covers harassment or other
discrimination based on sex stereotypes?
(g) In 2015, a Federal court ruled in favor of Haley Videckis and
Layana White, two young women who were harassed and discriminated
against by staff at Pepperdine University, where they were students,
because they were in a same-sex relationship. They sued the school for
title IX discrimination, and the Court allowed the case to move
forward, agreeing that discriminating against a student on the basis of
their sexual orientation is a form of discrimination based on gender
stereotyping. Do you agree with the Court in Videckis v. Pepperdine
that discrimination against students on the basis of sexual orientation
is prohibited by title IX?
Answer 99. Every student deserves to attend school in a safe,
supportive environment where they can learn, achieve and thrive and are
not discriminated against. Period.
Question 100. Have you, either personally or through any
foundation, PAC or other entity that you are affiliated with ever
donated to Focus on the Family? Focus on the Family operates a website
titled ``The right to counseling for unwanted same-sex attractions'',
in which it disregards the well-established position of professional
medical and mental health provider organization when it states,
``The mental health professions haven't really discovered
anything new about human sexuality or homosexuality; they are
just more ideologically and politically driven.''
And continues, ``There are no scientific studies that demonstrate
that adolescents have been harmed through [sexual orientation change
efforts].'' Focus on the Family includes a long list of resources and
referrals, which includes Hope for Wholeness, National Association for
Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), and other organizations,
several of which have been identified by the Southern Poverty Law
Center as organizations associated with conversion therapy. Will you
disavow these statements made by Focus on the Family, an organization
that you and your family have donated large sums of money to? Do you
accept that subjecting children to conversion therapy is widely
considered to be harmful to their mental health, or do you deny this
fact?
Answer 100. As I said at my hearing, I have never believed in, nor
supported, conversion therapy. I fully embrace equality and believe in
the innate value of every single human being. All students, no matter
their age, should be able to attend school and feel safe and be free of
discrimination.
Question 101. Have you, either personally or through any
foundation, PAC or other entity that you are affiliated with ever
donated to Family Research Council? The Family Research Council has
been designated a hate-group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, one of
our Nation's leading voices to protect civil rights and combat hate-
groups, such as the Klu Klux Klan, Aryan Brotherhood, and Westboro
Baptist Church. The Family Research Council is well known for
advocating in support of anti-LGBT laws, including promoting so-called
conversion therapy. Peter Sprigg, senior fellow for policy studies at
the Family Research Council, authored a 2010 brochure touting ``The Top
Ten Myths about Homosexuality.'' In the brochure, Sprigg claimed that
ex-gay therapy works, that sexual orientation can change, that gay
people are mentally ill simply because homosexuality makes them that
way. The Family Research Council is also known for criticizing the ``It
Gets Better'' campaign, which Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, and
Director of the U.S. Government's independent educational research
organization, Institute on Education Studies (IES), John Easton,
participated in. In a Family Research Council fundraising letter in
August 2011, Tony Perkins wrote about the ``It Gets Better'' campaign.
He wrote,
``They are aimed at persuading kids that although they'll
face struggles and perhaps bullying for ``coming out'' as
homosexual (or transgendered or some other perversion), life
will get better. . . . It's disgusting. And it's part of a
concerted effort to persuade kids that homosexuality is OK and
actually to recruit them into that lifestyle.''
Records indicate your family donated large sums of money to the
Family Research Council, in fact, the Family Research Council has said
it was able to establish its Washington, DC, office only with the
financial assistance of your family. Do you agree with the anti-LGBT
positions of this well-known hate-group? And, will you disavow the
Family Research Council's hateful rhetoric about the ``It Gets Better''
campaign and their advocacy in support of conversion therapy? Follow-
Up: Given the history of contributions by you, your foundations, PACs,
entities you are associated with, and that of your family to anti-LGBTQ
causes, would you clarify the extent to which your personal beliefs are
consistent with the rhetoric espoused by those groups? Do you agree
that being gay or transgender is a ``perversion,'' which is what the
Family Research Council said in its fundraising letter?
Answer 101. As I said at my hearing, I fully embrace equality and
believe in the innate value of every single human being. All students,
no matter their age, should be able to attend a school and feel safe
and be free of discrimination.
Question 102. Have you, either personally or through any
foundation, PAC or other entity that you are affiliated with ever
donated to Campus Crusade for Christ, which is active on college
campuses? Its 2013 conference attended by 300 African college students
featured Dr. Seyoum Antonios, a ``powerful homophobe'' and head of
United for Life Ethiopia who said that gay people were pedophiles,
stole children from Africa to turn them gay, were more likely to commit
murder, and were part of a Western plot to kill Africans. What is your
stance on these ideas? If you do not agree, why would you contribute
funding to such an entity.
Answer 102. As I said at my hearing, I fully embrace equality and
believe in the innate value of every single human being. All students,
no matter their age, should be able to attend a school and feel safe
and be free of discrimination. To be equally clear, the sentiments you
attribute to Dr. Antonios, do not reflect my beliefs.
Question 103. Have you ever supported efforts to require private
schools that receive public funding provide the same rights and
protections that traditional public schools must offer to the parents
of children with disabilities? Yes or no. If yes, please describe the
effort, including specific dates, details, and your personal
involvement.
Answer 103. No educational program, public or private, is ideal for
all students, especially students with disabilities. Even today, there
are public school districts that do not have the services to meet the
needs of all students with disabilities and suggest to those parents
that they should enroll their children in nearby charter schools or the
district arranges to have those students to go to another district to
have their needs met. So, let's be honest. No individual public school
provides the full range of high quality services for every student with
a disability; this is true for private schools as well.
Public school systems have the right to establish specialized
programs at certain schools for students with specific disabilities
and, through the IEP process, to assign students with specific
disabilities to these schools in order to meet their needs more
effectively. When this occurs, the public schools that do not offer
these services within the system are not ``discriminating'' against the
students with these disabilities.
In far too many cases, the parents of students with disabilities in
the public schools are currently not satisfied with the services their
children are receiving. In fact, public schools contract out
educational services for almost 2 percent of students with special
needs to ensure they receive their education in private schools where
the student's educational needs are better met. But too often the only
way that parents can obtain what is best for their child is through
legal recourse. This can take months and sometimes years. Children
don't have years to wait for courts to decide. I believe they should
not have to wait.
Offering parents of students with disabilities the opportunity to
choose between a private school, a different public school, or a non-
public school setting empowers the parents to receive what works best
for their child. Just like in the public schools, not every private
school will offer every service for every student with a disability. It
would be misguided to seek to impose on individual private schools a
standard that is also not imposed on every individual public school. If
parents are not satisfied with the private options available, they
maintain all of their current options and rights within their local
public school system.
Question 104. The U.S. Department of Education has an incredible
opportunity to encourage and support collective efforts that seek to
help close achievement gaps, increase parent and family engagement,
meet the need of vulnerable children, provide after school and summer
programs that supplement what kids learn when in school, and ensure
children have access to healthy meals and snacks during out-of-school
time hours by partnering with community-based organizations. As
Secretary, how can community-based partners further your priorities to
help children succeed during and out of school? Under your leadership,
will the department support and lift up community-based organizations
as critical school partners and players in meeting the academic and
non-academic needs of our Nation's children?
Answer 104. The Every Student Succeeds Act appropriately restored
responsibility to States and local school districts to decide with whom
to partner to improve education in their local communities. If
confirmed, I will encourage States and local school districts to reach
out to community-based partners to ensure that students receive the
services they need to achieve and succeed.
Question 105. Some view school choice systems as giving families an
opportunity to have more control over their child's education. However,
these choice systems rely on the premise that parents and family
members have the adequate, objective, appropriate and transparent
information about what a voucher program can offer their child.
Furthermore, while public schools educate every child that walks
through the door, private schools can reject students with vouchers for
a variety of reasons, ranging from disability to ability to pay. Do you
believe that giving tax payer funds to private schools which are able
to accept or reject students is giving families a real choice in their
child's education? What recourse should a parent have if a school
rejects their child for admission?
Answer 105. Moms and dads in cities across this great Nation
participate in school lotteries in hopes that they can enroll their
children in schools other than those to which they have been assigned
based on zip code. Traditional public schools don't work for every
child.
We need to help communities move children out of lotteries, off
wait lists and into schools that fit them and meet their needs. With a
diverse array of great schools, every family should be able to find the
best match of school for their child's individual needs.
Question 106. Research in special education demonstrates the
connection between full preparation and the effectiveness of special
education teachers. Specifically, fully prepared special education
teachers provide more effective instruction as demonstrated through
performance on valid observations and student value-added scores. As
Secretary, how will you ensure that students with disabilities have
access to fully prepared special education teachers?
Answer 106. I applaud the efforts of dedicated special educators in
schools throughout our country, and, if confirmed, I will work with
States and districts to get them the tools they need to help students
with disabilities achieve and thrive. Teacher certification and
licensure requirements are appropriately determined by the States. It
is a local responsibility to determine hiring, professional
development, and personnel placement practices to meet the needs of all
students, including students with disabilities. I will encourage States
to ensure that their teacher certification and licensure requirements
are designed to help recruit and retain good teachers for all our
students, including special education teachers.
Question 107. What actions will you take to ensure the rights of
students with disabilities in higher education under the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act are enforced?
Answer 107. If confirmed, I will work with the Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office for Civil Rights,
leaders of the higher education community, and representatives of the
disability community to continue to enforce the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act and determine what the
Department could do better to help colleges and universities comply
with the law.
Question 108. The Perkins Career and Technical Education Act exists
at the intersection of K-12, higher education, and workforce
development policy. One of my goals for the next reauthorization of the
Perkins CTE Act is to increase alignment between these policy areas to
improve the efficiency of the programs authorized by the Act as well as
lower the burden for States and districts. Do you agree that alignment
is a key goal for the next Perkins CTE Act reauthorization? If so,
which areas of the Perkins CTE Act can be better aligned with the Every
Student Succeeds Act, the Higher Education Act, and the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act?
Answer 108. I agree that reauthorization of the Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act is an important priority, and, if confirmed, I
look forward to working with the Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions and other interested Members of Congress to update
and improve the law.
We should work to align Federal laws to ensure consistency across
programs, reduce duplication and unnecessary requirements, and provide
coherent policies. It is also important to provide flexibility at the
State and local levels so officials on the ground can create and run
programs that help educate students to attain the skills needed to work
in those in-demand jobs. Finally, I support transparency of data so
parents, students, and other taxpayers can see how well their programs
are working.
Question 109. What are your views on the impact that extended
learning time has on student outcomes inside and outside of the
classroom? Are you committed to the continued funding of 21st Century
Community Learning Centers in urban and rural settings?
Answer 109. Extended learning time, when implemented well, can be a
very powerful tool for States, local school districts, schools,
teachers, parents, and students to improve academic achievement. If
confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the Department of
Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer dollars to
programs when making a proposed budget for future fiscal years.
Question 110. Ninety percent of American school children spend all
or a significant portion of their time in the public school system.
Vast swaths of the country are rural, where students only have public
schools as a practical choice. Your previous focus on parochial and
charter schools is functionally meaningless in most rural places. How
will you meet the Nation's responsibility to the vast majority of
public education students?
Answer 110. More and more, technology is being used to bring
greater and richer content to classrooms, both rural and urban. It is
helping to close the opportunity gap and personalize learning in ways
we never thought possible just a few years ago. As an entrepreneur, I
support innovation and, if confirmed, look forward to embracing new
ways of reaching students in the learning environments in which they
are enrolled.
Question 111. Regardless of your political ideology, all can agree
that Trump ran an incredibly divisive campaign. He was quoted regularly
making personal attacks on private citizens and has on more than one
occasion mocked the appearance of women. He publicly mocked a
journalist with a disability. Since Trump was elected, educators have
reported that incidents of bullying and harassment in schools have
significantly increased. Do you condone Trump's use of bullying in the
public stage?
(a) The Center for Disease Control and Prevention notes that
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth face many
challenges at school. They are at higher risk for being bullied, higher
risk for substance abuse, higher risk for depression and suicide, and
higher risk for poor school attendance. All of these issues affect
learning. According to a 2015 survey, more than 85 percent of LGBTQ
youth experienced verbal harassment (e.g., called names or threatened)
at school based on a personal characteristic, most commonly sexual
orientation or gender expression. More than a quarter of LGBTQ students
were physically harassed (e.g., pushed or shoved) in the past year
because of their sexual orientation or because of their gender
expression. About 17 percent were physically assaulted (e.g., punched,
kicked, and injured with a weapon) in the past year alone. Widespread
bullying of LGBTQ students becomes a barrier to their education--
research shows that bullying and victimization among LGBTQ youth is
correlated with lower academic outcomes. How do you propose the
Department ensure LGBTQ students have an opportunity to learn, free
from violence and harassment?
(b) What do you believe is the appropriate role of the Department
of Education in ensuring that LGBTQ students are not victims of
bullying, harassment, or discrimination?
(c) Why should parents of LGBTQ children feel comfortable with you
being entrusted to oversee and implement our Nation's education laws,
and enforcing our laws that are designed to protect their civil rights
in school?
(d) One survey found that nearly 10 percent of LGBTQ students who
reported harassment, bullying, and assault to their schools were
themselves disciplined instead. How do you propose the Department of
Education fight retaliation against LGBTQ students who come forward to
report harassment?
(e) Many schools work hard to create a safe, accepting environment
for LGBTQ youth. They have support programs in place; they have Gay-
Straight Alliances; and they work to foster a culture of acceptance for
all youth. Teachers in many areas of the country, particularly the
Midwest and South, report that the political climate in their State
prevents any schools from offering tangible support to this cohort of
at-risk kids. As Secretary of Education, how would you encourage
schools to address the social-emotional needs of LGBTQ youth so that
they would have a better chance of academic success?
Answer 111. Every child deserves to attend school in a safe,
supportive environment where they can learn, thrive, and grow. I am
opposed to bullying and harassment of any student for any reason.
Schools should be a place of learning and personal growth, and, if
confirmed, I will work with the First Lady to speak out against
bullying and harassment and encourage States and local school districts
to improve policies and procedures to prevent and deter bullying and
harassment.
While the focus on bullying is important; it is also important to
focus on encouraging positive behavior. Simply put, let's share best
practices which encourage students to be kind, civil and treat everyone
with dignity and respect.
Question 112. Do you believe in Federal investment in school mental
health, school climate, student supports and academic enrichments as a
path toward increasing student achievement?
Answer 112. Every child deserves to attend school in a safe,
supportive environment where they can learn, thrive, and grow. If
confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the Department of
Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer dollars to
programs when making a proposed budget for future fiscal years.
Question 113. There are at least 200 cases of unresolved school
segregation. Data shows that all children, including white children,
benefit from integrated and diverse classrooms. Meanwhile, the
achievement gap between children of color and white children remains
wide open. This is largely due to the fact that students of color
receive fewer resources and opportunities and less-qualified teachers,
which are concentrated in affluent schools. Putting aside your belief
in school choice and considering the many public school children who do
not currently have other choices, such as in rural communities, do you
believe the Office for Civil Rights has a role in helping to ensure the
mandate of Brown v. Board of Education is achieved?
Answer 113. Yes.
Question 114. If a school choice plan was presented to the
Department for funding, but there was compelling evidence to indicate
this plan would increase segregation by race and/or by socioeconomic
status, would the Department approve it? How can you justify this
decision?
Answer 114. I do not support programs that would lead to increased
segregation. Empirical evidence finds school choice programs lead to
more integrated schools than their public school counterparts.
Question 115. Do you agree or disagree with Supreme Court Justice
Anthony Kennedy's comment in his 2007 Parents Involved in Community
Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 opinion that ``A compelling
interest exists in avoiding racial isolation, an interest that a school
district, in its discretion and expertise, may choose to pursue?''
Answer 115. I believe we are better as a nation when we celebrate
and acknowledge our rich diversity of race and ethnicity. I believe
government policies should not be established to intentionally create
racial isolation, especially in our elementary and secondary schools.
But I do believe that individuals, families and parents should
remain free to make their own choices about the communities they live
in, the schools they attend, and the colleges and universities in which
they enroll. For example, the student body of Morehouse College is 97.1
percent African American, and is one of our Nation's finest
institutions of higher education, with an important mission of serving
historically underserved African Americans, along with others who
choose to attend. Diversity is important, as is finding a common bond
that brings us together.
Question 116. Academic and scientific research has demonstrated
that racial and socioeconomic integration in our schools has positive
effects on students. For example, Roslyn Arlin Mickelson found in her
research on school integration and K-12 outcomes that students
attending diverse schools had a higher achievement in mathematics,
science, language and reading than students in segregated schools.
Additionally, students who attended diverse schools are found to have
higher occupational and income attainments as adults. Yet as a GAO
report released in April 2016 highlights, racial and socioeconomic
isolation in K-12 public schools grew from 9 percent to 16 percent
between school years 2000-01 and 2013-14. This trend threatens the
positive outcomes generated by racial and socioeconomic integration
previously mentioned. In your view, what role should the Department
have in supporting integrated schools?
Answer 116. The Department has an important role in helping States
and local school districts understand the benefits of diversity and its
correlation to academic achievement. Through the Magnet School
Assistance Program, the Department helps support local school districts
in their effort to remedy pockets of racial and economic isolation. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with States and local school
districts to enhance opportunities for all students and to help them
improve racial and socioeconomic integration.
Question 117. In today's economy every student needs to have a
strong foundation in the STEM subjects in order to land and succeed in
virtually any job--from the shop floor to the research lab to the
boardroom. Further, the best, most highly paying jobs are nearly all in
the STEM fields. If we are going to enable our students to compete in
the global economy we must maintain a strong Federal commitment to
improve teaching and learning in the STEM fields. What is your view on
the best role the Department of Education can play in supporting
improvements in STEM education at the State and local level in K-12
education, in out-of-school time, career and technical education, and
higher education?
Answer 117. STEM education is an important and necessary part of
our education system and, if confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to
highlighting the successful programs that are happening around the
country. I believe that the Department can continue research into best
practices of STEM education, promote the importance of STEM education
to States and local school districts, and encourage States and local
school districts to prioritize funding for those activities.
Question 118. The September GAO study found that many if not most
voucher-aided private schools charge tuition or fees above and beyond
the value of the voucher. Does this not discriminate against students
from families of limited resources, given that about half of all public
school students in the Nation qualify for free or reduced price school
lunches?
Answer 118. I agree that it is unfortunate that many voucher
programs do not provide a voucher that is sufficient, on its own, to
pay tuition and fees at some schools. Just as the Pell Grant is not
always enough to pay for the cost of tuition and fees at many
institutions of higher education, vouchers in the K-12 arena sometimes
fall short, but still provide meaningful support to enable students to
attend the institution of their choice.
If confirmed, I look forward to working with the President-elect
and Congress to pass legislation that would create Federal support,
with Federal funds, for voluntary voucher programs, and I hope that we
will be able to secure sufficient resources to address this concern so
more children can attend a school of their choice.
Question 119. Studies show that vouchers channel taxpayer dollars
to schools where students can be discriminated against or denied
admission. Furthermore, voucher programs do not guarantee greater
achievement. The final report by the U.S. Department of Education on
the District of Columbia voucher program found that students who
received vouchers to attend private schools were at similar levels in
math and reading 4-5 years later as students who sought the vouchers
but who were not awarded them. Vouchers divert public funds from public
education, do not guarantee improved educational achievement, and allow
schools to cherry pick the students they wish to serve. How do you
align your support for vouchers with your responsibility to ensure the
best educational outcomes for all American students?
Answer 119. Since you raised the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship
Program (DCOSP), it would be worth noting a 2010 Department of
Education Institute for Education Sciences report that found students
who used a scholarship had a 91 percent graduation rate, 21 percent
higher than those who sought, but did not receive a scholarship.
The DCOSP provides students a high-quality education, costs
taxpayers less money, and includes several accountability mechanisms to
protect student safety and performance. Ninety-seven percent of
families participating in DCOSP are African American or Latino and 60
percent receive SNAP or TANF benefits. These students should have the
same opportunity as any other students to go to a great school. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with you to address the
educational needs of all students.
Question 120. Do you believe that a school should be able to take
taxpayer-funded vouchers and then, as one voucher school identified in
a 2016 GAO report did, require all students to agree to follow a
specified list of religious principles?
Answer 120. Yes, if that is the decision that the family makes.
Pell grants and pre-K vouchers also allow this type of choice.
Question 121. You advocated for (and contributed substantially to
funding) a voucher initiative in 2000 in the State of Michigan. Voters
rejected that initiative in by a margin of 61 to 39. And John Engler,
the Republican Governor at the time, strongly discouraged you from
pursuing the initiative. We have had voucher votes here in the Senate.
Like in Michigan, they have failed. Do you plan to pursue a voucher
program at the national level despite the fact that multiple voucher
votes failed in the U.S. Senate in 2015?
Answer 121. The President-elect has made a robust parental choice
proposal a centerpiece of his platform, and, if confirmed, I look
forward to working with you on our proposal and hope that you will keep
an open mind about this voluntary program that will simply allow
interested families to choose the school setting that best meets the
unique needs of their individual child.
However, to be clear, I do not and will not advocate for any
Federal mandates requiring vouchers. States should determine the
mechanism of choice, if any.
Question 122. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the
2015 unemployment rate for people with disabilities was approximately
11 percent, almost double the unemployment rate for people without
disabilities. As Secretary of Education with jurisdiction over the
Rehabilitation Services Administration and the State vocational
rehabilitation program (VR), what is your opinion of the pervasive
unemployment and low workforce participation rate of people with
disabilities? In your administration, how will you prioritize the
improvement of employment and independent living outcomes for people
with disabilities? Do you support competitive, integrated employment
for people with disabilities, including people with the most
significant disabilities and youth in transition? From your
perspective, what are ways to increase competitive, integrated
employment for people with disabilities?
Answer 122. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is
troubling. If confirmed, I will work with the President-elect and
Congress to find bipartisan solutions to address this significant
issue.
Question 123. The Department of Education's Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services has stressed the importance of
improving transition services from high school to post-secondary
education or employment for youth with disabilities, and the Federal
Government has assumed a key role in stimulating State efforts to
improve transition services through a variety of policy efforts. What
is your philosophy on transition services? What is the role of the
Federal Government in ensuring post-secondary education and employment
success for youth with disabilities?
Answer 123. One of the best ways to help a child with a disability
get a job or pursue post-secondary education is to ensure that they
have the skills and resources they need to move on from high school.
If confirmed, I will work with States, local school districts,
employers, and institutions of higher education to identify best
practices in transition services and disseminate those findings to
encourage the replication of successful programs.
Question 124. The Rehabilitation Act is a critical law that
authorizes the formula grant programs for vocational rehabilitation,
supported employment, independent living, and client assistance
throughout the Nation. Sections 501 of the law directs the Federal
Government to recruit and hire people with disabilities. Section 503
requires Federal contractors to recruit and hire people with
disabilities. Section 508 describes accessibility requirements for
federally funded programs. Section 508 specifies accessibility
standards in technology. Although legislation such as the
Rehabilitation Act has served to advance and expand the opportunities
of people with disabilities in the workforce, there are still many
barriers that must be considered and overcome to increase employment
for people with disabilities to comparable levels for people without
disabilities. Because the Rehabilitation Act and State vocational
rehabilitation agencies have been incorporated into the broader
workforce development system under the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act, will your Department work closely with the Department
of Labor to ensure that people with disabilities seeking employment and
training services are able to avail themselves of all necessary
services under State workforce systems? How will your Department engage
in this work? What will your administration do to support the work of
the Rehabilitative Services Administration and its State vocational
rehabilitation agencies?
Answer 124. If confirmed, I will work closely with the Department
of Labor to ensure the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is
implemented as Congress intended to benefit individuals with
disabilities. Also, I look forward to bringing to the Department well-
qualified individuals to serve in the Rehabilitative Services
Administration to ensure those programs get the attention they deserve.
Question 125. The Americans with Disabilities Act and other
legislation prohibit the discrimination against people with
disabilities in employment. However, employer attitudes toward workers
with disabilities and their ADA employment rights continue to be a
major barrier for hiring and retaining works with disabilities. As a
business owner in the private sector, how have you included people with
disabilities in the workforce of companies and organizations that you
are associated with?
Answer 125. Yes. To the best of my knowledge, all organizations I
have been engaged with have made appropriate accommodations for people
with disabilities.
Question 126. Investment in K-12 computer science education is
essential to ensuring our future workforce is equipped with the skills
needed to fill critical U.S. jobs and keep America competitive and safe
for decades to come. What are your strategies to ensure that more
students have access to computer science education?
Answer 126. Computer science is a very important part of education.
Most jobs today require a much higher degree of technical competence
than even 5 years ago. if confirmed, I will work with States and school
districts to encourage them to develop computer science education where
needed, or continue their focus on computer science as a critical
skill. I will help identify best practices wherever possible.
Question 127. Maximizing the effectiveness and reach of any Federal
funding program for computer science requires close coordination and
organization with other agencies and branches of government outside of
the Department of Education. How would you coordinate any activities at
the Department related to computer science with these other agencies
and entities, particularly the National Science Foundation, to expand
their reach?
Answer 127. If confirmed, I will work closely with other agencies,
including the National Science Foundation, Defense Department, Commerce
Department, Energy Department, and the Agriculture Department to
improve coordination of computer science programs and help States and
local school districts gain a better understanding of Federal programs
that support computer science programs.
Question 128. As you know, there are at least 15 million students
living in poverty in this country. The majority of these students
attend 60,000 public schools with funds designated for schools with the
highest percentages of children from low-income families. Known as
title I, this funding stream is dedicated to educating low-income
students in schools with additional funds to serve their students. It
also provides mechanisms to ensure that title I funds are actually
spent on these students. Will you commit to protecting the title I
funding stream as it's written in the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds
Act?
Answer 128. Title I is the major Federal spending program in K-12
education and is very important to States and local school districts.
If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the Department of
Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer dollars to
programs when making a proposed budget for future fiscal years.
Question 129. Please provide a list of any and all financial
holdings that involve or touch on education as of the date that
President-elect Trump announced his intent to nominate you to the
position as Secretary of Education. Please include the date of the
initial investment, the amount of the investment, the value of the
investment as of the date of the announcement (or any date within 30
days of that date), whether it is a direct investment or underlying
asset (i.e., whether through a direct investment or through a private
equity limited partnership or some other investment vehicle), and the
date of sale if you have disposed of this asset. Please provide such a
list regardless of whether divestiture of any such asset or holding is
part of an ethics agreement you have or expect to enter into with the
Office of Government Ethics.
Answer 129. Please see my Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions questionnaire, completed December 30, 2016 and my
OGE Form 278e, which was submitted Thursday, January 19, 2017.
Question 130. On January 3, the Office of Government Ethics posted
a notice in the Federal Register requesting public input on the
application of the criminal conflict of interest prohibition to certain
beneficial interests in discretionary trusts. Are you or your husband
an income beneficiary of a discretionary trust(s)?
Answer 130. Yes we are beneficiaries of discretionary trusts and
they have been reported on OGE Form 278e consistent with current OGE
guidelines, in accordance with Federal law.
Question 131. Due to the confusion that occurred in the hearing on
January 17, please confirm our current understanding that you have been
on the Board of the Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation for a period of 17
years from approximately 1998 until January 2017, or is that a mistake
on the forms that your mother and others have been signing? Can you
confirm that you took the first steps to remove yourself from the Board
on January 13, 2017.
Answer 131. I have never served as an officer or director of the
Elsa and Edgar Prince Foundation, nor have I made any decisions for
that Foundation's contributions. Upon review of documents in
preparation for the Senate hearing, the Foundation representatives were
alerted to these errors, and several Foundation tax filings and State
of Michigan corporate filings were amended to correct them.
Question 132. We understand that at some point you were invested in
K12 Inc., the largest for-profit operator of online schools. It is a
publicly traded company and its revenue has quadrupled from $226
million in 2008 and $948 million in 2016. Please describe your current
state of your investment in K12 Inc., if any, including the amount of
your initial investment, the date and value of the investment at the
time you sold your interest if applicable, and/or the current status of
the investment in this now public company.
Answer 132. To my knowledge, neither I nor anyone whose interests
are imputed to me (pursuant to 5 CFR 2640.103(c); citation hereinafter
omitted) have any direct or indirect ownership interests in K12 Inc.
Shares in K12 Inc. were acquired in 2002 and 2003, but were sold in
2008.
Question 133. You and your family have extensive investments in a
range of areas. On Monday December 5th, the Wall Street Journal
reported that you and your husband--your husband through your family's
investment company, RDV Corporation--own a part of the online lender
Social Finance Inc., also known as SoFi. Much of the lender's business
is refinancing student loans, including the Federal student loans over
which you would set policy as Secretary. SoFi is able to take highly
performing loans out of the Federal pool, which affects the overall
revenues of the Federal loan portfolio. Do you commit to eliminating
all conflicts of interest with private companies that refinance,
originate, securitize, or otherwise issue student loans while being the
head of a Federal agency responsible for overseeing more than $1
trillion in Federal student loan debt?
Answer 133. Yes, I will comply with all ethics requirements
required by the Office of Government Ethics and the Ethics Office at
the Department of Education.
Question 134. Have you or anyone in your family ever invested in,
owned, served as a high-level executive or board member for, or in any
other way, been financially involved with a for-profit college? If yes,
please provide details of the relationship, including the name of the
school, who was involved, in what capacity, the amount of the financial
involvement, the current state of the relationship, and your plans for
recusal for any issues related to the oversight of such colleges.
Answer 134. I never served as a high-level executive or board
member of any for-profit college. Any financial interest in any for-
profit colleges held by me or anyone whose interests are imputed to me
will be divested in accordance with the terms of my ethics agreement.
Question 135. According to your nomination questionnaire, you were
a board member of the RDV Corporation for 18 years; could you explain
your role in that capacity and the level of involvement you had in the
financial dealings of RDV Corporation?
Answer 135. I participated on various board committees of the
corporation. I served on the corporation's investment committee from
October 2001 to February 2013.
Question 136. As you are aware, the Department of Education
contracts with private collection agencies (PCAs) to encourage full
student loan repayment while ensuring defaulted borrowers are aware of
both the consequences of their failure to repay and the options
available to help them get out of default--Performant Financial
Corporations is one of these PCAs. According to Performant's fiscal
year 2015 SEC filing, 23.8 percent of the company's revenue is tied to
its Department of Education contracts. On December 12, 2016, the
Department of Education announced seven contractors for its major
unrestricted recovery contract; Performant was not named as a
contractor and submitted a formal bid protest on January 3d of this
year. According to Performant's publicly available quarterly SEC filing
for the third quarter of fiscal year 2014, the company received a
$147.5 million loan in that period. One of the parties to that loan is
an entity known as LMF WF Portfolio I, LLC. According to the State of
Michigan's Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, an entity
known as LMF WF Group Investors I, LLC, uses Ottawa Avenue Private
Capital, LLC--a private equity fund formed by the DeVos family to serve
as an investment firm for RDV Corporation--as a registered agent. All
three entities LMF WF Group Investors I, LLC; Ottawa Avenue Private
Capital, LLC; and RDV Corporation share a common address: 126 Ottawa
Ave, Suite 500, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
Answer 136. Answer not available.
Question 137. Have you or any member of your family either
directly, or through RDV and any of its associated ventures, had a
stake in Performant Financial Corporation? If so please provide the
date of the investment, a narrative description of the investment, and
the value of the investment as of the date that President-elect Trump
announced his intent to nominate you to the position of Secretary of
Education.
Answer 137. Any indirect ownership interest in Performant will be
divested pursuant to the terms of my ethics agreement.
Question 138. Do you believe that it is likely that your extended
family will continue their longstanding pattern of giving to
candidates, PACs, parties and other 527 organizations at the State and
Federal level if you are confirmed?
Answer 138. Yes.
senator collins
Question 1. The majority of Maine's schools and school districts
are small and rural, which means they are often at a disadvantage when
it comes to applying for competitive Federal funds. In 2002, I co-
authored the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), and I worked
in 2015 to reauthorize the program in the Every Student Succeeds Act.
REAP has worked well to help level the playing field when it comes to
securing additional Federal funding for small rural and low-income
rural schools and districts.
In Maine, for example. the school district in Frenchville, one of
our most northern towns, has used REAP funds to supplement the high
school's technology efforts with hardware, software, and teacher
training. In Machias, REAP supports art, music, and extended school
activities, and has helped schools purchase more calculators. REAP
funds the Island Reading Program, which uses video conferencing to
facilitate book discussions among students living on Maine's coastal
islands. Will you commit to supporting REAP and other rural outreach
activities at the Department?
Answer 1. I am pleased with the steps that Congress took under the
Every Student Succeeds Act to reauthorize the Rural Education
Achievement Program and other provisions in the law to provide more
flexibility to rural school districts in how they apply and compete
for, as well as combine and utilize, Federal funding to meet local
needs.
As you and I have discussed, I know each State has unique
characteristics and challenges and a one-size-fits-all approach simply
will not work. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you to
achieve the best possible outcomes for students in your State.
Question 2. I am a strong supporter of apprenticeship education,
and I think we can do more to prepare young people for many of the
unfilled, high-skill jobs that industry needs. Will you commit to
looking at ways to encourage more alignment between local employment
needs and education? Could this include improving adult education
programs as well?
Answer 2. I agree apprenticeships are a great way to improve skills
for students, and coordination between local employers and education
officials on strategies to improve opportunities for students and adult
learners to succeed in the workforce is important. And while generally,
States and local officials will know best how to implement education
policies and align programs with the needs of employers, I believe the
Federal government broadly and the Department of Education have
important roles to play.
Too many Americans are suffering in the current economy. President
Trump made improving the employment opportunities of all Americans a
cornerstone of his campaign, and his administration will work to
improve the prospects of those left behind in this economy. Reforms
enacted in the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, which was
reauthorized in 2014 as part of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (WIOA), were meant to help States and communities
improve services for adult learners to better provide them the
education and skills they need to obtain employment and increase self-
sufficiency.
If confirmed, I will work with States, local educational agencies,
and institutions of higher education to help identify best practices
and provide appropriate technical assistance and guidance to assist in
program coordination and alignment with local employer needs. I will
also work through the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education
to implement reforms enacted by Congress as part of WIOA to improve
outcomes for adult learners. Combined with other efforts across the
government, we have an opportunity to restore the American Dream for
all Americans.
senator young
Question 1. I commend the members of the Senate HELP Committee--
particularly Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray--on their
efforts last year in reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act. The bipartisan legislation that was signed into law by
the President--the Every Student Succeeds Act--is a critical step to
return education authority back to the States. The next Secretary of
Education has a responsibility to issue guidance to implement the Every
Student Succeeds Act. The purpose of this guidance is to offer
technical assistance to States and school districts, and not to
introduce new regulation that bypasses Congress. Would you agree with
that statement?
Answer 1. Yes.
Question 2. I would like to bring a matter to your attention
regarding an important issue to Indiana, and school districts across
the country. It is my understanding that in the Every Student Succeeds
Act, Congress expressed the intent of the law for several allowable
uses of Federal funding in title II, including certification of
Athletic Administrators. I bring this to your attention, because
letters from former Senator Coats, and from others, have not been
adequately answered--or have not been answered at all--under the
current Secretary of Education. In fact, in title II guidance released
in September of last year, there was no mention of athletic
administrators--leaving many States and school districts in the dark.
Do you share this understanding, and think that subsequent guidance
can address allowable reimbursements for the professional development
of athletic administrators? As the next Secretary of Education, how do
you envision addressing this issue, or similar issues?
Answer 2. It is unfortunate that questions from Senator Coats and
others have gone unanswered by the previous administration.
If confirmed, I will be responsive and implement the requirements
of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), particularly in providing
States and local education agencies with maximum flexibility in their
use of Federal title II dollars on activities to improve and support
the professional development of teachers, principals, and other school
leaders, including athletic administrators. I will also carefully
review all existing ESSA guidance, including the title II guidance you
referenced above, to ensure consistency with the statute and enable
successful implementation of the law.
Question 3. International and foreign language education is
critical to ensure our national security and understanding of cultures
worldwide. There is now a high demand for skilled employees who possess
international expertise and skills. For decades, the Department of
Education has sponsored the title VI and Fulbright-Hays international
education programs. These programs provide funding to universities and
students, to support international and global studies, international
business, and foreign language education. Many title VI students
transition into careers in the Federal Government and military. What is
your plan for the continued support of international education,
including title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs at the Department?
Answer 3. International education, and particularly foreign
language skills along with an understanding of different cultures, is
increasingly important to our national security and success in the
global market. If confirmed, I will look closely at these programs to
ensure that they are getting the requisite support to prepare our
students.
Question 4. Several suggestions exist on simplifying title IV
student financial aid programs. I support and push policies that offer
students an alternative to student loan financing without burdening the
taxpayers. An example of this is income share agreements. Legislation
that I authored in the House of Representatives last year would create
a regulatory framework that income share agreements would operate
under. In fact, Purdue University funded its first students last fall
through their pilot program, ``Back a Boiler''.
Under your direction, how will the Department of Education view
efforts to create innovative forms of student loan financing?
Answer 4. Very positively.
senator roberts
Question 1. In 2015, Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA). I am proud the bill includes language I drafted to permanently
end the Federal Government's ability to coerce States to adopt Common
Core.
In fact, here's what my language says, . . .
"No officer or employee of the Federal Government, including
the Secretary, shall attempt to influence, condition,
incentivize, or coerce State adoption of the Common Core State
Standards . . . or any other academic standards common to a
significant number of States, or assessments tied to such
standards."
Unfortunately, it is evident that the outgoing Department of
Education did not follow the spirit and intent of the Every Student
Succeeds Act last year while working to implement the legislation.
Since many of my colleagues and I have expressed concerns with the
current Administration's attempt to implement ESSA, can I count on you
to respect the CLEAR intent (local and State control) as well as the
binding prohibition language of ESSA?
Answer 1. Yes. I agree that the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
clearly prohibits the Federal Government from requiring States to adopt
or change standards. If confirmed, I intend to ensure ESSA is
implemented as intended.
senator murkowski
Question 1. What are your priorities for the next 4 years with
regard to supporting rural public schools and schools that serve Native
Americans and Alaska Natives? What will you do to ensure that public
school education flourishes for rural and Native students?
Answer 1. Clearly, more can be done to support rural schools. Many
of our rural communities have not shared in the same economic
prosperity of our urban and suburban areas. Schools serving these
communities and populations continue to face unique challenges,
including, but not limited to, resources, staffing, and services for
students.
I am pleased with the steps Congress took under the Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA) to reauthorize the Rural Education Assistance
Program (REAP) and other provisions in the law to provide more
flexibility to rural school districts in how they apply and compete
for, as well as combine and utilize, Federal funding to meet local
needs. I look forward to helping States and rural school districts
fully take advantage of the change in the law.
More and more, technology can bring greater and richer content to
classrooms, both rural and urban. Access to the requisite
infrastructure to enable these innovations is an important conversation
for the current Administration and Congress.
It is my understanding, that even at the U.S. Department of
Education, competitive grants often ignore the realities of rural areas
or unintentionally exclude them based on their requirements.
As for challenges facing Native American and Alaska Native
students, like most students, I do not believe there is a one-size-
fits-all solution. It is why I am pleased that ESSA includes more
flexibility for States, local education agencies (LEAs), and tribal
organizations to decide how to design and implement programs, and use
their Federal dollars, to best meet local needs. I will also provide
any needed guidance or technical assistance to help facilitate ESSA's
new requirement that States and LEAs consult with tribal
representatives. I am hopeful the flexibility provided in ESSA will
lead to improved educational outcomes for all students, including rural
and Native students.
Question 2. What approach will you take to proactively consider the
unique opportunities and obstacles our rural schools face?
Answer 2. I will never forget that more than half of our Nation's
public school districts are in rural areas and educate nearly one in
four public school students. I am pleased with the steps Congress took
under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to reauthorize Federal
programs serving small, rural, and low-income schools and provide more
flexibility to rural local education agencies (LEAs) in how to apply
for, combine, and spend Federal funding to meet their needs.
Additionally, new provisions in ESSA are designed to ensure that
rural LEAs can compete for funds at the same level as more populated
and better resourced school districts.
If confirmed, I will review how the Department is addressing the
needs of rural LEAs in administering programs and developing
regulations and policies. Based on the findings of this review, I will
implement appropriate actions within my authority as Secretary to
increase consideration of rural needs in Federal education programs,
regulations, and policies. I will ensure that this review and the
development and implementation of its findings by the Department are
conducted in close and ongoing consultation with rural LEAs and a broad
representation of stakeholders from rural communities.
Furthermore, the Department needs to do a better job finding peer
reviewers and other experts from rural areas with practical, hands-on,
experience in rural parts of the country. Far too often, the Department
has relied on those who were available or who work in Washington, DC as
peer reviewers. I firmly believe we can find new people, with
experience running schools in different parts of our country, to serve
as peer reviewers and otherwise assist the Department of Education in
implementing the laws. I hope that I can call on your office for
suggestions of peer reviewers when the time comes.
Question 3. Will you give me your commitment to visit schools in
both rural and urban Alaska during your first year as Secretary?
Answer 3. Yes. If confirmed, I look forward to working closely with
you and your staff to plan a visit to Alaska. I have talked with some
of my predecessors who have traveled to Alaska with you and your
congressional delegation; and I look forward to seeing for myself the
distance your students travel, the small sizes of your schools due to
the population, and the challenges that Alaska Natives and Alaska's
residents face.
Question 4. Will you commit to providing robust support for the
21st Century Community Learning Centers program, which funds
afterschool programs that allow working parents to have peace of mind
that their children are safe and engaged in learning after school?
Answer 4. After-school programs are critical to the safety and
continued learning for many students. There are many programs offered
by wonderful local community groups and schools that offer valuable
opportunities for learning. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
included the reauthorization of the 21st Century Community Learning
Centers, a program that helps to provide afterschool services to many
children. I know that the program was included in the law with your
strong leadership, and I look forward to working with you to ensure the
program is implemented as you and Congress wrote it.
If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the Department
of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer dollars to
programs, including the 21st Century Community Learning Centers
program, when making a proposed budget for future fiscal years.
Furthermore, if Congress continues to provide annual appropriations for
this program, I intend to implement it as the law requires.
Question 5. How do you plan to help States and school districts
meet the requirement in ESSA that they engage in meaningful
consultation with tribal representatives in planning how they will use
Federal dollars to serve Native students?
Answer 5. Congress took important steps in the Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA) to promote coordination and collaboration between
tribal organizations, States, and local education agencies (LEAs) to
enhance tribal self-determination in education. This includes
provisions requiring timely and meaningful engagement and consultation
between States, LEAs, and tribal representatives in the development of
their education plans, as well as greater flexibility for tribes and
tribal organizations to administer federally funded education programs.
I support what Congress intended when including these new provisions in
the law to help State and local school officials meet the unique
educational needs of Native students.
Tribal representatives best know the needs of their children, can
provide critical guidance on how to meet those needs, and should be
consulted at the Federal, State, and local level before important
decisions are made about how to best serve Native students in their
schools. Tribal leaders face many challenges dealing with the trust
relationship they have with the Federal Government, and I hope to learn
more about what solutions we can find together to improve those
relationships and responsibilities.
While the ultimate responsibility rests with States, LEAs, and
local communities, I believe the Department can play an important role.
If confirmed, I will ensure the Department provides State and local
education officials with the necessary and appropriate guidance and
technical assistance to comply with these consultation requirements,
and to support the flexible use of Federal dollars provided for in the
law. I also look forward to working with you, your staff, and other
Members of Congress on further steps the Department can take to ensure
that all the aspects of the new law affecting Native students are
implemented as intended.
Question 6. How important is the privacy of student data to you,
and what do you plan to do to ensure that all data collected by the
Department is kept safe from hackers and other unauthorized access?
Answer 6. Protecting the privacy of student data is very important.
Data is critical to education. Data can help inform decisions by
teachers and school leaders, as well as help parents make more informed
decisions about their child's education choices. And data can help
taxpayers know if their tax dollars are being spent well.
However, the Federal Government can do more to ensure parents'
trust that sensitive student educational data are private and secure.
We also need to limit the data government collects to only that which
is necessary. Furthermore, parents need to know that the technology
used by the Federal Government to collect and store sensitive
information is trustworthy and adheres to the highest standards of
security. I understand the collection, storage, and analysis of student
data by the Federal Government has changed dramatically in recent
years. I also understand how difficult it is for Federal policies to
keep up with the rapid pace at which technology is changing.
If confirmed, I will pursue the development and implementation of a
balanced approach to student data in the Department that empowers
students, parents, and educators, while protecting sensitive data. I
also look forward to working with Congress as you consider ways to
update and modernize Federal laws protecting student data.
Question 7. Will you commit to working with me to help States with
high rates of domestic and dating violence to adopt or develop
curriculum to give youth the tools they need to stay safe?
Answer 7. I agree addressing the problems of domestic and dating
violence are important issues and am concerned about students who are
either direct victims of such violence and/or deal with the indirect
trauma of witnessing these unacceptable acts. I have seen estimates
that trauma has affected as many as one in four students attending
school. We all know trauma can affect students in different ways. I am
pleased Congress, under Title IV of the Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA), provides States and local education agencies (LEAs) with
funding that may be used on a wide variety of activities to support
safe and healthy students, including to improve instructional practices
around the recognition and prevention of teen and dating violence,
stalking, domestic abuse, and sexual violence and harassment.
If confirmed, I will work with States and local school districts to
provide appropriate assistance to help them implement the new
flexibilities provided in Title IV of ESSA and other Federal programs
to address issues of violence and related trauma. However, the
development of curricula and instructional content is solely a
responsibility of States and local school boards. Accordingly, I will
adhere to the multiple provisions in Federal law, including those under
ESSA, which prohibit any officer or employee of the Federal Government
from, among other things, interfering with any State, LEA, or school's
instructional content, curricula, or program of instruction.
senator sanders
Question 1. Before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions (HELP) Committee votes on your nomination to serve as
Education Secretary will you be able to give us an exact dollar figure
for you and your family's campaign contributions--this includes your
immediate family (which includes your husband, your four children and
their spouses) and the coordinated giving of both the DeVos (which
includes Richard and Helen DeVos, Douglas and Maria DeVos, Daniel and
Pamella DeVos, Suzanne DeVos, and Bob VanderWeide) and Prince families
(which includes Elsa Prince Broekhuizen and Rennselaer Broekhuizen,
Edgar Prince, and Erik Prince)--to the Republican Party, State party
committees, candidates for elected office, political action committees,
right-wing conservative groups, and other politically active entities,
since the year 1980? Please be sure to include a complete list of
donations after January 21, 2010, and donations made after you were
nominated as well.
Answer 1. I submitted the information about political donations
required by the HELP Committee on January 5, 2017.
Question 2a. Most of the questions below were sent to you on
January 6, 2017, in a letter from Senators Udall, Merkley, Brown,
Markey, and myself, regarding the failure of All Children Matter, Inc.
to pay Ohio $5.3 million in fines and late fees for violating the
State's campaign finance laws. You never responded. Please explain why
you did not respond.
Answer 2a. A response letter, dated January 30, 2017 has been sent
to the Senators. The responses to subparts A through F below reflect
similar responses. Thank you for the opportunity to address certain
issues relating to All Children Matter (ACM) in Ohio. At the outset,
let me explain that:
ACM engaged voters participating in our democratic process
to advocate for progressive improvements to education including the
creation of the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Program that
gives the parents of children with disabilities the choice to send
their child to special education programs other than the one operated
by their school district of residence to receive the education and the
services outlined in their individualized education program (IEP);
ACM entities were fined by the Ohio Elections Commission
for contributions that were made between the ACM entities;
It is my understanding that ACM sought to settle the
matter in or around 2011, but Ohio authorities refused to settle;
An Ohio court upheld fines against the ACM entities, but
also held that an officer of ACM was not liable for the fines in
question;
I was an unpaid volunteer director for ACM, and I did not
have day-to-day management responsibilities;
I was never a party to the legal proceedings;
In light of the Citizens United decision and its progeny,
the regulations that gave rise to the fines may be unconstitutional;
and
ACM PAC no longer exists.
Question 2b. Please provide a detailed explanation of the decision
to contribute more than the legally allowed amount from All Children
Matter, Inc. to its Ohio affiliate that led to the record fine imposed
by the Ohio Elections Commission and upheld by a State court. Include
the names of all individuals involved in the decisionmaking process,
the role of each individual in the organization, and copies of records
related to your involvement throughout the process.
Answer 2b. The events you reference took place between 9 and 11
years ago. Although I was an ACM board member, I did not manage the
daily activities nor make the decisions on a day-to-day basis.
Therefore, I cannot provide specific details of any discussion or
``detailed explanation'' that took place between 9 and 11 years ago. I
do not have the documents requested in subpart a. It is my
understanding that the ACM PAC formally ceased to exist January 6,
2016.
Question 2c. Please provide a detailed explanation of the decision
to disregard the Ohio Elections Commission's advisory opinion stating
that aggregate contributions of greater than $10,000 in a year to the
Ohio affiliate would violate the law. Include the names of all
individuals involved in the decisionmaking process, the role of each
individual in the organization, and copies of records related to your
involvement throughout the process.
Answer 2c. In addition to the letter I sent you on January 30,
2017, let me add this:
The events you reference took place between 9 and 11 years ago.
Although I was an ACM board member, I did not manage the daily
activities nor make the decisions on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, I
cannot provide specific details of any discussion or ``detailed
explanation'' that took place. It is my understanding that the ACM PAC
formally ceased to exist in January 2016.
As a general matter, the interpretation and validity of
restrictions on political expenditures have long been the subject of
legal debate. In fact, considering the Citizens United decision and its
progeny, the regulations that gave rise to the fines may be
unconstitutional. A news article in the Columbus Dispatch dated July
18, 2014 explained:
Two years after the multimillion-dollar penalty was leveled
against All Children, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Citizens
United v. Federal Election Commission that the government
cannot restrict independent political expenditures by unions or
corporations.
If the situation arose today, Brey [ACM's attorney] said, All
Children would not have to create PACs in Virginia and Ohio.
Rather, it could just allow for unlimited contributions for an
independent expenditure.
``The penalty is for doing something that Citizens United
later said they had a constitutional right to do,'' Brey said.
As a result of procedural issues, ACM was unable to raise the
Constitutional arguments and resolve the permissibility of the
activity.
Question 2d. Please provide a detailed explanation of the decision
to not pay the fine imposed on All Children Matter, Inc. and its Ohio
affiliate by the Ohio Elections Commission and later upheld by a State
court. Include the names of all individuals involved in the
decisionmaking process, the role of each individual in the
organization, and copies of records related to your involvement
throughout the process.
Answer 2d. ACM PAC has ceased political activity and does not have
funds either to resolve legal issues, or pay the fines that have been
imposed.
Your assertions that I should personally pay the fine or that I am
using a ``legal loophole'' to avoid personally paying the fine are both
incorrect and unfair. As you know, I was never a party to the lawsuit,
and the trial court judge expressly ruled that an ACM officer could not
be held personally liable for the fine. A Court's ruling is not a
loophole.
Ohio's Revised Code (ORC) sets the limits for contributions and the
Secretary of State currently adjusts individual donation limits to a
State political action committee in a calendar year. I am advised that
the ORC would therefore preclude my personal payment of the fine,
without subjecting myself and the ACM entities to additional fines
under the Ohio interpretation of its law. See ORC 3517.102.
Question 2e. Describe the organizational structure of All Children
Matter, Inc. in 2006, 2007, and 2008. Include the number of employees,
the leadership of the organization with decisionmaking authority, and
your duties and authority as a board member and contributor.
Answer 2e. During the period in question I was an unpaid volunteer
director at ACM, and my duties were advisory in nature. I have and will
continue to provide information and documents regarding myself in
response to Senate inquiries ahead of my nomination. As you weigh my
nomination, I understand and acknowledge your right to request
information regarding my past activities but not those of others.
Question 2f. Please provide copies of the articles of incorporation
and bylaws of All Children Matter, Inc.
Answer 2f. Please see the letter dated, January 30, 2017 sent to
your office.
Question 2g. Some prior tax filings for All Children Matter, Inc.
list the organization's address as 201 Monroe Avenue NW, Suite 300,
Grand Rapids, MI, 49503. List the individuals who worked at that
location in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Answer 2g. As you weigh my nomination, I understand and acknowledge
your right to request information regarding my past activities but not
those of others.
Question 2h. The year-end IRS form 8872 filings for All Children
Matter, Inc. show the organization had little activity after 2009. In
the years 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014 the filings show no contributions
and expenditures of only $1,111 in 2010 and $512 in 2011. However, in
2013 there were contributions of $24,000 made by you and John Bryan
($12,000 each). There were expenditures that year of $24,212 made to
the Bopp Law Firm ($8,000) and Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
($16,212) for legal fees. Similarly, in 2015, there were contributions
of $20,000 made by you ($5,000), Richard DeVos, Jr. ($5,000), and
William Oberndorf ($10,000). Shortly after those contributions were
made to All Children Matter, the organization paid the Bopp Law Firm
$20,000 for legal fees.
Who was the client for the legal work done in 2013 by the Bopp Law
Firm and Taft Stettinius & Hollister? If it was All Children Matter,
Inc., what was the nature of the legal work for an organization that
had been non-operational for several years? If the client was not All
Children Matter, Inc., why was money funneled through the organization
to pay the legal fees for a different client?
Answer 2h. As previously indicated, it is my understanding that ACM
sought to settle the matter, but Ohio authorities refused to settle.
That time period was 2011 and subsequent years, and the legal fees paid
in 2013 related to those legal costs, as I understand it.
Question 2i. Who was the client for the legal work done in 2015 by
the Bopp Law Firm? If it was All Children Matter, Inc., what was the
nature of the legal work for an organization that had been non-
operational for several years? If the client was not All Children
Matter, Inc., why was money funneled through the organization to pay
the legal fees for a different client?
Answer 2i. As previously indicated, an Ohio court upheld fines
against the ACM entities, but also held that an officer of ACM was not
liable for the fines in question. That period was 2013 and subsequent
years, and the legal fees paid related to those legal costs, as I
understand it.
Question 3. In January 2016, Governor Snyder of Michigan signed a
bill that included massive last minute changes that dramatically
altered Michigan's campaign finance law. The changes suppressed
education and information around ballot initiatives and bond measures
and made it easier for corporations to deduct money for their own PACs
from their employee's paychecks while at the same time prohibiting
similar deductions on behalf of labor unions. You were a strong
champion of this effort, which was designed to strengthen corporations
at the cost of the voice of the working class. In thinking about our
education, our schools must empower the voices of all kids, with a
laser focus on increasing equity for those less advantaged. Your
history in this example and with similar efforts shows a complete
disregard for this value. If confirmed as Secretary, do you intend to
promote policies that will actively weaken the capability of your
opponents? How does that align with what we what to teach our children?
Answer 3. I can assure you that I am a strong champion of children.
If confirmed, I will advocate for policies that allow all parents,
regardless of their socioeconomic status, the opportunity to select the
best educational environment for their children.
Question 4. Your money and advocacy helped create Michigan's
charter school law. In that State 80 percent of charter schools are run
by for-profit companies, compared to the national average for charter
schools run by for-profit companies of 13 percent.
A Detroit Free Press investigation found, ``wasteful spending and
double-dipping. Board members, school founders and employees steering
lucrative deals to themselves or insiders.''
The largest for-profit charter school company, Heritage Academy,
was found to charge 14 of its schools excess amounts in rent--in the
amount of $1 million or more.
Despite Michigan spending $1 billion a year on charters schools,
basic information about these schools' spending like salaries and
budgets are often hidden from public view. State Board of Education
President John Austin, said,
``With many schools, we don't know where the money we're
spending now is going, who's getting rich, and at what price to
the taxpayer. And worst, we're not seeing good educational
outcomes.''
The Department of Education has a budget of over $70 billion a
year--how can we be sure you will not bring this record of profiteering
and poor management to the Federal level?
Answer 4. First, I believe our focus needs to be on serving
students and expecting results. Systemic failure must not be tolerated.
Second, I disagree with your characterization of charter schools in
Michigan. Let's start with a few facts: Detroit charters outperform
their traditional counterparts on the M-STEP, Michigan's State tests;
and, charter students in Michigan gain an additional 2 months of
learning in reading and math over their traditional public school
peers. In Detroit, it's 3 months.
A lot has been said about Detroit in the past several weeks. Here's
some context: in 1993, around 20 percent of all individuals in Detroit
over the age of 25 did not have a high school diploma; African American
high school-aged males had a dropout rate of close to 45 percent; and,
according to a study by the National Institute for Literacy, 47 percent
of all individuals in Detroit were functionally illiterate despite
annual expenditures by DPS of nearly a billion dollars. Over the last
two decades, anyone who could has moved outside the city to escape a
failed system. For generations, DPS continually failed its students. As
a result, nearly half of the adult population of Detroit is illiterate.
These statistics are unacceptable.
As for my role, I could not watch the devastation any longer and
helped to bring change in the way of educational options to families
because the traditional public schools were not getting the job done.
While it is true that not all charters have been successful, those that
have not done well have been closed. The same cannot be said for public
schools.
For the record, let's note that less than 50 percent of charter
public schools in Michigan are managed by for-profit companies, and
these are among the highest performing charters in the State. And, over
90 percent of charter management companies operating in Michigan are
small, in-State businesses.
Question 5. It is no secret that your family has given tens of
millions of dollars to shape education policy in Michigan and
throughout the Nation. You have helped craft the original charter
school law in Michigan and you have fought every attempt to increase
accountability on these schools.
According to the Center for Educational Research on Education
Outcomes (CREDO), 80 percent of charter schools in Michigan perform
below the State average in math and reading. Michigan's State test
found that in the 2013-14 school year nearly half of all charter
schools rated by the State ranked in the bottom quarter of all schools
in the States--meaning 75 percent of all schools in the State performed
better. Michigan's charter schools have been described by advocates of
quality charter schools like the Executive Direct of the Education
Trust-Midwest, Amber Arellano, as ``a national embarrassment,'' and
your efforts have been characterized as the ``triumph of ideology over
evidence.''
By any measure, your efforts to expand charter schools and fight
real accountability have been a failure. Is it your intention to
continue these failed efforts on the Federal level as Secretary of
Education?
How do you expect us to promote someone to the top education job in
the Nation with this kind of track record?
Answer 5. As I said during my confirmation hearing, I support
accountability for all schools. In your question, you suggest
otherwise--which could not be farther from the truth--and referenced
legislation in Michigan. Here is the background. Critics of parental
choice sought to limit options for families and called that
accountability. Their real effort was to create a new layer of
bureaucracy--an eight-person unelected mayoral appointed board that
sought to limit the growth of charters and dictate their operations.
This legislation, which was supported by the unions, would have
hamstrung charter schools and kept many failing public schools open at
the expense of vulnerable students. I joined with parents and other
reformers to oppose this scheme, which undermined the good work of so
many charters. Instead, I supported legislation--now law--that imposed
the same accountability on all schools. Parents need and deserve to
know how their children are performing. Any and all obstacles to good
information should be removed.
Question 6. Researcher and charter school expert, Doug Harris, has
said that,
``As one of the architects of Detroit's charter school
system, [you are] partly responsible for what even charter
advocates acknowledge is the biggest school reform disaster in
the country.''
Of the 159 traditional public and charter schools in Detroit--only
three schools perform above the State average in reading or math.
Charters were supposed to dramatically increase student achievement but
perform about the same as the Detroit Public Schools in reading and
math despite charters serving a much smaller percentage of students
with disabilities.
It defies logic than that you and your family spent $1.45 million
in 7 weeks to kill a bipartisan reform package to increase
accountability for all of Detroit schools--public and charter. It's
what the Detroit Free Press Editorial Page called,
``a filthy, monied kiss to the charter school industry at the
expense of kids who've been victimized by those schools'
unaccountable inconsistency.''
Given your record of ideology over evidence, how can we entrust
that you will put what is best for kids and communities over ideology
as the top education official in our Nation?
Answer 6. I disagree with your characterization of Michigan charter
schools. Charter students in Michigan gain an additional 2 months of
learning in reading and math over their traditional public school
peers. In Detroit, the gain is 3 months. As for the legislation you
referenced, I opposed the bill that would have added an additional
layer of bureaucracy and given the city's traditional schools a free
pass on accountability. I advocated for a different bill--now law--that
provided uniform and tough accountability measures for all schools, not
just charter schools in Detroit. Because of my support and that of many
others, for the first time in State history, both charter schools and
traditional public schools are now subject to mandatory State closure
or restructuring if they do not demonstrate results.
Question 7. Your advocacy for for-profit schools is well-
documented. The terrible outcomes for an unacceptable number of
children enrolled in for-profit schools, whether it is a brick-and-
mortar for-profit school or for-profit online school, is also well-
documented.
The results of for-profit online public schools are the most
egregious. A 2015 report by the Center for Educational Research on
Education Outcomes (CREDO) on online charter schools found that they
have an overall negative impact on student learning growth. These
schools are so terrible that children are losing nearly half a year of
learning in reading and a full year's worth of learning in math.
Yet the education ``advocacy'' organizations you run, like the
American Federation for Children, promote online schools, and you have
been an investor in K-12 Inc., the largest operator of online for-
profit schools in the Nation. K-12 Inc. is notorious for its rank
profiteering at the expense of kids and taxpayers.
Just last year, K-12 Inc. lined the pockets of its executives to
the tune of $16 million for the top six executives while posting
terrible academic outcomes like a 37 percent graduation rate at its
Ohio Virtual Academy. On top of these poor outcomes, over 80 percent of
K-12 Inc.'s revenue comes from taxpayers.
As someone who openly declared in an op-ed in the Grand Rapids
Press that ``student achievement is the bottom line,'' how can you
justify the abysmal education these online companies provide, or is
this simply a means of generating obscene profits?
Answer 7. I believe all schools must be accountable to the parents
and communities they serve. Schools must be transparent about their
performance with all students so that parents can make informed
decisions about what is best for their children. If confirmed, I look
forward to discussing with this committee ways to expand educational
freedom for parents and the information parents need to meaningfully
exercise those freedoms.
To be clear, I support quality schools regardless of governance or
delivery model, and my approach to failing schools is the same.
Question 8. Republicans have long been proponents of local control
in education. In fact, the 2016 Republican Platform speaks to this
belief saying that local control in education is in fact fading, ``as
centralizing factors outside of the family and community have sought to
remark education in order to remake America.''
As someone who ran an education-focused Political Action Committee
that has spent over $5 million nationwide since 2010 alone to push
private school vouchers, and who founded the Great Lakes Education
Project PAC which has spent $2.1 million solely to influence Michigan
education policy since the year 2001, do you think you have played a
contributing role of moving education decisionmaking from the family
and community to the centralized control of wealthy plutocrats?
Answer 8. No.
Question 9. Would you say this centralization of control by
billionaires is a key Republican value? Is it fair to communities? Is
it healthy for our democracy?
Answer 9. To your first question, no. To your subsequent questions,
I don't accept your premise.
I trust parents to make decisions about the education of their
children.
Question 10. Throughout your life you have used your family's
fortune to privatize public education in the form of for-profit charter
schools and taxpayer-funded vouchers for private school.
In the year 2000, you and your family spent $4.5 million to
bankroll a failed initiative in Michigan to provide for publicly funded
private school vouchers.
You helped create Michigan's charter school law, where today 80
percent of charter schools are run by for-profit corporations.
In order to create hostility toward the public school system your
husband encouraged conservatives to call our public schools
``government schools.''
In a 2015 speech you said the ``government really sucks.'' And in a
February 2016 op-ed, you said ``we need to retire the Detroit Public
Schools.''
Given your record of hostility toward public education, how can we
count on you to support the 90 percent of children in this Nation that
attend public schools?
Answer 10. I believe you are referring to a speech I gave at SXSW
last year where I talked about six inconvenient truths. What I said--
and what I continue to believe--is that too often government approaches
problems from the top down with a one-size-fits-all solution. I prefer
solutions developed at the grassroots level. As I said during my
committee testimony, I fully support public education and will be an
advocate for great schools in all forms.
Question 11. Climate change is the single greatest threat facing
our planet and the scientific jury is in--it is caused by human
activity.
You and your family have given nearly $5 million to the Acton
Institute that battles against environmental regulation. This group
pushes the belief that climate change is a hoax and has marketed this
idea through their DVD titled ``Resisting the Green Dragon.''
Do you believe that climate change is real and caused by human
activity? Do you believe that children should be taught climate science
in our schools?
How can we be sure you have a firm commitment to children if you
fund groups like Acton that fight the right for children to inhabit a
healthy planet?
Answer 11. The Department of Education is prohibited from dictating
curricula in our Nation's schools. If confirmed, I would respectfully
defer to my colleagues in other agencies, like the Department of
Energy, on the issue of climate change.
Question 12. I am hearing concerns nationally and in Vermont about
your support for taxpayer-funded private school vouchers and their
impact on students with disabilities.
Heather Lanier, of Bennington, VT, wrote to me with this very
concern.
``Having a nonverbal daughter with disabilities, I was
initially very nervous about sending my child to kindergarten.
But my child's full inclusion in a typical classroom, along
with the extensive supportive services she receives, has made
me want to sing the National Anthem.''
``So I was very distraught to learn that Betsy DeVos is
Trump's Secretary of ED nominee. She believes in school
privatization and vouchers. She believes in channeling
taxpayers' dollars into private schools, which as you know are
exempt from having to provide services to kids like my
daughter. The marketplace solution of DeVos will destroy our
democratically governed community schools, let alone the
Nation's special education services. DeVos' hostility toward
public schools disqualifies her.''
What do you have to say to allay the concerns of those parents like
my constituent Heather?
Answer 12. I believe that all students, including students with
disabilities, deserve an equal opportunity to lead full, productive and
successful lives. To that end, I am committed to supporting the
remarkable parents and educators who make this vision a reality for
students with disabilities in States and communities in Vermont and
across our great Nation. If confirmed, I will bring a sense of urgency
around all of these issues: implementation and enforcement of IDEA at
Federal, State and local levels, improving the quality of IEPs, and
expanding the conversation about school choice opportunities for
parents of students with disabilities. To me, IDEA is a wonderful
example of what happens when parents are regarded as full partners in
their child's educational decisionmaking.
Question 13. You have been called the four-star general of the pro-
voucher movement--the movement to use taxpayer dollars to pay for
private and religious schools.
The countries of Finland and Sweden have taken two different
approaches to education. Finland focuses on whole child development
rather than teaching to the test, treats their teachers like
professionals and compensates them well, and did not privatize its
public education system through taxpayer-funded vouchers.
Internationally, Finland is consistently a top performer on the
Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA, consistently
scoring well above the OECD average in math and reading. Sweden on the
other hand, widely implemented vouchers in the 1990s and saw its PISA
scores plummet since the year 2000 by over 25 points. The difference
could not be clearer, today Sweden performs at about the OECD average
while Finland performs at least 20 points higher than the average.
Given these results do you still think it is a good idea to spend
$20 billion--an amount $5 billion larger than Title I of ESEA--to
privatize public education through vouchers?
Answer 13. The initiative proposed by the President during the
campaign is a voluntary program in which interested States offer a
range of educational options to low income families. I look forward to
working with the President and Congress to support and improve public
schools and increase high quality educational options.
Question 14. In your opening statement you said ``we are blessed
beyond measure with educators that pour themselves into students,'' yet
you and your family have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to
pressure the Michigan legislature to dismantle collective bargaining
for workers in your home State. Additionally, according to the
Washington Post and other news outlets, you failed to include a
$125,000 donation to an anti-collective bargaining group on the
disclosures you submitted to this committee.
After teachers in Detroit protested poor working conditions you
proposed slashing their retirement, dismantling proper certification,
and prohibiting the use of using sick days to protest poor teaching and
learning conditions in Detroit.
In Michigan, where you were the architect of the State's charter
law, teachers in charter schools make about $20,000 less a year than
their traditional public school counter parts.
Given that teachers are the most important in-school factor that
impacts student learning and that teachers' working conditions directly
affect students' learning conditions, how can you justify your attacks
on teachers' ability to earn a living wage?
Answer 14. For the record, I have never attacked a teacher's
ability to earn a living wage. And, if confirmed, I will continue to
support great teachers. On a separate note, the Department of Education
does not have any jurisdiction over salaries for our country's
educators so I would defer to States and local school districts on how
best to compensate teachers.
Question 15. I worry that, given your record of supporting
privatization of education in many forms, you may be seeking to
privatize our Federal student loan program.
The Heritage Foundation, to which you and your family have donated
over $13 million, has called for eliminating the Federal PLUS loan
program, the only Federal loan program for parents, and for putting
Wall Street in charge of deciding who is worthy of higher education.
You are also an investor in a company that stands to profit from
siphoning off loans from the Federal loan program.
Goldman Sachs, the Wall Street firm that the President-elect has
populated his cabinet with, has made it clear that it has eyes on $150
billion of Federal student loans that it would like to profit from.
I have a very simple question about your priorities. Do you commit
that you will oppose any action that further enriches Wall Street and
private banks at the expense of our student loan program? Yes or no?
Answer 15. If confirmed, I will commit to doing everything I can to
make college more accessible and affordable for all our students and I
look forward to working with you during the reauthorization of the
Higher Education Act to further this commitment.
Question 16. Concerns have been raised about your family's
derivative financial interest in the success of Social Finance,
Incorporated (more commonly known as ``SoFi,'' the student loan
company). Will you and your family divest from any and all business and
philanthropic interests that could benefit directly or indirectly from
your potential position at the U.S. Department of Education?
Answer 16. Social Finance is a holding that has already been
divested. Additionally, I will comply with all the requirements of the
Office of Government Ethics and the Ethics Office at the Department of
Education. Please see my Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions form and my OGE form, which was completed Thursday,
January 19, 2017.
Question 17. I am deeply troubled by you and your family's anti-
LGBT activity and giving. Children in this Nation regardless of their
sexual orientation or gender identity deserve a right to a high-quality
education. Likewise, children who have LGBT parents also deserve to be
treated with dignity and respect.
In 2004, Republicans led the charge to turn out voters based on
hate by putting on the ballot constitutional amendments to ban same-sex
marriage in the States. As chair of the Michigan Republican party that
year you helped lead the charge declaring,
``Republicans support traditional marriage. We support
marriage between one man and one woman because that is the way
God set it up and because children need a mother and a father
to love and care for them.''
You and your husband then spent $200,000 to help ensure Michigan
would amend its State constitution to discriminate against gays and
lesbians. It worked. Thanks to your advocacy and money, Michigan banned
same-sex marriage that year. Ten other States also put in place these
disgraceful bans.
You and your family have donated to anti-LGBT groups and causes.
Since at least 2001, you have sat on the board of the Edgar and Elsa
Prince foundation which has contributed at least $6.1 million to the
Family Research Council (FRC), an entity the Southern Poverty Law
Center labels a hate group. The FRC has called for criminal sanctions
for being gay, advocates for allowing businesses to discriminate bases
on sexual orientation, supports State and Federal bans on same sex-
marriage, and called giving transgender individuals legal rights and
protections a ``threat to public safety of women and children.''
In fact, in December the group called for rolling back civil rights
protections for LGBT Americans put in place by the Obama
administration, including the Department of Education's protections for
transgender students.
Additionally, your family has given over $6.7 million to Focus on
the Family, a group that pushes the fraudulent and dangerous conversion
therapy--the belief that gays and lesbians can change their orientation
to straight. Mainstream medical and health organizations have
discredited this practice decades ago. Further, the American people do
not support such a barbaric practice.
You and your family have donated to anti-LGBT politicians like
former Governor Pat McCory of North Carolina and Andrea LaFonatine, the
sponsor of a Michigan bill that allows adoption agencies to
discriminate against gay and lesbian people.
The Secretary of Education is in charge of enforcing the civil
rights of all students including LGBT students. Given your track record
how can we be sure that you will enforce civil rights protections for
LGBT students? Do you plan on keeping in place the Department of
Education's guidance for schools for transgender students? Do you plan
on keeping the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education
and requesting at a minimum its current funding level?
Will you urge all Members of Congress to pass the Student Non-
Discrimination Act and Safe Schools Improvement Act to protect all
students from discrimination and bullying?
Answer 17. I believe that all students should have a safe and
supportive learning environment free from discrimination.
To be clear, I have never served as an officer or director of the
Elsa and Edgar Prince Foundation, nor have I made any decisions for
that Foundation's contributions.
Question 18. President Obama increased accountability on for-profit
colleges and rightfully so.
For-profit colleges enroll only 10 percent of all students but
account for nearly 30 percent of student loan borrowers, and 35 percent
of all defaults.
One of the protections put in place is the gainful employment rule
which ensures that students get a quality education that allows them to
get a job that pays enough for them to reasonably pay down their
student loan debt. Last week, of all the schools subject to this
regulation--98 percent of those in violation were for-profit schools,
and the biggest culprits were the mammoth, for-profit, publicly traded
chains like the Education Management Corporation. After Trump's
election the stocks of many for-profit college chains soared.
If confirmed, do you plan on keeping this regulation in place or
rolling it back to enrich your billionaire friends?
Answer 18. I believe all institutions of higher education
participating in the title IV programs should provide value to students
and taxpayers alike. There are many tools to provide information to
students, parents, and the public and if confirmed, I look forward to
working with Congress to reform the Higher Education Act in a way that
will allow all institutions to appropriately demonstrate their value to
students and the public. Regarding the gainful employment regulations,
the Department has had significant implementation issues, including
questions as to the accuracy of the data originally reported, the
designing of a system that would allow schools to challenge incorrect
data, and providing the necessary technical assistance required. The
last thing any of us want is to unnecessarily close important
programs--putting students on the street with limited or no other
options. As President Trump has directed, we will review and assess all
regulations and make determinations once that review is complete.
Question 19. 1 have introduced legislation to make public colleges
and universities tuition- and fee-free.
At a time when tuition and fees have nearly quadrupled since the
1980s and student loan debt stands at $1.3 trillion--this is an
imminently reasonable proposal. In fact, President-elect Trump said he
``would lower the cost of college'' and ``make 2- and 4-year colleges
affordable.''
In your home State of Michigan, tuition at in-State colleges and
universities has been eliminated for all children of the Kalamazzo
public schools--regardless of income--through the generosity of an
anonymous donor. States like Oregon and Tennessee have eliminated
tuition and fees at community colleges. New York just announced that it
will eliminate tuition and fees at 4-year public schools.
At a time when getting a higher education is one of the strongest
paths to the middle class, don't you think it is time that we eliminate
tuition and fees at public colleges and universities? If confirmed,
will your Department of Education join me in putting forth a plan in
your budget to eliminate tuition and fees at public 4-year schools?
Answer 19. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you, the
committee and other stakeholders about ways to make college more
affordable and accessible in the context of the Higher Education Act
reauthorization.
Question 20. At a time when 40 million Americans have over $1.3
trillion in student loan debt, and the Federal Government makes a
profit off of the student loan program, the least we can do is allow
borrowers to refinance their debt at lower interest rates. It makes no
sense that in this country that you can refinance your car loan or home
mortgage to low rates but you cannot refinance your student loans to
lower interest rates. I have introduced legislation that allows
borrowers to refinance their loans to dramatically lower interest rates
than what many current Federal borrowers now have. Do you support
giving borrowers much-needed relief by allowing them to refinance their
loans to the interest rates provided in my bill?
Answer 20. I am very concerned about the level of student debt in
this country. If confirmed, I look forward to talking with you, the
committee and other stakeholders about how best to tackle this problem
in the context of the Higher Education Act reauthorization.
Question 21. You have had investments in Social Financial, a
company that allows high-income earners to refinance their private and
Federal student loans. Do you support plans to allow all Federal
student loan borrowers to refinance their loans to lower interest rates
offered by the Federal Government? Or do you think the wealthy should
be the only ones that have access to the ability to refinance their
loans?
Answer 21. The issue of loan refinancing has been a topic of
conversation for the past several years. If confirmed, I look forward
to discussing whether loan refinancing is the best use of taxpayer
resources as you and your colleagues move forward with the
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 22. The College for All Act also lowers interest rates for
new borrowers by restoring an interest rate structure that was in place
under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. Do you support lowering
Federal student loan interest rates for new borrowers? If not, why not?
Answer 22. As you know, the Higher Education Act (HEA) is due for
reform and I know Congress joins me in its eagerness to move forward
with the rewrite. In fact, the House and Senate, combined, have already
held over two dozen hearings on many important issues. I look forward
to engaging in a robust discussion, if confirmed, on this issue--and
others--as you move forward with the reauthorization of the HEA.
Question 23. In your testimony you said,
``For too long a college degree has been pushed as the only
avenue for a better life. The old fashioned brick-mortar-and-
ivy model is not the only one that will lead to a prosperous
future.''
While we must support high-quality avenues for higher education or
skill training, we must not foreclose on the opportunity to earn a 4-
year degree due to one's economic circumstances. The New York Times
recently reported that the so called ``brick-mortar-and-ivy'' schools
you mentioned serve a disproportionate share of students from the 1
percent. In fact, the article found that one in four children from the
Nation's richest families attend an ``elite college'' while only one-
half of 1 percent of children from the bottom fifth of the economic
ladder attend an ``elite college.'' More than half of children at the
bottom fifth of the economic ladder did not enroll in college at all.
Is it your intention as Education Secretary to keep these so called
``elite colleges'' as havens for the wealthy? If not, what are your
plans to increase college affordability, support, and access for those
Americans that are not children of the 1 percent?
Answer 23. I believe the question of college affordability and
accessibility are vital to the success of our country. To accomplish
these goals, the Federal Government must work in concert with States,
institutions of higher learning, and families. As Congress reauthorizes
the Higher Education Act, I look forward, if confirmed, to working with
you and the committee to ensure that all students have access to
affordable post-secondary educational options.
Question 24. You have said we must ``embrace new pathways of
learning'' when it comes to higher education. I fear that these ``new
pathways of learning'' will reflect your advocacy for online learning
for children and your past investments in the largest provider of for-
profit online schools, K-12 Inc., which has had terrible results for
children at the taxpayer's expense. Can you please explain the criteria
of quality and protections for students you would expect in these ``new
pathways of learning'' in higher education?
Answer 24. I believe innovation is vital to meeting the needs of
America's future college students. One of those innovations could be
exploring new models of teaching, which maybe exciting for teachers and
students. If confirmed, I would hold these new methods accountable in a
similar way to the more traditional modes of teaching.
Question 25. Veterans deserve a high-quality higher education. A
recent analysis from the Department of Education found that if the
post-9/11 GI benefits were counted as Federal financial aid under the
current 90/10 rule, almost 200 for-profit institutions would be in
violation up from the 17 who currently violate the rule through title
IV aid only. I am a cosponsor of Senator Durbin's POST (Protecting Our
Students and Taxpayers) Act of 2015, which would target this loophole
that incentivizes for-profits to prey on veterans. The POST Act would
also change the current 90/10 rule for for-profit colleges to an 85/15
rule. This would ensure that at least 15 percent of revenue from for-
profit higher education institutions would have to be from sources
other than title IV Federal student aid and military personnel and
veterans benefits.
Do you support including veteran's benefits in the calculation of
allowable Federal revenue that can flow to for-profit colleges and
universities? Do you support an 85/15 rule, where only up to 85 percent
of a for-profit's revenue can be from veteran's benefits and title IV
aid, as a way to protect veteran's access to quality higher education?
Answer 25. The Higher Education Act (HEA) currently defines what
should be counted as part of the 90/I0 rule. If confirmed, I look
forward to engaging in this discussion as part of the reauthorization
of the HEA.
Question 26. Managing student loan debt can be challenging for all
Americans. It is imperative that all students have access to reliable
information to payback their loans, especially servicemembers and
veterans who have put their lives on the line. The Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (CFPB) found that many servicemembers--who have an
average student loan debt of over $25,000--rely on loan servicers for
information about managing student debt, but are not receiving the best
information regarding loan repayment plans, deferment, and forbearance.
How will you hold student loan servicers accountable to ensure they are
providing servicemembers and veterans with accurate information
regarding the best ways to manage their student loan debt?
Answer 26. If confirmed, I will strive to do a better job than the
previous administration at managing all the Department's contractors
and will ensure they follow all the appropriate consumer protection
laws as those laws were written and work to ensure students are being
made aware of their repayment options. I look forward to working with
you, during the reauthorization of Higher Education Act, to give
certainty to borrowers about their loan repayment options.
Question 27. Grand Rapids, MI had a branch of the now-defunct
Corinthian Colleges that enrolled nearly 1,000 students and took in
$6.7 million in Federal money in 2014 alone. Do you believe that these
former students should pay for what the industry admits were
``mistakes?''
Answer 27. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad actors
clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions--and when we
find them, we should act decisively to protect students and enforce
existing laws.
Question 28. In 1973, the Pell Grant covered more than 75 percent
of the total cost of college at a 4-year public institution. Today, the
Pell Grant covers just over 35 percent of the expense of that same
education. What are your plans to increase funding for the Pell Grant
program so it can once again give low and moderate income students a
path to college without crushing student loan debt?
Answer 28. If confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to working
with you and other members of the HELP Committee to find ways that we
can strengthen the Pell Grant program while ensuring it is flexible
enough to meet the needs of today's students during the reauthorization
of the Higher Education Act. I will also look closely at the budget of
the Department of Education to determine the best allocation of
taxpayer dollars to programs, including the Pell Grant program, when
making a proposed budget for future fiscal years.
Question 29. Last year, I joined Senator Schatz to introduce the
Restoring Education and Learning (REAL) Act, which would restore the
ability of prisoners to receive Pell Grants by reversing the disastrous
decision made by Congress in 1994 that robbed incarcerated individuals
from a chance of rehabilitation. We know that in order for incarcerated
individuals to thrive when they reenter society they need a quality
education so they can secure a good paying job. Do you believe that
individuals who are incarcerated should have access to a higher
education? Will you join Senator Schatz and me in the push to restore
eligibility for higher education aid to incarcerated individuals hoping
to get a higher education?
Answer 29. The Higher Education Act (HEA) prohibits Pell funds from
going to specific incarcerated individuals. I am aware that
experimental sites are underway and, if confirmed, I'll be interested
in knowing what has been learned from those sites. I look forward to
engaging with you on this issue and expect that it will also be
discussed in the course of the HEA reauthorization.
Question 30. The Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
provides funding to institutions to grant additional aid to the
neediest students. Do you commit to maintaining the SEOG program? Do
you have any plans of expanding funding for this ``skin-in-the-game''
program?
Answer 30. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs, including the Supplemental Educational Opportunity
Grant program, when making a proposed budget for future fiscal years.
Furthermore, I look forward to working with you and members of the HELP
Committee as we seek to make college more affordable for all students
during the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 31. Tuition has continued to skyrocket, especially when
States have slashed their funding for higher education. Per-student
funding is down 18 percent from before the recession. What would you
propose that we do to help States reinvest in students?
Answer 31. It takes a partnership between the Federal Government,
States, institutions of higher learning, and families to ensure post-
secondary education is affordable. If confirmed, I would work with
States to ensure they are holding up their end of the bargain
Question 32. The Government Accountability Office has found that
public colleges are receiving more funding from tuition than from their
own State coffers. In Michigan, were you or the organization you funded
and created--the Great Lakes Education Project--ever involved in
efforts to urge the State to increase funding or support for public
institutions of higher education? If so, please provide evidence. If
not, please explain why not.
Answer 32. The Great Lakes Education Project (GLEP) was, to the
best of my knowledge, during the time I was previously affiliated with
it, focused solely on K-12 education issues. It is also my
understanding that GLEP has advocated for an increase in funding for
public schools.
Question 33. Thanks to our work in Congress and the Obama
administration the Pell Grant has grown in value by over $1,000 since
President Obama took office. The 2017-18 term is the last school year
that the Pell Grant award will be increased according to inflation. Do
you commit to putting forth a budget that ensures at the very least
that the Pell Grant's value does not erode due to yearly inflation?
Answer 33. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs, including the Pell Grant program, when making a
proposed budget for future fiscal years. Furthermore, I look forward to
working with you and members of the HELP Committee as we seek to make
college more affordable for all students during the reauthorization of
the Higher Education Act.
Question 34. The Work Study Program reaches nearly 700,000 students
with an average yearly award of about $1,670. Because college cost are
so high, I have proposed tripling the size of this program and making
it more equitable so it reaches colleges that serve the neediest
students. What are your plans for the Work Study Program? Do you plan
on increasing funding to this vital program?
Answer 34. if confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs, including the Work Study program, when making a
proposed budget for future fiscal years. Furthermore, I look forward to
working with you and members of the HELP Committee as we seek to make
college more affordable and accessible for all students during the
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 35. At a time when over 40 million Americans have over
$1.3 trillion in student loan debt we should be protecting the tools we
have in place to help these students. One of these tools is our Income-
Driven Repayment (IDR) Plans, the most generous of which allows
students to pay 10 percent of discretionary income and receive
forgiveness after 20 years of on-time payments.
Do you promise to not weaken these IDR plans by increasing the
amount that students must pay a month, extending repayment terms, or
capping the amount of loan debt that can be forgiven after the
requisite amount of on-time payments?
Answer 35. One of President Trump's campaign promises was to put
forward an income-driven repayment plan that capped borrowers' monthly
payments at 12.5 percent of their discretionary income and provided
forgiveness after 15 years of on-time payments. If confirmed, I look
forward to working with Congress through the Higher Education Act
reauthorization to make that campaign pledge a reality.
Question 36. In 2007, I was proud to help create the Public Service
Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), which encourages Americans to go into vital
public service fields without fearing that they will be buried under
crushing student loan debt.
PSLF allows qualifying borrowers that have made 10 years' worth of
payments to have their remaining student loan debt forgiven. For almost
a decade Americans have made decisions about getting a higher education
and choosing a career in public service because of this program. In
fact, the first borrowers will become eligible for forgiveness in less
than a year and more than half a million have already voluntarily
certified themselves as eligible for benefits, with an estimated four
million Americans eligible for PSLF.
If confirmed as Education Secretary, do you commit to protecting
PSLF from cuts or curtailment? What are your plans to make young
Americans thinking about a career in public service aware of this
program?
Answer 36. If confirmed, I look forward to discussing this issue--
among others with you and your colleagues as you move forward with the
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 37. A December report by the Government Accountability
Office (GAO) found that in fiscal year 2015, 114,000 older borrowers
had their Social Security earnings garnished to pay their student loan
debt, with 58 percent of borrowers 65 years or older subject to Social
Security garnishment living below the poverty line. At a time when many
Americans cannot save a dime for retirement, I have been vocal that we
should not be making any cuts to Social Security. Plunging older
Americans into poverty in order to collect on student loan debt is
deeply troubling to me. Do you believe it is appropriate that this is
happening on the wealthiest country on Earth? What do you think the
Department of Education and Department of Treasury should do to fix
this problem?
Answer 37. I think we can all agree that the growing amount of
student debt in America is a serious challenge. And the solutions to
the problem of growing student debt should be multifaceted. I believe
that one of the best ways to tackle the student debt issue is to ensure
that students are able to get jobs after they complete their post-
secondary program. President Trump has spoken extensively about his
plans to put Americans back to work and boost the Nation's stagnant
economy and I am confident that a revitalized workforce will help
ensure that graduates get jobs after they complete their schooling.
We also need to simplify and streamline the repayment options
offered to borrowers and ensure that they receive clear information
about the different plans. While on the campaign trail, President Trump
spoke about his plan to streamline the income-driven repayment plans
into one plan that will cap a borrower's monthly payment at 12.5
percent of his or her discretionary income, and ensure a borrower has
relief from his or her loan after 15 years of payment.
If confirmed, I look forward to working on all of these issues as
the committee begins the process of reauthorizing the Higher Education
Act.
Question 38. This same GAO report also found that many older
borrowers with loans in offset may be eligible for Total and Permanent
Disability Discharge, but have not applied. If confirmed as Secretary
of Education, how would you ensure that older Americans with Federal
student loans receive timely and plain English information regarding
eligibility and application requirements for TPD Discharge that they
may be entitled to?
Answer 38. If confirmed, I plan to review all facets of the
Department of Education, including how individuals are informed of the
benefits of the Federal student aid programs afforded to them. Should
this review result in a finding that individuals are not receiving the
information, I will take steps to rectify the situation.
Question 39. Borrowers who get their loans forgiven due to death or
total and permanent disability still face a tax penalty. Bipartisan
legislation has been introduced to put an end to this practice. Do you
support ending the tax penalty for loans forgiven due to death or total
and permanent disability? If so, will you include this in the
Department's Budget Request?
Answer 39. I share your concerns about this issue. I think that
when an individual dies, the last thing they and their survivors should
be worried about is a bill from the Government. Chairman Hatch has
publicly stated that tax reform is a top priority of the Senate Finance
Committee and, if confirmed, I look forward to working with him and
other Members of Congress to address the need for reform of the tax
code.
Question 40. If the 115th Congress takes up the reauthorization of
the Higher Education Act, what level of student loan relief should be
available for teachers teaching in underserved schools, including
teachers of the well-rounded subject areas?
Answer 40. The Higher Education Act currently provides certain
teachers with opportunities for loan forgiveness. If confirmed, I look
forward to reviewing the effectiveness of these programs and engaging
in a conversation with you--and your colleagues--about the best ways to
incentivize teachers to serve in underserved schools.
Question 41. Contingent or non-tenure-track faculty now make up
more than 50 percent of all faculty appointments. Many of these faculty
are part-time, are paid low compensation per course, receive no health
or retirement benefits, and often commute across various campuses to
cobble together a livable salary. I am concerned about these dire
working conditions for the faculty in our community colleges and
universities, and the implications they have for student learning and
success. That is why my College for All legislation would, in addition
to making public colleges and universities tuition and fee-free,
require institutions to dramatically increase their full-time, tenure-
track faculty workforce.
Do you agree with me that colleges and universities are becoming
overly reliant on a contingent instructional workforce? If confirmed,
what specific steps would you take to reduce the reliance on contingent
and non-tenure-track faculty?
Answer 41. If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share
data and good research from the Department of Education with leaders of
institutions of higher education looking for improvements. I do not
believe that it is the role of the Secretary of Education to tell
institutions of higher education how to run their campuses, or whom to
hire, but I can encourage these institutional leaders to think outside
the box and innovate, looking for new solutions to educational
problems.
Question 42. Native American leaders have sought to govern their
own people for more than two centuries. In 1975, President Ford signed
the Indian Self Determination and Educational Assistance Act into law,
allowing tribes to take control over education for their people.
Consistent with that law, which remains in effect today, would you
support providing deference to tribes who wish to keep Indian schools
tribally controlled?
Answer 42. Yes. And, if confirmed, I look forward to sitting down
with Native American leaders to gain a better understanding of the
needs of our Native American communities.
Question 43. Vermont has a great high-school graduate rate of 88
percent--which is higher than the national average of 82 percent--but
only 53 percent of students enroll in college directly after graduating
high school in our State, a rate that is nearly 10 points below the
national average. What are your plans to help more students enroll in
and succeed in higher education?
Answer 43. I believe it is important to help students consider a
range of post-secondary options and not assume that all students must
pursue a 4-year college degree. If confirmed, I will look forward to
working with you and your colleagues on strengthening college access
and support programs to ensure they are effectively helping students.
Our students deserve a range of high quality post-secondary options.
Question 44. The Federal TRIO programs provide critical services to
low-income, first-generation students and underrepresented high school
and college students to support them in their transition to college and
graduate school. Started in the 1960s as part of President Lyndon B.
Johnson's ``Great Society,'' I am proud to support these programs,
which serve almost 800,000 students, including those in one of the
eight TRIO programs in Vermont.
In order for our Nation to have the best educated workforce and be
competitive in the global economy, we need to prepare all students to
reach their full potential. At a time when a higher education is more
important than ever, we need to ensure that our low-income and first
generation students have all of the tools they need to succeed. That is
why I believe it is necessary to support and increase funding for the
Federal TRIO programs.
If confirmed, do you commit to putting forth a budget that robustly
funds these programs?
Answer 44. I think high quality college access programs provide a
vital service to helping students achieve their dream of a post-
secondary education. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the
results of these programs and putting forward a budget request that
supports high quality, effective programs.
Question 45. How will first-generation, low-income students and
students of color be supported on their path to and through college
under the Trump administration?
Answer 45. There are a multitude of ways first-generation, low-
income students and students of color are supported in their desire to
pursue a post-secondary education under both the Every Student Succeeds
Act and the Higher Education Act. If confirmed, I will review these
pathways and support those that are successfully assisting students in
meeting their goals, recognizing that there is not a one-size-fits-all
approach.
Question 46. Minority Serving Institutions, such as HBCUs, TCUs,
HSIs, and AANAPISIs, play a pivotal role in providing high quality
post-secondary education to students of color and helping us achieve
our goal to lead the world in college graduates. They enroll more than
5 million students a year, many who have overcome significant barriers
to get to college.
What are your plans for your continued support of these
institutions?
What steps will you take to make sure students who attend these
institutions are able to complete in a timely fashion, without taking
on burdensome debt?
What will you do to ensure that the students they serve succeed and
thrive in college and in the job market post-graduation?
Answer 46. I believe our minority-serving institutions play an
important role in helping address our goal for college accessibility.
If confirmed, I look forward to working with you--and your colleagues--
on these important issues.
Question 47. Women continue to be underrepresented in the Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, an area of
growing importance in the Nation's economy. Women make up less than 25
percent of STEM jobs and earn STEM degrees at disproportionately lower
levels compared to men. Gender bias and lack of role models can
contribute to this lack of representation. Do you agree that the
representation of women in the STEM fields is an area of concern for
the Department of Education? Do you have any plans to support programs
that broaden participation of women and girls in STEM subjects in K-12
and/or higher education?
Answer 47. If I am confirmed, I will work with this committee and
across government agencies to identify best practices for encouraging
the participation of girls and women and other underrepresented
populations in STEM subjects and fields. As a strong proponent of local
control, I believe States and school districts are best positioned to
determine the most effective ways to engage girls and women in STEM
subjects. But I will work with those entities and partners across the
Federal Government to streamline the many STEM programs currently in
operation to ensure the Federal Government is providing the most
effective and efficient support for those locally driven solutions.
Question 48. Do you believe that title IX protections against sex
discrimination can be applied to areas related to the
underrepresentation of women in STEM?
Answer 48. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex
under any education program or activity receiving Federal education
assistance, and if confirmed, I will work with the Office for Civil
Rights to fully enforce the law. To the extent underrepresentation of
women in STEM is the result of discriminatory practices by recipients
of Federal education assistance, they will be held accountable.
Question 49. Common sense and research show that strong funding for
schools is essential for student success. In fact, recent research by
the National Bureau of Economic Research study documented that State
spending on low-income students predicted a significant boost in a
student's future earnings, with a return on investment of around 40
percent over a student's lifetime.
Yet you have opposed increasing funding to public schools and have
advocated diverting existing funds to for-profit charters or private
school vouchers.
In 2002, you opposed the ability of Michigan school districts to
raise more money for their schools. Since 2010, your American
Federation for Children has donated over $5 million to State-level
candidates and parties that support draining public schools of money.
In 2015, lobbyists with close ties to you and your family helped
slip a provision in a bill the Michigan legislature passed but was
later met with a legal challenge that would have made it harder for
local school boards to take action to raise more money for their
schools. At the time, Moody's, the credit rating agency, said,
``Michigan schools will likely suffer the brunt of the impact
because the vast majority rely on periodic voter approval of
local operating levy renewals for property taxes.''
When 31 States are spending less on K-12 education than before the
recession and over half of all public school students are from low-
income families, do you think it is appropriate for Congress to confirm
a candidate for Secretary of Education that is intent on cutting
funding for public schools by any means necessary.
Answer 49. I reject your characterization. I am a strong advocate
of great public education. Period. I believe we can--and must--both
challenge the status quo, and support public education.
Unfortunately, our current approach is not working for far too
many. Last year, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
recorded declines in fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math
following flat in 2013 results, marking a downturn after years of
steady gains. Recently, the Program for International Student
Assessment (PISA) reported that U.S. performance has declined steadily
since 2009 in reading, math, and science--after a decade of rising
scores. In fact, the United States is now 35th in math (down from
28th). In science, we're 25th and in reading, we're now in 24th place.
Surely we can all agree that is indefensible.
I believe that a choice for children in education is a powerful
start. But we should all think of choice in the widest terms: excellent
traditional public schools, public charters, nonpublic schools, home
schooling, online or distance learning and forms of education that we
haven't yet considered. We need to be open to progress.
Question 50. At a time when more than half of public school
children come from low-income families, we cannot back down from a
commitment to robustly fund Title I-A of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act.
There has been bipartisan agreement in every reauthorization of
ESEA, and these funds must not be meddled with to fund schemes that do
not benefit the education of low-income students.
What we must do is commit to increasing funding for title I-A,
which has not even kept pace with inflation, let alone the reality that
our schools are serving more low-income students. Real title I-A
funding is down 4 percent since fiscal year 2005 while the percentage
of low-income kids in public schools has increased by 29 percent over
the same time period. If, at a bare minimum, title I-A funding had kept
pace with inflation since fiscal year 2005, appropriations for title I-
A would have been $15.5 billion in fiscal year 2016 instead of $14.9
billion--a difference of more than half a billion dollars. Furthermore,
if title I-A funding had kept pace with both inflation and the growing
number of children coming from low-income families since fiscal year
2005, title I-A funding would have hit $20.1 billion in fiscal year
2016, a gap of $5.2 billion when considering reality versus actual
funding.
If confirmed, would you commit to dramatically increasing title I-A
funding to catch up to the reality of increased needs in our public
schools and the loss of funds due to past under funding?
Do you commit to protecting title I-A funds from any taxpayer-
funded private school vouchers that will drain our most needy public
schools from vitally needed funding?
Answer 50. Title I provides funding to support our most vulnerable
school-age children. If confirmed, I will work with the Administration
and Members of Congress to ensure that this important program provides
effective services to the students who are its beneficiaries. It is
important to note that these funds are intended to benefit students
and, if a State wanted to design a choice program which allowed parents
to direct their child's share of these dollars to a school that better
meets their child's needs, I would support that if they made a proposal
that was consistent with the law.
Question 51. It is of vital importance that our teachers and school
leaders get the ongoing professional development needed to educate
every child. Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act,
Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, provides funding to
ensure that schools get the funding necessary to provide teachers and
school leaders with professional development. Do you find it acceptable
that funding for title II has been essentially flat for the last 4
fiscal years? Do you commit to increasing funding for this program? If
not, why not?
Answer 51. I agree that ongoing professional development is
essential for increasing the skills and knowledge of our educators. If
confirmed, I will review the Department's resources and work with the
Administration and Congress to determine how best to allocate funding
across K-12 programs. I look forward to working with stakeholders and
this committee to determine how best to support strategies that have
been proven successful.
Question 52. Research shows that teachers with more experience help
increase student achievement, while novice teachers can actually have a
negative effect on student learning. The Department of Education's
Office for Civil Rights has found that Black, Latino, American Indian,
and Alaskan Native students attend schools with higher concentrations
of first-year teachers at a higher rate than their white peers.
Further, Black and Latino students are four times more likely to attend
schools where one in five teachers or more are not fully certified. Do
you think it is acceptable that low-income and children of color are
taught at disproportionate rates by first-year and not fully certified
teachers? What are your plans to ensure that every child has access to
a fully prepared teacher?
Answer 52. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which you
supported, maintains a requirement that States report data on
disproportionality and take steps to address this problem. States
recently renewed those plans with the Obama administration and are
working now to implement improvements to teacher recruitment,
retention, and other policies and strategies. If confirmed, I will
enforce and implement ESSA as written.
Question 53. Providing all students with excellent educators is one
of the most important drivers of a well-functioning education system--a
system that must prepare diverse students to participate in today's
knowledge-driven economy. However, many States are facing a teacher
shortage that threatens their ability to deliver a quality education to
all children. Shortages are most severe in certain fields (special
education, math, science, and bilingual education) and in high-poverty
districts and schools, where students most need highly skilled
teachers. A recent surge in the demand for teachers, alongside a
diminishing supply and ongoing high attrition rates, has left schools
scrambling to staff classrooms. These schools face a small number of
undesirable options: increase class sizes, cancel classes, or hire
underprepared teachers.
All of these stopgap solutions undermine the quality of education.
While it can be tempting for States to turn to short-term solutions to
a teacher shortage, often by lowering the standards to become a
teacher, such solutions can exacerbate the problem over the long haul.
For example, if teachers are hired without having been fully prepared,
the much higher turnover rates that result (from two to three times as
high as for fully prepared teachers) are costly in terms of both
dollars spent on the replacement process and decreases in student
achievement. High turnover is costly to both students and districts,
reducing student achievement and increasing district costs for
replacement, which can run as much as $20,000 per teacher.
In efforts to address teacher shortages, investments should be made
at the Federal, State, and local level to implement and support
evidence-based strategies and activities.
How will your administration support evidence-based strategies at
the Federal, State, and local level to address teacher shortages in the
implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the reauthorization
of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, and the
Higher Education Act?
Answer 53. As you correctly point out, the teacher shortage problem
involves policy challenges at every level of government. If confirmed,
I will work with States, school districts, and stakeholders to explore
ways the Department of Education can support their efforts to recruit,
retain, and develop effective teachers. I will also work with the
Institute of Education Sciences to disseminate research and other
information that would be helpful to school districts and States
seeking evidence-based strategies. I will also work with this committee
to advance the work of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in
returning more authority to States and school districts. Returning more
decisionmaking to the local level will give teachers stronger ownership
of their classrooms, which I believe will encourage higher numbers of
effective educators to stay in the classroom.
Question 54. I was proud to work with Senator Susan Collins during
the last reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
(ESEA) that will allow States to move away from the current stale form
of standardized testing to new innovative assessments that will be able
to measure deeper learning, be embedded with instruction, utilize
performance-based measures, and other ideas that States may come up
with. Ultimately, these new assessments will focus on what students are
learning and how well they are applying what they have learned, rather
than on how well they can take a test. Last year, the Department of
Education promulgated rules on this innovative assessment pilot. States
are eager to participate in this pilot. If confirmed, what are your
plans with regards to supporting States that want to take part in this
assessment pilot?
Answer 54. If confirmed, I look forward to working with States to
implement this innovative pilot program.
Question 55. Research indicates that most students participating in
a choice system (such as private vouchers) attend racially and
economically isolated schools at higher rates than traditional public
school students. This increased segregation leads to vastly inequitable
educational offerings for many students living under choice regimes,
which can be seen clearly in places like Detroit and Milwaukee. Do you
believe that increasing segregation in America's K-12 schools is a
problem? If so, why are you supporting policies that would increase
segregation?
Answer 55. Yes, I do believe that segregation in our schools is a
problem and I do not support policies that would increase segregation.
In fact, school choice programs have not been shown to increase
segregation. Rather, the research shows that students in school choice
programs often attend more integrated schools than their public school
counterparts.
Question 56. I have joined with Senator Murphy to introduce the
Stronger Together School Diversity Act, which creates a $120 million
grant program to help local communities take voluntary efforts to
address segregation and isolation by race and socioeconomic status in
schools. This is a common sense approach that addresses the fact that
our students are attending schools that are more segregated by race and
income than 15 years ago--with nearly 20 percent of children attending
schools that are highly segregated by race and income.
If confirmed, do you plan on following in your predecessor's
footsteps and including the Stronger Together proposal in your budget?
If not, why not?
Answer 56. If confirmed, I will look carefully at the Stronger
Together School Diversity Act and determine how best to support States
and local communities as they seek to reduce segregation by income or
race. Our Nation is stronger and a better place for all when we are
educated, work and live together with people from different
backgrounds, races and socioeconomic levels.
Question 57. The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act includes the Full-Service Community Schools program. This
program provides comprehensive services to ensure all students' needs--
both academic and non-academic--are met. At a time when over half of
all students come from low-income families and schools are dealing with
challenges to learning that exist outside of the school day, what are
your plans for the Full-Service Community Schools program?
Answer 57. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs, including the Full-Service Community Schools
program, when making a proposed budget for future fiscal years.
Furthermore, if Congress appropriates funding for this program, I
intend to implement it as Congress intended and the law requires.
Question 58. Learning occurs outside of the traditional school day
and school year. That is part of the reason why, when I was Mayor of
Burlington, I created a Youth Office, which among other important
endeavors implemented afterschool programming.
The bipartisan reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (ESEA) recognizes the importance of afterschool and
summer programming by reauthorizing the 21st Century Community Learning
Centers Program as a standalone program. In fact, I was proud to join
the lead sponsor of this amendment, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), in
making sure that 21st CCLC was its own program in the reauthorization
of ESEA.
With research showing that afterschool programming helps children
get better grades, reduces risk taking behavior, increases physical
activity, improves school attendance, helps close the achievement gap,
and more, do you commit to putting forth a budget that strongly funds
this vital program?
Answer 58. Afterschool programs are critical to the safety and
continued learning of many students. There are many afterschool
programs offered by wonderful local community groups and schools that
offer valuable opportunities for learning. If confirmed, I will look
closely at the budget of the Department of Education to determine the
best allocation of taxpayer dollars to programs, including the 21st
Century Community Learning Centers program, when making a proposed
budget for future fiscal years.
Question 59. The Vermont Principals Association polled their
members, and a lot of great questions concerning your nomination came
forth. One question was straightforward: is your goal to eliminate
public schools?
Answer 59. No, I have always supported great public schools and
will continue to do so. However, if a school is struggling or unsafe or
not meeting the needs of students--such as those with special needs--I
believe that we need to help those parents get access to schools that
will educate those children well. Children do not have time to wait for
the adults to fix the problems. They deserve a high quality education
immediately and we should all work to ensure this.
Question 60. What is your position on oversight of schools,
including the need for accountability based on publicly elected school
boards?
Answer 60. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) made great strides
in returning responsibility for education primarily to States and local
communities and I applaud your efforts in this regard. I believe that
decisions regarding publicly elected school boards and other local
accountability measures like this are best left to State and local
decisionmakers and I believe it best to defer to their judgment in this
regard.
Question 61. The bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act includes the
Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant Program. This program is
authorized at over $1.6 billion. We have yet to see funding for this
program due to the Republican Congress's inability to pass a full-year
funding bill. It is of the utmost importance that this new program--
which consolidated numerous existing programs--be funded at its
authorized level, at a minimum. Our children deserve a well-rounded
education and safe school environments--this program is the vehicle to
make these promises a reality. Do you commit to requesting funding that
is at least at its authorized level?
Answer 61. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs, including the Student Support and Academic
Enrichment Grant program, when making a proposed budget for future
fiscal years.
Question 62. What is your plan for addressing in a timely and
skilled manner the mental health needs of many students who have been
exposed to violence and substance abuse, are refugees with trauma or
children with other traumatic experiences which impact their ability to
learn?
Answer 62. I have seen estimates that trauma has affected as many
as one in four students attending school. We all know trauma can affect
students in different ways, both silently and outwardly, but can cause
challenges to a child's education in any form. It is important for
families and school officials to be able to recognize the signs of
trauma and access help for students.
Programs like ProjectSERV, authorized in the Every Student Succeeds
Act (ESSA), can help provide help to schools to address issues of
trauma. Additionally, the funding under the Student Support and
Academic Enrichment Grants can be used by school districts to help
address the unique needs of their students. If confirmed, I look
forward to working with State and local school officials and parents to
help share best practices and the tools they need to address these
important issues.
Question 63. In recent research reports from Arizona and
California, data shows that charter schools provide less access to a
well-rounded education, including music and arts, than district
schools. How have charter schools you have helped fund supported a
well-rounded education, and how would you support a well-rounded
educational experience, including music and arts, for all students in
charter schools across our country?
Answer 63. If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share
data and research from the Department of Education with State and local
officials looking to improve educational opportunities. I look forward
to identifying and disseminating best practices in schools, districts
and States throughout the country so that they can learn from each
other and incorporate successful strategies and programs. I would
encourage States and local leaders to think outside the box and
innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing educational problems. As
it relates to arts and music education, I hope that with the greater
flexibility provided to States and local school districts through ESSA,
education leaders at the local level can find new ways to provide
opportunities to students in the music and arts.
Question 64. Estimates suggest we spend over $1 billion a year on
college remediation. According to NCES, 68 percent of beginning college
students at public 2-year institutions and 40 percent of public 4-year
students took at least one remedial course during college. Even when
students are able to enter college, they may be spending many semesters
stuck in remedial or developmental courses, using their financial aid
for basic-level courses that often times do not count toward a degree.
What are your specific plans to improve college remediation?
Answer 64. I am aware that remedial education is a growing problem
for our students. The fact that they have to spend limited Federal aid
dollars on remedial courses is completely unacceptable. Simply put, our
students should graduate from high school ready to do college level
work. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you and your
colleagues to address this issue through the Higher Education Act
reauthorization. I am also hopeful that ESSA's return of educational
decisionmaking to States and local communities will enable those
closest to the students to improve elementary and secondary education
so that the need for remedial education is significantly reduced.
Question 65. Do you support increased investments in our high
schools, where data from the Office of Civil Rights at the Department
of Education shows clear gaps to the access of rigorous coursework in
too many of our Nation's high schools?
Answer 65. High schools face many challenges, and, if confirmed, I
hope to work with Governors, State legislators, and local school
officials to address the needs of our Nation's high schools. While
coursework decisions are best left to those closest to the students, I
do believe that it's important for rigorous coursework to be available
for all students. To make these courses more readily available, online
or distance learning could be utilized. I would also welcome the
opportunity to share data and high quality research from the Department
of Education with State and local officials looking to improve
educational opportunities. I also hope that States and local leaders
will think outside the box and innovate, looking for new solutions to
vexing educational problems.
Question 66. Teachers and other educational professionals have
becoming increasingly concerned about the ``Trump effect'' in schools,
where Mr. Trump's rhetoric is reflected in incidents of racism and
discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation,
or religion on schools and campuses.
Schools and universities need to be inclusive environments, where
all students are able to feel safe and welcome, to see themselves in
the curriculum, and to be equipped to succeed.
In the weeks following the election, the Southern Poverty Law
Center documented 867 hate incidents, in over 300 schools and college
campuses. I have been critical of President-elect Trump when he has
used rhetoric or put forth polices that seek to divide us up by race,
ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, nation of
origin, immigrant status, religion, or any other form of identity-based
bigotry.
Have you ever been troubled by any comments that President-elect
Trump has said publicly?
Do you agree with teachers and other educational professionals that
there is a ``Trump effect'' happening right now in schools? Why or why
not?
Regardless of whether or not one agrees with the assessment of the
``Trump effect,'' I hope we can all agree that schools should be safe
and inclusive environments where all children can learn.
What specific measures will you take to promote inclusion at all
levels of the U.S.-education system?
What will you do to ensure that students of color have safe
learning environments in schools and on college campuses?
How will you ensure that students of all faith and non-faith
traditions are supported in public schools and universities?
How will you ensure that students can thrive in school regardless
of their sexual orientation or gender identity?
What are your plans to combat racism, sexism, and other forms of
bigotry in schools and colleges campuses? How specifically will you
ensure that schools and colleges are places that support inclusion?
Can you point to specific examples in your background where you
have worked to promote diversity, inclusion, or have curbed bullying in
schools?
Answer 66. I believe that all children should be able to learn in
safe and supportive learning environments and, if confirmed, I will
work to promote a positive and inclusive climate in all our schools and
on all college campuses. I believe that every student should be treated
with decency and respect.
Question 67. Over 30 million adult Americans lack even a high
school degree or a GED--double the population of New York City,
Chicago, and Los Angeles combined. These Americans include veterans and
others with significant barriers to better employment. The challenge is
multi-generational: half of their children will also fail to complete
high school. As a result, our economy suffers, our Nation isn't as
competitive as it should be, and people cannot advance in careers and
life. If confirmed as Secretary, how would you address this critical
issue?
Answer 67. The fact that millions of Americans lack a high school
degree or a GED is a terrible situation that contributes to a
persistent unemployment problem. In addition, nearly 1.4 million
students drop out of high school each year, significantly limiting
their job prospects and resulting in tremendous untapped potential. If
confirmed, I hope to work with you and other Members of Congress as
well as the Trump administration which has made job creation a central
part of its efforts to revitalize our communities and renew the
American dream.
Question 68. The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act
supports career and technical education (CTE) in our Nation. It is
currently funded at a little over $1 billion. That is $1 billion for
our Nation's main investment in supporting CTE for over 50 million K-12
kids and over 13 million students in public higher education that may
want to pursue a career in the CTE fields. To put this in perspective,
your family's net worth is about five times more than what we spend on
CTE a year.
From a historical perspective, we are not doing well. Today's
Perkins funding is $60 million less than funding allocated in 1996--
without adjusting for inflation. Further, if we had frozen funding for
Perkins as a share of its percentage of national GDP in 1996 (0.019
percent, it would have received over $2.7 billion last fiscal year
(FY). Today, we are $1.6 billion below that amount at $1.125 billion
for Perkins.
In Vermont, our Tech Centers and the Vermont Technical College rely
on this funding.
A promise of President-elect Trump's was to increase support for
CTE. How will you do this? Do you pledge to request an increasing in
CTE funding through Perkins?
Answer 68. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the resources
and demands of each program at the Department as I assist in developing
a budget.
In many instances, career and technical education programs are
providing students with the skills necessary to gain quality employment
upon completion of their program. As such, I look forward to reviewing
all regulations to ensure they are adhere to the law as Congress
intended and comport to the priorities of the President. If changes are
warranted, I look forward to working with stakeholders and Congress to
ensure changes go smoothly.
Question 69. What is your knowledge base about employment programs
for people with disabilities, specifically the Rehabilitation Services
Administration within the Department of Education and the Vocational
Rehabilitation Programs in each State?
Answer 69. I am aware that this program provides grants to States,
based on a formula that covers the cost of a wide range of services, to
assist individuals with disabilities to participate in training
programs and obtain employment. If confirmed, I look forward to
learning more about what the States are doing to increase employment
access and outcomes for people with disabilities.
Question 70. Given the very high unemployment rate for people with
disabilities, are you committed to supporting the existing or a higher
level of appropriation for the Public Vocational Rehabilitation
Program?
Answer 70. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs, and look for ways to improve the rate of
employment for people with disabilities.
Question 71. If confirmed as Education Secretary, what steps will
you take to support trauma-informed education approaches and positive
behavioral supports and interventions?
Answer 71. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to support evidence-based programs and strategies aimed at
helping teachers and other educators work with students whose lives
have been affected by trauma. In addition, I will examine ways to
support effective approaches to improving school climate such as
positive behavioral interventions and supports.
Question 72. Small, rural States like Vermont often do not have the
resources and capabilities to aggressively pursue competitive funding
like larger States, putting them at a significant disadvantage.
Further, formula funding for the basic necessities of a high-quality
public education--pre-kindergarten, aid to high-need schools,
professional development for teachers, well-rounded course offerings,
safe and healthy schools, and more--should not be up for competition.
If confirmed, will you commit to working to strongly fund our
formula-based education programs? If confirmed, will you avoid
including competitive grant programs in your budget that put rural
States at a disadvantage?
Answer 72. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs, including formula funds and competitive grants,
when making a proposed budget for future fiscal years. I am very aware
of the concerns of rural communities. Many believe they have been left
behind or ignored for too long. I look forward to working with
President Trump on efforts to assist rural areas so that all Americans
have an opportunity to achieve.
Question 73. The United States needs a revolution in early
learning. Today 84 percent of 3-year-olds and 59 percent of 4-year-olds
lack access to publicly funded preschool. We lag far behind other
developed counties in the enrollment of young children in early
learning. Across the member nations of the Organization of Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD), 86 percent of 4-year-olds are
enrolled in early education--this number is nearly 90 percent for the
same age group of children that live in European Union nations of the
OECD. In Vermont, we are national leaders in terms of access to
preschool--but even in our State, we have far too many children that do
not have access to full-day public preschool or lack access all
together.
The research is clear that early learning is a sound investment,
giving a 13 percent return on investment. We know from brain science
that 90 percent of brain development occurs before the age of five. We
know that investments in early learning help close achievement gaps
between rich and poor. In short, we know what works; we just need to
investment in high-quality programs and make them a reality.
Fortunately, the Every Student Succeeds Act--which passed both
chambers of Congress with overwhelming bipartisan majorities--includes
the Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Program, a tool in making
universal preschool a reality. It is vitally important that this
program is robustly funded. If confirmed, do you commit to working with
the Department of Health and Human Services to put forth a budget
request that significantly increases funding for PDG?
Answer 73. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs, including the Preschool Development Grant program,
when proposing budgets for future fiscal years. I will also work
closely with the new Secretary of Health and Human Services to support
early childhood education as the vast majority of funding and
programmatic support for early childhood education falls under the
responsibility of that agency.
Question 74. You have said you ``believe every child, no matter
their zip code or their parents' jobs, deserves access to a quality
education.'' At what age do you believe this ``access to a quality
education'' should begin?
Answer 74. I believe that education begins at home. Additionally,
many families make the decision to utilize early childhood education
and care providers. I know that Congress has recently reauthorized the
Child Care and Development Block Grant, making significant improvements
in the program, increasing quality, and encouraging States to raise the
bar. Congress provides nearly $6 billion in funding for this program in
which parents use vouchers to choose the provider that best meets their
needs. Child care vouchers, much like Pell Grants, allow individuals to
choose the provider that is best for them.
Question 75. The embarrassingly low wages paid to child care
workers and early learning educators--the vast majority of whom are
women--is well-documented and a national disgrace. The median annual
salary for child care workers is $20,320. According to the Department
of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS), those caring for children at the most vulnerable stage of their
lives--from birth to age 3--earn $10.40 an hour on average. Early
learning educators with a bachelor's degree earn over $12 less an hour
than the average earnings of all those with a bachelor's degree. If we
are a compassionate nation, we should at the very least pay people--
especially professionals caring for our children--a living wage. Do you
find the embarrassingly low wages paid to child care workers and early
learning educators acceptable?
Answer 75. The pay of early learning educators is not within the
purview of the Federal Government nor within the scope of the
Department of Education. But their job is an important one. If
confirmed, I will look for opportunities to highlight successful pre-K
teachers and work closely with the new Secretary of Health and Human
Services to find ways to call attention to successful pre-K programs.
Question 76. Do you find it acceptable that child care workers and
early learning educators often cannot afford child care for their own
children, and often have to take advantage of our social safety net
programs in order to survive?
Answer 76. The cost of childcare is a struggle for many. I look
forward to working with the President's daughter, Ivanka Trump, and
others, on this issue.
Question 77. What do you consider a fair wage for childcare and
early learning educators?
Answer 77. The Department of Education does not have the authority
to determine the wages for educators; States and local communities are
the appropriate place for these decisions to be made.
Question 78. If confirmed, how specifically will you work with HHS
to address the pay and working conditions of early childhood educators?
Answer 78. Pay for early childhood educators is a State and local
issue. If confirmed, I will work with the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of early childhood
education programs.
Question 79. According to the same ED and HHS report, low earnings
and insufficient resources can contribute to turnover among early
learning educators; early learning centers with lower turnover and
higher wages have more time for positive developmental activity for
children. What steps will you take to ensure that there is a robust and
stable early learning workforce?
Answer 79. Development of a robust early learning workforce is a
State and local issue. I will work with the Department of Health and
Human Services to highlight best practices and where appropriate to
provide technical assistance.
Question 80. During the campaign, President-elect Trump made
hardline immigration policy a central part of his campaign. And, after
the election, he stated he would deport two to three million
undocumented immigrants immediately. He stated that he would end the
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allowed
many DREAMers, brought to the U.S. as children, to come out of the
shadows. Later, in an interview, the President-elect was asked about
the future of the DACA students, and stated he ``was going to work
something out that's going to make people happy and proud.'' Yet, you
have virtually no public record on issues pertaining to undocumented
children, including in public school. Do you plan to support any
potential effort by the Administration to force schools to divulge
confidential information about undocumented students or parents who are
undocumented?
If yes, explain why this subversion of local control is consistent
with your views on education.
Answer 80. Many young people were brought to America at a very
young age and came through no fault of their own. We need to be
sensitive to these situations. As for which agencies have jurisdiction
over enforcement of immigration policy, the Departments of Justice and
Homeland Security have that responsibility. I'm pleased that President
Trump is looking for solutions that will make people ``happy and
proud.''
Question 81. Do you support the Supreme Court's decision in Plyler
v. Doe, which held that K-12 education must be provided to undocumented
children at no cost?
Answer 81. Yes.
Question 82. Do you support or oppose efforts by States to pass
laws that would require schools to report the number and cost
associated with providing a free K-12 education to undocumented
children?
Answer 82. This is not an issue that falls within the scope of the
Department of Education.
Question 83. If confirmed, will the Department of Education
continue to provide educational resources for educators and studs who
are immigrants or minorities?
Answer 83. Yes, as per relevant laws.
Question 84. What, as head of the Department of Education, would
you publicly say to school districts such as Los Angeles Unified and
others about resisting efforts to turn over student records to the
Federal Government?
Answer 84. Development and enforcement of immigration policies
falls under the jurisdiction of the Departments of Justice and Homeland
Security. If confirmed, I would respectfully defer to my colleagues in
those agencies about the enforcement of immigration policies.
Question 85. Do you think Immigration and Customs Enforcement
should be given free and unfettered access to engage in immigration
enforcement activity on school campuses and in students' classrooms?
Answer 85. Development and enforcement of immigration policies
falls under the control of the Departments of Justice and Homeland
Security. If confirmed, I would respectfully defer to my colleagues in
those agencies about the enforcement of immigration policies.
Question 86. Do you believe that undocumented students who were
brought to this country at a young age and have spent almost their
entire life in U.S.-school systems deserve a fair and equal education
in our public school and university systems?
Answer 86. I will follow the law of the land, and I understand that
the U.S. Supreme Court has already spoken on this issue. Unless
Congress acts to change the law, elementary and secondary schools must
provide a free public education to all students in the community,
regardless of immigration status.
Question 87. If confirmed, do you promise to not punish
universities that financially and academically support undocumented
students?
Answer 87. I believe institutions of higher learning should be free
to use their own non-Federal resources in whatever legal way they see
fit. However, the use of Federal funds must comport with Federal law
and as you know, to receive title IV student aid, a student must be a
citizen or national of the United States, a permanent resident of the
United States, or able to provide evidence from the Immigration and
Naturalization Service that he or she is in the United States for other
than a temporary purpose with the intention of becoming a citizen or
permanent resident.
Question 88. If confirmed, will you commit to removing barriers to
higher education for undocumented students? As a start, would you
advocate for DREAMer students to be eligible for Federal financial aid?
Answer 88. As a mom and grandmother, my heart goes out to those
whose families and loved ones are impacted by these policies.
Decisions, directives and enforcement in this area are made by the
Departments of Homeland Security and Justice so I will respectfully
defer to those agencies. The Higher Education Act governs eligibility
for Federal financial, and I am sure this is an issue Congress will
grapple with when it moves forward with the reauthorization of that
law, and, if confirmed, I look forward to working with you on that.
Question 89. Many scholars in non-profit higher education receive
support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). What is
your view on NEH? Do you support its programs?
The National Science Foundation and the Department of Education
collaborate on STEM research. Do you intend to collaborate with NSF on
important STEM education initiatives?
The Institute for Education Sciences (IES) and the National Center
for Education Statistics (NCES) provides critical funding and
infrastructure to research in education. Because of NCES and IES, we
have data on school enrollment, teacher and school staff demographics,
college enrollment, costs, and attainment, and many other key
indicators needed to assess the State and future of education. IES has
also funded many critical K-12 and higher education studies. We are
learning more about increasing participation in STEM education,
improving remedial education in community colleges, supporting early
childhood education, and evaluations of important educational
inventions. What role do you see federally funded educational science
research playing during your tenure as Secretary, if confirmed?
Do you support the work of NCES and IES? How will you make the case
that Congress adequately funds and supports NCES?
Answer 89. I fully support educational research with the goal of
determining what programs are producing successful outcomes for our
country's students and families. While Congress ultimately decides on
funding, if confirmed, I will review the initiatives undertaken by IES
and NCES to ensure they are using taxpayer dollars efficiently and
effectively.
Question 90. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces Federal
civil rights laws and works to prohibit discrimination by sex, race,
disability, age, color, and national origin in schools and campuses
throughout the Nation. Yet for years, OCR's funding was flat-lined
until it received a slight boost in fiscal year 2016. This agency
receives about 10,000 complaints a year but does not have the adequate
staffing levels to address the complexity of the cases that come before
it in a timely enough fashion. What are your plans for funding this
vital agency?
Answer 90. If confirmed, I will carefully review the personnel
policies and staffing responsibilities within the Department to ensure
that the Department is being efficient with taxpayer funding and that
the mission and responsibilities are being met. Once that review is
complete, I will work with President Trump to create a budget request
in accordance with the findings of that review.
Question 91. Do you commit to ensuring that the Office of Civil
Rights is a continued part of the Department of Education and not
consolidated or merged with another entity?
Answer 91. Yes. The Office for Civil Rights will remain at the
Department of Education. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing all
the divisions within the Department to ensure they are operating in the
most efficient and effective way to implement our Nation's education
laws in the way Congress intended.
Question 92. Under your charge, how would you ensure that the
Office for Civil Rights protects all students?
Answer 92. I fully support ensuring all students have a safe place
in which to learn. If confirmed, I plan to review all laws, guidance,
and policies within the Department to ensure the letter and spirit of
the law are being met.
Question 93. It is completely unacceptable that 1 in 5 female
undergraduate students and 1 in 16 men are victims of sexual assault.
Many campuses do not have proper protocols for investigating and
responding to these incidents. I have cosponsored the Campus
Accountability and Safety Act, which would require institutions to
designate confidential advisors for survivors on campus; establish
uniform standards of discipline; conduct a biennial campus survey;
enter a memorandum of understanding with local law enforcement agencies
on responsibilities regarding crimes and sexual violence; and face
penalties for falling out of compliance with the Act. Do you support
this legislation, and if confirmed would you urge Congress to enact it?
Answer 93. We must work to ensure all students have safe places in
which to learn. If confirmed, I look forward to discussing this
legislation with you and others, and working with you and your
colleagues on the many issues raised by it.
Question 94. What role do colleges and universities receiving
Federal funds have in investigating cases of campus sexual assault?
Answer 94. We must work to ensure our colleges and universities are
safe havens for student learning. The title IX regulations require
schools receiving Federal funds to investigate any complaints alleging
noncompliance with the regulations. Recipients of funds are required to
designate at least one employee to coordinate efforts (``Title IX
Coordinator'') to comply with a school's responsibilities including any
investigations.
Question 95. Do you support the Department's current policies with
regard to sexual violence, as expressed in the 2011 Dear Colleague
Letter and 2001 Guidance? How will your administration enforce title IX
in relation to campus sexual assault?
Answer 95. I want to ensure all students have a safe environment in
which to learn. Sexual violence perpetrated against any person is
wrong. If confirmed, I will carefully review these and other guidance
documents to ensure they are in accord with the law and serve as
helpful tools to institutions of higher learning.
Question 96. Do you agree with the Republican Party platform that
the current application of title IX is ``wrongly redefining sex
discrimination to include sexual orientation or other categories'' ? If
so, how will LGBT individuals be protected from sexual harassment and
discrimination in educational institutions while you are Secretary?
Answer 96. If confirmed, I intend to uphold title IX as interpreted
by the courts.
Question 97. With regards to campus sexual assault, harassment, and
discrimination, do you support a ``preponderance of the evidence''
standard? If you do not support a ``preponderance of the evidence''
standard, what standard do you think is appropriate?
Answer 97. As a mother and grandmother of both boys and girls--we
must get the evidentiary standard right, as it has implications for
victims and the accused. There is not universal agreement on the
appropriate standard. If confirmed, I look forward to working with and
hearing from concerned individuals, organizations and institutions to
ensure that Department guidance and regulations are clear and
effective. It will always be my goal to ensure that our Nation provides
safe learning environments for all students.
Question 98a. The State of Vermont does not allow taxpayer money to
pay for religious schooling. Our Nation's Constitution calls for a firm
separation between church and State.
You've called the big money you have used to remake education
systems in localities across the Nation as all having been done for
``greater Kingdom gain.'' Your husband explicitly said that if voucher
policies are passed, ``more and more churches will get more active and
engage in education.'' The 2016 Republican Platform calls for teaching
the Bible in schools.
In Indiana, where then-Governor Pence expanded the State's voucher
program, almost all of the $135 million of taxpayer money that normally
goes to public schools now flows to religious schools.
In a pluralistic and diverse nation like ours, with many different
faith and non-faith traditions, and clear separations between church
and State, why do you think it is appropriate to send public dollars to
private religious schools?
Answer 98a. The U.S. Supreme Court long ago settled the question of
whether or not it is appropriate for public dollars to be sent to
private religious schools. As Secretary, I would not contradict their
ruling.
Question 98b. Public schools exist for all children, regardless of
race, gender, disability status, and religion. Do you think it is fair
that religious schools that receive taxpayer vouchers can discriminate?
Answer 98b. Parents or guardians should have the opportunity to
send their children to the schools they believe will best serve them,
including a private, religious school, if that is their choice.
Question 99. Do you agree with the 2016 Republican Platform that
the Bible should be used as ``literature curriculum as an elective in
America's high schools?'' As Secretary, would you encourage States to
adopt the Bible into their curriculums?
Answer 99. It is not the responsibility of the Federal Government
to dictate curricula. In fact, the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act, General Education Provisions Act and the Department of Education
Organization Act all forbid such interference. I believe these issues
are best left up to local school districts.
Question 100. Do you support and promise to uphold the merit system
principles set forth in Chapter 23 Title 5 U.S. Code, which prohibit
factors other than merit from consideration in civil service employment
decisions?
Answer 100. If confirmed as Secretary, I will carefully review the
personnel policies and practices of the Department to ensure they are
in accord with the law.
Question 101. If confirmed as Secretary, do you believe that
Congress' use of the Holman Rule, which allows any Member of Congress
to propose amending an appropriations bill to single out a government
employee or cut a specific program, to be an appropriate measure when
used against your Department? Will you support Congress in passing an
amendment under the Holman Rule or would you oppose such an amendment?
Answer 101. It is the legislative branch's prerogative to determine
what amendments it may include as part of the appropriations process.
Question 102. If confirmed as Secretary, do you believe that you
will be better able to recruit and retain top talent if Congress is
able to individually target employees based on their political whims?
Answer 102. The Department, as a part of the executive branch of
government, has the responsibility to faithfully implement personnel
laws, as well as other laws, as written by Congress.
Question 103. If confirmed as Secretary, do you support Congress
targeting and altering the salaries of individuals within your
Department?
Answer 103. It is the legislative branch's prerogative to determine
what amendments it may include as part of the appropriations process.
Question 104. What is your view of the division of responsibility
and authority between Congress and the Department you may lead on
personnel issues?
Answer 104. I respect the ability of Congress to determine what
amendments it may include as bills are moving through the legislative
process. If confirmed, I will ensure the Department is a good steward
of taxpayer dollars and that the mission and responsibilities of the
Department are fully met.
senator casey
Question 1. Do you believe that any school that accepts public
funds should be accountable to the public? If so, how? How would that
accountability extend to all students, including students from minority
groups and students with disabilities--as required by ESSA?
Answer 1. I believe all schools should be accountable to the
parents and communities they serve. Schools must be transparent about
their performance with all students so that parents can make informed
decisions about what is best for their children.
Question 2. How do you plan to advocate for adult learners in your
role as the Secretary of Education?
Answer 2. If confirmed, I look forward to helping adult learners
receive the education and services they need to be successful in the
global economy. I will work with the Department of Labor, in
particular, to ensure we are providing those services effectively.
Reforms enacted in the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act,
which was reauthorized in 2014 as part of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act, were meant to help States and communities improve
services for adult learners to better provide them the education and
skills they need to obtain employment and increase self-sufficiency. If
confirmed, I will work through the Office of Career, Technical, and
Adult Education to implement these reforms to improve outcomes for
adult learners.
Question 3. Adult education State grants support programs that
assist (1) adults in becoming literate and in obtaining the knowledge
and skills necessary for employment, (2) parents in obtaining the
skills necessary to become full partners in the education of their
children, and (3) adults in the completion of a secondary education.
Some adults enrolled in adult education are students seeking their high
school diploma or equivalent but a surprisingly large number of
American adults who have earned a high school diploma still struggle
with basic skills. Twenty percent (20 percent) of adults with a high
school diploma have less-than-basic literacy skills and 35 percent of
adults with a high school degree have less-than-basic numeracy skills.
According to a recent study conducted by OECD's Program for
International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), at least three
million low-skilled American adults would like to enroll in Adult
Education services, but cannot access a program. Without access,
undereducated, under-prepared adults cannot qualify for jobs with
family sustaining incomes that require not only a high school
equivalency, but also some college preferably a 1- or 2-year
certificate in a high demand occupation. And, adults without a high
school diploma or functioning below high school level cannot qualify
for either community college programs or high demand occupations. Tax
reform and relaxing regulations can improve the macroeconomy, but it
will not address the needs of millions of Americans who lack the skills
to find meaningful work in an increasingly competitive economy. How do
you envision the Administration incorporating Adult Education into its
competitiveness agenda?
Answer 3. Too many Americans are suffering in the current economy.
President Trump made improving the employment opportunities of these
Americans a cornerstone of his campaign, and his administration will
work to improve the prospects of those left behind in this economy. As
stated before, reforms enacted in the Adult Education and Family
Literacy Act, which was reauthorized in 2014 as part of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act, were meant to help States and
communities improve services for adult learners to better provide them
the education and skills they need to obtain employment and increase
self-sufficiency. If confirmed, I will work through the Office of
Career, Technical, and Adult Education to implement these reforms to
improve outcomes for adult learners. Combined with other efforts across
the government, we have an opportunity to help more Americans achieve
the American dream.
Question 4. ESSA requires that States not preclude students who
participate in an alternate assessment from attempting to meet the
requirements of a regular high school diploma. However, many schools
report that the students won't be permitted any modifications of
assignments if they are to meet the requirements of the regular high
school diploma. This practice defeats the point of the statutory
provision because by definition students who participate in an
alternate assessment work on enrolled grade content--but with
substantial supports, adaptations, and different expectations for
achievement. Will you provide guidance to States to ensure they provide
appropriate supports including accommodations, adaptations, and
modifications in order to allow students taking the alternate
assessment to meet the requirements of the regular high school diploma?
Answer 4. If confirmed, I will carefully review all existing
guidance documents that are in effect to ensure that guidance from the
Department of Education serves as a helpful tool to States, school
districts, educators, and parents as they work to implement Federal law
and ensure all students receive the education they deserve. I will also
work with stakeholders to determine what additional guidance is needed
to ensure that the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is implemented as
Congress intended and all students are well-served.
Question 5. What are your plans for Federal engagement in charter
school funding or regulation? If you endorse such funding, what
safeguards would you introduce to strengthen the performance and
accountability of such schools and to ensure that all other public
schools also are supported to perform well?
Answer 5. I support the Federal charter school program, which was
reauthorized as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The
reforms made to the program will allow for the expansion and
replication of high-quality charter schools as well as the opening of
new charter schools. If confirmed, I will implement programs consistent
with the law passed by Congress. In addition, I will seek ways to
increase cooperation between public charter schools and traditional
public schools. I believe both sectors can learn from each other ways
to improve educational outcomes for students, and I believe the
Department of Education can better highlight and encourage that
cooperation.
Question 6. Do you think the Department should award hundreds of
millions of dollars to States because States want it, rather than
because States can demonstrate a track record of launching high quality
charter schools and having processes in place to close ineffective
charter schools?
Answer 6. I support the Federal charter school program, which was
reauthorized as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act. The reforms
made to the program will allow for the expansion and replication of
high-quality charter schools as well as the opening of new charter
schools. Those reforms also encouraged States to improve charter school
authorizing to ensure that only high-quality schools expand or
replicate, and low-performing schools are closed. If confirmed, I will
implement programs consistent with the law passed by Congress.
Question 7. As you implement the Charter Schools Program, how will
you ensure a State that fails to demonstrate its commitment to quality
and accountability does not receive Federal taxpayer funds to grow more
charter schools?
Answer 7. I support the Federal charter school program, which was
reauthorized as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act. The reforms
made to the program will allow for the expansion and replication of
high-quality charter schools as well as the opening of new charter
schools. Those reforms also encouraged States to improve charter school
authorizing to ensure that only high-quality schools expand or
replicate, and low-performing schools are closed. If confirmed, I will
implement that program consistent with the law passed by Congress.
Question 8. Charter schools are known for having disproportionately
harsh discipline practices, including higher rates of suspension for
Black and Latino students over their white peers. Do you see this as a
problem contributing to the School to Prison Pipeline? How do you
intend to address this if confirmed as Secretary of Education?
Answer 8. I oppose unfair discipline practices that unnecessarily
punish students rather than supporting them. I also know parents are
seeking educational options that will provide their children the
education they deserve. This is why tens of thousands of students, many
of whom are low-income or students of color, are on public charter
school waiting lists nationwide. These families are desperately seeking
safe learning environments that will allow their children to thrive. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with this committee to find ways
to increase the options available to these families.
Question 9. A number of different studies have shown that attending
an online charter school leads to worsening academic performance
compared to students attending brick and mortar schools. Indeed,
students who switch from a traditional public school to an online
charter experience a significant drop in academic achievement compared
to students who stay in traditional schools. For instance, a middle or
elementary school student starting at the 50th percentile of
performance in math would, on average, fall to the 36th percentile
after 1 year at a virtual school. In addition, a number of reports have
documented serious mismanagement at online charters. Despite the
terrible academic results of online schools and misuse of taxpayer
dollars, why have you supported diverting taxpayer dollars away from
traditional public schools and toward online schools?
Answer 9. Unlike traditional public schools, public charter schools
can be closed when they fail to meet the expectations outlined in their
charters. Public charter schools, whether brick-and-mortar or virtual,
that are failing to provide students a quality education as outlined in
their charters should be closed.
However, high-quality virtual charter schools provide valuable
options to families, particularly those who live in rural areas where
brick-and-mortar schools might not have the capacity to provide the
range of courses or other educational experiences a student desires.
Because of this, we must be careful not to brand an entire category of
schools that is working for many students. For example, the following
virtual academies have 4-year cohort graduation rates of at least 90
percent:
Idaho Virtual Academy (IDVA): 90 percent;
Nevada Virtual Academy (NVVA): 100 percent;
Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA): 92 percent;
Oklahoma Virtual Charter Academy (OVCA): 91 percent;
Texas Virtual Academy (TXVA): 96 percent;
Utah Virtual Academy (UTVA): 96 percent; and
Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA): 96 percent.
If confirmed, I will implement each Federal program under my
jurisdiction consistent with the requirements spelled out by Congress
to ensure that taxpayer funds are well-spent and students are well-
served.
Question 10. Balancing transparency with important accountability
requirements is critical to ensuring that all students receive a
quality education. Unfortunately, Michigan charter law has freed
authorizers from most of their regulatory obligations resulting in a
general lack of accountability and reduced transparency including in
the required financial reporting for charter schools. For students, the
impact of this ``free to be you and me policy'' has had a disastrous
impact on academic achievement, particularly for vulnerable populations
of students, including students with disabilities. How committed are
you to this model? Do you believe that it has been successful? What
lessons have you learned, if any, that will be utilized as you oversee
the approval and implementation of charter grants at the U.S.
Department of Education?
Answer 10. I am committed to ensuring families have options. In
Detroit, the statistics are appalling. Per the National Assessment of
Educational Progress, only 7 percent of students are proficient in
reading and 4 percent are proficient in math. None of us would leave
our children in schools performing so poorly.
Public charter schools have provided a viable alternative.
Detroit's public charters schools outperform their traditional
counterparts on the State assessments. Charter students in Michigan
gain an additional 2 months of learning in reading and math over their
traditional public school peers. In Detroit, the gain is 3 months. In
both reading and math, African American students in Detroit's public
charter schools have significantly larger growth compared to African
American students in Detroit Public Schools. Hispanic charter students
in Detroit show significantly better outcomes in math compared to their
Hispanic peers in Detroit Public Schools. If I am confirmed, I hope to
work with this committee to expand educational choices for families. I
have seen firsthand the positive impact of increased choice in my home
State of Michigan.
Question 11. A recent study of Michigan schools found that
overwhelmingly, the biggest financial impact on school districts was
the result of declining enrollment and revenue loss, especially where
school choice and charters are most prevalent. The research shows that
as charter schools started to expand, schools in cities statewide in
particular, lost about nearly half of their revenue in a span of 10
years. Even more, findings from the report showed that the higher the
charter penetration, the higher the adverse impact on district
finances. Yet with nearly two decades of school choice growth, Michigan
has dropped from its earlier rating near the top of the States to its
current rank near the bottom for fourth-and eighth-grade math and
fourth-grade reading on NAEP. In addition, the advocacy group, EdTrust
reports that roughly half of Michigan's charter schools ranked in the
bottom quarter of all public schools for academic performance. Based on
this, what do you think needs to be changed in Michigan's approach to
funding and managing schools--including charter schools--and how would
the failures of Michigan's reform strategy inform your actions as
Secretary of Education?
Answer 11. Public charter schools in Michigan are a success story.
Charter students in Michigan gain an additional 2 months of learning in
reading and math over their traditional public school peers.
In Detroit, the gain is 3 months. In both reading and math, African
American students in Detroit charter schools have significantly larger
growth compared to African American students in Detroit Public Schools.
Hispanic charter students in Detroit show significantly better outcomes
in math compared to their Hispanic peers in Detroit Public Schools. I
believe in funding what works, and in Michigan, particularly in
Detroit, charter schools are demonstrating their value by improving
student achievement.
Question 12. Providing evidence, do you believe the current model
of choice without uniform accountability has been successful in
Michigan and will you commit to upholding the kinds of strong charter
accountability that we put in place during ESSA so we're not wasting
tax payer money? Please describe how you will go about implementing
measures of accountability.
Answer 12. As I said during my confirmation hearing, I support
accountability for all schools. In your question, you imply that
charter schools have different accountability than traditional public
schools in Michigan. This is not the case. Instead, I supported
legislation--now law--that imposed the same accountability on all
schools. Parents need and deserve to know how their children are
performing. Any and all obstacles to good information should be
removed. There was an effort by critics of parental choice to limit
options for families and call that accountability. Their real effort
was to create a new layer of bureaucracy--an eight-person unelected
mayoral appointed board that sought to limit the growth of charters and
dictate their operations. This legislation would have hamstrung charter
schools and kept many failing public schools open at the expense of
vulnerable students. I joined with parents and other reformers to
oppose this scheme.
If I am confirmed, I will implement ESSA, including the strong
accountability measures found in the charter school program.
Question 13. Aside from the market-based approaches that you've
advocated for, which do not appear to be helping students and families
in Michigan (demonstrated, in part, by Michigan's precipitous drop in
NAEP score rankings over the last two decades), what can be done to
improve the education for students who attend traditional public
schools?
Answer 13. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) calls for locally
developed plans tailored to each school's and community's specific
needs and I believe this is the right approach. From my experience, I
have seen increased student performance when schools improve quality,
increase accountability and expand choice and if confirmed, I will look
forward to meeting with stakeholders to discuss ways that we can work
to improve student achievement for all students.
Question 14. How do you propose to deal with groups of children who
are targeted and disciplined at a much higher rate on the basis of
their race, disability, primary language--at a disproportionate rate
than white students?
Answer 14. I oppose discrimination of any kind against students. If
confirmed, I will enforce all civil rights laws under the Department of
Education's jurisdiction to protect students' access to equal
educational opportunity.
Question 15. How do you plan to enforce the legal requirements
clarified in guidance by the Office for Civil Rights explaining
schools' and districts' nondiscrimination requirements with regard to
school discipline or equitable distribution of resources?
Answer 15. If confirmed, I will carefully review all existing
guidance documents that are in effect to ensure that guidance from the
Department of Education serves as a helpful tool to States, local
school districts, teachers, school personnel, and others who implement
Federal education law.
Question 16. Do you believe the Department of Education has a role
in ensuring pregnant and parenting K-12 students have access to the
same educational environments as non-parenting students? If so, what
role should the Department of Education play?
Answer 16. Schools should be a place of learning and personal
growth, and, if confirmed, I will ensure that the Department of
Education fulfills its critical role in ensuring all students,
including students who are pregnant or parenting, have equal access to
educational opportunity.
Question 17. As Secretary how will you work to eliminate the
educational disparities that exist for students of color? How will you
work with diverse communities to ensure that their perspective,
knowledge and expertise are valued and utilized in the policies of the
Department of Education?
Answer 17. Seeing the lack of educational opportunities for
students of color and other disadvantaged students is what inspired me
to become involved in the education reform effort. I have worked with
diverse communities across the country to expand educational
opportunities for all students, but particularly for students of color.
Question 18. Please describe how you will ensure that students with
disabilities have access to accommodations provided by Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1974, including the importance of oversight
and enforcement provided by the Office of Civil Rights.
Answer 18. If confirmed, I will work with the Office for Civil
Rights to enforce Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. I will
also work with that office and the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services to learn more about what the Department could
do better to support efforts to provide students appropriate
accommodations.
Question 19. How would you ensure the family of a student, who uses
a voucher to attend a school other than the public school they would
normally attend, that they would not have to pay for access to
specialized instructional support personnel and other related services
to provide the student with the tools needed to graduate and succeed in
a higher education institution or the workforce?
Answer 19. I believe parents should have the freedom to choose
between a high-quality public school, a public charter school, a magnet
school, or a nonpublic school. I believe a competitive marketplace in
our elementary and secondary education system will work as well as it
does in our diverse higher education system, where colleges and
universities compete for students, and students and their parents get
to choose which school to attend. With a diverse array of good schools,
every family should be able to find the best match of school for their
child's individual needs. Just as the Pell Grant is not always enough
to pay for the cost of tuition and fees at most institutions of higher
education, vouchers in the K-12 arena sometimes fall short, but still
provide meaningful support to enable students to attend the institution
of their choice.
Question 20. If the goal of ESSA's annual assessments is to gauge
the knowledge and skill of a student, do you support allowing students
with disabilities to use assistive technology and other types of
accommodations to access the assessment, provided these tools do not
undermine the testing construct?
Answer 20. I believe that we need to enable as many students as
possible to participate in the State regular assessments. The Every
Student Succeeds Act requires that, to the extent that is practical,
all State assessments must be developed using the principles of
universal design. For students with disabilities who receive
accommodations under the IDEA, States must provide those accommodations
on the State regular and alternate assessments. If confirmed, I will
work with States to ensure that both laws are properly implemented.
Question 21. Do you believe that due process rights and protections
are important to maintain for students with disabilities and their
families? If yes, how do you reconcile this position with your position
on private school vouchers, which supports Federal funding to follow
the child with disabilities but not these necessary protections?
Answer 21. Yes. The procedural safeguards enshrined in IDEA for
students with disabilities in public schools are essential to
protecting their rights to the free, appropriate public education
provided by IDEA, and I will continue to strongly enforce the law if I
am confirmed as Secretary.
But I do not believe that there is a conflict between protecting
IDEA and ensuring that those rights are enforced and offering parents a
different opportunity. Offering parents of students with disabilities
the opportunity to choose between a private school, a different public
school, or a non-public school setting empowers the parents to receive
what works best for their child. Just like in the public schools, not
every private school will offer every service for every student with a
disability. It would be misguided to seek to impose on individual
private schools a standard that is also not imposed on every individual
public school. If parents are not satisfied with the private options
available, they maintain all their current options and rights within
their local public school system. I believe that all students,
including individuals with disabilities, deserve an equal opportunity
to lead full, productive and successful lives.
Question 22. What changes would you make to ensure family
engagement for students with disabilities is improved in special
education services?
Answer 22. I have heard from many frustrated parents that the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has not well served their
children. If confirmed, I will work with Congress to examine what
reforms are needed to that law to make it work better for parents and
educators. I will reach out to parents and advocates who have spent
years working to make the public school system provide a better
education for their child. I look forward to learning from them what
improvements they would seek, and then working with Congress,
Governors, State legislators and school districts to make those changes
that would help improve opportunities for students with disabilities.
Question 23. Please explain your views on the identification of
students with learning disabilities and whether you believe the current
Federal policies outlining identification of specific learning
disabilities are effective. How do you think we could strengthen early
intervention services for all disabilities?
Answer 23. Many schools have made significant strides, through
efforts like Response to Intervention, to improve the education and
identification of students with learning disabilities. More can
certainly be done. For students with the most common learning
disability in reading and language, research suggests early
intervention using evidence-based programs and strategies makes a big
difference in ongoing achievement levels. ESSA and IDEA give schools
flexibility to develop and implement these programs, and if confirmed,
I will work with the Office of Special Education Programs and
stakeholders to ensure that States and school districts are aware of
this flexibility.
Question 24. Please describe your plans as Secretary to support
students, parents, educators, and schools to have access to special
education and related services.
Answer 24. IDEA guarantees parents and their eligible children with
disabilities access to special education and related services. If
confirmed, I will work with the Office of Special Education Programs to
ensure that IDEA is properly implemented and enforced, and I will work
with Congress to explore any needed reforms to make IDEA work better.
Question 25. We know from decades of research that an inclusive
classroom is the best for all students. Do you believe that students
with disabilities should learn alongside their peers? How do you
believe students with disabilities should be supported in general
education classrooms?
Answer 25. IDEA requires States to provide a free appropriate
public education in the least restrictive environment. For most
students, this means special education and related services in a fully
inclusive classroom, and, if confirmed, I will work to ensure students'
access to these classrooms is fully protected and that they have access
to the supports and accommodations to which they are entitled. I will
also work with stakeholders to ensure that IDEA is properly implemented
to provide appropriate learning environments for those students for
whom a fully inclusive classroom is not appropriate.
Question 26. Students with disabilities often exit the school
system with little planning for transition from school to work or post-
secondary education. What is your philosophy on transition services to
help ensure career and post-secondary success for students with
disabilities and how will your Department of Education support schools
and States in supporting students during this critical time? What would
you do to build on the improvements made in the Workforce Investment
and Opportunity Act?
Answer 26. One of the best ways to help a child with a disability
get a job or pursue post-secondary education is to ensure that they
have the skills and resources they need to move on from high school. If
confirmed, I will work with States, local school districts, employers,
and institutions of higher education to identify best practices in
transition services to ensure students with disabilities receive the
help they need to pursue their post-secondary goals.
In addition, if confirmed, I will work with States to ensure full
implementation of the provision in IDEA that requires students with
disabilities by age 16 (or earlier) to have a transition plan that is
``results-oriented.''
The reforms to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 made by the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act require vocational rehabilitation
agencies to work with schools to provide transition services to
students with disabilities. If confirmed, I will work with the
Rehabilitation Services Administration to ensure that these reforms are
properly implemented.
Question 27. Parent Information Centers provide parents of children
with disabilities free access to information related to the law and
their child's rights. These PTIs are woefully under-resourced. How do
you plan on supporting the PTIs, if at all?
Answer 27. Parents need good information to make informed decisions
about their child's rights and educational plan. If confirmed, the
Department will examine the effectiveness and efficiency of current
outreach programs, centers, and events that focus on providing parent
information while also exploring new opportunities to use technology to
improve this outreach. Our goal is to increase parent and family access
to information across the range of essential issues, from evidence-
based practices to legal rights for parents of students with
disabilities.
Question 28. Describe your vision for how the public school system
should address the needs of nearly 6 million children with
disabilities, beyond offering school choice options. Should private
schools receiving public dollars through vouchers meet the same
standard of addressing those needs?
Answer 28. I support great public schools and applaud the high
quality education and services they provide to students with
disabilities. Enforcing IDEA is a priority, and making sure that local
school districts follow the law and provide the services and education
that children with disabilities deserve is essential. At the Federal
level, we must encourage States to work with parents, schools and
districts to create more effective IEPs that are useful for increasing
learning gains for students with disabilities. IEPs must include
measurable annual goals for monitoring progress and clear information
for parents about student progress toward high but achievable
expectations.
The IEP should be viewed as a practical blueprint for action.
Students with disabilities are accomplishing great things in States and
districts that recognize their uniqueness. We can shine a light on
these successes so that others know what is possible. If confirmed as
Secretary, I will make it a priority to highlight what works best for
students with disabilities.
I also believe that parents should have the choice of school to
attend, especially for children with disabilities. I will continue to
look for ways to increase access by students with disabilities to a
broader range of educational options. I have seen exciting changes in
students with disabilities when they attend schools that meet their
needs. My friends, Sam Myers and his mother Tera, attended my
confirmation hearing last week. Sam, who has Down's Syndrome, was a Jon
Peterson Special Needs Scholarship recipient. The program exemplifies
how States can--and do--implement the Federal law and use their
flexibility to ensure parents can choose the learning environment in
which their children with disabilities will achieve and thrive.
Question 29. I'm sure you're aware that most private school voucher
programs permit schools to discriminate in their admission policies and
refuse to admit students with a disabilities. As a result, students
with disabilities are often systematically excluded from voucher
programs. For instance, most private schools in the Milwaukee voucher
program ``lack the full complement of educational programs that
students with disabilities are entitled to if they receive their
education in the public sector,'' and as a result, students with
disabilities have been discouraged or excluded from participating. This
has also occurred in the District of Columbia. Do you believe private
schools should be prohibited from denying admission to students with
disabilities? Yes or no? If Yes: Then how would you hold private
schools that receive Federal education funding accountable for
providing special education services and supports? If No: If families
are left with no protections, which data shows is incredibly
detrimental, how would you ensure that students with disabilities were
able to receive high quality services?
Answer 29. No educational program, public or private, is ideal for
all students, especially students with disabilities. Even today, there
are public school districts that do not have the services to meet the
needs of all students with disabilities and suggest to those parents
that they should enroll their children in nearby charter schools or the
district arranges to have those students to go to another district to
have their needs met. So, let's be honest. No individual public school
provides the full of range of high quality services for every student
with a disability; this is true for private schools as well.
Public school systems have the right to establish specialized
programs at certain schools for students with specific disabilities
and, through the IEP process, to assign students with specific
disabilities to these schools to meet their needs more effectively.
When this occurs, the public schools that do not offer these services
within the system are not ``discriminating'' against the students with
these disabilities.
In far too many cases, the parents of students with disabilities in
the public schools are currently not satisfied with the services their
children are receiving. In fact, public schools contract out
educational services for almost 2 percent of students with special
needs to ensure they receive their education in private schools where
the student's educational needs are better met. But too often the only
way that parents can obtain what is best for their child is through
legal recourse. This can take months and sometimes years. Children
don't have years to wait for courts to decide. I believe they should
not have to wait.
Offering parents of students with disabilities the opportunity to
choose between a private school, a different public school, or a non-
public school setting empowers the parents to receive what works best
for their child. Just like in the public schools, not every private
school will offer every service for every student with a disability. It
would be misguided to seek to impose on individual private schools a
standard that is also not imposed on every individual public school. If
parents are not satisfied with the private options available, they
maintain all their current options and rights within their local public
school system.
Question 30. Studies in a number of States have indicated there has
been systematic over-representation of students of color in special
education, specific categories of special education eligibility, and
the use of discipline. What is your understanding of over-
representation or disproportionality of students of color in special
education? If there is over- or under-representation, specifically how
would your Department of Education address the issue? What is your
understanding over representation of students of color in specific
categories of eligibility for special education (e.g., intellectual
disability)? If there is over representation in specific categories,
specifically how would your Dept. of Education address the issue? What
is your understanding of overuse of discipline procedures for students
with disabilities, particularly students of color who have
disabilities? Specifically, how would your Department of Education
address the overuse of discipline procedures?
Answer 30. If confirmed, I will work with States, school districts,
and other stakeholders to address over-identification of students of
color in special education where it is occurring, and address
discriminatory discipline practices that may rob students of their
right to an education. IDEA requires such efforts, and I will work to
ensure that the law is properly implemented and enforced.
Question 31. Under your leadership, will the Department of
Education enforce the disproportionality regulation? Please describe
how you will enforce the regulation or your reasoning of why you will
not enforce the regulation.
Answer 31. If confirmed, I will carefully review all new
regulations to ensure they are consistent with the relevant statute as
Congress wrote them and are necessary to enable successful
implementation of Federal law.
Question 32. ESSA made a number of changes designed to improve the
continuum of learning from birth through 3d grade. In particular, ESSA
now allows for joint professional development between kindergarten and
preschool teachers. How will you support this continuum if confirmed as
Secretary of Education?
Answer 32. If confirmed, I will work to implement the Every
Students Succeeds Act and all laws as written. In this case, I will
work to ensure States and school districts are aware of the
flexibilities they have under ESSA to meet their unique local needs.
Question 33. Early childhood educators are the linchpin of quality
in early childhood education. They benefit from strong professional
development and higher education systems that help to prepare them with
the knowledge, skills and competencies they need to be successful in
caring for and educating our Nation's youngest learners. As Secretary,
what resources, regulations and policies will you direct toward
supporting excellence in the teaching profession, beginning in the
early years and continuing throughout K-3?
Answer 33. Research is clear that early childhood education is
important and can help put a child on a path to success. That is why it
is exciting to see so many States invest in and support early education
programs for families. If confirmed, I will work to ensure that States
and school districts are aware of the flexibilities they have under
Federal law to meet their unique needs. I am also aware that the
overwhelming majority of the Federal Government's early childhood
efforts fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health and
Human Services. If confirmed, I will work with that Department as
appropriate to support educators and students throughout the early
grades.
Question 34. According to the 2013 National Survey of Early Care
and Education, the median wage for center-based early childcare staff
was $9.30 an hour, or about $19,000 a year. This means child care
workers on average make less than parking lot attendants, manicurists,
and massage therapists. One amazingly dedicated worker I met told me
she had to choose between paying for food and her medicine. This
problem is repeated in Head Start as well. We say that children are our
most valuable resource, so we should be paying the individuals who take
care of them accordingly. I believe high quality early learning
opportunities for all children are critical for success later in life--
if children learn more now, they'll earn more later. What will you do
to help increase wages for our child care and early childhood
workforce?
Answer 34. This issue falls primarily under the responsibility and
jurisdiction of the Department of Health and Human Services, so I would
respectfully defer to that agency. If confirmed, I will work with that
Department as appropriate to improve coordination between our two
agencies so we can help States and local school district maximize their
Federal resources more efficiently.
Question 35. Given the critical need for more access to more high
quality early learning services, how will you work to strengthen and
expand our system of early learning so more children can receive high
quality supports?
Answer 35. This issue falls under the responsibility and
jurisdiction of the Department of Health and Human Services so I would
respectfully defer to that agency. If confirmed, I will work with that
Department as appropriate to support educators and students throughout
the early grades.
Question 36. Early childhood educators--including those working in
publicly funded preschools--are often paid less than their equally
qualified counterparts in K-12. Do you believe the pursuit of
compensation parity is important? If yes, how would you support States
to promote and implement policies that support it?
Answer 36. This issue falls primarily under the responsibility and
jurisdiction of the Department of Health and Human Services so I would
respectfully defer to that agency. If confirmed, I will work with that
Department as appropriate to improve coordination between our two
agencies so we can help States and local school district maximize their
Federal resources more efficiently.
Question 37. Please describe whether you will support policies that
support access to a regular high school diploma for the overwhelming
majority of students with disabilities? What steps will you take to
uphold the ESSA definition of ``regular high school diploma'' as it
relates to students with disabilities? Describe under what conditions
you believe a lesser, non-regular diploma should be provided to
students with disabilities.
Answer 37. ESSA appropriately assumes the vast majority of students
can obtain a regular high school diploma and requires States to
incorporate graduation rates into State accountability systems. ESSA
also acknowledges students with the most significant cognitive
disabilities assessed using the alternate assessment aligned to
alternate academic achievement standards may be awarded State-
determined alternate diplomas. If confirmed, I will work to implement
these provisions of ESSA.
Question 38. As our next Education Secretary, what would your
priorities be regarding ESSA implementation?
Answer 38. If confirmed, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
implementation will be one of my top priorities. I will work with this
committee and stakeholders around the country to ensure implementation
is carried out as the law was written. I would like to encourage States
and local school districts to innovate and think outside the box on how
better to improve education in their local communities.
Question 39. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a
scientifically valid framework for creating and sustaining educational
systems that are responsive to the needs of each learner, including the
students in the many subgroups that are referenced in the Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA), by offering multiple ways of engaging students,
representing information and demonstrations of mastery. ESSA recognizes
UDL as a best practice in numerous sections of the law. It is the
umbrella which encompasses many other strategies such as personalized
learning and is the underpinning for the successful implementation of
other strategies, such as multi-tiered systems of support and positive
behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS). What would you do to
encourage States to implement UDL in a robust way to ensure that the
diversity inherent in all learners is addressed?
Answer 39. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies can be an
effective tool for ensuring educational systems are appropriately
tailored to the needs of all students. The Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA) encourages States and school districts to utilize UDL strategies
where appropriate. If confirmed, I will work with States and school
districts to ensure they understand the flexibilities they have under
ESSA to implement UDL and other strategies to support all learners.
Question 40. In November 2015 the Department issued guidance
indicating that the Individualized Education Program (IEP) of a student
with a disability must contain annual IEP goals that ``are aligned with
the State academic content standards for the grade in which [the] child
is enrolled,'' and must
``include the specially designed instruction necessary to
address the unique needs of the child that result from the
child's disability and ensure access of the child to the
general education curriculum, so that the child can meet the
State academic content standards that apply to all children.''
How will you uphold this guidance and ensure IEP teams around the
country are ensuring students with disabilities access to general
education?
Answer 40. If confirmed, I will carefully review all existing
guidance to ensure that guidance is helpful to States, local school
districts, teachers, school personnel, and others who implement Federal
education law.
Question 41. What is the role of Federal funding, including formula
funds and discretionary grants, in supporting schools serving large
numbers of low-income students and students of color?
Answer 41. While Federal funding makes up a relatively small
percentage of all education funding, the purpose of most Federal
education funding is to support our Nation's most vulnerable children.
I believe we can do better, though, in giving States and school
districts sufficient flexibility to use those funds to best support the
students the funding is intended to serve. If confirmed, I look forward
to working with the committee to determine how best to utilize Federal
resources to support student learning.
Question 42. The College Scorecard, released in September 2015 by
the Obama administration, provided new data which could potentially be
accountability measures for institutions of higher education. Data in
the College Scorecard was from numerous data sets across the Federal
Government and contained no personally identifiable information. if
confirmed, will you continue to release the College Scorecard in its
current form? Will you commit to maintaining public access to all of
the data that is currently available on the College Scorecard? If not,
please indicate which data items you plan to eliminate and your
reasoning for why you do not believe students and taxpayers should be
able to access each data point.
Answer 42. If confirmed, I will review the information that the
Department currently collects from institutions and evaluate how that
data aligns with requirements in the Higher Education Act, including
determining what additional information may be necessary. Further, I
will ensure that the information provided conforms with the
requirements of the Higher Education Act for the College Navigator and
college cost information.
Question 43. Do you believe everyone should be able to go to
college? Yes or no. If no, who do you think should not be able to go to
college? If no, who do you believe should choose who should not go to
college?
Answer 43. Yes, I believe everyone should have the opportunity to
pursue a college education if they believe it is the most appropriate
post-secondary education option for them. I also believe greater access
to high-quality career and technical education is needed, and that we
need to explore other innovative post-secondary education options.
Students should have a wide range of post-secondary options so they can
identify the most appropriate opportunity for them.
Question 44. Not all students who enter post-secondary education do
so on an equal academic, financial, or emotional footing. Those who
start with greater deficits will need more assistance to reach their
potential. How will the Department of Education under your leadership
work to advance and promote equitable outcomes among disparately
impacted populations?
Answer 44. If confirmed, I will work with this committee to ensure
that all students have an equal opportunity for educational success.
This has been my life's work in Michigan and around the country. I
believe this starts by providing all students with an equal opportunity
for a quality elementary and secondary education, so that fewer
students enter post-secondary education needing remedial instruction.
If confirmed, I also look forward to working with this committee to
explore ways to provide support to students who have been poorly served
by the elementary and secondary system.
Question 45. Do you believe that liberal arts education, which
cultivates knowledge that informs active citizenship, is at risk of
becoming a domain restricted to highly selective private universities?
Do you believe the Federal Government should support students that
choose to enter into a liberal arts program?
Answer 45. I believe liberal arts education plays a vital role in
our society and that all students need access to an education that
prepares them for a career and to be engaged and informed members of
society. One of the great things about our higher education system is
that the Federal Government supports a broad array of post-secondary
choices. What President Trump and I agree is students should be given
good information to be able to make those choices wisely. We do not
force students into one-size-fits-all education models or instructional
programs.
Question 46. The education, employment, and community outcomes for
individuals with intellectual disability (ID) have historically been
bleak in our country, with the vast majority living in poverty and
relegated to subminimum wage jobs in sheltered workshops, or living at
home with aging parents and little opportunity for productive work or
activities. Prior to 2008, a number of higher education programs for
students with ID had sprung up around the country, but there was no
Federal financial aid or federally funded technical assistance, and
there were no model programs to encourage the expansion of this
important educational movement. The Higher Education Opportunity Act
(HEOA) enacted in 2008 created exciting opportunities for students with
ID to access certain forms of Federal financial aid, and authorized new
model Transition and Post-Secondary Programs for Students with
Intellectual Disabilities (TPSIDs). A National Coordinating Center
(NCC) was also authorized to provide technical assistance and
evaluation of the TPSID projects and to develop model accreditation
standards for such programs. According to a recent count, we now have
246 higher education programs in the United States, including new model
programs due to the HEOA. As colleges and universities open their doors
to students with ID, these individuals are experiencing substantially
better outcomes in employment, social engagement, and community living.
TPSIDs have been funded since fiscal year 2010 and the National
Coordinating Center evaluation is showing very positive results,
including favorable exit outcomes. For instance, the percentage of
students who were engaged in employment or career development within 90
days of program exit has increased from 30 percent in fiscal year 2010
to 76 percent in fiscal year 2015. Will you support the continuation of
TPSID model demonstration programs and a National Coordinating Center
in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act? Will you support
continued funding for the TPSIDs and NCC?
Answer 46. You correctly point out the challenges students with
intellectual disabilities (ID) have faced in pursuing post-secondary
education opportunities and employment. If confirmed, I will work with
the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions to
ensure students with 1D have opportunities to pursue education and
work. I will work with this committee and stakeholders to review all
our efforts to support students with ID, including through the TPSID
program, to ensure we strengthen successful efforts to improve student
outcomes.
Question 47. Students with disabilities are graduating high school
at higher rates than ever before and going on to higher education.
Unfortunately, their graduation rate from college still lags behind
students without disabilities. What will you do to ensure higher
education is more accessible and responsive to the needs of students
with disabilities? What will you do to help raise the graduation rate
for students with disabilities?
Answer 47. If confirmed, I will work with the Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office for Civil Rights,
leaders of the higher education community, and representatives of the
disability community to ensure that students receive the services and
accommodations they are entitled to under Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, and
will learn more about what the Department could do better to help
colleges and universities meet the needs of students with disabilities
on their campuses.
Question 48. With regard to the ongoing application process for the
new student loan servicing contract, what will you do to ensure that
this process proceeds smoothly so that loan servicing is not disrupted
when current contracts expire in 2019?
Answer 48. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing existing
policies and procedures currently underway at the Office of Federal
Student Aid, comparing them to efficiencies used in the financial
sectors, and implementing policies that ensure students and borrowers
are receiving quality treatment and care that is responsive to
individual needs while maintaining proper protections for taxpayers.
Question 49. In his New Deal for Black America, President-elect
Trump has indicated that he will ensure funding for Historically Black
Colleges and Universities, which for over 100 years have played a major
role in educating disadvantaged minorities for the workforce and
leadership roles in society. Can you explain what this commitment means
and how this will be achieved?
Answer 49. President Trump acknowledges the important role
Historically Black Colleges and Universities play in helping our
country's youth achieve their dreams of a post-secondary education.
These institutions should be commended for all the good work they
accomplish. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you and other
Members of Congress to engage this community and help strengthen their
efforts.
Question 50. Since graduate students no longer qualify for
subsidized Stafford Loans, taking on student debt to pursue an advance
degree has become challenging. Borrowers who plan to utilize Public
Service Loan Forgiveness commit to a career of service for America
while paying their loans on an income-driven plan. Can you guarantee
that you will not support policies that will increase costs for
graduate students or increase the burden of their student debt?
Answer 50. I am very concerned about the rising costs of college.
And I recognize the importance of graduate education. If confirmed as
Secretary, I hope to put forward policies that will help lower student
debt while also increasing access to post-secondary education,
including graduate education. I look forward to a robust discussion on
these issues during the upcoming reauthorization of the HEA.
Question 51. While the first recipients of the Public Service Loan
Forgiveness program will receive the benefits of the program in late
2017, it will be important to track this first group's progress of how
they maintained their payments during these past 10 years and to take
steps to address any confusion that may arise when borrowers submit the
complex forms required for forgiveness and determine which payments
qualified. Will you commit to reaching out to public service entities
and borrowers who have submitted any PSLF documents in the past to
provide them with guidance and support?
Answer 51. If confirmed, I will ensure that the Department is
appropriately answering any technical assistance request we receive
from entities or individuals interested in learning more about the
Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
Question 52. In the 2015-16 school year, 46 States recorded
spending less per student for higher education than they did at the
start of the recession. Thus, tuition costs at 4-year public colleges
have risen by 33 percent since 2008. Prior to these tuition increases,
studies identified that the share of students coming from communities
of color at public 2- and 4-year colleges had risen significantly. In a
study conducted at New York University, researchers found that with all
else equal, a $1,000 tuition increase for full-time undergraduate
students is associated with a decrease in campus diversity of almost 6
percent. Do you believe that higher education today is reinforcing
economic inequality? What will you do to reverse this trend toward
excluding lower and middle income people from higher education?
Answer 52. It takes a partnership between the Federal Government,
States, institutions of higher learning, and families to ensure post-
secondary education remains affordable. If confirmed, I will work with
States to ensure that they are holding up their part of the bargain.
Additionally, I look forward to working with you and your
colleagues on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions on reauthorization of the Higher Education Act to ensure that
the Federal student aid programs are flexible enough to meet the law's
goals of providing students with access to post-secondary education.
Question 53. Data show that 70 percent of Income-Based Repayment
participants and 83 percent of Pay As You Earn participants earned less
than $20,000 per year. How will you ensure that students do not default
on their Federal loans, and how will you expand these repayment plans
for those from low-income backgrounds?
Answer 53. If confirmed, I will work to ensure all students are
aware of all the benefits, including the numerous repayment plans,
associated with their Federal student loans. I will also look forward
to working with you and your colleagues to move forward with President
Trump's campaign proposal to create a new income-driven repayment plan
that will cap borrowers' repayment at 12.5 percent of their
discretionary income and offer loan forgiveness after 15 years.
Question 54. I have heard from many constituents who are deeply
concerned over the future of individuals protected under the Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. These young individuals
who are protected under the DACA program were brought to the country as
children by their parents, have never been in trouble with the law, and
are frequently pursuing education or productively contributing to
society. What would you do to reassure these young people they have
nothing to fear and that they will be able to remain a vital part of
the fabric of our Nation?
Question 55. If the Trump Administration rescinds the DACA
policies, do you have a plan for DACA recipients who are currently
pursuing higher education to remain at their institutions, continue
with their education, work to support themselves, and, if applicable,
maintain residency for in-State tuition and State financial aid? Please
describe how you plan to address this issue.
Answers 54-55. Enforcement of our Nation's immigration laws falls
under the responsibility and jurisdiction of the Department of Justice
and the Department of Homeland Security so I would respectfully defer
to those agencies.
Question 56. What do you see as the necessary supports for
providing a well-rounded education for our Nation's children, including
music and arts, in our Nation's schools--be they district or charter
schools? And what role does the Federal Government play in insuring
those supports are available for all students and in all schools?
Question 57. According to a recent National Endowment for the Arts
(NEA), only 26 percent of Hispanics ages 18-24 surveyed reported
getting any arts education, in comparison to 28 percent of African
Americans and 59 percent of whites. Further, 3.9 million public
elementary school students do not have access to visual arts classes
and 1.3 million public elementary school students have no access to
music classes. What policy measures can be put in place to create
access for more minorities to receive a music and arts education?
Answers 56-57. In general, I believe it is best to defer to the
judgment of State and local officials about how to implement education
policies. If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share data,
best practices, and strong research from the Department of Education
with State and local officials so they can adapt it to their needs. But
I also hope States and local leaders will think outside the box and
innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing educational problems.
Regarding arts and music education, I agree they can be an important
part of a well-rounded education and hope that local education leaders
can find new ways to expand student opportunities in these areas,
particularly with the greater flexibility provided to States and local
school districts.
Question 58. How do you propose to ensure that the rights of
lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender students' under Title IX of the
Education Amendments Act and students with disabilities under Section
504 of the Rehab Act and Title II of the ADA aren't violated?
Question 59*. In the last fiscal year, the OCR continued to face an
increasing number of complaints from students who attend schools that
may have violated their civil rights, while at the same time working
with a very low number of staff to handle enforcement. Under your
leadership, will the Dept. continue to pursue the many complaints and
compliance reviews that will be pending with OCR at the time of the
transition between administrations? Will you prioritize funding for
this critical office?
Answers 58-59. The Office for Civil Rights has an important mission
to play in enforcing the law. If confirmed, I will ensure that the
Department enforces the law appropriately to protect all of our
Nation's students. I will look closely at the budget of the Department
of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer dollars when
proposing budgets for future fiscal years.
Question 60. The Office of Civil Rights Civil Rights Data
Collection has provided parents, educators, and policymakers with
invaluable data on critical issues that impact a student's access to a
meaningful education. Do you support the continuation of this
collection? If yes, please explain how you will ensure that this data
is provided to parents & public in a transparent way, and how you will
use the findings to inform policy decisions. If no, how do you intend
to provide parents, educators and policymakers with data on key issues?
Answer 60. If confirmed, I will carefully review all existing data
collections conducted by the Department to ensure that they serve as a
helpful tool and provide meaningful information.
Question 61. Over the last 8 years, OCR has enhanced transparency
by posting on its website many more resolution agreements and letters,
policy guidance documents, technical assistance materials and
information about OCR's enforcement processes. Will you commit to
continuing such transparency in the Department's publications and
online resources so that Congress and the public can readily track the
Department's enforcement of each anti-discrimination law?
Answer 61. I believe in transparency and accountability. If
confirmed, I will carefully examine this issue before making such a
commitment, but I look forward to discussing this with you after I have
studied this further.
Question 62. How should charter schools be monitored by the
Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights for compliance with
the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act? Should charter schools be held to different
standards for compliance than traditional public schools? If so, why?
What should be the standard for compliance for charter schools and how
do you legally justify such a difference?
Answer 62. Charter schools are public schools and are subject to
the same standards of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities
Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act as traditional public
schools.
Question 63. The Rehabilitation Services Administration is located
within the U.S. Department of Education and implements the multi-
billion dollar Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program that helps adults
with disabilities obtain employment and access independent living
supports. Despite its budget, not every eligible adult can access VR
services. Moreover, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the
unemployment rate for adults with disabilities is 10 percent compared
to the general population rate of 4.2 percent. What specific actions
will you take to increase the employment rate of adults with
disabilities?
Answer 63. I believe the underemployment of individuals with
disabilities speaks volumes about low expectations. If confirmed, I am
interested in working with Congress, States, and other stakeholders to
conduct a complete examination of the VR programs to improve
effectiveness and efficiency.
Question 64. In recent years, Congress has made significant
progress toward preparing youth and young adults with disabilities to
succeed in the 21st century workforce. The workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (WIOA) was a shining example of bi-partisan legislation
that will empower a future generation of workers with disabilities.
Although, we can't ignore the millions of older working age adults who
find themselves faced with an age-related disability like blindness or
significant hearing loss, and who do not have the resources to retire
early or sustain themselves on our safety net programs. To this end,
are you committed to strengthening our rehabilitation system in a
manner that provides opportunity for the millions of Americans who have
worked hard their entire life, but find their labors threatened by the
onset of an age-related disability? If so, what pathways do you
envision as a solution through the department's Rehabilitation Services
Administration?
Answer 64. If confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to working
with Congress, the Department of Health and Human Services, the
Department of Labor, States, and other stakeholders to review ways to
increase access to services and materials for individuals with age-
related disabilities.
Question 65. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services has promoted inclusion, equity and opportunity. Please explain
whether you intend to uphold this focus and what changes in direction,
if any, you envision. Additionally, please explain how your policy
direction will embrace these areas.
Answer 65. I agree that inclusion, equity, and opportunity are
important principles in working with individuals with disabilities. If
confirmed, I will review the actions and guidance of the Office of
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and determine what, if
any, changes need to be made. I will also consult with the President's
nominees for Assistant Secretary and Commissioner of Rehabilitation
Services when nominated.
Question 66. In 2014, the Department of Education announced a
revised accountability system called Results-Driven Accountability
(RDA), which the Department would shift its accountability efforts from
a primary emphasis on compliance to a framework that would focus on
improved results for students with disabilities. RDA emphasizes student
outcomes such as performance on assessments and graduation rates.
Should the Department maintain its focus on outcomes for students with
disabilities through RDA, or do you think the Department should
discontinue RDA? Why or why not? If the Department discontinues RDA,
will it continue to hold States and school districts accountable for
the outcomes of students with disabilities? How? If the Department
maintains RDA, how will it hold States and school districts accountable
for the outcomes of students with disabilities?
Answer 66. I believe in accountability for all students, including
students with disabilities. If confirmed, I will review the actions and
guidance of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
and determine what, if any, changes need to be made.
Question 67. Following a 2012 Government Accountability Office
report, various Federal agencies have acknowledged that they must
better coordinate programs to support the needs of individuals with
disabilities. This will require deliberate, strategic program
alignment. Please explain how you intend to further this necessary
work.
Answer 67. If confirmed, I will review the 2012 GAO Report. But in
general I agree government needs to improve its efforts to support the
needs of people with disabilities. I look forward to working with my
colleagues to find ways that the Trump Administration can improve those
services and help Americans with disabilities thrive.
Question 68. Historically, the Personnel Preparation program,
funded through the Office of Special Education Programs, has had a
demonstrated impact on increasing the number of special education
teachers produced in States. Additionally, this program has produced
thousands of special education faculty members who are responsible for
preparing special education teachers and conducting the intervention
work that has been so vital to schools. Do you believe that funding for
this program should be continued at its current level and even
increased? Will you work with the President and Congress to ensure that
funds available for this program are maintained at current levels or
increased?
Answer 68. If confirmed I will work with Congress to evaluate
effective ways to increase the number of qualified special education
teachers. Having an effective teacher is essential to student success.
Question 69. As you may be aware, the House and Senate came close
last Congress to passing a reauthorization of the Perkins Career &
Technical Education Act, which I spent a great deal of time working on.
We were able to get agreement on a lot of positive areas like greater
employer involvement, streamlined requirements for participating
schools, support for innovation, and greater supports for individuals
with disabilities. We were unable to agree on the issue of secretarial
authority. Like many in PA, I believe that the Secretary of Education
should maintain oversight of State CTE performance targets that has
existed in Perkins for decades. Do you have any ideas on how we can
further enhance the areas of agreement I've outlined above?
Answer 69. Career and technical education programs are vital for
many students who need the skills to enter into quality employment upon
completion of their program. As such, if confirmed, I look forward to
working with you, the committee, and the Congress as the debate to
reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act
unfolds.
Question 70. Some in the manufacturing community say there are many
jobs that could come back to the United States, if the United States
had a workforce with the baseline academic and nonacademic skills
needed to be trained in new technologies. How can the Department of
Education under your tenure provide leadership in this area?
Answer 70. As a proponent of local control, I believe that those
closest to student and to the needs of regional economies have the best
knowledge about the types of training needed to close the skills gap.
If confirmed as Secretary, I would welcome the opportunity to work with
Congress as you reauthorize the Perkins Career and Technical Education
Act. Additionally, as Secretary I can share data, best practices, and
strong research with State and local officials so they can adapt it to
their particular needs. But I also hope that States and local leaders
will think outside the box and innovate, looking for new solutions to
vexing educational problems. if I can be a resource to help as
Secretary, I would welcome that opportunity.
Question 71. Today's global economy demands investment in a highly
qualified and technical workforce. While more women are working more
than ever before, they tend to be overwhelmingly clustered in low-wage,
low-skill jobs. In many high-wage, high-skill fields, women's
representation falls well below the 25 percent threshold. Equitable
opportunity to high-wage, high-skill fields is critical to ensuring
that the United States remains competitive and continues to meet the
needs of the Nation's evolving high-tech workplaces. The Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act includes critical gender
equity provisions intended to increase the number of women in
nontraditional careers. How do you plan to enforce performance measures
and ensure States are taking aggressive steps to increase women's
enrollment and completion in nontraditional careers?
Answer 71. I agree reauthorization of the Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act is an important priority, and, if confirmed, I
look forward to working with the Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions along with other interested Members of Congress to
update and improve the law. I believe we should work to align Federal
laws to ensure consistency across programs, reduce duplication and
unnecessary requirements, and provide a seamless set of policies. It is
also important to provide flexibility at the State and local level so
local officials on the ground can create and run programs educate
students to attain the skills needed to work in those in-demand jobs.
Finally, I support transparency of data so parents, students, and other
taxpayers can see how well their programs are working.
Question 72. Given your limited managerial experience with public
school systems and higher education, if confirmed, will you commit to
appointing undersecretaries and assistant secretaries with deep
experience working in and managing public school systems and
institutions of higher education?
Answer 72. Leadership skills and experience are transferrable. If
confirmed, I commit to putting a team of highly capable and experienced
individuals together to work on behalf of all students of all ages and
life-stages.
Question 73. As Secretary, will you commit to strengthening and
investing in the public system--and keeping it public?
Answer 73. I am a strong supporter of public education, and will
continue to look for ways to support and strengthen our public schools
so that all children receive a high quality education. In addition, I
support great schools in all forms--public, nonpublic, magnet, home,
religious, and virtual. If confirmed, I will work with States to
increase educational opportunities to ensure that all students have
equal access to a quality education.
Question 74. A recent report indicated that, in Michigan, special
education students in both Michigan's traditional public schools and
Michigan's charter schools made significantly smaller gains in
proficiency in reading and math than students not receiving special
education services. But charter school students with disabilities made
significantly smaller gains in both reading and math than did students
at traditional public schools. Why do these disparities exist in
Michigan? Do you think these disparities are a problem? Why or why not?
What, if anything, should the Department of Education do about such
disparities in academic achievement between special education students
in charter schools and special education students in traditional public
schools?
Answer 74. The enrollment percentage of special education students
in Detroit is 16 percent in DPS and 9 percent in charter schools, with
roughly 1,100 (or 10 percent of special education students) enrolled in
center-based programs outside of DPS or charter buildings. The
statewide average is 11.8 percent.
While proficiency rates of special education students at DPS
schools and in charters are very similar, data from the 2015 CREDO
study showed smaller learning gains for special education students in
charters when compared to DPS, and it was the only subgroup to have
this performance. This was the first known comparison of these
particular students, and we're looking forward to a deeper dive into
this particular issue.
As you know, each child with a disability faces unique
circumstances and Individualized Education Programs vary for each
child. It's entirely possible that the future reports of the study will
show that these problems have been corrected. We also know that
academic progress can take time. Sometimes students do not make
progress in the year when they change a school, only to make dramatic
improvements in future years after they have acclimated. Other times
the school proves not to be a good fit, and the parents decide to move
their child to another school.
However, if confirmed, I would work with the State of Michigan to
maintain vigilance on this issue, and encourage them to include this in
their monitoring and enforcement systems to ensure that students with
disabilities are being provided the services they need to make
appropriate learning gains.
Question 75. What do you think are some of the main challenges
faced by teachers in today's classrooms? What about the teaching
profession as a whole? What do you think would be the best strategy for
improving teachers skills so that they are better able to drive student
learning?
Answer 75. Educating, training and preparing great teachers is
critical work. All students, including our special education students,
deserve effective teachers to help them achieve and succeed. If
confirmed, I will work with States, universities, colleges of education
and other stakeholders to ensure we have a strong pipeline of well-
prepared and effective teachers to meet the important demands of
today's student population. We must also strive to attract new teachers
to the workforce to address the teacher shortage in urban and rural
schools.
Question 76. Teacher turnover is a significant problem in many
high-need schools and high-need fields. Research tells us that a large
degree of teacher turnover has a negative impact on student
performance. As Secretary of Education, how would you envision reducing
teacher turnover and extending the retention of teachers in the
profession so that our workforce is more experienced, particularly for
high-need schools and students?
Answer 76. I agree that reducing teacher turnover is an important
part of improving educational outcomes for students and I look forward
to further conversations with stakeholders. As a proponent of local
control, I believe State and local officials know best how to implement
policies to improve teacher recruitment and retention. If confirmed I
would welcome the opportunity to share data, best practices, and strong
research from the Department of Education and other agencies with State
and local officials so they can adapt it to their particular needs. But
I also hope that States and local leaders will think outside the box
and innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing educational problems.
Question 77. Do you think teachers are paid too much or too little?
Why? Do you think paying teachers more for their work would change the
profession? Why or why not?
Answer 77. Teacher compensation is a decision made at the local
level. I would certainly encourage local school districts to use their
resources wisely and pay teachers what they can within the constraints
of their budgets.
Question 78. Under what circumstances do you believe a school or
college receiving Federal funds would not be required to follow parts
or all of title IX, which bans discrimination against students and
educational professions on the basis of their gender? Please provide
facts, legislative history, statute, regulation, and public policy
reasons that support your answer.
Answer 78. Schools that receive Federal funds must comply with
Federal laws. But in some cases institutions may choose to use the
exemption that is provided in the statute to exempt themselves from
title IX or parts of it. If confirmed, I will enforce the laws under
the jurisdiction of the Department of Education.
Question 79. If the Department receives a complaint from a
transgender student that she has been bullied severely at her school
after coming out as transgender, and the student and her family asked
the school repeatedly and the school did nothing about the bullying,
and the student is now suffering every day and struggling in classes--
is that a case the Department should investigate for possible
violations of title IX?
Answer 79. Bullying and harassment of any student should not be
tolerated. Schools should be an environment of learning and, if
confirmed, I will work with the First Lady, who has indicated she
intends to make this issue a priority, and State and local school
officials to prevent bullying and harassment.
If a school is failing to protect any student from bullying and
harassment and a complaint is made to OCR, I would expect that office
to investigate as required under the law.
While the focus on bullying is important, it is also important to
focus on encouraging positive behavior. Simply put, let's share best
practices which encourage students to be kind, civil and treat everyone
with dignity and respect.
Question 80. How will you work with States, LEAs and schools to
ensure that they have the resources necessary to support the work of
title IX coordinators through training, education, and outreach to
students and employees about title IX?
Answer 80. I will look closely at the budget of the Department of
Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer dollars to
programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal years.
Question 81. Are you in favor of expanding the Child Care Access
Means Parents In School program, which provides childcare grants for
colleges with high concentrations of student parents?
Answer 81. I will look closely at the budget of the Department of
Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer dollars to
programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal years, and will
consider carefully the financial needs of students and parents.
Question 82. If a student enrolled in a virtual school requires
behavioral interventions, how is this need addressed and who is
responsible for ensuring effective implementation of interventions?
When a student's disability requires related services such as speech or
occupational therapy, who is responsible for paying for this and
providing the services and how? When a student with a disability
requires accommodations to access an online learning environment, who
is responsible for providing the accommodations and ensuring access?
Answer 82. All public schools are obligated to provide special
education and related services to IDEA-eligible students. This includes
virtual public schools. Like any other school, the virtual school would
work with parents as part of an IEP process to determine what services
the child needs, how they will be provided, and who will provide them.
And the IEP team would periodically review the services to ensure the
child is making appropriate progress. Parents that have chosen a
virtual public school are entitled to the same IDEA protections as any
other child.
Question 83. Public education is one of the cornerstones of our
Nation. Public schools serve students of all economic, geographic,
ethnic, religious, gender, and racial backgrounds. History has shown
that American public schools are a significant unifying factor in our
society, bringing together students of diverse backgrounds. What are
your top three priorities for strengthening public education in the
United States?
Answer 83. As a strong supporter of public schools, I will use
evidence-based best practices to encourage strong accountability, high
achievement, and successful school leaders and teachers. While in
general I believe it is best to defer judgment to State and local
officials about how best to improve public education, if confirmed, I
will welcome the opportunity to share data and good research from the
Department of Education with State and local officials looking to
improve educational opportunities.
Questions 84. What accountability measures or quality controls
would you recommend regarding where vouchers may be used, such as only
at schools with proven records of success?
Question 85. You have advocated to allow for title I dollars to be
used for private school vouchers. I strongly oppose this idea and
during ESEA reauthorization, it was an idea that was not supported by
Congress and left out of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Will you
respect the will of Congress and agree not to pursue, in any form, a
policy that Congress has explicitly rejected including shifting title I
dollars to private vouchers?
Question 86. If for whatever reason, a student leaves a private
school whose tuition was paid for, at least in part, with Federal
funding, before finishing out the academic school year, should the
school be required to return the remaining money? If no, why not?
Question 87. If a school voucher program was enacted at the State
or Federal level, what oversight would your Department of Education
recommend so as to ensure that students with disabilities, students of
minority faiths and no faith, and LGBT students receive the same legal
protections they would be afforded in public schools?
Answers 84-87. President Trump has made a robust school choice
proposal a centerpiece of his platform, and, if confirmed, I look
forward to working with you on our proposal and hope to convince you to
support the legislation. When we have more details I look forward to
meeting with you to discuss the proposal and see if we can develop a
consensus.
Question 88. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
strengthened the Rehabilitation Act to increase emphasis on employer
involvement in the vocational rehabilitation program. WIOA added a new
section that permits State vocational rehabilitation agencies to use
their Federal grants to target relationships with employers. Based on
your experience as an employer and the laws protecting the employment
rights of people with disabilities, what recommendations do you have
for the vocational rehabilitation program to improve outreach and
services to employers?
Answer 88. From my experience as an employer, I have found working
with local business and civic groups to inform employers is a good way
to create greater awareness of vocational rehabilitation programs.
Question 89. Youth with disabilities are often denied the
opportunities to learn job skills through work in their youth and early
adulthood, leading to unemployment and underemployment throughout their
lives. How would your Department engage youth with disabilities in pre-
employment opportunities that will lead to successful transitions from
school to work or higher education? How would you ensure that the
public workforce system fully integrates people with disabilities,
especially youth with disabilities, into the economic development of
regional economies?
Answer 89. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is
very disturbing and something President Trump and I, if confirmed,
would like to work with Congress to find bipartisan solutions to remedy
at the pre-employment and employment levels.
Question 90. How will you ensure that sufficient resources are
allocated for States and programs to successfully implement the
programmatic changes required by Title II of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act?
Answer 90. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal years.
Question 91. Will you pledge to protect and expand the Pell Grant
which has been such a bedrock support for first generation and low-
income college students?
Answer 91. I look forward to working with you, the Senate Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Congress during the
debate of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act to ensure
that the Federal role of access remains a core goal of that law.
Question 92. What are your views on the current title IV student
aid programs? Will you seek to make changes to any of these programs
either through the budget/appropriations process or reauthorization
process?
Answer 92. The Federal aid program includes several areas of
confusion, first among them is the number of repayment options, and
number of income-driven repayment options. If confirmed, I look forward
to working with you to reduce the confusion in the Federal aid system,
including repayment options, so that students and families may better
understand and navigate the programs and to provide borrowers with the
opportunity to repay their loans at reasonable amount for a reasonable
period of time.
Question 93. The Institute of Education Sciences (IES), provides
rigorous and independent research and evaluation on our Nation's
education programs. What are your views on IES and will you pledge to
support it?
Answer 93. This is an important component of the Department of
Education, and serves a valuable role in providing high-quality
research to benefit the country. If confirmed, I look forward to
finding ways to help translate that research into effective practice.
Question 94. What specific actions do you believe could be taken to
improve struggling rural schools?
Answer 94. Clearly, more can be done to support rural schools. Many
of our rural communities have not shared in the same economic
prosperity of our urban and suburban areas. Schools serving these
communities and populations continue to face unique challenges,
including, but not limited to, resources, staffing, and services for
students.
I am pleased with the steps Congress took under the Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA) to reauthorize the Rural Education Assistance
Program (REAP) and other provisions in the law to provide more
flexibility to rural school districts in how they apply and compete
for, as well as combine and utilize, Federal funding to meet local
needs. I look forward to helping States and rural school districts
fully take advantage of the change in the law.
More and more, technology can bring greater and richer content to
classrooms, both rural and urban. Access to the requisite
infrastructure to enable these innovations is an important conversation
for the current Administration and Congress.
It is my understanding, that even at the U.S. Department of
Education, competitive grants often ignore the realities of rural areas
or unintentionally exclude them based on their requirements.
Question 95. The Kirwan Report issued in 2013 presents views on the
regulation of higher education as well as specific policy
recommendations. What plans, if any, do you have for implementing or
supporting congressional action based on the recommendations included
in the report?
Answer 95. I applaud the bipartisan group of Senators that put
together this Commission and the work that the Commission did. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with the committee to develop a
specific plan for implementation of these recommendations, as well as
reviewing and evaluating those items the report identifies the
Department can address on its own.
Question 96. There have been policy proposals from within the Trump
administration that suggest privatizing the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting (CPB). The CPB plays a critical role in supporting public
television across Pennsylvania and the Nation. Given the overlap
between the Department of Education and CPB, do you support
privatization?
Answer 96. I would respectfully refer you to Congressman Mulvaney,
President Trump's nominee for the Office of Management and Budget, for
any answer to that question.
senator franken
Question 1. In your 2001 comments at the Christian philanthropist's
conference, ``The Gathering,'' you said that the work you were doing to
change the education system in the United States would lead to
``greater Kingdom gain in the long run.'' What did you mean by this and
what do you believe to be the role of religion in the taxpayer-funded
U.S.-public education system?
Answer 1. My faith is very important to me and informs my work. In
education, it teaches me that every child is special and deserves the
best we can offer them. That said, I do not believe in imposing my
faith on others and, if confirmed, I will implement the laws as
intended by Congress. That includes the provisions about the
prohibition against religious instruction in schools.
Question 2. Given that one in five youth between the ages of 13-18
have or will have a serious mental illness, mental health is one of the
country's most pressing unmet needs. The Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA) that became law last year included provisions to increase access
to mental health services in schools. If you are confirmed by the
Senate, what can the Department of Education do to support school
districts that are trying to expand mental health services at the local
level?
Answer 2. Mental health is an important issue many families,
schools, and communities struggle with. Provisions in the Every Student
Succeeds Act, such as the Full Service Community Schools, is just one
example of how the new law can help local school officials and families
address the issues facing their children, such as mental health issues.
Another is through the Student Support and Academic Enrichment
Grants which provides funding for local districts to utilize funding to
address the needs in their schools. This funding could be used to
provide critical support for mental health issues. If confirmed, I
intend to implement the law as written and I look forward to working
with Congress to do so.
Question 3. Children in foster care often change schools when they
move between foster homes--this can have a devastating impact on their
education. There are an estimated 260,000 children of school-age in
foster care. They often are victims of abuse or neglect, have been
separated from their parents and siblings, and have been taken into
custody of the child welfare system and placed in unfamiliar new
families and neighborhoods. An estimated 56 to 75 percent of them
change schools when they first enter into foster care. Data show that
more than one-third of the 17- or 18-year-olds in foster care have
experienced five or more school changes. A General Accountability
Office (GAO) study found that changing schools negatively affects
student academic outcomes. In fact, foster youth score significantly
lower than their peers on standardized tests and drop out of school at
higher rates. A stable educational experience is essential for children
in foster care. School may be the only stable familiar connection they
have. In June 2016, the Department of Education released non-regulatory
guidance on Ensuring Educational Stability for Children in Foster Care.
If confirmed by the Senate, how will you work to increase the
educational stability of and improve educational outcomes for students
in foster care?
Answer 3. Children in foster care face unique challenges in
accessing a high-quality education, and I am eager to help States
continue to develop or improve policies that prove effective at helping
foster students pursue their education.
If confirmed, I will carefully review all existing guidance
documents that are in effect to ensure that guidance from the
Department of Education serves as a helpful tool to States, local
school districts, teachers, school personnel, and others who implement
Federal education law, and not as a hindrance to State and local
efforts to follow the laws as Congress wrote them.
Question 4. We need to make sure that kids have a safe, enriching
place to be afterschool gets out. After school programs play a critical
role in increasing student achievement, keeping students safe, and
helping working families. There are over 100 21st Century Community
Learning Centers across Minnesota that provide high-quality afterschool
enrichment for young people. My amendment to the Every Student Succeeds
Act (ESSA) re-authorized a current program for community learning
centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during
afterschool hours for children, particularly students who attend high-
poverty and low performing schools. If confirmed by the Senate, how do
you plan to support rich and high-quality afterschool learning
experiences for students?
Answer 4. Afterschool programs are critical to the safety and
continued learning for many students. There are many programs offered
by wonderful local community groups and schools that offer valuable
opportunities for learning.
As you noted, the Every Student Succeeds Act included the
reauthorization of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, a
program that helps to provide afterschool services to many children. If
confirmed, I will implement the law as intended and funded by Congress,
including the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program.
Question 5. Many of our Nation's children live in extreme poverty.
Such children may experience physical abuse and neglect, they may have
parents that misuse drugs and alcohol, and they may witness domestic
violence and violence in their neighborhoods. Have you heard of
research on trauma and adverse childhood experiences? Do you know how
it relates to the ability of children to learn?
Answer 5. I have seen estimates that trauma has affected as many as
one in four students attending school. We all know trauma can affect
students in different ways, both silently and outwardly, but can cause
challenges to a child's education in any form. It is important for
families and school officials to be able to recognize the signs of
trauma and access help for students.
Question 6. The Department of Education administers many programs
in K-12 and early childhood education. For example, the STEM Master
Teacher Corps is a program I have championed through legislation that
is now part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This program was
designed to address the shortage of teachers in STEM fields--science,
technology, engineering, and math. Given you will have the ability to
determine funding levels for various programs, which ESSA programs will
you prioritize?
Answer 6. The need for more STEM teachers is important and programs
like the STEM Master Teacher Corps is one way to address that need. If
confirmed, I will implement the law as written by Congress.
Additionally, I will look closely at the budget of the Department
of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer dollars to
programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal years. I look forward
to talking with local school officials and other stakeholders to better
understand the needs in our schools and communities, and to helping
provide support for the activities and programs they need.
Question 7. I have been fighting hard to make college more
affordable and improve college access for all students. Our Federal
student aid programs are what, in large part, make college accessible
for the vast majority of America's college-going youth. What do you
believe are some of the most important Federal student aid programs
that increase access to higher education for populations such as low-
income families, first-generation college students, foster youth, or
single parents? If confirmed by the Senate as Education Secretary, what
will you do to support and expand these programs?
Answer 7. As I understand it, the Higher Education Act (HEA) was
designed with many of the students you mentioned in mind. The goals of
the Federal student aid programs such as grants, loans, and work study
are to ensure access to post-secondary education for traditionally
underserved populations. I think it is important to ensure that these
students understand the programs that are available to them so they can
make informed choices about their post-secondary options. I look
forward to working with you and your colleagues to strengthen the
Federal student aid programs for these very students during the
upcoming reauthorization of the HEA.
Question 8. I have long supported full equality for LGBT
individuals and strongly advocated for protecting LGBT students from
bullying and harassment at school. More than 30 percent of LGBT kids
report missing at least 1 day of school in the previous month because
they felt unsafe. In the hearing you said that you feel that you
believe in equality and that every student should have a right to a
safe education environment. Please explain what you mean by this and
elaborate on your plan to specifically protect LGBT students from being
bullied, harassed, or even physically harmed based on their sexual
orientation and/or gender identity in our public schools.
Answer 8. Like you, I too have long supported equality.
As a parent, I cannot imagine the helplessness, fear, and anger
that parents feel when confronted with the unfortunate reality that
their child is being targeted by these actions and hurt in terrible
ways. This is an issue for all students, including LGBT students,
students with disabilities, and children harassed because of their race
or religion.
If confirmed, I look forward to working with the First Lady's
office on this important issue, as she has indicated this will be a
priority for her. And, I look forward to working with State and local
school officials and parents to help them protect students from
bullying.
Question 9. There has been considerable evidence published over the
years demonstrating that not only are the first 5 years of a child's
life the most important in terms of developmental abilities and
preparing them for school, but it is also the best age range to
``invest'' in and get a rate of return. In particular, Dr. James
Heckman found that for every dollar spent on early childhood education,
there is an $8 return. Former senior vice president and director of
research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, noted economist
and Minnesota early childhood education researcher Art Rolnick has
said,
``We think of early childhood development as economic
development in human capital . . . the public gets a better
return on its investment if government focuses its resources on
human capital (education, especially education in the very
early years) than on physical capital (businesses). The problem
with promoting early childhood development as economic
development is that it is a much longer term project and a much
less visible one than an investment in physical capital.
Investments in early childhood education do not result in a
factory or an office tower or a sports arena. Early childhood
development is mostly invisible to the public and its benefits
are mostly in the distant future.''
In other words, investing in these children is great for the
economy, and the Obama administration (via the Office of Early
Learning) and many Republican and Democratic Governors invested a
considerable amount of new funding to expand and enhance quality
childcare and early childhood development programs. What is your view
on investing in children ages birth to 5, and what would the Office of
Early Learning's priorities be under your leadership?
Answer 9. Research is clear that early childhood education is
important and can help put a child on a path to success. That is why it
is exciting to see so many States invest in and support early education
programs for families.
If confirmed, I look forward to working with State and local
leaders to support their efforts to provide early childhood education.
As you know, the Every Student Succeeds Act included the authorization
of the Preschool Development Grants which will help States improve the
services they are providing. I will work with the Secretary of Health
and Human Services to ensure that program serves as a tool for States
to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their early childhood
education programs.
Question 10. When I talk to employers around Minnesota, they
constantly tell me that they are starving for workers who have a good
grasp of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This is not
just a problem for Minnesota--it's an issue all over the country.
Nearly all of the top 30 fastest growing jobs nationwide require STEM
skills, but our students in the United States are lagging behind the
rest of the world. Given that you have donated to and served on the
board of directors for several anti-science organizations and
foundations including the Acton Institute, which has funded efforts to
promote teaching creationism in schools and supported efforts to deny
climate change, please explain how, if confirmed by the Senate, you
will make sure our students are prepared for the 21st century careers
in STEM fields that are so important for our country's economic future?
Answer 10. STEM is an important part of education, no matter a
student's background. Most jobs today require a much higher degree of
technical competence than even 5 years ago. If confirmed, I will work
with States, local school districts and institutions to encourage them
to prioritize STEM education, and I will help identify best practices
wherever possible to serve as models of where it is being done well.
Question 11. Over 25 percent of all Federal financial aid goes to
students attending for-profit colleges and universities. While there
are good actors in the for-profit sector, many of these institutions
have been putting their own financial gains above the best interests of
their students. Even the President-elect himself was recently forced to
pay out $25 million to settle multiple State and Federal lawsuits
against Trump University for deceptive claims and sales tactics which
allegedly cheated students out of thousands of dollars. Over the last
several years, tens of thousands of students throughout the country
have been victims of fraud and predatory lending practices by for-
profit institutions. In my home State of Minnesota, Globe University
and Minnesota School of Business are two examples of institutions whose
fraudulent actions have left their students deep in debt, with
worthless degrees and futures compromised by bad credit. I have written
multiple letters urging the Department of Education to take action
against these for-profit institutions and to help students get the debt
relief that they deserve. More has to be done to make sure that
students are not left with worthless degrees and buried under large
amounts of debt. In order to protect students and taxpayers, if
confirmed by the Senate, are you willing to uphold and continue to
increase oversight and accountability among for-profit schools?
Answer 11. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad actors
clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions--and when we
find them, we should act decisively to protect students and enforce
existing laws. If confirmed, I will review the current tools authorized
by the Higher Education Act at the Secretary's disposal to address
situations involving bad actors.
Question 12. If confirmed as Secretary of Education, are you
committed to ensuring that students who have been victims of fraudulent
behavior receive the debt relief that they deserve by continuing the
Department's work in processing all current and future claims from
students eligible for borrower defense to repayment?
Answer 12. As it relates to the Borrower Defense regulations issued
in November, if confirmed as Secretary, I will carefully review all
regulations to ensure they are consistent with the relevant statute as
Congress wrote them and are necessary to enable successful
implementation of Federal law. There should be a fair process for the
discharge of student debt that looks out for interests of students,
institutions, and taxpayers. As I review the process that has been put
in place, I'll be looking to ensure it meets that standard.
Question 13. The 2015 CREDO study out of Stanford University shows
that student outcomes for online charter schools are worse than for
students in public schools. The report shows gaps in online charter
schools that equal a loss of 72 days of learning in reading and 180
days of learning in math out of a 180-day school year. This means that
students enrolled in online charter schools can be up to a full year
behind in math. Under President-elect Trump's school choice plan, rural
students may be relegated to online charter schools. If confirmed by
the Senate, how will you make sure that students living in rural areas
will have equal access to high-quality education?
Answer 13. Students in rural communities deserve access to high-
quality education options as well as their urban counterparts. State
and local officials and public charter school authorizers must work
diligently to ensure they are promoting quality school options for
rural communities. In addition to virtual schools and choosing a
different school, there are also options to implement course choice,
allowing students to take one or more classes online, while still
attending a traditional public school. If confirmed, I will share best
practices for providing high quality choices in rural areas.
Question 14. Nearly 90 percent of American students attend
traditional public schools. Over and over, you have offered school
choice as the solution to improving our Nation's education system.
However, attending private schools or charter schools isn't a viable
option for everyone, and many students will prefer to attend public
schools. Other than urging 90 percent of our Nation's youth to go to
private or charter schools, what are some of the plans that you have to
specifically improve our neighborhood public schools?
Answer 14. Congress recently reauthorized the Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA), and many of those provisions are designed to help
improve public schools. Those provisions and programs are just
beginning to take effect, and, if confirmed as Secretary, I will work
with Congress to implement the law as intended.
Question 15. While Federal student aid makes college possible for
students, many students leave college with substantial debt. The amount
that Americans owe in student loan debt exceeds credit card debt, car
loans, and is now second only to mortgage debt. This is a huge problem
for both new borrowers and those who are struggling to make their
monthly payments. What is your plan for addressing the issue of student
debt, and what actions will you take to make sure that college is more
affordable for future generations?
Answer 15. I think we can all agree the growing amount of student
debt in America is a serious challenge. I think solutions to this
challenge must be multi-faceted. One of the best ways to tackle student
debt is to ensure students are able to actually get jobs after they
complete their post-secondary program. President Trump has spoken
extensively about his plans to put Americans back to work and boost the
Nation's stagnant economy.
Finally, we need to simplify and streamline the repayment options
offered to borrowers to help them better understand their options.
While on the campaign trail, President Trump spoke about his plan to
streamline the income-driven repayment plans into one plan that will
cap a borrower's monthly payment at 12.5 percent of his or her
discretionary income, and ensure a borrower has relief from his or her
loan after 15 years of payment.
If confirmed, I look forward to working on these issues as the
committee begins the process of reauthorizing the Higher Education Act.
Question 16. In 2004, as Chairwoman of the Michigan Republican
State Committee, you stated that Republicans,
``support marriage between one man and one woman because that
is the way God set it up and because children need a mother and
a father to love and care for them.''
Since making this statement, several studies have proven that this
is just not true. Research by the Department of Health and Human
Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shown
no difference between families with same-sex parents and those with
opposite-sex parents with regard to children's health and well-being.
As many as 6 million Americans have at least one LGBT parent, and over
200,000 of our Nation's school children under the age of 18 live in a
household headed by a same-sex couple. Please explain how you plan to
make sure that schools do not discriminate against these families and
how you plan to make sure that schools offer an inclusive and
supportive culture for all families within their school community?
Answer 16. If confirmed, I will ensure the Office for Civil Rights
continues to enforce the civil rights laws under the Department's
jurisdiction.
For the record, my statement was in the role in which I served. As
you may know, the evidence demonstrates I worked to prevent that ballot
proposal from being placed for a vote. I support equality.
Question 17. School health and safety programs including Safe and
Drug-Free Schools and Communities, National Center for School and Youth
Safety, Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Programs, and Grants
to Improve the Mental Health of Children were consolidated in ESSA into
a block grant called the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants
program (SSAEG). ESSA authorizes $1.65 billion for SSAEG, although
Congress is not obligated to actually appropriate the full amount. In
fact, the President's proposed budget only allocates $500 million to
this program for fiscal year 2017. The total fiscal year 2016 funding
for the programs that were consolidated into this new block grant is
$275 million. Do you acknowledge that school mental health programs are
important and if so, how will you work, if confirmed, to support school
health programs?
Answer 17. As I responded earlier, I believe this program can help
school officials meet the unique needs of their students, such as
mental health issues. If confirmed, I will work to implement the law as
written by Congress and that includes protecting the flexibility of
this program so school officials can tackle those difficult issues they
may face.
Question 18. Children in foster care have some of the worst
educational outcomes of any group of children. They are more likely to
be: suspended or expelled, score lower on standardized tests in reading
and math, and to drop out of high school. ESSA took steps to address
high mobility rates for children in foster care by requiring that
children in foster care receive transportation to their school of
origin when they move placements and therefore schools. This language
was a product of bipartisan compromise, and one that many Senators
support. How will you monitor States, school districts, and child
welfare agencies to ensure that every child in foster care receives
such transportation if it is in their best interest to stay in their
original school?
Answer 18. Foster care children face unique challenges in accessing
a high-quality education and I am eager to help States continue to
develop or improve policies that prove effective at helping foster
students pursue and achieve a high quality education.
Question 19. Do you believe we are adequately funding States to
ensure any student with disabilities receives the support and resources
they need to succeed in school? If not, in what ways will you work to
increase funding for special education services without cutting funding
for other programs that support teachers, students, and parents?
Answer 19. If confirmed, I look forward to talking with school
officials and parents to look at ways to support the educational needs
of students with disabilities. This is not only through funding, and I
do support adequate funding for IDEA, but also through helping to share
best practices between schools so programs with greater effectiveness
and efficiency may be used by schools to better educate their students.
Question 20. Given that student debt in this country exceeds $1
trillion, do you support allowing the opportunity for students to more
easily refinance their student loans at a lower interest rate?
Answer 20. The issue of loan refinancing has been a topic of
conversation for the past several years. If confirmed, I look forward
to discussing whether loan refinancing is the best use of taxpayer
resources as you and your colleagues move forward with the
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 21. Do you believe it is important for our international
competitiveness to be able to have an assessment that accurately
compares student progress from State to State and is also linked to
high quality standards?
Answer 21. I believe it is important for States to have strong
assessments that provide a good look at their schools and give parents
the information needed to accurately determine how their schools are
performing and to ensure students are being prepared to compete in the
global economy. The Every Student Succeeds Act requires States to
develop their assessments to ensure they are adequately measuring
student achievement against the rigorous State standards. Parents and
local, State, and Federal education policymakers can look at this
information from schools and review the results from NAEP to understand
how education across the Nation is measuring.
Question 22. Our Nation is faced with serious teacher shortages
across all States and regions, and especially has challenges in
recruiting minority teachers into the profession. What will you do to
help recruit more minorities to become educators?
Answer 22. Teacher hiring is a local issue, but a common issue
shared amongst school districts. A diverse workforce is helpful to
schools, especially in diverse communities. If confirmed, I look
forward to working with State and local school officials and help
facilitate the sharing of best practices to bring more teachers into
the schools. We need more good teachers.
Question 23. As you may know, ESSA requires States to test students
in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school, in math and reading. Are
you in support of these testing requirements?
Answer 23. Testing is important, but it needs to be done the right
way. Used the right way, tests can be an effective tool for educators
to know the content they have taught is being understood and retained.
Testing is one measure of learning and is required under the law. If
confirmed, I will faithfully implement the law, including the testing
requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Question 24. In light of the Every Student Succeeds Act's (ESSA)
requirement for States, school districts, and child welfare agencies to
provide students in foster care with greater protections (including a
right to remain in their school of origin), why would a student in
foster care be better served by a private school that does not have to
guarantee the new services and protections for students in ESSA?
Answer 24. School choice is about the student finding the right
education environment for their unique learning needs. I am not
familiar with any school choice program that would force a student into
a school the student or their parents or guardians do not believe
adequately meets their needs.
Question 25. Do you believe that every school should receive
comparable amounts of title I funding per poor student? Should schools
receive comparable amounts of State and local funding per poor student?
Why or why not?
Answer 25. Title I funding is about supporting students in school.
I would like to see the funding follow the individual child to give
each child a chance for a better education. However, Congress
determines how the title I funding is provided to the States and, if
confirmed, my job as Secretary of Education will be to implement the
law as Congress intended.
Question 26. What are your ideas/priorities for supporting at-risk
students (including those in foster care/those who are experiencing
homelessness) enrolled on college campuses?
Answer 26. The Higher Education Act was designed with many of the
students you mentioned in mind. The goals of Federal student aid is to
ensure access to post-secondary education for traditionally underserved
populations. These programs are supported by college access programs
like TRIO and GEAR UP. If confirmed, I will review these programs and
any others we determined helpful to supporting this population of
students to ensure they are operating as effectively as they can be.
Should these programs need reform, I look forward to working with you
and your colleagues to strengthen them during the upcoming
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 27. More than ever before, girls are studying and
excelling in science and mathematics. Yet the dramatic increase in
girls' educational achievements in scientific and mathematical subjects
has not been matched by similar increases in the representation of
women working as engineers and computing professionals. Just 12 percent
of engineers are women, and the number of women in computing has fallen
from 35 percent in 1990 to just 26 percent today. The numbers are
especially low for Hispanic, African American, and American Indian
women. Black women make up 1 percent of the engineering workforce and 3
percent of the computing workforce, while Hispanic women hold just 1
percent of jobs in each field. American Indian and Alaska Native women
make up just a fraction of a percent of each workforce. Women continue
to face environmental and social barriers--including stereotypes,
gender bias, and an adverse climate in science and engineering
departments at colleges and universities that continue to block their
progress in STEM. If confirmed by the Senate as Secretary of Education,
how do you plan to close the systemic achievement gap currently faced
by women and minorities in high demand, high paying STEM fields such as
computer science and engineering?
Answer 27. A strong pipeline of students interested in pursuing
STEM careers, including research in these subject areas, is important
to our Nation's success. This strong pipeline will not be complete if
we do not work to dramatically increase the number of girls and
minorities who pursue STEM careers. If confirmed, I will work closely
with other agencies, including the National Science Foundation, to
improve coordination of STEM education and research initiatives and to
highlight best practices related to engaging more girls and minorities
in these fields of study.
Question 28. Gender and racial gaps continue to persist in STEM
fields. Although women fill close to half of all jobs in the U.S.
economy, they hold less than 25 percent of STEM jobs. Eight States have
fewer than 10 girls take the AP Computer Science exam and two States
have zero girls who took the exam, a strong example of the inequities
within computer science education. What will you do to address core
equity issues in K-12 computer science education?
Answer 28. Computer science is an important discipline. Most jobs
today require a much higher degree of technical competence than even 5
years ago. The gaps that exist in this and other STEM fields must be
addressed. If confirmed, I will work with States and local school
districts to encourage them to prioritize computer science education,
and I will help identify best practices wherever possible to serve as
models of where it is being done well. I will also look closely at the
budget of the Department of Education to determine the best allocation
of taxpayer dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future
fiscal years.
Question 29. What, if any, Federal policies around the collection,
use, storage, security, and destruction of student data and educational
records do you recommend implementing for schools and districts?
Answer 29. The current Federal law covering student privacy is the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as FERPA. I believe
the intent of that law is as important to follow today as it was over
40 years ago when it was first adopted by Congress. The law provides
parents' and student's rights and protections over the content of their
education records.
However, that law is very outdated and does not contemplate the
technology used in classrooms today. If confirmed, I look forward to
working with Congress to update the law so that it will continue to
provide clear guidelines on privacy protections and proper access for
parents and families to the individual records, but the law should not
stifle the use of technology in the classroom nor should it be used to
stifle the use of data for accountability in schools.
Question 30. As Secretary of Education, how would you make sure
States, school districts, and schools are transparent and engaged with
families on the development, implementation, and notification of
student data privacy policies and procedures?
Answer 30. As a part of the update to Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act, I believe it is important to talk with State and local
school officials and parents to understand what their concerns are
about student privacy and what protections they would like to see in
the law. I also believe it is important for school officials to work
with parents and students to develop their data safety plans and data
privacy policies and procedures.
Question 31. Do you believe that Christian schools should be
allowed to kick out or ban LGBT students or students with LGBT parents?
If yes: Do you stand by that position when public tax-payer funding is
used to pay for part, or all, of the tuition at that private school?
Answer 31. I believe it is important to enforce the laws faithfully
and fully. When an entity is in receipt of Federal funding the entity
must abide by the rules governing that funding. If confirmed, I will
ensure every grantee and subgrantee is in compliance with the law,
including all anti-discrimination laws.
I will use the bully pulpit of my office to work to make sure that
every child and their parents feel welcome and safe in the school of
their choice. I will use the powers of my office to enforce every
Federal law against discrimination wherever they apply.
Question 32. Research shows that access to quality early learning
programs can have positive outcomes for students later in life. If
confirmed by the Senate, how will you support work in quality early
learning programs including Early Head Start, Head Start, the Child
Care and Development Block Grant and the Maternal, Infant and Early
Childhood Home Visiting Program?
Answer 32. If confirmed, I will work with the Secretary of Health
and Human Services (HHS) to support early childhood education. As I
previously responded, one program that I will have a specific role in
implementing is the Preschool Development Grants. I will work with the
Secretary of HHS to implement that program, which can be a valuable
tool for States to support their efforts in early childhood education.
Question 33. States, even within a framework of flexibility, look
for direction from the Federal Department of Education. Will you
provide direction to States that supports their inclusion of early
learning in their ESSA plans and their use of Federal funding to invest
in early childhood education?
Answer 33. If confirmed, I will implement the law as Congress
intended. In some instances, that may require guidance from the
Department to States. However, one of the hallmarks of the Every
Student Succeeds Act is giving States increased flexibility over how to
prioritize spending Federal funds.
Question 34. For-profit entities have the obligation to maximize
revenues. How does that obligation square with the obligation to put
students first in our education system at both the K-12 and post-
secondary levels?
Answer 34. I believe that a school's tax status does not determine
its effectiveness. Most families and students judge a school based on
its quality, not its management structure. Those schools that succeed
in attracting families and students and providing a quality education
the family or student is looking for should be allowed to continue to
operate. Those that fail to meet standards should shut down.
Question 35. While it grew during the 1990s, the University of
Phoenix was, by many accounts, of reasonable quality. Many people,
including one of the co-founders, John Murphy, say that what kept the
school from going rogue was its reliance on market accountability
without Federal aid. In particular, many of the students, half or more
in fact, had their tuition payments supported by their employers or
they were paying on their own. This type of value-for-the-price
accountability is the original concept behind what is known as the 90/
10 rule, which was first implemented as a GI bill reform in the 1950s
to prevent for-profit colleges from pricing their programs at the
highest level that the government would pay for. The 90/10 rule,
however, does not work well the way it is currently designed. Will you
commit to working with Congress to close the 90/10 loophole so that it
actually provides the market-value accountability that was originally
intended? Do you think schools that actively recruit veterans but leave
them with meaningless degrees and dead-end jobs should get taxpayer
dollars?
Answer 35. If confirmed, I will enforce the Higher Education Act as
written. G.I. bill benefits are not currently included. Should Congress
change this calculation, I will ensure that its implementation is
implemented in the manner Congress prescribes.
Question 36. What potential consequences could you foresee
resulting from a large-scale rollback on regulations that apply to
post-secondary institutions as a condition of receiving Federal student
aid? Please include the specific potential impact on students and
families.
Answer 36. As is customary at the beginning of all new
Administrations, if confirmed, I will review all regulations. If
changes are warranted, I look forward to working with stakeholders and
Congress to ensure changes go smoothly.
Question 37. Over the past 6 years, the intermediaries who
guaranteed loans for banks, known as guaranty agencies, have grown
their war chests of Federal dollars to the billions by charging
defaulted borrowers unreasonable percentages of their loan balances to
rehabilitate loans. One of these guaranty agencies is even suing the
agency for the ability to continue to charge these overburdened
borrowers extra fees equal to 18.5 percent of their loan balance. What
will you do as Secretary to make sure that these large companies no
longer take advantage of the system and serve the public interest as
their charity status requires them to do?
Answer 37. As you well know, the U.S. Department of Education is
now one of the country's largest lenders. Managing the caseload is a
large undertaking and one that I believe needs a thorough review to
ensure borrowers are being treated fairly and the Department can
adequately manage the workload so as not to harm borrowers. If
confirmed, I will review how this program is working and look forward
to discussing these issues with you as a part of the reauthorization of
the Higher Education Act.
Question 38. What is your opinion on the Department of Education's
move to Results Driven Accountability for the education and support of
students with disabilities? What aspects of the initiative do you
believe have been the most effective thus far and how would you plan to
bolster the results as Secretary of Education?
Answer 38. If confirmed, I will carefully review this initiative to
determine if it provides meaningful access to special education and
related services for students with disabilities. I would appreciate
hearing your thoughts on the initiative as I consider it.
Question 39. What role do you see schools--both public and charter,
playing in regards to supporting foster youth to stay in their school
of origin--for example, transportation--when they are moved to a new
foster care placement outside the school district of origin?
Answer 39. First, I want to clarify charter schools are public
schools. Second, if confirmed, I will ensure the laws are implemented
as intended. Foster care students are among our most vulnerable
students and schools must do what they can to work with the foster care
system to provide a quality education for students and that includes
getting them to school.
Question 40. As you probably know, the gainful employment
regulations were put into place in 2014 to address major concerns in
about the lack of quality in for-profit colleges. Many students across
the United States were enrolling in, and sometimes being aggressively
recruited into, programs that left them unable to find work and saddled
in unmanageable debt. According to newly released gainful employment
earnings data, there are over 1,700 career college programs across the
country where graduates typically earn less than the Federal poverty
line. And over 3,400 programs failed to have over 50 percent of their
students successfully repaying their loans. Should you be confirmed by
the Senate, can we be assured that you will continue to hold these
programs accountable and protect our tax dollars from funding programs
that are not providing a benefit to students who take out loans to
attend?
Answer 40. I believe all institutions of higher education
participating in the title IV programs should provide value to students
and taxpayers alike. There are many tools to provide information to
students, parents, and the public and if confirmed, I look forward to
working with Congress to reform the Higher Education Act in a way that
will allow all institutions to appropriately demonstrate their value to
students and the public.
Regarding the gainful employment regulations, the Department has
had significant implementation issues, including questions as to the
accuracy of the data originally reported, the design of a system that
would allow schools to challenge incorrect data, and providing the
necessary technical assistance required. The last thing any of us want
is to unnecessarily close important programs, putting students on the
street with limited or no other options. As President Trump has
directed, we will review and assess all regulations and make
determinations once that review is complete.
Question 41. The Congressional Budget Office found in 2016 that
repealing the Gainful Employment Rule would increase spending by $1.3
billion over 10 years. Do you agree that taxpayers should not subsidize
career education programs that consistently leave students with debts
they cannot repay?
Answer 41. If confirmed, I will faithfully implement the Higher
Education Act, including the use of all tools authorized in that law to
ensure institutions are treating students fairly.
Question 42. Do you acknowledge that more than 6 in 10 (61 percent)
of the programs passing the gainful employment rule are at public
colleges?
Answer 42. While I have not had the opportunity to review the data
issued by the Department, if confirmed I look forward to reviewing it
and ensuring its validity.
Question 43. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit has noted that,
``It would be strange for Congress to loan out money to train
students for jobs that were insufficiently remunerative to
permit the students to repay their loans. And it would be a
perverse system that, by design, wasted taxpayer money in order
to impose crippling, credit-destroying debt on lower income
students and graduates. Had Congress been uninterested in
whether the loan-funded training would result in a job that
paid enough to satisfy loan debt, it would have created a
Federal grant system instead of a Federal loan system focusing
on preparation for gainful employment.''--(Association of
Private Sector Colleges and Universities, Appellant v. Arne
Duncan, in his Official Capacity as Secretary of the Department
of Education. No. 1:14-cv-01870. March 8, 2016).
Do you agree with the Court's statement? Do you believe it makes
sense to allow institutions and programs access to student loans when
they do not prepare students for gainful employment?
Answer 43. I believe this is a very important issue to evaluate. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with you, the Senate Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Congress to address the
best direction for Federal aid programs in a manner that protects
students and taxpayers during the reauthorization of the Higher
Education Act.
Question 44. If you are confirmed as Secretary of Education, will
you ensure that the U.S. Department of Education will do everything in
its power to prevent recruiters at colleges and universities from using
deceptive or misleading tactics to recruit students whose background
and prior education may not have prepared them to be successful in
their programs?
Answer 44. If confirmed, I will use the tools at the Secretary's
disposal and faithfully implement the provisions of the Higher
Education Act in a manner that protects students to the extent
allowable under the law.
Question 45. Given a number of State and Federal complaints and
investigations into for-profit schools at both the K-12 and post-
secondary level, should States be able to regulate for-profit schools
differently than not-for-profit schools?
Answer 45. I believe schools in receipt of Federal funds should be
held accountable for the provisions of the law for which they have
received funding. The tax status of these grantees should be
irrelevant. If confirmed, I will work to ensure all grantees are in
full compliance with the law as Congress intended.
Question 46. In the 2015-16 school year, 46 States recorded
spending less per student than they did at the start of the recession
in higher education. Thus, tuition costs at 4-year public colleges have
risen by 33 percent since 2008. Prior to these tuition increases,
studies identified that the share of students coming from communities
of color at public 2- and 4-year colleges had risen significantly. In a
study conducted at New York University, researchers found that with all
else equal, a $1,000 tuition increase for full-time undergraduate
students is associated with a decrease in campus diversity of almost 6
percent. Continual price hikes and spikes in student debt amount to the
privatization of higher education as public institutions are weakened
and become more reliant on tuition revenue. Do you agree that higher
education today is reinforcing economic inequality? If confirmed by the
Senate, what will you do to reverse this trend toward excluding lower
and middle income people from higher education?
Answer 46. I, too, am concerned with the increasing costs of higher
education, for all students, but especially those who are already
struggling to afford it. For too many Americans, higher education has
become unaffordable and disconnected from the Nation's economic
realities. I believe we need to work with higher education leaders and
State leaders to address the core challenges in higher education. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with you, the Senate Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the rest of Congress to
find viable solutions to help address these concerns.
Question 47. What would you do in your role as Secretary of
Education to ensure that students in U.S. schools are academically
prepared to participate competitively in the global economy?
Answer 47. Education is largely a local issue, and parents and
State and local school officials work hard to prepare students for the
workforce. If confirmed, I will work with States and local school
officials to implement the new provisions under the Every Student
Succeeds Act to ensure the law is implemented as intended by Congress.
These new provisions provide greater transparency to families and the
local community so they can push schools to do their job in educating
students ready to compete in the global economy.
Question 48. Native American leaders have sought to govern their
own people for more than two centuries with little recognition of the
deference due tribes. In 1975, President Ford signed the Indian Self
Determination and Educational Assistance Act into law, allowing tribes
the ability to assume authority of education for their people.
Consistent with that law, which remains in effect today, would you
support providing deference to tribes who wish to keep Indian schools
tribally controlled and who also have concerns about funding private
schools through the already-limited funds provided for their schools
serving Native students?
Answer 48. Native American students deserve an opportunity for
excellent education, just as all other students do. If confirmed, I
look forward to working with Tribal leaders and the Secretary of the
Department of Interior to help ensure Native American students have
access to a quality education.
Question 49. You have said you are a supporter of increased control
of education at the local level. Native communities and tribes across
the country have long advocated for Native control of Native education,
as a recognition of the respect due to tribes consistent with Article
I, Section 8 of the Constitution. As Secretary would you support
increased tribal control of Native education?
Answer 49. Yes. Native American students deserve an opportunity for
excellent education, just as all other students do. If confirmed, I
look forward to working with Tribal leaders and the Secretary of the
Department of Interior to help ensure Native American students have
access to a quality education. The reauthorized ESSA requires
meaningful consultation with Tribal leaders. I will ensure States and
school districts fully comply with the law.
Question 50. Do you agree with the following statement: Federal
funding should support the whole child, from physical and mental health
to the development of fundamental lifelong learning skills?
Answer 50. I believe Federal funding supports State and local
funding for a child's education. Federal funding, especially after the
passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, allows for additional
flexibility for States to support the needs of the students in their
schools and districts.
Question 51. Too often, family engagement in education is not
systematically included in policy proposals, thereby reducing the
opportunity to have an impact. As Secretary of Education, what would
you do to integrate family engagement into all appropriate policy
initiatives in the next administration?
Answer 51. As reauthorized, the Every Student Succeeds Act requires
more consultation in several policy areas. If confirmed, as a part of
the Department's role in monitoring States' proper implementation of
the law I will ensure families are a part of the development of State
and local plans as required under the new law.
Question 52. During a 2015 talk to SXSWEdu, you said that anyone
who believed that our education system will ever be fixed by political
parties was ``delusional.'' Why do you now believe that the Republican
political party, with you at the helm at the Department of Education,
can fix the educational system, when just a year ago you thought that
idea was ``delusional''? The exact quote is:
``How many of you believe that our education system will ever
be fixed by political parties? Well good, if you raised your
hand for that last group, I was just going to say, I have some
bad news for you: you are delusional. I was once in that group,
though, and there is hope for you.''
Answer 52. Thank you for your question about my 2015 SXSWedu
speech. The quote you reference was a rhetorical question to begin my
speech. What I said, and what I continue to believe is education must
innovate.
We are the beneficiaries of startups, new ventures, and innovation
in every other area of life, but we don't have that in education. It
still operates like it did 150 years ago. My job, if confirmed, will be
to work to provide every child, regardless of zip code, with the best
possible opportunities this great Nation can provide. Later in my
speech I referenced political leaders from both parties who worked
across the aisle to advance student-centric education reforms.
Question 53. Are you concerned at all that President Trump's
bigoted rhetoric is deeply affecting children across the Nation--making
students who fall into one of the many groups of people that Trump has
attacked feel like they don't belong in their own communities and in
their own schools?
Answer 53. All students deserve access to a quality education. If
confirmed, I will enforce the laws under my jurisdiction to ensure the
laws are faithfully implemented.
Question 54. How will you support the need for school-based mental
health providers like school social workers and school psychologists to
effectively address the social, emotional and mental health barriers
that impact a student's academic success and achievement?
Answer 54. As I responded earlier, I believe Student Support and
Academic Enrichment Grants can help school officials meet the unique
needs of their students, including issues involving mental health. If
confirmed, I will work to implement the law and that includes
protecting the flexibility of this program so school officials can
tailor their responses to difficult issues.
Question 55. If confirmed by the Senate as Secretary of Education,
will you commit to maintaining the important resources on school mental
health that exist now on the Department of Education's website? Will
you ensure that other resources--promoting rigorous research and best
practice--of value and use to local educational agencies, schools,
principals, parents, students, universities and teachers be maintained
on the Department of Education's website under your leadership?
Answer 55. If confirmed, I will carefully review all existing
guidance documents that are in effect to ensure that guidance from the
Department of Education serves as a helpful tool to States, local
school districts, teachers, school personnel, and others who implement
Federal education law, and not as a hindrance to State and local
efforts to follow the laws as Congress wrote them. This process will
include a review of the resources posted on the Department website.
Question 56. Please describe how you, if confirmed by the Senate as
the leader of the Department of Education, plan to work with business
and industry leaders to identify key education and workforce issues and
use Federal resources to empower State and local education leaders and
their communities, as well as public universities, with the resources
they need to promote STEM as a priority and to drive change.
Answer 56. If confirmed, I look forward to engaging with business
and industry leaders to help schools and institutions of higher
education better communicate about what is needed to prepare students
for important jobs in the STEM fields. One way to do this is to
implement the Career and Technical Education program (CTE) and, if
confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress to reauthorize the
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to better connect the CTE
programs with in-demand jobs, including STEM jobs.
Question 57. How is the Department of Education during the Trump
administration specifically planning to support education for
historically underrepresented minorities, especially those in
economically and educationally disadvantaged rural and urban
communities?
Answer 57. If confirmed I will work to implement statutory
responsibilities assigned to the Department, including provisions
intended to support disadvantaged youth.
Question 58. In 1984, Congress passed and President Ronald Reagan
signed into law the Equal Access Act, requiring public secondary
schools to provide equal access for extracurricular clubs. In the years
since, several courts have ruled that under the Equal Access Act
schools cannot ban a Gay-Straight Alliance from meeting on school
grounds and ensures they be treated like other student groups. These
groups can be a lifeline for many students and can promote the values
of tolerance and understanding in our school communities. On June 14,
2011, the Department issued a Dear Colleague letter to schools making
them aware of this case law and providing guidelines for compliance
with the Equal Access Act. Will you commit to fully enforcing the Equal
Access Act for all student groups and to maintaining the 2011 guidance
if confirmed by the Senate?
Answer 58. As I previously responded, if confirmed, I will
carefully review all existing guidance documents that are in effect to
ensure that guidance from the Department of Education serves as a
helpful tool to States, local school districts, teachers, school
personnel, and others who implement Federal education law.
Question 59. What are your thoughts on how the Federal Government
can better support English language learners?
Answer 59. As reauthorized, the Every Student Succeeds Act has
improved provisions to support English learners. If confirmed, I will
ensure those provisions of the law are implemented as Congress
intended.
Question 60. What is your formal training in education policy and
how are you qualified to be Secretary of Education?
Answer 60. It would be an honor to lead the Department of
Education. As I mentioned during the hearing, this is personal.
As my husband and I began thinking about schools for our children
we learned about a small urban school that served a different
population than where we lived. As I became more involved in helping
that school, my passion grew for changing policy more broadly to help
more children. I now have more than 30 years of engagement in education
reform and education policy.
If confirmed, I look forward to bringing the skills I have acquired
while leading businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations with
hundreds of employees and complex challenges to the Department. Through
the years I've spent years working with Governors, State legislators,
and other policymakers, I have learned that moving policy takes a
strong plan and leadership to direct an organization and deliver
results.
Question 61. Do you believe that title IX protects individuals from
discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation?
Answer 61. If confirmed, I will carefully review the law and all
existing guidance documents that are in effect on title IX to ensure
the Department is faithfully implementing the law.
Question 62. Do you believe that title IX protects individuals from
discrimination on the basis of their gender identity?
Answer 62. If confirmed, I will carefully review the law and all
existing guidance documents that are in effect on title IX to ensure
the Department is faithfully implementing the law.
Question 63. Do you believe that title IX protects individuals from
discrimination for not conforming to sex stereotypes (i.e., harassment
against a male for engaging in activities considered to be
stereotypically female)?
Answer 63. If confirmed as Secretary, I will carefully review the
law and all existing guidance documents that are in effect on title IX
to ensure the Department is faithfully implementing the law.
Question 64. If the Department of Education were to receive a
complaint from a transgender student saying that they have been
severely bullied at school after publicly identifying as transgender,
repeatedly requesting that the school intervene with no action from the
school, how would you direct the Department of Education to respond? Do
you believe that the department should investigate for possible
violations of title IX?
Answer 64. Bullying and harassment of any student should not be
tolerated. Schools should be an environment of learning, and, if
confirmed, I will work with the First Lady, who has indicated she
intends to make this issue a priority of hers, and State and local
school officials to prevent bullying and harassment. If a school is
failing to protect any student from bullying and harassment and a
complaint is made to the Office for Civil Rights I will expect that
office to investigate.
Question 65. In a 2010 Dear Colleague Letter, the Department of
Education made clear that failure to address harassment based on gender
stereotypes, actual or perceived sexual orientation, or gender
identity, is sex discrimination under title IX. Will you maintain the
2010 guidance? If no: Do You realize such a position flies in the face
of a majority of Federal circuit courts who have said that
discrimination based on gender stereotypes is prohibited under title
IX? How would you justify such action? Are you aware that LGBT students
face some of the highest rates of harassment and violence?
Answer 65. If confirmed, I will carefully review the law and all
existing guidance documents that are in effect on title IX to ensure
the Department is faithfully implementing the law.
Question 66. In May, the Department of Education released guidance
explaining that title IX prohibits schools receiving Federal funding
from discriminating against transgender students on the basis of their
sex, sending a message to transgender students across the country that
they deserve a safe academic environment where they can thrive free
from discrimination. Will you uphold the Department's guidance ensuring
equal educational access for transgender students? If not, what is your
plan for the guidance? If you rescind the guidance, do you believe that
action changes the requirements under the law that schools are
prohibited from discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual, or
transgender students on the basis of their gender identity or sexual
orientation?
Answer 66. If confirmed, I will carefully review the law and all
existing guidance documents that are in effect on title IX to ensure
the Department is faithfully implementing the law as intended by
Congress.
Question 67. In response to a statement of concern about your past
record released by members of the civil rights community, your
spokesperson said that you were ``fully committed to ensuring that all
children are safe to learn and thrive in high-quality schools.'' Does
your commitment extend to protecting the civil rights of all students
regardless of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity?
Answer 67. Enforcement of civil rights laws are an important
responsibility of the Secretary of Education. If confirmed, I will work
with State departments of education and local educational agencies to
ensure civil rights of all students are protected. This administration
takes its responsibility to ensure equal access to education seriously
and is committed to working with State and local school officials to
root out any vestiges of discrimination.
Question 68. Do you support measures of socio-emotional learning--
soft skill development--in addition to traditional measures of
achievement to assess gains in students growth who have extensive
trauma histories?
Answer 68. As reauthorized, the Every Student Succeeds Act allows
States to include both achievement measures and other measures as
determined by the State in their accountability systems. If confirmed,
I will enforce the law as intended by Congress, which includes States
determining which measures are appropriate.
Question 69. You were quoted saying,
``My family is the biggest contributor of soft money to the
Republican National Committee. I have decided to stop taking
offense at the suggestion that we are buying influence. Now I
simply concede the point. They are right. We do expect
something in return. We expect to foster a conservative
governing philosophy consisting of limited government and
respect for traditional American virtues. We expect a return on
our investment.''
In your role as Secretary of Education, if confirmed by the Senate,
what return are you expecting from your previous investments?
Answer 69. None. I will comply with all ethics requirements
required by the Office of Government Ethics and the Ethics Office at
the Department of Education.
Question 70. In 2001, you singled out education reform as a way to
``advance God's kingdom'' and said that school choice would lead to
``greater kingdom gain.'' Your husband added:
``We are working . . . . to allow for our Christian world
view, which for us comes from a Calvinist tradition, and to
provide for a more expanded opportunity someday for all parents
to be able to educate their children in a school that reflects
their world view and not each day sending their child to a
school that may be reflecting a world view that may be quite
antithetical to the world view they hold in their families.''
Do you believe that the separation of church and State should be
eliminated in public education?
Answer 70. No. As I stated previously, my faith is very important
to me and informs my personal life. In education, it teaches me that
every child is special and deserves the best we can offer them. That
said, I do not believe in imposing my faith on others and, if
confirmed, I will implement and respect the law, including provisions
prohibiting religious instruction in public schools.
Question 71. Do you have ideas/plan for how to reduce teacher
turnover and increase teacher preparation for teachers who will be or
are currently employed in alternative high schools?
Answer 71. Teacher hiring is a local issue, but a common issue
shared amongst school districts. If confirmed, I look forward to
talking with State and local school officials, helping facilitate the
sharing of best practices to bring more teachers into the schools,
especially in alternative and high-need schools.
Question 72. By all accounts, you have had very big influence on
the education system in Michigan through your foundations, political
contributions, and lobbying efforts. And yet, school conditions are so
bad that Detroit students filed a civil rights suit charging that the
State has
``violated the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause by
effectively excluding them from the State's system of free
public education and denying them the right to literacy.''
What do you say to the public and especially to parents of children
in Detroit--who do not have the influence that you have had, when they
ask about the policies that you've helped enact that has led to
atrocious conditions in Detroit schools?
Answer 72. First, I love Detroit and that is why I have worked so
hard to bring quality education options to those families and students.
And to clarify, the policies I have supported have led to improved
conditions for the school children of Detroit.
Let's consider the facts--in 1993, around 20 percent of all
individuals in Detroit over the age of 25 did not have a high school
diploma, African American school-aged males had a dropout rate of close
to 45 percent, and per a study by the National Institute for Literacy
47 percent of all individuals in Detroit were functionally illiterate.
Over the last two decades, families who have the ability to, have left
the city. In short, for the past few decades the students in the city
of Detroit have been failed.
The families in Detroit needed help. I, and many others, did what
we could to help provide those families a better life and better
opportunities for their children. I, organizations I support, and
others advocated for bills in the Michigan legislature that helped
protect the individual rights of Detroit parents to make education
choices that are best for their family, while also strengthening the
Detroit Public Schools. Because of this legislation, the traditional
school district is today much stronger than it was last year or the
year before last. When you consider the past academic and financial
failures in Detroit Public Schools, the policies we've helped enact
have given over 100,000 students in Detroit a chance for better
outcomes. There is undoubtedly more work to be done and I will continue
to do what I can to help the children in Detroit, and, if confirmed,
help more students gain access to a quality education.
Question 73. Do you support the guidance letter the Department of
Education published on October 26, 2010 on harassment and bullying on
the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability? Would
you maintain and continue to enforce this guidance in schools across
the country?
Answer 73. I have previously responded about my concern about
bullying and belief that it is important for everyone to work together
to prevent bullying so students have a safe learning environment. If
confirmed, I will carefully review all existing guidance documents that
are in effect to ensure that guidance from the Department of Education
serves as a helpful tool to States, local school districts, teachers,
school personnel, and others who implement Federal education law.
Question 74. As you consider a role overseeing all public schools
in the United States, do you think it is the Federal role to foster
positive school climates? If so, what specific steps would you take to
ensure that all schools are held accountable for this element of a
child's experience?
Answer 74. Students deserve to have an opportunity not only to
learn in a safe environment free from bullying and harassment, but also
in a positive and nurturing environment. School leaders have the
responsibility to educate and to set the tone for their schools and
classrooms. If confirmed, I will implement and enforce the laws under
my jurisdiction and look forward to talking and working with school
leaders to do what I can to help them meet their obligations.
Question 75. Studies continue to show that quality dual enrollment,
concurrent enrollment, and early college high school programs help all
students access and complete college at higher levels by giving them a
jump start on college while in high school and saving students time and
money. Under your leadership, if confirmed by the Senate, how will the
Department of Education support the growth of these successful
programs, and what can Congress do to ensure that more students have
access to these innovative tools to boost college access and
completion?
Answer 75. I believe programs like dual or concurrent enrollment
are important to help increase access, reduce remediation and help
students complete college more quickly. When done well, they have the
added benefit of helping reduce college costs. If confirmed, I also
look forward to working with the Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions in the effort to reauthorize the Higher Education
Act to explore ways to support innovative efforts that will increase
access to post-secondary education and boost students' chances of
success.
Question 76. Dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and early
college high school provide successful options to help students in high
school prepare for and succeed in college. The Every Student Succeeds
Act (ESSA) contains a number of new provisions to support these
programs to ensure that more students have the option to start college-
level work while in high school. But despite clear research showing the
benefits of these programs to students, they fall through the
bureaucratic cracks at the Department of Education due to the
separation between K-12 and Higher Education functions. Do you believe
that the Department should increase its focus on the transition between
high school and college, and would you commit to examining the role
that post-secondary transition can play in any plans to reorganize the
Department's structure?
Answer 76. I concur that this is an area ripe for focus. If
confirmed, I will examine the structure of the Department of Education
and would welcome dialog on better approaches to organizing the offices
to support improving student outcomes and transitions.
Question 77. While dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and
early college high school are effective, evidence-based tools for
increasing college access and completion, a number of States are facing
challenges in ensuring that their high school teachers have the right
qualifications to teach college coursework and that college professors
have the right certifications to teach in a high school setting. What
role do you think the Department of Education can play in helping
States solve these challenges so that we can bring more opportunities
for high school students to complete college coursework nationwide?
Answer 77. As you know, the challenge you cite above is a growing
problem as more and more States are enacting and implementing dual
enrollment programs. Research is limited, but if confirmed, I look
forward to sharing that research with States and highlighting effective
best practices as they develop. I also look forward to working with
Congress as you begin your work to reauthorize the Higher Education Act
where many important issues will be addressed.
Question 78. The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education
Act, which supports the capacity of secondary and post-secondary
educational institutions to offer high-quality career and technical
education (CTE), is currently awaiting congressional reauthorization.
What are your top three priorities for the Perkins Act reauthorization?
Answer 78. I agree reauthorization of the Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act is an important priority, and, if confirmed, I
look forward to working with the Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions and other interested Members of Congress to update
and improve the law.
I believe we should work to align Federal laws to ensure
consistency across programs, reduce duplication and unnecessary
requirements, and provide a seamless set of policies. It is also
important to provide flexibility at the State and local level so
officials on the ground can create and run programs that help students
attain the skills needed to work in those in-demand jobs. Finally, I
support transparency of data so parents, students, and other taxpayers
can see how well their programs are working.
Question 79. You and your husband co-founded West Michigan Aviation
Academy, which is a charter high school that offers educational
pathways for careers in aviation. As an advocate for the expansion of
charter schools, do you believe that Federal policies should promote a
larger role for charters in delivering career and technical education?
Answer 79. First, let me clarify that my husband, Dick, founded the
West Michigan Aviation Academy. I am very proud of the work being done
there, and believe it represents the kind of innovation that is needed
in education. I believe one of the purposes of education is to prepare
students for their future after high school, which is likely college or
a meaningful career. To do that, charter schools should be engaged in
career and technical education, just as other traditional public and
private schools should be. CTE is an important program that can help
many individuals find work in in-demand jobs in their communities. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress as you work to
reauthorize the law.
Question 80. As we look toward reauthorization of the Higher
Education Act, how will you work to, should you be confirmed, help
students to better access, pay for, and complete post-secondary
education, including 2-year college and short-term training programs at
technical institutions?
Answer 80. In responding to these written questions, I have
suggested several areas where I believe we can work together, if I am
confirmed, to help students to better access, pay for, and complete
post-secondary education. President Trump and I agree that an important
part of that answer is 2-year colleges and short-term training
programs. They play an important part in our Nation's economic success.
In addition to working with you on broader Higher Education Act issues,
I look forward to engaging you and your colleagues in a dialog about
how we can ensure students are aware of 2-year and shorter term
colleges and programs and have the ability to pursue their offerings.
Question 81. Career and technical education plays an important role
in strengthening the American economy, closing the skills gap and
helping more students to become college- and career-ready. The Perkins
State grant program, the primary source of Federal funding for career
and technical education (CTE), serves 11 million students nationwide by
ensuring access to high-quality CTE programs aligned to the needs of
business and industry. Will you make a commitment to, should you be
confirmed, supporting our Nation's high schools, technology centers and
community colleges through an increased investment in Perkins?
Answer 81. I agree reauthorization of the Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act is an important priority, and, if confirmed, I
look forward to working with the Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions and other interested Members of Congress to update
and improve the law. I believe that we should work to align Federal
laws to ensure consistency across programs, reduce duplication and
unnecessary requirements, and provide a seamless set of policies.
It is also important to provide flexibility at the State and local
level so local officials on the ground can create and run programs that
help educate students to attain the skills needed to work in those in-
demand jobs. I also support transparency of data so parents, students,
and other taxpayers can see how well their programs are working. I will
look closely at the budget of the Department of Education to determine
the best allocation of taxpayer dollars to programs when making a
proposed budget for future fiscal years.
Question 82. You have an extensive record of working to promote
education voucher systems in which tax dollars that would normally go
to the public schools serving 90 percent of our Nation's children end
up going to private and religious schools. The tuition for religious
schools is typically lower than that of a non-religious private school.
In fact, recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics
reveals that the tuition for non-religious private schools is, on
average, $21,810, while the average tuition for Catholic schools is
only $6,890 and $8,690 for other religious schools. Pushing for
vouchers that most often do not cover the full cost of tuition for
private schools ends up being an efficient way of diverting taxpayer
dollars from public schools to religious schools. If confirmed by the
Senate, will you advocate for the use of taxpayer dollars to provide
vouchers for religious schools?
Answer 82. Every child should be given the opportunity to succeed
and parents should feel empowered to make choices that best fit their
child. If there is a mismatch between the school and their child,
parents can pick an educational setting that best meets the needs of
their child. They need the best information possible upon which to make
those decisions. However, those specific choices should not be
mandated, nor directed, by the Federal Government. If confirmed, I do
look forward to working with Congress to develop President Trump's
proposal that would provide the opportunity for choices to be offered.
Question 83. Successful charter schools are one way to provide a
high-quality education to all students regardless of their zip code.
However, public charter schools relying on taxpayer money to operate
must be held accountable for providing that high-quality education. You
have played a role in promoting charter schools in your home State of
Michigan including serving as the chairwoman to several education
interest groups that promote school choice. And, until recently, you
fought against oversight and accountability for charter schools in
Michigan. On November 29, 2016, the Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education in the Department of Education released the final regulations
for the implementation of accountability, data reporting, and State
plan provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The
collection and reporting of student achievement data is critical in
protecting certain minority subgroups of children--specifically, those
who are Hispanic, black, low-income, learning English or disabled--from
falling through the cracks. If confirmed by the Senate, how do you plan
to ensure the oversight necessary to hold all publicly funded schools
including charter schools accountable for providing equitable and
effective educational services for all students?
Answer 83. As I have said before, I support accountability in all
public schools. If confirmed, I will implement the law as intended by
Congress.
Question 84. The Every Student Succeeds Act provided for increased
spending on title I, part A (title I) which provides Federal funding to
low-income school districts. The Every Student Succeeds Act, as signed
into law, allows for no title I portability whatsoever. You have
advocated for the use of title I money for vouchers for public charter
schools as well as religious and private schools. What are your plans
for ensuring that title I funding provides financial assistance to
local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high
percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that
all children meet challenging State academic standards?
Answer 84. If confirmed, I will implement the law as passed and
intended by Congress.
Question 85. Through political donations, your group All Children
Matter (ACM) spent millions of dollars to promote the use of taxpayer
money for private schools through school vouchers. You claim that
vouchers allow low-income students to attend the school of their
family's choice. However, vouchers actually do little to help low-
income students because they do not cover the entire cost of tuition
and other fees required to attend private schools. In reality, vouchers
end up mainly benefiting those families who can afford the excess
tuition, transportation, uniforms, and other supplies needed to attend
a private school. Vouchers often just end up subsidizing families who
already send their children to private school and can afford it even
without vouchers. In Indiana, for example, where you were actively
involved in developing their voucher program, more than half of the
State's voucher recipients are students who never actually attended
Indiana public schools in the first place. So, in Indiana, taxpayers
are covering private school tuition for children whose parents were
already footing that bill, including families earning up to $150,000.
In other words, local public schools subsidize the costs for high-
earning families to send their kids to private school. Do you agree
that our public school dollars should go to families who are able to
pay tuition for private schools?
Answer 85. I believe every child is entitled to a publicly funded
education. For most children, that will be in a traditional public
school, but in 25 States families can use public funds or publicly
incented funds to attend a nonpublic school. You make an incorrect
assumption that ``vouchers actually do little to help low-income
students because they do not cover the entire cost of tuition.'' Also,
I disagree with your assertion that taxpayers are paying for families
who can afford private school tuition.
In fact, many of these private school choice programs are focused
on helping poor children only and they have been very successful in
helping these children access private schools. For instance, for more
than a decade the Nation's largest scholarship tax credit program in
Florida served tens of thousands of students whose family incomes were
so low that they qualified for Free and Reduced Price Lunch. The same
was true for many years in the DC Opportunity scholarship program where
poor families could send their children to high tuition schools like
Sidwell Friends. To this day, in Washington, DC, the average income of
a participating family is $21,434. Private schools across America
routinely accept students who cannot afford to pay the full amount for
tuition--and this includes students with vouchers.
Question 86. When vouchers do not fully cover the costs of
attending private schools including the full cost of tuition, uniforms,
supplies, or other costs associated with attending, private schools are
not an option for low-income families. According to a report in the
Grand Rapids Press, your husband said of this discrepancy that ``he was
convinced parents concerned about their children's education will earn
the extra money.'' In other words, according to your husband, parents
can just ``earn the extra money'' to make up for the costs that
vouchers don't cover. This suggests that you may be unaware of the
myriad of issues that low-income parents face that relate to the issue
of school choice. Can you please explain what you know about these
issues and how you would propose that low-income families make up the
difference between what they may receive in a voucher and the cost of
the private schools that they want to attend?
Answer 86. That quote, as you noted, is attributed to my husband. I
speak for myself. However, I know there is nothing stronger than a
parent's will to provide for their child and I believe that's what my
husband was referencing.
Most of the Nation's more than 50 nonpublic school choice programs
are designed to help children disadvantaged by income or disability. As
noted in my answer to Question 85, because of publicly funded school
choice programs and because nonpublic schools routinely accept students
who cannot pay the full tuition or fees, tens of thousands of children
from poor families are presently attending a school that was previously
not an option for them. Much like our Nation's colleges, private
elementary and secondary schools work with families to make up the
difference between the funds available to the family and the costs of
attending the school through things like private scholarships, tuition
discounts and counting parental volunteer hours as a contribution.
Question 87. Many of our Nation's early childhood education
programs are housed at the Department of Health and Human Services. If
confirmed by the Senate, how would you work with the Department of
Health and Human Services to support Head Start and other early
childhood education programs?
Answer 87. As the Secretary of Education I would not have a direct
role in Head Start or many other Federal early childhood care programs.
However, as I previously responded, the Preschool Development Grants
authorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act does require the
agencies to work together and I would look forward to that
collaboration to help States better utilize State and Federal funding
to support early childhood education.
Question 88. Are there specific programs at the Department of
Education that you see as wasteful, duplicative, or obsolete? If so,
which one(s)?
Answer 88. If confirmed, I will review the programs I am
responsible for implementing and if, during that review, I determine
there are wasteful, duplicative, or obsolete programs, I will recommend
to Congress those programs be eliminated.
Question 89. Every year, the Department of Education releases its
list of nationwide Teacher Shortage Areas (TSA). This report shows the
Nation's teacher shortage areas by State. For the 2016-17 school year,
``rural areas'' was named as a geographic shortage area. If confirmed
by the Senate, how do you plan to support rural schools by attracting
and retaining excellent teachers in rural areas?
Answer 89. Teacher hiring is a local issue, but a common issue
shared amongst school districts. Teacher hiring can be even more
difficult for rural communities. If confirmed, I look forward to
talking with State and local school officials and help facilitate the
sharing of best practices to bring more teachers into the schools.
Question 90. In your work for charter schools and professional
background, you advocated for religion to be taught in schools. As
Secretary, would you push for religion to be taught as part of the
curriculum in public schools and will you enforce the law and agency
authority to prohibit public schools from mandating religion in the
curriculum?
Answer 90. If confirmed, I will implement and respect the laws as
intended by Congress. That includes provisions about the prohibition
against religious instruction in schools. In addition, I believe that
curriculum decisions are best determined at the State and local level.
Question 91. Overwhelmingly, students of color are more likely to
be suspended and/or expelled than their Caucasian peers in our Nation's
schools which leads to further widening of achievement gaps in
education. What will you do to ensure that all students are treated
fairly when it comes to discipline practices? How will you promote
restorative justice and solutions instead of suspensions and
expulsions?
Answer 91. Discipline is a local issue and State and district
school officials should work with their school leaders to develop
appropriate policies to promote proper discipline techniques that limit
any time out of school or class for students. If confirmed, I will work
with school officials to help share best evidence-based practices as
appropriate so that they may be developed and implemented.
Question 92. More and more research is showing that being bilingual
has benefits for children's learning beyond just language learning.
What are your thoughts on existing Federal law or regulations that
encourage students to learn a second language?
Answer 92. Being bilingual is a great benefit for individuals as it
not only helps them be more competitive in a global market, some
studies have shown it helps improve cognitive abilities. If confirmed,
I will ensure any laws passed by Congress are implemented as intended,
including any programs supporting foreign language learning.
Question 93. As part of the sale of the University of Phoenix, the
U.S. Department of Education put conditions in place to protect
students and taxpayers. Do you think these conditions are important?
Will you commit to ensuring that the institution meets the legal
requirements established by the Department?
Answer 93. I cannot make a judgment about this question now. If
confirmed, I plan to review the conditions of this sale as compared to
the conditions placed on other sales over a period. I will also review
the law to determine whether the conditions placed on this sale are
within the scope of what is permitted under the law. Once that review
is complete, I will decide about this matter.
Question 94. Have you or your family ever invested in, owned, or
been in any way involved with Apollo Global Management? If yes, please
provide details.
Answer 94. An interest is held in Apollo Investment Fund IV, which
holds an interest in Hexion Inc., a producer of specialty chemicals and
performance materials.
An interest is held in SwanCap Opportunities Fund SCS--SIF, which,
in turn, holds interests in Apollo Investment Fund VI, Apollo
Investment Fund VII, and Apollo Investment Fund VIII. The interest in
SwanCap Opportunities Fund SCS--SIF will be divested in accordance with
the terms of the ethics agreement.
More generally, I want to assure the Senate Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions Committee, if confirmed, I will comply with all
ethics requirements required by the Office of Government Ethics and the
Ethics Office at the Department of Education.
Question 95. Your brother-in-law, Dan DeVos, serves on the board of
Alticor along with Allen Weiss. Alan Weiss also serves on the board of
the Apollo Group, a company that owns several for-profit colleges,
including the University of Phoenix, one of the largest for-profit
colleges in the country. UoP has been investigated by the FTC for
deceptive marketing practices, accused of aggressively recruiting
veterans, and at one point, banned by the Department of Defense from
recruiting on military bases after finding that it did not get proper
approval to hold events. The Department of Education recently approved
the sale of Apollo Group to a group of investors. Given your family's
connection to someone on the board of Apollo, will you recuse yourself
from the conditions of sale?
Answer 95. If confirmed, I will comply with all ethics requirements
required by the Office of Government Ethics and the Ethics Office at
the Department of Education.
Question 96. During our questioning, you told Senator Hassan that
you had never served on the board of the Edgar and Elsa Prince
Foundation. You stated that there was a clerical error on the
foundation's 990 tax forms, which listed you as a vice president on the
board. This alleged clerical error took place since at least 2001. Who
made this clerical error? Why was this error repeatedly made since
2001? Why didn't you correct this clerical error over the years? Did
you attend any board meetings or participate in any other official
action on behalf of, or related to, the foundation during the period in
which you were listed as a vice president on the board? Can you confirm
that your attendance is not noted in the minutes of any foundational
board meeting?
Answer 96. I have never served as an officer or director of the
Elsa and Edgar Prince Foundation, nor have I made any decisions for
that Foundation's contributions. Upon review of documents in
preparation for the Senate hearing, the Foundation representatives were
alerted to these errors, and several Foundation tax filings and State
of Michigan corporate filings were amended to correct them.
senator bennet
Question 1. How do you think about your role as Secretary of
Education with respect to schools, districts, cities, and States?
Answer 1. If confirmed, I view my role as working with Governors,
legislators, students, parents, teachers and other school personnel,
institutions of higher education, and business and community leaders to
expand--and improve--educational opportunity for all students.
I believe the role of the Department of Education is to empower
States and localities to provide an excellent education for all their
students. Since these educators are ultimately responsible for a
students' academic success, they must be empowered to make decisions
about their education and given the resources, flexibility, and
opportunities to succeed. That is what was intended with the passage of
the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). I will work with you to
implement the law, if confirmed.
As we go forward, I would look to streamline the Department of
Education by consolidating programs and creating flexible funding
streams; promoting research and overseeing State accountability
systems; modernizing the Pell grant program to meet the needs of
today's students; making college more accessible and affordable; and
creating pathways for lifelong learning.
Question 2. If a school, district, or city came to you and asked
for advice, suggestions, and strategies to improve schools that are
struggling, what would you say? What evidence is there that your
response would prove effective?
Answer 2. I would encourage them to look to neighboring or other
high performing districts to see what programs are being successfully
implemented to improve student achievement. Since it is not proven that
what works in one State would necessarily work in another State, I
think that it is best to foster a collaborative local effort to learn
from best practices. As a strong supporter of public schools, my
approach is to use evidence-based best practices to encourage
accountability, achievement, and high-quality school leaders and
teachers.
Question 3. What is your plan to improve the whole system of
education for our country?
Answer 3. We must empower States and localities. To ``make America
great again,'' those closest to students must be empowered to make
decisions about their education and given the resources, flexibility,
and opportunities to succeed. That is what was intended with the
passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act.
If confirmed, I intend to work with you to implement the law as
intended. As we go forward, I would look to streamline the Department
of Education by consolidating programs and creating flexible funding
streams; promoting research and overseeing State accountability
systems; modernizing the Pell grant program to meet the needs of
today's students; making college more accessible and affordable; and
creating pathways for lifelong learning.
We must reduce regulatory burdens in our education system. States
and localities are burdened by red tape and restrictions from
Washington. Educators spend too much time focusing on complying with
Federal regulations.
As Chairman Alexander likes to say, the department of education was
never intended to be the national school board.
We must provide incentives for innovation in education. Innovation,
both at the K-12 and post-secondary levels, can only come with the
input of parents, educators, and business and civic leaders. Industry
is critical to creating an American workforce that can meet the demands
of an ever-changing world and global economy. We have experienced
innovation in every other area of our lives--why not education?
We must be a voice for parents. Low-income and special-needs
students in our Nation deserve the opportunity to receive the best
education available, regardless of their resources or zip code. Parents
must be afforded the ability to make the best educational choices for
their children. What is right for one child may not be a good fit for
another--hence the need for good choices.
Question 4. When I was superintendent, I found it very useful to
spend 2 hours each morning in a different school in the district. Will
you commit to a schedule that allows you to spend a substantial amount
of time in different public schools across the country?
Answer 4. If confirmed, I look forward to traveling the country,
meeting with education stakeholders, and promoting what works in all
sorts of schools across the Nation. Additionally, I would be happy to
join you in visits to schools in Colorado.
Question 5. In September, President-elect Trump proposed
reprioritizing $20 billion in Federal funding to create a new private
school choice initiative. States would be able spend this funding on
public or private schools.
From where would this $20 billion be reprioritized? Are you
proposing to ``reprioritize'' title I funding? Title II? Title III?
Title VI? IDEA?
Answer 5. The President made a robust school choice proposal a
centerpiece of his platform, and, if confirmed, I look forward to
working with you on our proposal and hope to convince you to support
the legislation.
As we finish developing this proposal, I will look closely at the
budget of the Department of Education to determine the best allocation
of taxpayer dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future
fiscal years.
Question 6. Do you think ESEA is a civil rights law?
Answer 6. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is a law
designed to make grants, through both formulas and competitions, to
States and local school districts. It has its foundation in the war on
poverty and the civil rights era. I believe that education is a civil
right and hope to expand opportunities for all students to attend the
best school that meets their individual needs.
Question 7. In your opinion, what is the difference between
transparency and accountability?
Answer 7. Transparency is the simple act of reporting information
about the performance of students and schools (in an education
context). Accountability is the process of taking information and
deciding what to do about results, whether by offering support for
doing well or assistance to improve where results are less than needed.
Question 8. In your opinion, what, if any, were the strengths of No
Child Left Behind?
Answer 8. I think that the No Child Left Behind Act had positive
goals behind it, helping States develop accountability systems,
ensuring transparency of data for all students, and encouraging States
to help schools that need the most assistance. However, it was far too
prescriptive from ``Washington, DC'' and ignored the wisdom of
empowering local and State education agencies.
Question 9. Ensuring access to a high quality education is about
more than just the low performing schools. It is about making sure that
all groups of students, including kids from low-income families and
kids of color are succeeding. In ESSA, we worked to ensure that schools
and districts must be held accountable for all kids, including when our
historically disadvantaged students live in some of our most advantaged
communities.
Will you commit to enforce these core accountability and civil
rights protections vigorously in ESSA?
Answer 9. If confirmed, I will enforce the Every Student Succeeds
Act as Congress wrote it.
Question 10. ESSA includes a very important requirement that States
identify schools where one or more groups of students are consistently
underperforming. What do you think is the best approach to defining
``consistently underperforming?'' What approaches are inconsistent with
the language and intent of the law?
Answer 10. The law defers to States to determine how best to define
and identify ``consistently underperforming'' schools and I look
forward to working with States to see what proposals they put in their
State plans.
Question 11. How will you enforce the accountability provisions in
ESSA? How would you use regulations, guidance, the peer review process
and State plan review, approval and denial to ensure that States meet
the accountability requirements in the law?
Answer 11. I believe regulations and guidance documents should be a
helpful tool to States, local school districts, teachers, school
personnel, and others who implement Federal education law to improve
their understanding of the law and how to comply with the requirements
of the law as Congress wrote it.
Question 12. In the next decade, the country will need to hire
somewhere between 1.5 million and 3 million teachers. To put that in
perspective, today, the entire teacher workforce is about 3.5 million.
We know that nothing in school makes a bigger difference for student
learning than great teaching. But, many poor children do not have
access to the education they need to succeed.
We need a system of recruiting, training, supporting, and retaining
educators to work in high poverty schools that are attractive to the
most effective teachers and school leaders in the country.
How do you think we can create such a system?
Question 13. What specifically should we change about our existing
approach?
Question 14. How as Secretary of Education will you ensure the
country has the 1.5 million or more high-quality teachers it needs? Do
you believe creating more school choice will alone produce the number
of high-quality teachers we need? What evidence is there that your
approach will prove effective?
Question 15. What do you think are the challenges of recruiting
strong students to teaching? What do you think are the challenges of
recruiting great teachers to high-poverty schools? What policies do you
support to address these challenges?
Answer 12-15. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you, and
others in Congress and around the country, to explore this issue and
determine what the combination of Federal, State, local, and
institutional efforts could do to help encourage more qualified
individuals to pursue a teaching career, keep those good teachers in
the field longer, and help those teachers who need to improve their
skills do so.
We need more good teachers. Hopefully that is a goal that can earn
bipartisan support.
Question 16. Do you believe we should pay teachers more? How do you
think schools and States should achieve that objective?
Answer 16. Teacher compensation is a decision made at the local
level. I would certainly encourage local school districts to use their
resources wisely and pay teachers well.
For the record, I have supported more and better pay for good
teachers.
Question 17. Do you think we need to improve teacher preparation?
If so, how do you think we achieve that and what will you do as
Secretary of Education?
Answer 17. Yes, I believe that we need to improve teacher
preparation. I look forward to working with you and other Members of
Congress as you undertake reauthorization of the Higher Education Act
to develop bipartisan, consensus proposals to improve title I's ability
to strengthen our teacher preparation programs.
Question 18. In the recent reauthorization of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, we worked hard to include language and funding
to support strong school leadership, particularly in high-poverty
schools. How will you and the Department of Education work to ensure
that all schools have access to strong school leaders, including
teacher leaders, assistant principals, principals, and principal
supervisors?
How will you and the Department implement and support schools,
districts, and States to implement the school leadership provisions and
grant program?
Answer 18. if confirmed, I will enforce the law. I will work with
States and local school districts to encourage them to take advantage
of the flexibility and resources made available under the Every Student
Succeeds Act to improve the number of well-qualified school leaders.
Question 19. As Secretary of Education, how will you support
teacher leadership opportunities?
Answer 19. If confirmed, I will work with States and local school
districts to encourage them to take advantage of the flexibility and
resources made available under the Every Student Succeeds Act to
improve the number of well-qualified school leaders.
Question 20. As Secretary of Education, how will you implement
title II and support schools, districts, and States to provide high
quality, personalized, evidence-based professional development for
public school teachers?
Answer 20. If confirmed, I will work with States and local school
districts to encourage them to take advantage of the flexibility and
resources made available under the Every Student Succeeds Act to
improve the number of well-qualified school leaders.
Question 21. Right now, we often spend more money in our high-
income schools than we spend in our low-income schools. Do you think
this approach to school funding will close the achievement gap?
Answer 21. There are many ways to close the achievement gap. Some
schools can operate with great efficiency and efficacy with their
resources, while others need more support.
In general, I believe it is best to defer to the judgment of State
and local officials about how to implement education policies and close
the achievement gap. If confirmed, I look forward to sharing data, best
practices, and strong research from the Department of Education with
State and local officials so that they can adapt it to their needs. But
I also hope that States and local leaders will think outside the box
and innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing educational problems.
If I can be a resource to help as Secretary, I would welcome that
opportunity.
Question 22. Do you support creating more equitable funding systems
in order to reverse the trend and invest more money in the schools that
need it most? Will you commit to work with me to support and encourage
such systems?
Answer 22. State and local funding systems are complicated and vary
from State to State. Decisions about those systems are best left to
States and their elected officials who have a better understanding of
their resources and needs. If confirmed, I will commit to discussing
this issue with you to gain a better understanding of your goals and
see what the appropriate Federal role might be, if any.
Question 23. According to some rough estimates, there are around
725,000 elementary and secondary students who are undocumented. Are you
familiar with Plyler v. Doe?
Question 24. Will you commit to enforce Plyler vigorously to ensure
schools and districts are providing an education to all kids,
regardless of immigration status?
Answer 23-24. If confirmed, I will follow and respect the law of
the land, including the Plyler decision.
Question 25. Will you commit to enforce Plyler consistent with the
policy set forth in the Department of Education's May 8, 2014 Dear
Colleague and accompanying guidance?
Question 26. Will you commit to enforcing the Dear Colleague's
statement that,
``Enrollment practices that may chill or discourage the
participation, or lead to the exclusion, of students based on
their or their parents' or guardian's actual or perceived
citizenship or immigration status . . . contravene Federal
law?''
Answer 25-26. If confirmed, I will carefully review all existing
guidance documents and Dear Colleagues that are in effect to ensure
that guidance from the Department of Education serves as a helpful tool
to States, local school districts, teachers, school personnel, and
others who implement Federal education law, and not as a hindrance to
State and local efforts to follow the laws as Congress wrote them.
Question 27. As Secretary of Education, what will you do if a
school, district, or State stopped enrolling or educating students who
are undocumented?
Answer 27. If confirmed, I would consult with Department lawyers
and the Department of Justice about what actions are required under the
law to address any allegations of failure to follow the law.
Question 28. In Colorado, about 17,000 and across the country
roughly 750,000 kids and young adults have signed up for DACA. We have
heard from students, families, teachers, and districts about their
feelings of uncertainty and anxiety about the future for these young
DREAMers. They are scared and looking to hear that they will be safe.
Will you oppose any efforts by the Administration to force schools
and districts to divulge confidential information about students and
their parents, particularly as it relates to immigration status? Will
you support schools and districts efforts to protect students?
Answer 28. Enforcement of our Nation's immigration laws falls under
the responsibility and jurisdiction of the Department of Justice and
the Department of Homeland Security, so I would respectfully defer to
those agencies. But know that where the Department of Education has a
role, my guiding principles are founded in compassion and sensitivity.
Question 29. As Secretary of Education, you will be responsible for
implementing the Federal Charter Schools Program. Chairman Alexander
and I worked hard to reauthorize, improve and expand this program in
the new Every Student Succeeds Act. We introduced the Expanding
Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Act and worked to include
this in the new law.
The new law includes the definition of a high-quality charter
school. This definition includes a requirement that the school:
(A) shows evidence of strong academic results, which may include
strong student academic growth, as determined by a State;
(B) has no significant issues in the areas of student safety,
financial and operational management, or statutory or regulatory
compliance;
(C) has demonstrated success in significantly increasing student
academic achievement, including graduation rates where applicable, for
all students served by the charter school; and
(D) has demonstrated success in increasing student academic
achievement, including graduation rates where applicable, for each of
the subgroups of students, as defined in section 1111(c)(2), except
that such demonstration is not required in a case in which the number
of students in a group is insufficient to yield statistically reliable
information or the results would reveal personally identifiable
information about an individual student.
The replication and expansion of high-quality charter schools
program provides Federal funding directly to high-quality charter
schools or charter management organizations to expand or replicate. The
State grants provides support to open more charter schools or replicate
high-quality schools.
Will you commit to enforce the definition of ``high-quality charter
school'' in the replication and expansion program and in the State
grant program? If not, what specific components, words, or phrases in
the definition do you object to?
Answer 29. Yes, I will enforce the law.
Question 30. Will you commit to ensure that Federal funds only
support the replication and expansion of charter schools that have
demonstrated academic success?
Answer 30. Yes, I will enforce the law.
Question 31. Under the reauthorized Charter School Program, a State
must demonstrate its commitment to provide strong accountability in
order to receive one of the State grants to grow more schools. Will you
commit to implementing the Charter School Program as authorized and to
make quality and accountability heavily weighted factors in deciding
how to award Federal funds to States?
Answer 31. Yes, I will enforce the law.
Question 32. I have advocated for increasing funding for the
Federal Charter Schools Program. Last spring, I led a letter to the
Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations
Subcommittee requesting an increase in funding for the program. As
Secretary of Education, will you commit to work with me to increase
funding for the Federal Charter Schools Program?
Answer 32. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs when making a proposed budget for future fiscal
years. I strongly support the public charter school program in the law
and look forward to working closely with you and others in Congress to
continue and expand this program.
Question 33. In a September 2016 speech, President-elect Trump said
his school choice proposal would ``create a massive education market
that is competitive and produces better outcomes.'' He is reported to
have also said, ``Competition always does it.''
In the context of education, do you agree with President-elect
Trump that ``competition always does it''?
Question 34. In an education market of low-performers, where
slightly better than terrible is the success story, what incentive is
there to do the hard work to open and operate a good school?
Question 35. In education, does the market alone create that
incentive?
Question 36. In your opinion, does relying solely on the market in
education ever fail to produce high-quality outcomes? Why or why not?
Can you please give examples of where and when?
Answer 33-36. Traditional public schools don't work for every
child. A traditionally assigned public school might not work for a
child because they may need something different than what is offered at
their neighborhood school. We can make other options available in this
country. I believe that every child is special and unique; they are
individuals to be developed. Often parents tell me that a public school
worked for one of their children, but not another. They need choices,
like those of us from different neighborhoods or families with
different financial means.
We are no longer in an industrial age. We are changing at warp
speed. We're seeing so many developments where technology can help us
individualize and personalize education in different settings.
Traditional public schools, public charters, private schools,
homeschooling, online or distance learning, and forms of delivery that
we haven't yet thought of, so I believe we need to embrace progress.
I believe parents should have the freedom to choose between a high-
quality public school, a public charter school, a magnet school, or a
private school. I believe a competitive marketplace in our elementary
and secondary education system will work as well as it does in our
higher education system, where colleges and universities compete for
students, and students and their parents get to choose which school to
attend. With a diverse array of good schools, every family should be
able to find the best match of school for their child's individual
needs.
Rural areas obviously face more challenges in providing a range of
educational choices. In those situations, we can and should do
everything possible to improve the school in the community and consider
ways that technology might add to the educations options for students,
such as greater course offerings.
Question 37. What do you believe should happen if schools, charters
or traditional, do not improve?
Answer 37. I believe States and local school districts should
develop accountability systems for schools, both traditional and public
charter schools, that meet the needs and desires of their communities.
Question 38. Is closing down very low-performing schools enough to
ensure a high-quality option for all kids? What if this results in a
cycling through of low-quality schools?
Answer 38. Closing a low-performing school is an important part of
a robust accountability system. It sends a signal to other schools that
accountability works, it sends a signal to parents and students that
their success is important, and it creates pressure for other schools
to improve and help their students improve.
Question 39. What should happen after those schools are closed? How
would you ensure the new schools that open are better? How would you
ensure the new schools are opening in the neighborhoods where they are
needed?
Answer 39. Deciding what to do after a school closes is a State and
local decision. If confirmed, my responsibility is not to make
decisions for States or local school districts, but to create an
environment where they have the freedom and flexibility to decide what
to do to improve education in their local communities.
Question 40. Do you believe a choice among five low-performing
schools is a meaningful choice?
Answer 40. No.
Question 41. What do you believe are best practices and policies
for creating a strong public choice system? Where do you believe those
practices and policies have been best carried out?
Answer 41. If confirmed, my responsibility is not to make decisions
for States or local school districts, but to create an environment
where they have the freedom and flexibility to decide what to do to
improve education in their local communities. It is also my desire to
challenge States and local districts to share best practices, and to
challenge their counterparts to excellence.
Question 42. The Coalition for the Future of Detroit School
Children proposed creating citywide performance standards. Do you
support such a proposal?
If not, why? How would high performance standards limit choice?
Don't they just limit the existence of low performing schools?
Answer 42. In the Michigan context, I have supported a statewide
level of accountability. It is, in my opinion, inappropriate to have
one standard for Detroit and another standard for the rest of the
State.
Question 43. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
recently updated its model State charter law that it believes would
``increase the focus of State-level charter school laws on
creating high-quality charter schools while holding
underperforming schools and authorizers accountable.''
There is growing evidence that State policies matter to create
effective charter systems. How do you think the Department should
contribute to those efforts to improve the quality of State charter
school policies and practices?
Answer 43. If confirmed, I will work with Governors, State
legislators, and local leaders to ensure that there is an environment
for charter schools to succeed, grow, and thrive. I believe that
charter schools provide an important opportunity for parents, students,
and teachers to improve their education.
Question 44. In your hearing statement, you said students are
``having increasing difficulty accessing affordable higher education.''
You specifically mentioned ``escalating tuition'' and debt.
Can you describe your plans to make college more affordable and to
reduce student debt? What do you hope to achieve in reauthorization of
the Higher Education Act? What evidence is there that your approach
will prove effective for all students?
Answer 44. See below.
Question 45. We need a higher education system that promotes
quality, rewards success, and holds programs accountable. We need to
ensure the billions of dollars the Federal Government invests is
actually producing the outcomes we need.
Federal programs should incent States and colleges to keep costs
lower and focus on strong outcomes, while taking money away from
institutions that do not produce quality results or show a return on
investment.
Do you support creating such a system that rights incentives in
higher education and creates strong accountability, in addition to
better transparency? Will you commit to advocating for this and working
with me on it during reauthorization of the Higher Education Act?
Question 46. How do you think we should create accountability in
higher education? What approach do you support? How does your approach
move beyond just better transparency?
Answer 44-46. Chairman Alexander has said that the reauthorization
of the Higher Education Act is one of his top priorities this Congress.
If confirmed, I look forward to working with you and all members of the
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions to develop
bipartisan, consensus proposals to improve our institutions of higher
education, reduce student debt, and ensure that taxpayers are not
burdened with additional costs.
Question 47. Will you commit to work with me to better align
workforce education and training and higher education within the
Department of Education and across agencies, specifically at the
Department of Labor, in the Federal Government?
Answer 47. Yes.
Question 48. Is there anything that, in your view, the Obama
administration and the U.S. Department of Education have done right
that you are hoping to continue or emulate in the incoming
administration?
Answer 48. My mother, a public school teacher, taught me to always
find something good to say about someone. I believe that both Arne
Duncan and John King tried their best to be strong advocates for their
views and work with States and local school districts to improve
education. If confirmed, I will follow their model of speaking up when
I have a view that I want to share.
Question 49. As Secretary of Education, how will you and the
Department of Education work to improve the quality of early childhood
education as well as expand the opportunity for low-income children to
participate in early childhood education through title I?
Answer 49. If confirmed, I will work with States, local school
districts, early childhood providers, and the Department of Health and
Human Services to better coordinate early childhood education programs
and services and encourage States to continue their efforts to expand
early childhood education programs appropriately.
Question 50. Will you support programs that foster innovation and
invest in building the evidence base such as the Education Innovation
and Research grant and the Supporting Effective Educator Development
program?
Answer 50. Yes.
Question 51. As Secretary, what will you and the Department do to
increase the use of evidence, data and evaluation to inform policy and
drive continuous improvement in education programs?
Answer 51. If confirmed, I will work with the Office of Educational
Research and Improvement to expand awareness of best practices that are
evidence-based and encourage States and local school districts to
review the findings of Department-sponsored research to improve their
schools.
Question 52. How will you ensure that LGBT kids are free from
discrimination in school?
Answer 52. I am opposed to bullying and harassment of any student
for any reason. Schools should be a place of learning and improving
oneself, and, if confirmed as Secretary, I will work with the First
Lady to speak out against bullying and harassment and encourage States
and local school districts to improve policies and procedures to
prevent and deter this shameful behavior. On the flip side, I will work
to promote a culture of kindness and respect for others.
Question 53. As part of the recent reauthorization of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Congress made clear
that a set of well-rounded educational activities can be funded through
title I, title II, and the Student Support and Academic Enrichment
Grant program. Among the activities that make up a well-rounded
education is the arts. The arts play a strong role in ensuring that our
Nation's students can express themselves confidently and think
critically in response to complex problems.
Prior to the passage of the recent ESEA reauthorization, confusion
too often existed over whether Federal funds could be used to support
the arts as an academic area. With these thoughts in mind, how will the
Department under your leadership as Secretary implement the well-
rounded education provisions across the programs within ESEA?
Answer 53. In general, I believe it is best to defer to the
judgment of State and local officials about how to implement education
policies. If confirmed as Secretary, I would welcome the opportunity to
share data, best practices, and strong research from the Department of
Education with State and local officials so they can adapt it to their
particular needs. But I also hope that States and local leaders will
think outside the box and innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing
educational problems. If I can be a resource to help as Secretary, I
would welcome that opportunity. With regard to arts and music
education, I agree that they can be an important part of a well-rounded
education and hope that local education leaders can find new ways to
expand student opportunities in these areas, particularly with the
greater flexibility provided to States and local school districts and
the reduced focus on standardized tests seen under new accountability
systems.
Question 54. In the recent reauthorization of ESEA, we worked to
include a new weighted student funding pilot to focus on improving
equity in the way a district allocates funds to public schools in the
district. Will you commit to implement this pilot as it was intended to
create more equitable within-district public school funding systems
that ensure districts provide more State and local resources to high
poverty public schools and that Federal programs continue to serve the
students they intended to benefit?
Answer 54. If confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to working
with States and local school districts as they submit innovative
proposals under this exciting new pilot program. I believe the law
provides a great opportunity to be creative and flexible, and I look
forward to seeing what the States propose.
senator whitehouse
k-12 education--middle schools
Question 1. During our meeting on January 4, I provided you with a
copy of my letter to Secretary King outlining a series of requests for
guidance outlining best practices for how States and districts can meet
the requirements in ESSA to support middle school students. Please
respond to that letter outlining the steps you will take in support of
middle level education if confirmed Secretary of Education as well as
your timeline for initiating these steps.
Answer 1. If confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to responding
to letters you send to me. I do believe that an appropriate role of the
Department is to share best practices.
Question 2. The middle grades represent a tremendous opportunity to
intervene with at-risk students and get them back on track. Evidence
shows that up to 60 percent of high-poverty sixth graders who
demonstrated at least one negative indicator relating to either
attendance, behavior, or failing a course did not graduate high school
on time. Supporting them before they get too far off track is easier
and more effective than late stage interventions. What measures will
you promote to incentivize States to focus on the middle grades? What
direction on this matter will you give to States as they submit their
draft plans for review?
Answer 2. I agree that middle school education is an important
issue. However, I do not believe that it is wise to look to Washington
for an answer or to try to impose a top-down system of education from
the Nation's capital. In our decentralized system, States are
responsible to develop and maintain their own systems of education and
I think that is preferable.
The role of the Department of Education, and, if confirmed, mine as
Secretary, is to work with people around the country to identify best
practices, highlight what works, call out educational failures where we
see them in order to help people on the ground in the States, local
school districts, and colleges and universities improve their own
operations.
Question 3. Chronic absenteeism is a problem at all grade levels
but is especially an issue in the middle grades. Nationally, 12 percent
of middle school students miss at least 10 percent of school days per
year in 2015. Thankfully, students in this age are exceptionally
responsive to interventions even though they are largely overlooked by
the current educational system. Do you agree chronic absenteeism is a
problem? What specific actions will you take to combat chronic
absenteeism? Will you direct the Department to release guidance about
attendance best practices?
Answer 3. I agree that absenteeism is a problem. However, I do not
believe that it is wise to look to Washington for an answer or to try
to impose a top-down system of education from the Nation's capital. In
our decentralized system, States are responsible to develop and
maintain their own systems of education and I think that is preferable.
The role of the Department of Education, and, if confirmed, mine as
Secretary, is to work with people around the country to identify best
practices, highlight what works, call out educational failures where we
see them in order to help people on the ground in the States, local
school districts, and colleges and universities improve their own
operations.
innovation
Question 4. During our meeting on January 4, I provided you with a
copy of my letter to Secretary King outlining a series of requests for
guidance regarding the opportunities for innovation that were included
in ESSA. Please respond to that letter outlining the steps you will
take to support greater innovation within the public school system,
other than vouchers, if confirmed Secretary of Education as well as
your ideal timeline for initiating these steps.
Answer 4. If confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to promptly
responding to letters from you and other Members of the House and
Senate. ESSA was a bipartisan effort and the law includes many
opportunities for greater innovation, which can be facilitated by, for
example, the Department's Office of Innovation and Improvement. ESSA
also was an effort to give States more authority, something I fully
support. I want the Department to be a partner with the States in
implementing the new law and putting the interests of students first.
If confirmed, as I stated at the hearing, I am 100 percent committed to
supporting great public schools and I am committed to ensuring the
Department continue to identify and share innovative methods and
practices nationwide.
Question 5. In speaking with Rhode Island educators, I have found
that the most innovative solutions for improving education often come
from teachers themselves. Will you commit to meeting with public school
teachers on a regular basis to discuss their ideas for improving public
schools? How will you work with States and districts that have
collective bargaining agreements to ensure that teachers have the
flexibility to do what is best for their students without undermining
the protections for their jobs?
Answer 5. Parents, students and teachers should have a voice in
education innovation. If confirmed, I look forward to meeting with all
stakeholders, including about how to innovate.
juvenile justice
Question 6. During our meeting on January 4, I provided you with a
copy of my letter to Secretary King outlining a series of requests for
guidance to support the implementation of Title I, Part D of ESSA,
which addresses intervention programs for children and youth who are
neglected, delinquent or at-risk. Please respond to that letter
outlining the steps you will take if confirmed Secretary of Education
as well as your ideal timeline for initiating these steps.
Answer 6. If confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to responding
to letters you send to me. I will carefully review all existing
guidance to ensure it is consistent with relevant statutes and
necessary to enable successful implementation of Federal law. I will
also work with stakeholders to determine what additional guidance is
needed to ensure statutes are implemented as Congress intended and this
population of students are well-served.
Question 7. In ESSA, I authored several provisions to help keep
kids who encounter the juvenile justice system stay on track, including
having States establish procedures around timely transitions, back to
school or re-entry programs upon release, and to better facilitate
transferring academic credits and records between school and juvenile
justice facilities. What steps do you believe are needed to ensure that
students are able to transition smoothly back into their schools?
Answer 7. I agree that helping kids in the juvenile justice system
stay on track is important. However, I do not believe that it is wise
to look to Washington for an answer or to try to impose a top-down
system of education from the Nation's capital. In our decentralized
system, States are responsible to develop and maintain their own
systems of education and I think that is preferable.
The role of the Department of Education, and, if confirmed, mine as
Secretary, is to work with people around the country to identify best
practices, highlight what works, call out educational failures where we
see them in order to help people on the ground in the States, local
school districts, and colleges and universities improve their own
operations.
Question 8. In the Obama administration, efforts to reform the
criminal justice system were coordinated and spanned across agencies
and included the Department of Education. Will you commit to keeping
the Department of Education involved in Trump Administration efforts on
criminal justice reform?
Answer 8. Yes.
Question 9. What are your priorities when it comes to addressing
the needs of individuals who have been involved in the criminal justice
system? What specific policies will you promote or what guidance will
you issue regarding the education of individuals who have had contact
with the criminal justice system?
Answer 9. I agree that helping kids in the juvenile justice system
stay on track is important.
However, I do not believe that it is wise to look to Washington for
an answer or to try to impose a top-down system of education from the
Nation's capital. In our decentralized system, States are responsible
to develop and maintain their own systems of education and I think that
is preferable.
The role of the Department of Education, and, if confirmed, mine as
Secretary, is to work with people around the country to identify best
practices, highlight what works, call out educational failures where we
see them in order to help people on the ground in the States, local
school districts, and colleges and universities improve their own
operations.
Question 10. Do you oppose ``zero tolerance'' school discipline
policies that mandate the suspensions, expulsions, or arrest of
students for certain misconduct? Why or why not?
Answer 10. In general, I believe it is best to defer to the
judgment of State and local officials about how best to implement
education policies. If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to
share data and good research from the Department of Education with
State and local officials looking to improve educational opportunities.
I will travel around the country hoping to identify best practices of
what is working in the hopes that it encourages others to look to
solutions that have worked and adapt it to their particular needs. But
I also hope that States and local leaders will think outside the box
and innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing educational problems.
I have seen remarkable things happen in schools that use positive
behavioral supports and interventions, and I would welcome the
opportunity to encourage more States and local school districts to make
use of the tremendous research behind that system.
Question 11. Do you support the presence of police in schools as
``school resource officers'' ? Why or why not? What is the proper role
of police in schools?
Answer 11. I believe that School Resource Officers can serve a
vital role in helping schools maintain order, deescalate violent
situations, and make students, teachers, and parents feel safe in their
schools. I am grateful that the ESSA provides significant flexibility
on the use of professional development dollars and can help School
Resource Officers get and maintain the education they need to improve
their important skills.
Question 12. What specific actions have you taken to ensure that
the charter schools you have supported examine their discipline
practices to safeguard against policies that disproportionately impact
students of color and students with disabilities?
Answer 12. Michigan's charter Authorizers require the annual
submission and review of student handbooks which detail discipline
policies and behavioral expectations for all students in their schools.
Additionally, the MDE collects and disaggregates discipline data at the
school building-level. Details are here; http://www.michigan.gov/mde/
0,4615,7-140-6530_6598-378103--,00.html.
However, while MDE collects subgroup data they do not publicly
report it, so it's difficult to answer your questions with more
specificity. In the end, we have no evidence that discipline issues
with minority students in charter public schools are disproportionately
occurring as compared to traditional public schools.
Question 13. Do you believe it is appropriate for the Department to
work to mitigate the demonstrated or potential disparate impact of
discipline policies? Do you believe the Department of Education should
issue regulations or guidance on this issue? If so, what regulations or
guidance will your Department release to ensure that schools work to
improve in this respect?
Answer 13. I have seen remarkable things happen in schools that use
positive behavioral supports and interventions, and, if confirmed, I
would welcome the opportunity to encourage more States and local school
districts to make use of the tremendous research behind that system.
Question 14. In many schools across the Nation, students,
particularly students of color, are suspended, expelled or even
arrested for minor or status offenses. Many times this behavior stems
from a history of abuse, neglect, poverty, or learning disabilities.
However, instead of getting much-needed treatment and rehabilitation,
these students are forced out of school. Most of these students do not
succeed when removed from school in this manner, and some become
hardened, stigmatized by their peers, and end up falling further behind
in their studies. Often these students end up committing crimes as
young adults, and become involved in the justice system, where we spend
$70 billion annually on incarceration, probation and parole. What
specific actions will your department initiate to combat this so-called
``school-to-prison pipeline'' ?
Answer 14. I believe that a good education is the foundation to
becoming a good citizen. A good school can provide a lifeline to a
struggling student and help prevent them from slipping through the
cracks and into our justice system. If confirmed as Secretary I would
look forward to working with you and others in Congress to better
understand what an appropriate Federal role could be to help our State
and local leaders address this important issue.
Question 15. What role do you see for the Department of Education
in re-engaging disconnected youth who have exited high school without
earning a high school diploma?
Answer 15. I would encourage States and local school districts to
address this issue with the flexibility that the Federal law provides.
Question 16. Please explain your understanding of the application
of ``Restorative Justice'' in schools. As Secretary of Education would
you promote the use of restorative justice in public schools?
Answer 16. I would welcome the opportunity to work with the
Attorney General, after he is confirmed, as well as you and other
Members of Congress to determine what the appropriate Federal role
would be in helping States and local school districts address the need
to help those who have been incarcerated re-enter society.
scientific integrity
Question 17. Research universities have played an important role in
the development of advances that allow us to live longer and healthier
lives than ever before. Climate scientists, who help us understand how
our world is changing as a result of CO2 emissions, are increasingly
under attack by an apparatus of denial organizations funded by the
fossil fuel industry. Do you believe in anthropomorphic climate
changes? As the Secretary of Education, how will you work to protect
scientific integrity and ensure that scientists have both the resources
and the intellectual freedom to address questions raised by climate
change?
Answer 17. The Department of Education does not have any
jurisdiction over climate change or climate issues so, if confirmed, I
would respectfully defer to my colleagues in other agencies, like the
Department of Energy, on these issues. Additionally, the Department of
Education is prohibited from dictating curricula in our Nation's
schools so I respectfully defer to State and local school districts
about what they will or will not teach.
Question 18. Soon after the election, the conservative non-profit
Turning Points USA released the Professor Watchlist, which intends to
``expose and document college professors who discriminate against
conservative students and advance leftist propaganda in the
classroom.''
So far, 162 professors have been identified. Do you denounce the
targeting of these or any other professors for their viewpoints? What
will you do as Secretary to protect the teachers and professors who are
individually targeted by this or other similar websites? What will you
do as Secretary to protect the right of professors to disagree and
ensure that civil discourse is not threatened on our college campuses?
Answer 18. Freedom of speech is a very important issue, especially
on our college campuses. If confirmed as Secretary, I will encourage
civil discourse and help colleges and universities understand what
their responsibilities are to protect all who wish to speak freely on
college campuses.
Question 19. The President-elect has said climate change is a hoax
``created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing
non-competitive.'' Do you agree with that argument? What steps are you
going to take to ensure fact-based scientific instruction does not come
under attack in the Trump Administration?
Answer 19. The Department of Education does not have any
jurisdiction over climate change or climate issues so, if confirmed, I
would respectfully defer to my colleagues in other agencies, like the
Department of Energy, on these issues. Additionally, the Department of
Education is prohibited from dictating curriculum in our Nation's
schools so I respectfully defer to State and local school districts
about what they will or will not teach.
Question 20. In the aftermath of the election, there was a national
outpouring of frustration regarding the false news. As Secretary of
Education, you will have a role in setting the tone for the national
conversation regarding instruction and have a responsibility to ensure
that all schools are teaching facts. Does the Department have an
interest in ensuring that taxpayer dollars are not being spent to
promote false news or instruction that is not fact-based?
Answer 20. The Department of Education is prohibited from dictating
curriculum in our Nation's schools so I respectfully defer to State and
local school districts about what they will or will not teach.
Question 21. Your foundation has donated over $1,200,000 to the
Acton Institute for the Study of Religion of Liberty. Acton counts
ExxonMobil as one of its biggest donors and calls climate change
``unfounded and [of] undue concern''. Were you aware of their views on
climate change when you made these contributions? Do you agree with
these views?
Answer 21. The Department of Education does not have any
jurisdiction over climate change or climate issues so, if confirmed, I
would respectfully defer to my colleagues in other agencies, like the
Department of Energy, on these issues.
secular education/religious freedom
Question 22. Please articulate your views on the establishment
clause of the First Amendment and your views on how that clause should
be applied to our Nation's schools?
Answer 22. As you know, the courts have spent much time over the
years interpreting the meaning of the Establishment Clause in the
schoolroom setting. If confirmed, you can be assured I will abide by
the law, and seek the advice and counsel of Department of Education and
Department of Justice lawyers on constitutional issues affecting our
Nation's schools.
Question 23. In the past, you have been a staunch advocate for
Christian education and, in 1995, you stated,
``[t]he fact is that every time legislation is passed, its
passed from someone's view of right and wrong. It's not a
question of if we are legislating morality, but whose morality
are we legislating.''
How will your religious beliefs affect your decisions as Secretary
of the U.S. public education system?
Answer 23. If I am confirmed, I will have a duty as an officer of
the Department and the Federal Government, to uphold the U.S.
Constitution and the laws of the land. I intend to do so.
Question 24. Do you believe that every student--regardless of
religion, family income, sexual orientation, gender, or ethnic
background--has the same rights in their school and to a quality
education? If so, what have you done in your career to ensure those
rights?
Answer 24. The civil rights laws of our land provide for
protections against various forms of discrimination. You can be assured
that I will uphold the laws of our land, and will seek the advice and
counsel of Department of Education and Department of Justice lawyers as
such issues arise. Additionally, my own beliefs decry discrimination in
any form.
Question 25. Will you oppose efforts to allow any school that
receives funding from public sources to choose students based on their
or their parents religion?
Answer 25. If confirmed, I will respect and follow the laws
relevant to these issues.
Question 26. Do you believe intelligent design should be taught in
schools alongside and/or instead of evolution?
Answer 26. The Department of Education is prohibited from dictating
curriculum in our Nation's schools so I respectfully defer to State and
local school districts about what they will or will not teach.
role of the secretary
Question 27. Please list the topics of guidance you would direct
the Department to release on ESSA in the first year of your term. What
procedural steps will you implement to ensure that the final
regulations of ESSA are consistent with the intent of the underlying
statute?
Answer 27. If confirmed as Secretary, I will implement the
requirements of ESSA as Congress specified and carefully review all
existing regulations to ensure they too adhere to the law.
Question 28. What do you believe is the purpose of title I funding?
Do you believe that there is too little, just enough or too much title
I funding? In your answer please cite examples and data.
Answer 28. The purpose of title I is to support our Nation's most
vulnerable children. Appropriate funding is a perennial issue and, if
confirmed, I will look across all parts of the Department's budget to
determine the right balance.
Question 29. Please list your view of the most appropriate uses of
title I funds.
Answer 29. To provide a high quality education to our Nation's most
vulnerable children.
Question 30. In ESSA, a number of programs were consolidated under
title IV, part D to become the Student Support and Academic Enrichment
Grants. These grants are intended to provide schools with flexibility
to best address the needs of their students in creating a well-rounded
education, improving conditions for student learning and increasing the
access of technology. If confirmed, will you commit to using your
purview as Secretary to promote fully funding these grants at
authorized levels?
Answer 30. If confirmed as Secretary, I will look closely at the
budget of the Department of Education to determine the best allocation
of taxpayer dollars to programs, including the Student Support and
Academic Enrichment grants program, when proposing budgets for future
fiscal years.
Question 31. You have previously been an advocate of A-F rating
systems of public schools. As Secretary of Education how will you
promote transparency and accountability systems that allow parents and
leaders to know how students are performing? Do you support the use of
``data dashboards'' in accountability systems? What measures of
resource equity do you believe are important for parents to know? Do
you support ratings that show student performance relative to State
standards? What about systems that allow comparisons to peers across
the State?
Answer 31. In general, I believe it is best to defer to the
judgment of State and local officials about how best to implement
education policies. To me, the most exciting thing about the Every
Student Succeeds is how much it returned power back to States to
grapple with these important issues. The top-down accountability
structure of No Child Left Behind was well-intentioned, but proved to
be ineffective at helping our States over the long term improve their
systems. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing what States propose.
Question 32. In 2015, you were asked whether you had considered
other alternatives to competition and choice for the improvement of
public schools. You said no and that you were
``convinced pretty conclusively that the system is not going
to change of its own accord and that it is only with other
options being presented from the outside . . . that we're
ultimately going to have fundamental change for everyone.''
In speaking with Rhode Islanders, many of them are concerned about
your laser-like focus on school choice at the expense of all other
concepts. The role of the Secretary of Education is not to be the
``Secretary of School Choice and Charter Schools'', but to represent
and advocate for the education of all students--those in traditional
public schools too. Do you remain committed to the comments you made in
2015, that school choice is the only way to improve our education
system?
Answer 32. I am a strong advocate of great public education.
Period. I believe we can provide parents and students with choices and
support public education.
Our current approach is not working for far too many. Last year,
the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) recorded
declines in fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math following flat
2013 results, marking a downturn after years of steady gains. Recently,
the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) reported that
U.S. performance has declined steadily since 2009 in reading, math, and
science--after a decade of rising scores. In fact, the United States is
now 35th in math (down from 28th). In science, we're 25th and in
reading, we're now in 24th place. Surely we can all agree that is
indefensible.
I believe that a choice for children in education is a powerful way
to start. But we should all think of choice in the widest terms:
Excellent traditional public schools, Public Charters, Non-government
schools, Homeschooling, Online or Distance Learning and forms of
education that we haven't yet thought of . . . we need to be open to
progress.
We have to keep the focus on students and not on the adult issues
that too often gum up the conversation.
charter accountability
Question 33. Moody's has warned repeatedly that the proliferation
of charter schools destabilizes public school district finances, making
it harder for schools to provide the resources that children need to
learn. The ratings agency singled out Michigan's loose policies as
harmful to Detroit's schools. In pushing for looser regulations, was it
your intent to undermine public education in Detroit, or was it just a
byproduct of privatization?
Answer 33. Charter schools in Michigan are a success story. Charter
students in Michigan gain an additional 2 months of learning in reading
and math over their traditional public school peers. In Detroit, the
gain is 3 months. In both reading and math, African American students
in Detroit charter schools have significantly larger growth compared to
African American students in Detroit Public Schools. Hispanic charter
students in Detroit show significantly better outcomes in math compared
to their Hispanic peers in Detroit Public Schools. I also believe that
traditional public education is capable of changing and improving, and
I expect we will see movement in that regard.
Question 34. Public charter schools have mixed success levels and
some perform below the standard of their traditional public school
neighbors. In these cases, what would you like to see the Department of
Education do to ensure quality of charter schools? Are you in favor of
revoking charters from charter schools and/or charter management
organizations that underperform?
What are the roles and obligations of each level of government--
Federal, State and local--in preventing financial mismanagement by
charter school operators?
Answer 34. I support great schools in all forms--public, private,
magnet, home, religious and virtual. Charter schools can--and should--
be closed when they fail to meet the expectations outlined in their
charters.
Question 35. If a State allows charter schools to remain open
despite evidence of weak student achievement, should that State or
those schools be eligible for Federal incentives or funding to expand
or create more charter schools?
Answer 35. I will follow the law as Congress wrote it.
Question 36. In ESSA we were able to reach bipartisan agreements
that supported greater local autonomy providing local school
committees, principals, and teachers more control over classrooms. How
will you support teacher innovation while ensuring that teachers use
and maintain high standards for students?
Answer 36. In general I believe it is best to defer to the judgment
of State and local officials about how best to implement education
policies. I look forward to reviewing what States propose in their
State plans. if confirmed, I will work with teachers, Governors,
legislators, and local school officials to encourage them to take
maximum advantage of the flexibility of the law to meet the needs in
their local schools so that teachers have the freedom to teach, instead
of focusing relentlessly on the test as happened under No Child Left
Behind.
Question 37. Under what circumstances should charter schools be
allowed to exclude high needs students, including English learners and
students with disabilities?
Answer 37. I believe that the primary responsibility for creating a
high-quality, accountable, and autonomous charter school sector rests
with States, local communities, and the broader charter school sector
itself, not with the Federal Government or the U.S. Department of
Education. At the same time, I support quality, accountability,
autonomy, and transparency. Parents may choose not to enroll their
children in a charter school or a student may decide that a particular
charter school is not a right for them. These scenarios are perfectly
acceptable and, in no way, suggest that charter schools are unwilling
to serve all students. Charter schools can and do engage in contracts
with families confirming behavioral, academic, volunteer and other
expectations. For families who do not want to engage in such
agreements, they can choose a different learning environment for their
children. Charter schools, like all public schools, do serve children
with disabilities if that is the choice that the parents and the IEP
team make for the child. But, like a traditional public school, if a
charter school is part of a local educational agency, that local
educational agency is the entity responsible for providing special
education to a student with a disability and the charter school, like a
traditional public school, must follow the policy of the local
educational agency.
Question 38. Please explain your decision to oppose the efforts by
the bipartisan Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren to
require greater oversight and accountability for charter schools in
Michigan?
Answer 38. I disagree with the premise of the question. Charter
schools in Michigan are a success story. Charter students in Michigan
gain an additional 2 months of learning in reading and math over their
traditional public school peers. In Detroit, the gain is 3 months.
Students in Detroit charter schools outperform students in the Detroit
Public Schools (DPS) in both proficiency (MEAP, M-STEP) and growth
(CREDO 2013, 2015).
I opposed the effort you referenced, because it did not promote
accountability. Just the opposite. It would have added an additional
layer of bureaucracy and given the city's traditional schools a free
pass on accountability. I advocated for a different bill--one that
provided uniform and tough accountability measures for all schools, not
just charter schools in Detroit. Because of my support and that of many
others, for the first time in State history, both charter schools and
traditional public schools are now subject to mandatory State closure
or restructuring.
Question 39. In your past work to expand charter schools, can you
provide a list of specific actions that you have taken or for which you
have advocated to ensure these charter schools examine discipline
practices to ensure such practices do not disproportionately impact
students of color and students with disabilities?
Answer 39. Michigan's charter Authorizers require the annual
submission and review of student handbooks which detail discipline
policies and behavioral expectations for all students in their schools.
Additionally, the MDE collects and disaggregates discipline data at the
school building-level. Details are here; http://www.michigan.gov/mde/
0,4615,7-140-6530_6598-378103--,00.html.
However, while MDE collects subgroup data they do not publicly
report it, so it's difficult to answer your questions with more
specificity. In the end, we have no evidence that discipline issues
with minority students in charter public schools are disproportionately
occurring as compared to traditional public schools.
vouchers
Question 40. The best research to date finds little difference in
achievement for students offered education vouchers as compared to
similar non-voucher students. A review of research on vouchers from the
Center on Education Policy, including evidence about the impact of
vouchers on student test scores from long-term studies about the
publicly funded voucher programs in Milwaukee, Cleveland, and
Washington, DC, conclude that ``studies have generally found no clear
advantage in academic achievement for students attending private
schools with vouchers.'' Do you agree with the conclusions from this
report? What research have you relied upon to support your positions
about the impact of vouchers for public school students? Please cite
the name, authors, and dates of the research.
Answer 40. No, I do not agree with the conclusions above. In fact,
several studies have found exactly the opposite: students participating
in choice programs have higher test scores, better graduation rates and
higher parental satisfaction levels than their public school
counterparts. For example, long-term evaluations of the Milwaukee and
DC scholarship programs found higher graduation rates and increased
academic achievement (Milwaukee Parental Choice Program Evaluation,
2012; Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program, 2010). In
addition, studies have found that vouchers have a positive impact on
public schools, including the Figlio and Hart Study of Florida Tax
Credit Scholarship Program, 2014.
Question 41. We have previously spoken about the process of how
ESSA came together under the smart, pragmatic leadership of this
committee under Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray. In this
bipartisan process, we decided not to make changes to title I funding
that would let the money follow the child, so-called ``Pell for Kids''.
Do you pledge to not reopen a controversial issue and do you agree it
would be counterproductive to do so?
Answer 41. President Trump has made a robust school choice proposal
a centerpiece of his platform, and, if confirmed, I look forward to
working with you on our proposal and hope to convince you to support
it. As we finish developing this proposal I will look closely at the
budget of the Department of Education to determine the best allocation
of taxpayer dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future
fiscal years.
newcomer students
Question 42. In Rhode Island we welcome families who are new to our
country, seeking better opportunities for themselves and their
children. However, the students from these families have often had
incomplete or inconsistent formal schooling and as a result have far
greater needs than their peers. In Providence, our largest school
district, we have 245 newcomer students. Teachers and parents of these
students agree that these students need specially trained teachers
along with wrap-around services to give them the support they need to
succeed. What can I tell my constituents in Rhode Island about how you
will use the resources of the Department of Education to address the
particular needs of these students?
Answer 42. In general, I believe it is best to defer to the
judgment of State and local officials about how best to implement
education policies. If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to
share data and good research from the Department of Education with
State and local officials looking to improve educational opportunities
for newcomer students.
early education
Question 43. The national median annual wage for pre-school
teachers is a little more than half of what kindergarten teachers make,
and yet pre-school is a critical early learning experience that helps
shape children as they enter the K-12 system. Such persistently low
wages are a challenge when it comes to promoting high quality pre-
school programs. Do you also believe these low-wages for pre-school
teachers are a problem? What should the Department do to ensure that
early learning educators are better compensated for their important
work?
Answer 43. Early childhood education is important and can help put
a child on a path to success in life. That is why it is exciting to see
so many States invest in and support early education programs for
families. However, pay for early childhood educators is a State and
local issue.
teachers
Question 44. Please discuss what you view as the role of the State
and the role of the Federal Government in ensuring certain groups of
students--whether minority children, children from low-income families,
or children with special education needs--are not disproportionately
taught by brand new teachers? Or given lower quality academic
instruction?
Answer 44. Teacher hiring and assignment is a local issue, but a
common issue shared amongst school districts. If confirmed, I look
forward to talking with State and local school officials and help
facilitate the sharing of best practices to bring more teachers into
the schools, especially in alternative and high-need schools.
Question 45. At a 2015 South by Southwest Education conference
presentation, you said that you believed that ``teaching has become
very de-professionalized over the years, as it's been part of an
industry that has been very closed to itself and, I would argue, very
self-serving.''
Can you elaborate on what you meant by saying the teaching
profession was both ``de-professionalized'' and ``self-serving``?
Answer 45. During my SXSWedu speech, I made very clear my deep
respect for teachers and the teaching profession.
``Teaching is hard. It takes a lot of skill. Not everyone who
tries can do it well. We need to admit that and act
accordingly. We should reward and respect great teachers by
paying them more, and we should stop rewarding seniority over
effectiveness.''
I also stated very clearly, we don't pay teachers enough. If
confirmed, I look forward to continuing to advocate for great teachers
and elevating the importance of the teaching profession.
Question 46. One of the priorities of the HELP Committee is the
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. What changes would you
propose to Title II of the HEA to address your comments and
characterization of the teaching profession?
Answer 46. Improving teacher education and encouraging and
rewarding high quality teachers is an important issue. if confirmed, I
look forward to working with you on this issue in the context of the
Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization.
Question 47. Do you support the existence of labor unions? Do you
support right-to-work laws? Do you support collective bargaining for
teachers and the right to unionize?
Answer 47. I support freedom for individual citizens to make such
decisions for themselves and their situations.
Question 48. Many parts of the Nation are suffering from teacher
shortages, which are often most prevalent in high-poverty schools with
our most disadvantaged students. As Secretary of Education, what
strategies would you employ to identify and address the issues causing
our teacher shortages?
Answer 48. Teacher hiring is a local issue, but a common issue
shared amongst school districts. If confirmed, I look forward to
talking with State and local school officials and help facilitate the
sharing of best practices to bring more teachers into the schools,
especially in alternative and high-need schools.
Question 49. How will the Department of Education, under your
leadership, support or work to improve working conditions for teachers?
Particularly those in high-poverty schools where excellent teachers are
sorely needed and teacher turnover is frequently high?
Answer 49. Teacher conditions are a local issue, but a common issue
shared amongst school districts. If confirmed, I look forward to
talking with State and local school officials and help facilitate the
sharing of best practices to bring more teachers into the schools,
especially in alternative and high-need schools.
curriculum
Question 50. In the last two decades, the focus of K-12 education
has centered around standardized tests as a primary metric for school
performance. This resulted in a narrowing of the curriculum to focus
solely on English and math at the expense of many other worthwhile
subjects. As Secretary, what would you do to support a more well-
rounded education?
Answer 50. It is not the responsibility of the Federal Government
to dictate curriculum. In fact, the General Education Provisions Act
forbids such interference. I believe these issues are best left up to
local school districts. I would hope, however, that with the new
flexibility provided under the Every Student Succeeds Act, that States
and local school districts would examine what is needed for a well-
rounded 21st Century education.
Question 51. Is there a minimum standard of basic competency that
American students should be expected to learn and know upon high school
graduation? Is there a minimum standard that American students need to
attain in order to be competitive in today's globalized economic
environment?
Answer 51. I believe it is important for States to have high
standards and strong assessments that provide a good look at their
schools and give parents the information needed to accurately determine
how their schools are performing. They need to be able to ensure
students are being prepared to compete in a global economy. ESSA
requires States to adopt high standards and develop their assessments
to ensure they are adequately measuring student achievement against the
rigorous State standards. Parents and local, State, and Federal
education policymakers can look at this information from schools and
review the results from NAEP to understand how education in the Nation
is measuring.
Question 52. Do you support States to voluntarily collaborating on
the development of academic standards for K-12 students?
Answer 52. Yes.
Question 53. Should the Department promote civic education in
public schools? If so, what is your definition of civics education.
Please identify what research you have reviewed on this topic,
including names, authors and dates of any reports.
Answer 53. It is not the responsibility of the Federal Government
to dictate curriculum. In fact, the General Education Provisions Act
forbids such interference. I believe these issues are best left up to
local school districts. Generally speaking, however, if confirmed, I
will happily encourage educators to include robust civics education in
their curriculum.
bullying & student safety
Question 54. After the election many teachers experienced an
increase in school violence, aggression, hostility, etc. In your home
State of Michigan, there was a video of middle school students chanting
``build the wall.'' As the Secretary of Education, what will you do to
prevent bullying and ensure that all students have a safe environment
at school?
Answer 54. I am opposed to bullying and harassment of any student
for any reason. Schools should be a place of learning and improving
oneself, and, if confirmed, I will work with the First Lady to speak
out against bullying and harassment and encourage States and local
school districts to improve policies and procedures to prevent and
deter bullying and harassment. I believe that the role of the
Department of Education is to help States and local school districts
enforce the law and improve education for all students in their
schools.
Question 55. What specific actions have you taken to address the
needs of LGBT students? Please identify what research you have reviewed
on this topic, including names, authors and dates of any reports.
Answer 55. The needs of all students, including LGBT students,
students with disabilities, and children harassed because of their race
or religion are of deep concern to me. If confirmed, I look forward to
working with the First Lady's office on this important issue, as she
has indicated this will be a priority for her. And, I look forward to
working with State and local school officials and parents to ensure all
students are treated with respect.
Question 56. Have you ever spoken with an LGBT student about his or
her experiences in a public school? If so, what did you learn? Is
bullying, harassment, and violence on the basis of students' actual or
perceived sexual orientation or gender identity a problem in schools
today?
Answer 56. Bullying is never the right behavior. In my support for
a local homeless center that serves young people--including LGBT
youth--it has always been very clear that these students face unique
challenges. I believe every student deserves to be in a learning
environment where they are safe to learn, grow, and thrive.
students with disabilities
Question 57. The Supreme Court case of Endrew F. v. Douglas County
School District will help determine the level of educational benefit
that school districts provide to meet the free appropriate public
education (FAPE) guarantee. What is your view on this case?
Answer 57. As you know, oral arguments were conducted on January
11, 2017. If confirmed, I will abide by the Court's decision and make
appropriate changes at the Department of Education to comply with their
decision.
Question 58. In June 2016, the Council of Parent Attorneys and
Advocates (COPAA) released a report titled ``School Vouchers and
Students with Disabilities: Examining Impact in the Name of Choice''.
The report found that students with significant cognitive disabilities
are the least likely to be admitted to these schools, especially in
general education classrooms. Have you reviewed this report? What other
research about this issue has informed your thinking? Please list
names, authors and dates of any reports. As Secretary of Education how
will you oversee such programs and ensure they are not creating a
publicly financed (in whole or in part) segregated education system for
students with disabilities?
Answer 58. I am unfamiliar with the report, and look forward to
reviewing it. I take your concerns seriously and I've worked hard over
the past 28 years to expand educational options for families with
special needs, especially those with no recourse but to sue their
traditional public school system when the traditional schools fail to
live up to their legally mandated responsibility to provide children
with special learning needs and education. With regard to your concerns
about voucher schools, I would refer you to a 2-year investigation
conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice in Milwaukee that was
closed and found no evidence of discrimination. According to news
reports,
``The U.S. Department of Justice has closed a long-running
investigation into whether the Milwaukee private school voucher
program discriminates against students with disabilities, with
no apparent findings of major wrongdoing.''
school facilities
Question 59. Many students attend inadequate, outdated school
buildings. In some areas, children go to school in trailers, or their
schools lack high-quality Internet connections. Not long ago, heavy
snow helped to bring down the roof of an elementary school outside of
Boston, while students in Baltimore stayed home because their school
did not have air conditioning. And of course, Detroit made national
news this year because students were attending schools that were
decrepit, unheated, and infested with rodents. What would you do as
Secretary to address this issue?
Answer 59. Facilities funding is currently a State and local issue.
If Congress were to make changes to that and give the Department
responsibility in this area, I would follow the law as Congress wrote
it.
higher education--pell grant program
Question 60. In your view, why is the Pell Grant program important?
Answer 60. It satisfies the Federal Government role for providing
access to an opportunity to post-secondary education for low-income
individuals.
Question 61. What changes to the program would you pursue as
Secretary of Education?
Answer 61. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you, the
committee and Congress in ensuring that the role of access is
maintained during the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 62. Do you believe the Pell Grant program currently has
too much, just enough, or too little funding?
Answer 62. If confirmed, I look forward to assisting with a budget
submission that includes sufficient Pell Grant funding to meet the
President's goals.
Question 63. On average what percentage of a public, 4-year
education should the maximum Pell Grant cover?
Answer 63. I do not think it is appropriate to establish a funding
benchmark for Federal programs. We have seen historically that
establishing such percentages creates a level of expectation that
traditionally goes unmet.
Question 64. Data from the College Board's report ``Trends in
College Pricing 2016'' demonstrate that in 2016 a full Pell Grant
covered less than 30 percent of the costs to attend a public 4-year
university; down dramatically from the over 70 percent it covered in
the 1970s. Due to this drop in purchasing power, students, particularly
low-income students and students of color, are left with high rates of
unmet financial need. This sometimes funnels students into cheaper and
frequently poor performing schools. Do you believe this is a problem?
If so, what specific steps will you take to address this issue?
Answer 64. The increasing costs of higher education are a concern
to me. I believe that we need to encourage innovative solutions that
are more cost-effective in order to keep costs reasonable. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with you, the committee and
Congress during the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act in
order to address these concerns.
Question 65. Students with unmet financial need are often required
to work more hours, take out more loans, and sometimes even drop out.
Do you believe this is a problem? If so, what specific steps will you
take to address this issue?
Answer 65. In general, I do not think that every concern or issue
needs to have a Federal solution; however, if confirmed, I look forward
to working with you, the committee and Congress in addressing these
issues during the upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 66. Most Pell Grant recipients come from low-income
families that depend these funds from the Federal Government to make
college affordable and put a college education within reach. How do you
propose supporting these students and future students from low-income
backgrounds?
Answer 66. As I have indicated, a primary role of the Federal
financial aid system is to provide post-secondary educational
opportunity through access for low-income individuals. If confirmed, I
look forward to working with you in maintaining this commitment.
Question 67. Speaker Ryan has proposed freezing Pell Grants at
their current levels for 10 years and would eliminate the mandatory
spending funds of the program. Do you support this or other proposals
to reduce Pell per student?
Answer 67. I have not studied the House Republican 2016 budget, but
if confirmed, I look forward to working with Members of Congress from
both parties in both chambers to appropriately fund the Department's
programs. In doing so, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal years.
Question 68. There is currently a surplus of $8 billion in the Pell
Grant program. As Secretary of Education, would you support
congressional efforts to use this funding to shore up Pell Grants or to
support higher education programs serving low-income and/or first-
generation students?
Answer 68. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Members of
Congress from both parties in both chambers to appropriately fund the
Department's programs. In doing so, I will look closely at the budget
of the Department of Education to determine the best allocation of
taxpayer dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal
years.
Question 69. As Secretary, would you support using the Pell Grant
surplus to restore the year-round Pell Grant?
Answer 69. Yes. If confirmed, I look forward to working with
Members of Congress from both parties in both chambers to appropriately
fund the Department's programs. I agree that year-round Pell Grants
would be an effective tool to help students complete college on-time
and hopefully at reduced cost, and look forward to working with you on
this issue.
Question 70. What is your view on the current Satisfactory Academic
Progress requirements and the definition of full-time?
Answer 70. If confirmed, I will carefully review all regulations to
ensure they are consistent with the relevant statutes as Congress wrote
them and are necessary to enable successful implementation of Federal
law.
Question 71. A provision in the Violent Crime Control and Law
Enforcement Act of 1994 banned access to Pell Grants for incarcerated
adults. At the time, Pell grant usage among inmates constituted less
than 1 percent of Federal Pell spending, but its removal all but
eliminated post-secondary opportunities for inmates. Since that time,
research has found that access to correctional education (i.e., adult
education, post-secondary courses, and workforce training) correlates
with significantly reduced chances of recidivism, increased employment
prospects, and greater public safety. Under the Obama administration
the Department initiated a pilot program reinstating some incarcerated
individuals' access to Pell Grants to pursue higher education. Do you
have an opinion on whether providing post-secondary for prisoners helps
reduce recidivism, increase employment, and improve safety? If
appointed would you continue these pilots? If so, can you describe any
changes to the program you are considering? If appointed would you
support the expansion of these sites? If appointed would you support
the removal of the congressional ban on Pell grants for incarcerated
adults?
Answer 71. The Higher Education Act prohibits Pell Grant funding to
go to certain incarcerated individuals. I am aware that experimental
sites are underway and, if confirmed, I'll be interested in knowing
what was learned from those sites. I look forward to engaging with you
on this issue and expect that it will also be discussed in the course
of the HEA reauthorization.
consumer information & transparency
Question 72. Under the Obama administration, the Department of
Education created the new College Scorecard which provides students to
clear and accurate data on college cost, graduation, debt and post-
college earnings. What is your opinion of the College Scorecard? Will
you commit to continue to allow annual updates to this useful and
important source of consumer information?
Answer 72. If confirmed, I will review the information that the
Department currently collects from institutions and evaluate how that
data aligns with requirements in the Higher Education Act, including
determining what additional information may be necessary. Further, I
will ensure that the information provided conforms with the
requirements of the Higher Education Act for the College Navigator and
college cost information.
Question 73. Please list the indicators that you think are the most
important for students to know about colleges and universities. Do you
believe that students have a right to this information before making
their college decisions?
Answer 73. If confirmed, I will review all the data published by
the Department of Education in order to evaluate its compliance with
the Higher Education Act and usefulness by consumers.
Question 74. There have been congressional efforts to improve and
expand the information available to students and families regarding a
number of metrics including, but not limited to: veterans' graduation
rate, Pell grantees' graduation rate, and more accurate college
transfer rates. Do you believe that greater transparency for students
and parents is important? As Secretary, what steps will you take to
provide more transparency in higher education?
Answer 74. I do believe that greater transparency for students and
parents is important. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you
to address this issue as part of HEA reauthorization.
title ix
Question 75. According to the Republican Party platform, the
Department of Education has no role in adjudicating campus sexual
violence cases. Do you believe there is a role for institutions of
higher education when responding to these incidents?
Answer 75. We have one of the most sought-after systems of higher
education in the world and we must work to ensure our colleges and
universities provide safe havens for student learning. However, our
higher education system is exceptionally diverse. The Federal
Government should not force colleges to serve as courts of law. The
title IX regulations require schools receiving Federal financial
assistance to investigate any complaint communicated to the school
alleging noncompliance or alleging actions prohibited by the
regulations. The regulations also require colleges and universities to
adopt and publish grievance procedures providing for prompt and
equitable resolution of complaints. If confirmed, I will work to
enforce these laws and regulations.
Question 76. Is there anything that Secretaries King and Duncan did
on sexual assault that you would support?
Answer 76. I agree with them that sexual assault is a horrific
crime and that we as a nation need to do more to protect victims and
prevent assault in the first place, as well as treat victims with
respect.
Question 77. As Secretary, how would you work to ensure that
institutions of higher education and local law enforcement work
together effectively to respond to sexual assault?
Answer 77. Many colleges and universities and local law enforcement
are already working well together. Many have pre-existing agreements or
memoranda of understanding governing how they work together. If there
are particular instances where they are not working together
effectively, I would look forward to discussing further with you.
Question 78. Given President Trump's statements about women, will
you commit to the committee that the important topic and crime of
sexual assault will not receive less attention and fewer resources in
your Department than it did under the previous Administration?
Answer 78. I can certainly agree that campus sexual assault will
not receive less attention. I will need to carefully review the
Department's budget to ensure that all resources are being used wisely.
affordability
Question 79. According to the College Board's report ``Trends in
College Pricing 2016'', the average tuition at a public 4-year
university has quadrupled from $2,600 to $9,650. The President-elect
has referred to the ``tremendous bloat'' in total cost of attendance.
If confirmed, how will you address the upwards trend of the price of
college?
Answer 79. It takes a partnership between the Federal Government,
States, institutions of higher learning, and families to ensure post-
secondary education remains affordable. If confirmed, I would work with
institutions to ensure they are holding up their part of the bargain.
Question 80. In 2015, former Senator David Vitter, who received
$40,000 from the Louisiana Federation for Children, said,
``We need to get out of this cycle of slashing State funding
and replacing it with tuition increases because that can't go
on without limit. It really risks affordability.''
Do you believe this pattern of State divestment is a problem? If
confirmed, what would you do to help combat State divestment in higher
education?
Answer 80. It takes a partnership between the Federal Government,
States, institutions of higher learning, and families to ensure post-
secondary education remains affordable. If confirmed, I would work with
States to ensure they are holding up their part of the bargain.
higher education finance
Question 81. The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan program has
been a key pillar of the financial aid landscape in higher education.
However, the President-elect has made references to privatizing the
program, increasing its costs, and returning to a setup that puts
students at risk for predatory lending. What assurances will you make
to students who are depending on this program to finance their
education?
Answer 81. President Trump is interested in ensuring the Federal
student loan program is serving students in the most efficient and
effective way. If confirmed, I look forward to discussing this issue--
among others--with you and your colleagues as you move forward with the
HEA reauthorization.
Question 82. In 2010, the Federal Family Education Loan Program
ended. Do you support bringing the program back?
Answer 82. President Trump is interested in ensuring the Federal
student loan program is serving students in the most efficient and
effective way. If confirmed, I look forward to discussing this issue--
among others--with you and your colleagues as you move forward with the
HEA reauthorization.
Question 83. Over the last several years private student loans have
made up approximately 10 percent of the total outstanding student loan
balance, and Federal Direct Loans have made up the remainder. Do you
believe this is the appropriate balance?
Answer 83. I am interested in ensuring students and taxpayers are
well-served by the Federal student-aid program.
Question 84. Students who enroll in income-driven repayment plans
have significantly lower default rates. During the campaign, the
President-elect discussed a new income-based repayment plan where
students would pay a maximum of 12.5 percent of their income and have
their debt forgiven in 15 years. Is this a policy priority of yours?
Answer 84. Yes.
Question 85. As an indirect investor of SoFi, the policies you
implement or advocate for will affect the work and profitability of
this company. Will you and your husband continue to divest from SoFi if
you are confirmed as Secretary of Education?
Answer 85. My husband and I have divested from our indirect
interest in SoFi. Also, please see my HELP Committee questionnaire and
my OGE form, which was completed Thursday, January 19, 2017.
Question 86. Students of color are often burdened with higher
amounts of loan debt due to a number of factors including increased
youth unemployment, lower earnings, and differences in enrollment.
Additionally, the Federal Government shows that over 90 percent of
African American and 72 percent of Latino students leave college with
student loan debt, compared to 66 percent of white students and 51
percent of Asian American students. Do you agree that this disparity is
an issue? How would you approach solving this problem?
Answer 86. One of the goals of the Higher Education Act is to
ensure traditionally underserved individuals, like the student you
mention, are able to pursue their dream of a post-secondary education.
If confirmed, I look forward to discussing how we can ensure all
students, especially those who are frequently underserved, are able to
pursue their dreams.
Question 87. How do you intend to address the growing problem of
college tuition inflation and the burden of educational loan debt that
limits students' opportunities even with a bachelor's degree?
Answer 87. I think we can all agree that the growing amount of
student debt in America is a serious challenge. I think the solutions
to this challenge must be multi-faceted.
One of the best ways to tackle the student debt issue is to ensure
that students are able to actually get jobs after they complete their
post-secondary program. President Trump has spoken extensively about
his plans to put Americans back to work and boost the Nation's stagnant
economy.
Beyond that, we need to embrace new pathways of learning, such as
competency-based education. The old and expensive brick-mortar-and-ivy
model is not the only one that will lead to a prosperous future.
We need to support all post-secondary avenues, including programs
offering credentials. There are many great jobs available that do not
require a traditional 4-year degree.
We also need to support students and families so they are able to
make informed choices about what type of education they want to pursue.
In this vein, I am interested in making sure students have good
information about the costs of college and the labor market outcomes of
particular fields so they can make good decisions at the beginning of
their educational pursuits about what program may work best for them
and their situation.
Finally, we need to simplify and streamline the repayment options
offered to borrowers to help them better understand their options.
While on the campaign trail, President Trump spoke about his plan to
streamline the income-driven repayment plans into one plan that will
cap a borrower's monthly payment at 12.5 percent of his or her
discretionary income, and ensure a borrower has relief from his or her
loan after 15 years of payment.
If confirmed, I look forward to working on all of these issues as
the committee begins the process of reauthorizing the Higher Education
Act.
Question 88. What is your view on the currently used Federal
definition of ``cost of attendance'' ? Do you believe it offers
institutions too much or too little flexibility?
Answer 88. I know there has been a lot of conversation about all of
the components of ``cost of attendance'' and believe this issue should
be discussed and debated as part of the HEA reauthorization. If
confirmed, I look forward to being an engaged partner in that
discussion.
education as an economic driver
Question 89. Making decisions about careers, coursework, and
programs of study can be difficult for college students, especially
those who are first-generation college goers, those juggling family
obligations, or students coming back to college after time away. These
students can benefit significantly from guidance and support. Do you
support expanding and enhancing programs that provide career counseling
and support for low-income and underserved populations?
Answer 89. I believe career counseling and support for students in
need are a priority to help those students succeed. I look forward to
working with institutions of higher education to find innovative ways
to address these issues.
Question 90. According to Georgetown University's Center on
Education and the Workforce, the percentage of jobs that will require
post-secondary education and training will reach a new high of 65
percent by 2020. Over the past several decades, we have seen more
students enroll in college but, because completion rates are not high
enough to meet demand alone, we continue to see a mismatch in the
credentials needed for jobs and what job seekers have to offer. Far too
many students are entering college but leaving without a certificate,
credential, or degree they can translate to career success. Under your
leadership, how will you help States, colleges, and students tackle
this college completion and skills mismatch challenge?
Answer 90. More than 40 percent of students who pursue a post-
secondary education do not complete college. Too many incur debt and
leave school with no degree, making it very difficult to repay their
loans. At the same time, students are taking longer than ever to
complete college--making it ever more costly. And our solutions are too
often geared to traditional students which does not reflect the reality
of today's student body.
This is a systemic failure, affecting our Nation and its citizens
in a way that is unacceptable.
The Federal investment in higher education--primarily through our
financial aid programs--allows for students and families to make
choices about post-secondary education. What we haven't done a good job
of, is giving students and their families the best possible information
upon which to base those choices.
We need to work together to find solutions. As you consider the
reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, and if I am confirmed, I
look forward to working with you to find the right way to get that
valuable information to students and families.
Additionally, many States are implementing policies to address
college completion--from setting completion goals, to career pathways
to transfer and articulation, to performance funding to name a few. If
confirmed, I will highlight and share these State best practices.
adult education
Question 91. In 2014, by large bipartisan margins, Congress
reauthorized the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which
oversees Federal support for adult education. Adult education, under
WIOA Title II, encourages integrated education and training with
workforce development and community college partners, but WIOA Title II
funding continues to be cut in the appropriations process. Do you
believe the program should be funded up to the amount authorized under
the law?
Answer 91. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs, including the Adult Education program, when
proposing budgets for future fiscal years.
Question 92. Title II of WIOA provides Federal funds to States for
adult education and training. Up to 20 percent of those funds can be
used for correctional education, specifically ``transition to reentry
initiatives and other post-release services with the goal of reducing
recidivism which must support the educational needs of the
individual.''
Do you support Federal dollars in this title being used for these
purposes?
Answer 92. Yes.
for-profit institutions
Question 93. What is your view of the Department's Gainful
Employment rule effective July 1, 2015? Do you believe it is
appropriate to use debt-to-earnings ratios of graduates to determine a
program's utility, success, or worth of Federal taxpayer investment?
Answer 93. I believe that all institutions of higher education
participating in the title IV programs should provide value to students
and taxpayers alike. There are many tools to provide information to
students, parents, and the public and if confirmed, I look forward to
working with Congress to reform the Higher Education Act in a way that
will allow all institutions to appropriately demonstrate their value to
students and the public. With regard to the gainful employment
regulations, the Department has had significant implementation issues,
including questions as to the accuracy of the data originally reported,
the design of a system that would allow schools to challenge incorrect
data, and how best to provide the necessary technical assistance
required. The last thing any of us want is to unnecessarily close down
important programs, putting students on the street with limited or no
other options. As President Trump has directed, I will review and
assess all regulations and make determinations once that review is
complete.
Question 94. Many have argued that it is unacceptable for students
who are enrolled in higher education to graduate with high debt-to-
earnings ratios. Do you agree with this assessment? What is the highest
debt-to-earnings ratio you believe is appropriate for average graduates
to have after graduating from a 4-year college? What about 5 years
after graduation?
Answer 94. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you, the
committee and Congress on this important issue as Congress reauthorizes
the Higher Education Act.
borrower defense
Question 95. The Department of Education recently released
regulation clarifying the process for students who have attended for-
profit colleges that defrauded students or misrepresented information.
So far, over 62,000 students have applied after the closure of both
Corinthian Colleges and ITT Tech and many more are expected to apply.
However, the Department has only been able to process a fraction of
these applications due to a lack of resources. Will you, in your
capacity as the Secretary, increase the resources to this critical work
and ensure that all students receive the debt relief they are entitled
to?
Answer 95. As it relates to the Borrower Defense regulations issued
in November, if confirmed, I will carefully review all regulations to
ensure they are consistent with the relevant statutes and are necessary
to enable successful implementation of Federal law. I will also work
with stakeholders to determine what additional guidance is needed to
ensure statutes are implemented so that all students are well-served.
political spending
Question 96. You are listed as an officer of All Children Matter
and have called yourself the chair of that group. It owes the State of
Ohio more than $5.3 million in election fines for violating the law in
2008 in several States by funneling $870,000 in contributions from a
nationwide PAC to State affiliates. The fine is now almost a decade old
and accrues additional penalties daily. Why hasn't your organization
paid this fine?
Answer 96. I was never a party to that lawsuit and a trial court
judge ruled that an ACM officer could not be held liable for the fine.
Additionally, as a general matter, the interpretation and validity
of restrictions on political expenditures have long been the subject of
legal debate. In fact, I have been advised by ACM counsel that, under
the Buckley v. Valeo and Citizens United decisions and their progeny,
the regulations that gave rise to the fines may be unconstitutional.
Question 97. In 2011, you and the political groups that you founded
worked to remove the cap on the number of charter schools in Michigan.
One of the elected officials that had previously supported your policy
views--a Republican who said he ``toed the line'' on your proposals,
who'd even campaigned for your husband's gubernatorial race voted
against the measure to remove the cap on the number of charters. The
next year, your organization, the Great Lakes Education Project donated
nearly $185,000 to his opponent's campaign in the primary. While he won
the primary by 137 votes, a local news outlet reported spending had
``a chilling effect on fellow legislators who feared the
steep price they would pay for disagreeing on education policy
with the DeVos family''.
It looks like you used your money to essentially target, and punish
an individual who, basically, stepped out of line. Doesn't that set a
disturbing precedent for anyone who wants to work with you or your
Department should you disagree?
Answer 97. I disagree with the premise of your question. This
office-holder committed in writing to support raising the cap on
charter schools and then led the charge against the bill in the
legislature. GLEP supported a stronger school-choice advocate in the
next election.
Question 98. In your January 17 response to the request that
Senators Sanders, Baldwin, Warren, Franken, Casey and I sent to you
regarding your 501(c)4 spending, you provided an addendum of more than
one foot of public State tax filings for the American Federation of
Children Action Funds/PACs. In your response, however, you denied our
request to
``provide a list of all donations made by you, members of
your family, and foundations or organizations with which you
are affiliated, to any other 501(c)4 organizations over the
past 5 years.''
You claimed that ``[t]he information sought by this request has no
bearing upon the office to which I have been nominated nor the duties
of the Department of Education.''
To be clear, if you, your family members or the organizations you
are associated with have contributed to any 501(c)4 organization that
has any bearing on any issue that may come before the Department of
Education then it is, in fact, relevant to your nomination.
Answer 98. No response.
Question 99. If confirmed, you will only be required to report the
political contributions and donations that you and your husband make.
Do you and your husband plan to continue participating when your family
bundles contributions for a specific candidate?
Answer 99. No.
Question 100. You have been an active political donor for many
years, if you are confirmed as Secretary of Education, a position in
which you are expected to serve all Americans, will you continue to
make partisan political contributions and raise money for, personally
fund, or otherwise participate in paid private political advocacy
campaigns at either the State and/or Federal level?
Answer 100. If confirmed, I will not make any personal political
financial contributions during my tenure as Secretary of Education.
Question 101. You've stated that,
``One of the most American values is our freedom of speech
and our freedom to speak out in the political process and to do
so as vigorously and as loudly as we please.''
Given your strong support of the Citizens United decision and your
family's significant political spending, it seems that your view of
freedom of speech in the political process is limited to money. What
steps will you take as Secretary to ensure you are listening to all
stakeholders, regardless of the ability to make political donations?
Answer 101. If confirmed as Secretary, I will have an open door to
all stakeholders and look forward to working together with them to
improve education for all students.
Question 102. What steps will you take to ensure that members of
your family do not lobby or make political contributions related to
matters that may come before you as Secretary?
Answer 102. I will comply with all requirements of the Office of
Government Ethics and the Ethics Office of the Department of Education.
Question 103. Do you commit not to make any political contributions
related to any matters that may come before you as Secretary?
Answer 103. I will comply with all requirements of the Office of
Government Ethics and the Ethics Office of the Department of Education.
Question 104. I understand that at some point you were invested in
K12 Inc., the largest for-profit operator of online schools. K12 Inc.
has a student-to-teacher ratio as high as 275 to 1 and the percentage
of K12 Inc. students achieving proficiency on State math and reading
tests is generally below State averages. Do you believe that K12 Inc.
adequately addresses the educational needs of its students? What
factors did you use to make the determination?
Question 105. What factors did you use to evaluate whether to
invest in K12 Inc.?
Question 106. Do you think that for-profit schools should be
diverting money from students to spending on lobbying? K12 has spent
$1,888,992 over multiple years in State and Federal lobbying. Is there
a limit on how much these schools should divert from their students to
lobbying their own interests?
Answer to 104-106. The interests in K12 Inc. were acquired in 2002
and 2003 and sold in 2008. I believe that companies have an obligation
to decide the best use of their resources in providing the services
they offer, marketing to attract customers, lobbying to advocate for
policies they support, and many other uses of their funds. However, I
do not support the use of taxpayer dollars being used for any lobbying
purposes.
In your January 17 letter responding to the request that Senators
Sanders, Baldwin, Warren, Franken, Casey and I sent to you regarding
your 501(c)(4) spending, you provided information regarding your 527
organization, the American Federation of Children Action Fund--
information which was comprised of publicly available disclosures.
However, you failed to provide any information regarding the American
Federation for Children 501(c)(4).
Question 107. Again we request, please provide a list of all
donors, total donations, and affiliations of those who have contributed
to the American Federation for Children 501(c)(4) since its inception.
Answer 107. Please see the referenced letter of January 17, 2017.
Question 108. Please provide a list of all donors, total donations,
and affiliations of those who have contributed to the Great Lakes
Education Project 501(c)(4) since its inception.
Answer 108. Please see the referenced letter of January 17, 2017.
Question 109. Please include the IRS Form 990 for any of your
501(c)(4) organization(s) for the tax year 2015.
Answer 109. Please see the referenced letter of January 17, 2017.
Question 110. What specific steps will you take to ensure that you
will recuse yourself from any matters at the Department of Education
involving any individuals or entities who have donated to any of the
501(c)(4) organizations?
Answer 110. I will comply with all requirements of the Office of
Government Ethics and the Ethics Office of the Department of Education.
senator baldwin
Question 1. The mission of the Department of Education's Office for
Civil Rights (OCR) is to ensure equal access to education and to
promote educational excellence throughout the Nation through vigorous
enforcement of civil rights, resolving complaints of discrimination and
dealing with acute compliance problems at all levels. Do you think this
is a valuable mission? Would you support funding OCR at its current
budget?
Answer 1. The Office for Civil Rights has an important mission to
play in enforcing the law as Congress wrote it. If confirmed, I will
ensure that the Department enforces the laws appropriately to protect
all of our Nation's students. I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs when crafting proposed budgets for future fiscal
years.
Question 2. OCR's mandate to eliminate discriminatory barriers in
education impacts more than 79 million individuals at institutions that
receive Federal funds, including all State educational agencies;
approximately 18,200 local educational agencies; approximately 7,200
post-secondary institutions, including proprietary schools and
community colleges; 80 State vocational rehabilitation agencies and
their sub-recipients; and other institutions that receive U.S.
Department of Education financial assistance, such as libraries,
museums, and correctional institutions. OCR serves our Nation's
students through a headquarters office and 12 regional offices located
across the country. Its headquarters and DC Metro enforcement offices
are located in Washington, DC, and the remaining 11 enforcement offices
are in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Kansas
City, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle. OCR is also
required by law to perform investigations of educational institutions
to ensure that they are complying with nondiscrimination laws. How
would you carry out this legal obligation?
Answer 2. The Office for Civil Rights has an important mission to
play in enforcing the law. if confirmed, I will ensure that the
Department allocates its resources in such a way that allows for the
appropriate enforcement of the laws to protect all students.
Question 3. If you are confirmed as Secretary, will OCR continue to
enforce Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to protect
students from discrimination based on gender identity or transgender
status?
Answer 3. If confirmed as Secretary, I will carefully review the
law and all existing guidance documents that are in effect on title IX
to ensure the Department is faithfully implementing the law as
intended.
Question 4. A recent National Science Foundation study found that
women continue to lag behind men in obtaining jobs in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, despite earning
an increasing number of relevant graduate degrees. At a time when our
Nation faces a serious shortage of expert workers and teachers in the
STEM disciplines, what actions do you intend to take as Secretary that
will increase recruitment and retention of women and minorities in
high-demand, high-paying STEM fields, such as computer science and
engineering?
Answer 4. STEM, including computer science, is a very important
part of education. And, increasing the number of women and minorities
in these fields is vital to our economic security as a Nation. Most
jobs today require a much higher degree of technical competence than
even 5 years ago. If confirmed, I will work with States, local school
districts and institutions to encourage them to prioritize STEM
education, and I will help identify best practices wherever possible to
serve as models of where it is being done well.
Question 5. How would you characterize the State of career and
technical education in the United States today? Do you believe funding
for career and technical education programs at the secondary level is
adequate?
Answer 5. The reauthorization of the Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act is an important priority, and, if confirmed, I look
forward to working with the Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions along with other interested Members of Congress to
update and improve the law. I believe that we should work to align
Federal laws to ensure consistency across programs, reduce duplication
and unnecessary requirements, and provide a seamless set of policies.
It is also important to provide flexibility at the State and local
level so local officials on the ground can create and run programs that
help educate students to attain the skills needed to work in those in-
demand jobs. Finally, I support transparency of data so parents,
students, and other taxpayers can see how well their programs are
working. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal years.
Question 6. Do you believe the Federal Government should support
the improvement of career and technical education, and if so, how?
Answer 6. Career and technical education is important. If
confirmed, I look forward to sharing best practices of efficient and
successful programs so that others may learn from them and adapt
practices in a manner that will prove successful. Decisions about what
programs to implement and how to run them should only be made at the
State and local level.
Question 7. You are seeking to lead the Federal Government agency
charged with administering Federal education law--including the
bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act that reaffirms the important role
of the Federal Government in ensuring States are held to account for
serving all students well. These reforms must be aggressively
implemented. Please explain how you would implement these tools. Are
there any accountability reforms that you believe should not be
aggressively applied by the Federal Government?
Answer 7. If confirmed, I will implement the requirements of the
laws under the agency, including the Every Student Succeeds Act, as
Congress intended. While it is necessary and critical for States to
have flexibility to determine how to identify and improve schools for
accountability purposes, as the law states, the Department has an
important role to play in ensuring States are meeting their
responsibilities under the law, including fully meeting the
accountability provisions established in the new law.
Question 8. If a State only offered advanced placement courses in
their urban school districts and none in suburban or rural districts,
would that be acceptable? What if the State only offered AP courses in
affluent districts and not lower-income districts? If the State took no
action to correct these disparities, what do you believe the Department
should do?
Answer 8. This is exactly why alternative options are necessary and
one of the reasons I've worked to bring additional education options to
families. Families in all types of communities need access to rigorous
courses. If confirmed, I would work with State and local education
leaders to help bring more opportunities for rigorous coursework to all
students.
Question 9. Federal law requires States to ensure that minority and
low-income students are not taught at disproportionate rates by out-of-
field and inexperienced teachers. If States did not comply with this
Federal requirement, what do you believe the Department should do? Does
that standard apply only to public schools or to all schools receiving
public money, including private schools? Do you believe the standard
should apply if the school is receiving State or local funding and not
Federal funding?
Answer 9. The Department has an important responsibility to monitor
compliance with the law to ensure States, districts and schools are
meeting their responsibilities by complying with the law.
Question 10. Do States have an obligation to ensure every group of
students has access to an equally high quality of education or is it
acceptable for some to get a great education and others to get a
mediocre or poor education?
Answer 10. Yes, States have an obligation to ensure every child has
access to a high quality education. It has been my life's work in
Michigan and around the country to improve the opportunities available
to those who currently do not have such access, and if confirmed, I
look forward to working with this committee to continue those efforts.
Question 11. ESSA encourages school districts to partner with their
local workforce development boards to implement employment and
education interventions focused on dropout recovery for out of school
youth through the 2014 Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
How will the Department of Education support these partnerships?
Answer 11. As a proponent of local control, I am convinced that
State and local officials have the experience to implement these
partnerships. If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share
data and good research from the Department of Education with State and
local officials looking to improve educational opportunities. I will
also work to highlight partnership opportunities presented by the Every
Student Succeeds Act and other education and workforce laws. I will
travel around the country, sharing best practices so others adapt them
to their particular needs. But I also hope that States and local
leaders will think outside the box and innovate, looking for new
solutions to vexing educational problems. If confirmed, and if I may be
a resource to help as Secretary, I welcome that opportunity.
Question 12. Could you explain your understanding of the importance
of the trust relationship between the Department of Education and
Native communities? Will you support continued tribal consultation and
cross-collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Education, especially
relative to implementation of Title VI of ESSA?
Answer 12. Native American students deserve an opportunity for
excellent education, just as all other students do. If confirmed, I
look forward to working with Tribal leaders and the Secretary of the
Interior to help ensure Native American students have access to a
quality education. The reauthorized Every Student Succeeds Act requires
meaningful consultation with Tribal leaders, as a requirement unto the
law. I will ensure States and school districts are fully complying with
the law.
Question 13. Are you familiar with programs that support social and
emotional learning (SEL)? Do you believe Federal funding should support
and expand these programs?
Answer 13. I agree that supporting the whole child can be a very
valuable way of helping children learn and achieve. In general, I
believe it is best to defer to the judgment of State and local
officials about how best to implement education policies. However, if
confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share data and good
research from the Department of Education with State and local
officials looking to improve educational opportunities. I will travel
around the country sharing best practices in the hopes that they will
want to adapt them to their particular needs. But I also hope that
States and local leaders will think outside the box and innovate,
looking for new solutions to vexing educational problems. If I can be a
resource to help as Secretary, I welcome that opportunity.
Question 14. Charter schools serve approximately 6 percent of the
K-12 students in this country. Should charter schools be required to
serve any child who enrolls? Should charter schools be required to
serve children with disabilities? Should charter schools be required to
serve any child with a disability? What would you do to ensure that
charter schools equitably serve subpopulations of students such as
students of color, students with disabilities, students who are English
learners, and students living in poverty? What responsibilities do
charter schools have for assuring equal access to their services?
Answer 14. I believe the primary responsibility for creating a
high-quality, accountable, and autonomous charter school sector rests
with States, local communities, and the broader charter school sector
itself, not with the Federal Government or the U.S. Department of
Education. At the same time, I support quality, accountability,
autonomy, and transparency. Parents may choose not to enroll their
children in a charter school or a student may decide that a particular
charter school is not a right for them. These scenarios are perfectly
acceptable and, in no way, suggest that charter schools are unwilling
to serve all students.
As you may know some traditional public schools screen enrollment
based upon a variety of characteristics including academic achievement,
often called ``magnet'' schools.
Charter schools can and do engage in contracts with families to
confirm behavioral, academic, volunteer and other expectations. For
families who do not want to engage in such agreements, they can choose
a different learning environment for their children. Charter schools,
like all public schools, do serve children with disabilities if that is
the choice that the parents and the IEP team make for the child. But,
like a traditional public school, if a charter school is part of a
local educational agency, that local educational agency is the entity
responsible for providing special education to a student with a
disability and the charter school, like a traditional public school,
must follow the policy of the local educational agency.
Question 15. In the Department of Education's fiscal year 2018
budget, would you support providing full funding at the congressionally
authorized level of $1.65 billion for the ESSA Student Support and
Academic Enrichment Grants Program (SSAEG, title iv, part a), which
would ensure every State and district has funding that can be used at
their discretion to support a well-rounded education, student health
and safety, and educational technology?
Answer 15. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal years.
Question 16. As part of ESSA, Congress authorized grants to States
to help them conduct audits of their assessment systems, designed to
identify and eliminate redundant and unaligned testing at the State,
district and school level and thus ease the testing burden on educators
and students. Senator Cassidy and I sponsored the amendment creating
this program and it enjoined broad, bipartisan support. If confirmed,
would you commit to using funds reserved to your office under ESSA to
provide grants to States for this important program?
Answer 16. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal years. I
agree that helping States reduce unnecessary testing is a priority and
look forward to working with you on this issue.
Question 17. What role do you feel student assessments and measures
of student growth play in determining a teacher's overall effectiveness
in the classroom--including for well-rounded educators, such as in
music and arts, who do not have standardized assessments?
Answer 17. The Every Student Succeeds Act appropriately prohibits
the Department from interfering in State teacher evaluation systems,
and I will follow the law.
As reauthorized, ESSA allows States to include both achievement
measures and other measures as determined by the State. If confirmed, I
look forward to assisting States which choose to include measures they
have deemed appropriate.
Question 18. Will you support policies that will help diversify the
teaching profession?
Answer 18. I agree that we need more high quality teachers of all
races and ethnicities in our schools. If confirmed, I will work with
the committee and Congress, during the reauthorization of the Higher
Education Act, to find creative ways to attract more diverse candidates
to the teaching profession. While I believe it is best to defer to the
judgment of State and local officials about staffing policies, the need
for excellent teachers is of national importance. I will share best
practices and research with States and other stakeholders and will
continue to look for ways to encourage diverse candidates to enter this
important profession.
Question 19. What will the Department of Education do to address
the upcoming teacher shortage?
Answer 19. Teacher hiring is a local issue, but a common issue
shared amongst school districts. If confirmed, I look forward to
talking with State and local school officials and helping facilitate
the sharing of best practices to bring more teachers into the schools,
especially in alternative and high-need schools.
Question 20. Recently, the Department began to allow students to
use prior-prior year tax data to make it easier for them and their
families to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or
FAFSA. This change will potentially allow millions more students to
access higher education. Would you continue this practice if confirmed
as Secretary?
Answer 20. Yes.
Question 21. Will you continue the use of the college scorecard,
which provides clear information to students and their families about
costs, graduation rates, student debt and earnings after school?
Answer 21. If confirmed, I will review the information that the
Department currently collects from institutions and evaluate how that
data aligns with requirements in the Higher Education Act, including
determining what additional information may be necessary. Furthermore,
I will ensure that the information provided conforms to the
requirements of the Higher Education Act for the college navigator and
college cost information.
Question 22. The scorecard currently excludes graduate and
professional schools. This makes little sense given that the majority
of graduate and professional students are borrowing Federal student
loans to finance these degrees, and it prevents students, researchers,
and the public from having better information on the return on
investment of these programs. If confirmed as Secretary, will you
commit to adding graduate and professional school debt and earnings
information to the college scorecard?
Answer 22. If confirmed, I will review the information that the
Department currently collects from institutions and evaluate how that
data aligns with requirements in the Higher Education Act, including
determining what additional information may be necessary. Further, I
will ensure that the information provided conforms to the requirements
of the Higher Education Act for the college navigator and college cost
information.
Question 23. Will you commit to supporting year-round Pell Grants,
as included in the Senate-passed Labor, HHS and Education
appropriations measure last year, to help students complete their
degrees more quickly and with less debt?
Answer 23. If confirmed, should Congress pass an appropriations
bill with a provision that reinstates year-round Pell Grants, as
Secretary I will implement the provision as required.
Question 24. Recently, we have seen a number of colleges and
universities that have failed to fulfill their commitment to students,
including Corinthian Colleges, which was found to have defrauded its
students by providing false information and making fake promises. Do
you believe that students who have been defrauded deserve to recover
the funds they have invested in higher education, including by having
their Federal student loan debt forgiven?
Answer 24. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad actors
clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions--and when we
find them, we should act decisively to protect students and enforce
existing laws. If confirmed, I will review the current regulations
issued by the Department and apply them in accordance with the Higher
Education Act.
Question 25. Colleges and universities owned by publicly traded
companies are required to inform their investors promptly of
significant events, such as major lawsuits alleging fraud or heightened
oversight by Federal or State governments or accreditors. Do you
believe that students at these colleges and universities should be
informed along with investors of such events? Would you support a
requirement to notify students and investors?
Answer 25. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad actors
clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions--and when we
find them, we should act decisively to protect students and enforce
existing laws. If confirmed, I will use the tools at the Secretary's
disposal to ensure that institutions are complying with the Higher
Education Act.
Question 26. Private, for-profit colleges spend less on educating
students than any other sector of higher education. While for-profit
colleges serve only about 10 percent of students, one-third of all
individuals who have defaulted on their Federal student loans attended
such institutions. In fact, 47 percent of for-profit college student
borrowers default within 5 years. After a few years in repayment,
three-quarters of for-profit college student borrowers owe more on
their loans than they did the day they entered repayment. Do you think
it is appropriate for the Department of Education to make Federal
financial aid available to institutions that produce a majority of
borrowers owing more after being in repayment than they did before
entering?
Answer 26. As I stated during the hearing, I am interested in
ensuring all institutions are accountable for their use of taxpayer
dollars. If confirmed, I look forward to discussing institutional
eligibility issues with you and your colleagues as you work to
reauthorize the Higher Education Act.
Question 27. We need to work together to end waste, fraud, and
abuse, and we need to protect our students from any fraud. Will you
dedicate your Department to rooting out the fraud, fighting it
preventively, and taking steps to help students who have been
defrauded?
Answer 27. Yes.
Question 28. Which elements of the House Republican budget
proposals for education in fiscal year 2016 do you support or oppose?
For example, recent House-passed budgets have proposed to (1) eliminate
all mandatory spending for the Pell Grant program, (2) freeze the
maximum Pell Grant for 10 years, (3) eliminate the in-school interest
subsidy for undergraduate loans, (4) eliminate the Public Service Loan
Forgiveness Program, and (5) roll back recently extended eligibility
for more affordable income-based repayment plans. Do you support or
oppose each of these proposals?
Answer 28. I have not studied the House Republican 2016 budget, but
if confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to working with Members of
Congress from both parties in both chambers to appropriately fund the
Department's programs. In doing so, I will look closely at the budget
of the Department of Education to determine the best allocation of
taxpayer dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal
years.
Question 29. Do you believe there is anything the Federal
Government can or should do to encourage States to reinvest in their
higher education systems and lessen the financial burden on students
and families paying for college?
Answer 29. It takes a partnership between the Federal Government,
States, institutions of higher learning, and families to ensure post-
secondary education remains affordable. If confirmed, I would work with
States to ensure they are holding up their part of the bargain and I
look forward to working with you and other interested Members of
Congress on this issue as part of the reauthorization of the Higher
Education Act.
Question 30. Under Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plans, the
remaining balance of a participant's loans are forgiven after 25 years,
if the individual makes all qualifying payments. Will you maintain this
important safeguard for students and families, which gives them peace
of mind that their student loans will not burden them for their entire
lives?
Answer 30. The number of repayment options, and number of income-
driven repayment options, has led to much confusion for borrowers about
the right plan for their financial situation. As you may know,
President Trump proposed a streamlined income-driven repayment plan
that will cap a borrower's monthly payment at 12.5 percent of his or
her discretionary income, and ensure a borrower has relief from his or
her loan after 15 years of payment. Hopefully we can all agree that we
should make it more simple and less confusing for students.
If confirmed, I look forward to working with you on this matter as
Congress considers the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 31. Income-driven repayment is a program with bipartisan
support and President-elect Trump has proposed a high-level income-
driven repayment reform, saying that the No. 1 issue voters spoke to
him about on the campaign trail was struggling with student debt.
Income-driven repayment is a vital protection that should be available
to all student loan borrowers. Do you support income-driven repayment
plans? Will you commit to student loan borrowers that you will act in
their best interests against efforts to gut income-driven repayment
protections? Will you commit to improving student loan servicing so
that borrowers are better informed about their income-driven repayment
options?
Answer 31. See Question #30.
Question 32. Nearly one million community college students across
the Nation do not have access to Federal student loans, the safest and
most affordable way to borrow for college, because their schools choose
not to participate in the title IV financial aid programs. What would
you do to help these students gain access to loans they need to afford
college?
Answer 32. Many community colleges have found that the regulatory
burden of, and risk associated with, participating in the Federal
student loan program outweighs the benefit for their students. If
confirmed, I look forward to engaging in a conversation with you and
your colleagues during the Higher Education Act reauthorization about
ways in which we can streamline these burdens and eliminate many of the
risks that are keeping community colleges out of the program.
Question 33. By 2020, it is estimated that 65 percent of all jobs
will require some sort of post-secondary education or training.
Currently, only 42 percent of Americans hold an associate's degree or
higher. Increasing the number of Americans who hold a post-secondary
degree is an economic imperative and essential if our Nation wishes to
remain globally competitive. The Obama administration viewed community
colleges as a centerpiece to its post-secondary agenda by providing an
affordable and accessible pathway for millions of student to obtain a
post-secondary degree or credential. Will supporting community colleges
remain a priority for the Department of Education under your
leadership? How do you plan to support community colleges and their
students?
Answer 33. President-elect Trump championed the role of community
colleges and other forms of vocational education during the campaign
and, if confirmed, I plan to continue to support this avenue as one way
a student could obtain a post-secondary education. I look forward to
discussing the best ways the Federal Government can support community
colleges through both the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act and Higher Education Act reauthorizations.
Question 34. In 2015, President Obama announced America's College
Promise, a proposal to eliminate the cost of 2 years' tuition and fees
for eligible students at community colleges through a new Federal-State
partnership. I introduced legislation, the America's College Promise
Act, which would make this plan a reality. Some have argued that the
proposal is unnecessary because the Pell Grant often fully covers the
cost of tuition for low-income students at community colleges. However,
the college board found that during the 2015-16 academic year, after
grant aid, full-time students at community colleges must cover an
average of around $7,160 in other costs of attendance, including
housing, food, books and supplies, transportation, and other living
expenses. Community college students who attend full-time are more
likely to complete their degrees in a timely manner. Therefore, I
believe financial incentives and institutional supports that enable
full-time attendance are essential. Do you believe the Federal
Government has a role in providing community college students the tools
necessary to attend full-time without having to borrow thousands of
dollars in order to do so?
Answer 34. I believe answers to the question of college
affordability and accessibility are vital to the success of our
country. I think community colleges play an important role in helping
us reach those goals. If confirmed, I look forward to discussing these
issues with you during the Higher Education Act reauthorization.
Question 35. Many students who enter higher education drop out
after earning a few credits because they do not see a clear path to a
career and better life. The guided pathways movement is an effort to
help colleges provide students with clearer road maps to credentials
and help students get there. Guided pathways save time and money and
significantly boost student success. Do you support programs that help
students chart a clear path to an industry-demanded credential? Under
your leadership, how will the Department of Education help identify and
spread evidence-based best practices like guided pathways throughout
the higher education sector?
Answer 35. Yes, I believe guided pathways can be an important tool
to help more students succeed. if confirmed, I look forward to working
with you on this issue as Congress considers the reauthorization of the
Higher Education Act.
Question 36. In recent years, increased attention has been paid to
the potential that competency-based education (CBE) models have for
helping individuals attain the skills and credentials needed for high-
demand careers on an accelerated basis. Many of these programs have
been very successful. How would you support the expansion of CBE
programs? What metrics would you use to measure the success of these
programs, and to ensure that they are using taxpayer dollars
appropriately and producing the maximum value for students?
Specifically, please describe how you would ensure that CBE programs
monitor student progress proactively and maintain ready access to
qualified faculty and academic assistance for all students.
Answer 36. I agree that CBE presents exciting opportunities at both
the post-secondary and K-12 levels, and I look forward to working with
States on these efforts, if confirmed.
In terms of higher education (CBE, specifically), I know that
several institutions are developing or implementing programs and there
are concerns about how the Department delivers financial aid to these
programs. I look forward to reviewing the information gathered by the
Department as it worked on this issue during the past few years and
discussing this issue with Congress as part of Higher Education Act
reauthorization.
Question 37. During your hearing, you indicated that you did not
have a decisionmaking role in the contributions made by the Elsa and
Edgar Prince Foundation, including the millions of dollars given to
anti-LGBT groups, including Focus on the Family and Family Research
Council. You also indicated that your designation as a vice president
of that foundation on the organization's IRS Form 990 was a clerical
error. In a review of the Elsa and Edgar Prince Foundation's 990
submissions for every year from 2001 through 2014, however, you are
also listed as a vice president. Furthermore, according to tax
documents, in 2001 the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation, led by you and
your husband, contributed $75,000 to Focus on the Family. Please
clarify, is each of the Forms 990 filed with the IRS listing you as a
vice president of the Elsa and Edgar Prince Foundation in error? If so,
can you confirm that you did not have a decisionmaking role in that
Foundation's choice to contribute significant financial resources to
Family Research Council and Focus on the Family? Regardless of your
role with the Elsa and Edgar Prince Foundation, you are a principal for
the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation and that entity's tax records list
a 2001 contribution to Focus on the Family. As we discussed in your
hearing, that group supports a number of anti-LGBT positions, including
conversion therapy. Do you disavow the anti-LGBT positions of that
organization, to which you and your husband's foundation contributed?
Answer 37. I have never served as an officer or director of the
Elsa and Edgar Prince Foundation, nor have I made any decisions for
that Foundation's contributions. Upon review of documents in
preparation for the Senate hearing, the Foundation representatives were
alerted to these errors, and several tax filings and State of Michigan
corporate filings for the Foundation were amended to correct them.
As I said at my hearing, I fully embrace equality and believe in
the innate value of every single human being and that all students, no
matter their age, should be able to attend a school and feel safe and
be free of discrimination.
Question 38. In 2008, All Children Matter, the pro-voucher lobbying
organization that you ran, was fined $2.6 million by the Ohio Elections
Commission for moving nearly a million dollars into its Ohio branch, in
violation of the limits placed by Ohio law. This was the largest fine
the commission had ever handed down. All Children Matter sought the
Commission's guidance regarding the legality of this act beforehand.
While the Commission indicated it was not permissible under Ohio law,
All Children Matter still made the transfer. Today, almost a decade
after the fine was levied--and with interest, it totals more than $5.3
million--not a cent has been paid. Please explain the justification for
All Children Matter disregarding the opinion of the Commission on Ohio
law and for failing to pay the fine.
Answer 38. I was never a party to that lawsuit and a trial court
judge ruled that an ACM officer could not be held liable for the fine.
senator murphy
Question 1. The Every Student Succeeds Act maintains the full
enforcement powers of the Department of Education to ensure that States
are fulfilling their obligations under the law. If States do not follow
the law, the Department of Education can take certain enforcement
actions against a State, including withholding funding from the States
and require States to enter into compliance agreements. Should you be
confirmed as Secretary of Education, will you commit to using these
enforcement powers for any State or district that is not meeting the
requirements of ESSA, for example if States do not identify low
performing subgroups of students, or create super-subgroups in their
accountability systems, or do not follow the law's requirements
regarding test-participation?
Answer 1. If confirmed, I will implement and enforce the statutory
requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act as intended.
Question 2. We, in Congress, will also be vigilantly monitoring
State plans and implementation of the law. If we do not believe that
States are living up to their obligations under ESSA, will you commit
to answering our letters and requests for information about how you are
holding States accountable for any violations of ESSA, which could
include appearing before this committee to answer questions about how
you are enforcing the law?
Answer 2. Yes.
Question 3. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was
first passed back in 1965 to ensure that all children, regardless of
background or income, are given the opportunity to succeed in K-12
education. Recently, in December 2015, Congress reauthorized the
bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), with the stated purpose
of ``rais[ing] student academic achievement and clos[ing] the
achievement gap.'' How will you work to close achievement gap between
racial and ethnic groups, English learners, students with disabilities,
and economically disadvantaged students?
Answer 3. As a proponent of local control, I am convinced that
State and local leaders understand how best to implement education
policies for their students and schools. That seems to be the main
thrust behind the Every Student Succeeds Act. It is their
responsibility to educate all students in their States and local school
districts, and to close the achievement gaps they find. If confirmed, I
would welcome the opportunity to share data and good research from the
Department of Education with State and local officials looking to
improve educational opportunities. But I also hope that States and
local leaders will think outside the box and innovate, looking for new
solutions to vexing educational problems.
Question 4. The Century Foundation highlighted in a 2016 report
entitled ``A New Wave of School Integration'' the increase in schools
using socioeconomic status and race as factors in student assignment.
In 1996, there were only two districts that employed conscious plans
using socioeconomic factors to pursue integration. By 2016, there were
91, including 83 school districts and 8 charter schools or networks.
Your predecessor, Secretary King, viewed this development as beneficial
to students and society. He took concrete steps to encourage the
integration of schools, such as supporting the Stronger Together School
Diversity Act of 2016, which I introduced. This legislation was
designed to have the Department assist school districts who on a
voluntary basis are interested in developing integration plans. What is
your position on the Stronger Together School Diversity Act? If
confirmed as Secretary of Education, how would you encourage greater
racial and socio-economic integration in our public schools, including
charter schools?
Answer 4. If confirmed, I would be happy to discuss this
legislation with you. In general I believe it is best to defer to the
judgment of State and local officials about how best to implement
education policies. As you may know, public charter schools are often
more integrated than their neighboring traditional public schools.
If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share data and
good research from the Department of Education with State and local
officials looking to improve educational opportunities. I will travel
around the country sharing best practices in the hopes that those
practices encourage others to look to solutions that have worked and
adapt them to their particular needs. But I also hope that States and
local leaders will think outside the box and innovate, looking for new
solutions to vexing educational problems. If I can be a resource to
help as Secretary, I would welcome that opportunity.
Question 5. I am strongly supportive of the work the Office of
Civil Rights conducts each year, and the Civil Rights Data Collection
is the best source of information that researchers, advocates, and
practitioners have regarding seclusion and restraint--as well as
``school-pushout'' indicators like suspensions, expulsions, and
referrals to law enforcement. This data gives us a glimpse at the
epidemic of seclusion and restraint and the harmful ``school-to-prison
pipeline.'' Although CRDC has been conducted every 2 years since 1968,
some of these new school climate and discipline data points were only
added within the last few years. Can you assure me that you will
preserve the Civil Rights Data Collection and not limit these important
questions? When school districts fail to report data as required, what
steps will you take to bring these school districts into compliance?
Will you accept and investigate Office of Civil Rights complaints about
schools that fail to report their restraint and seclusion data?
Answer 5. I believe that providing parents and students with
transparent information is vital to their being able to make informed
decisions. If confirmed, I will carefully review all existing data
collections conducted by the Department to ensure they serve as a
helpful tool and provide meaningful information.
Question 6. Black girls are suspended at higher rates (12 percent)
than girls of any other race or ethnicity, and at higher rates than
White boys (6 percent) and White girls (2 percent); American Indian/
Alaska Native girls (7 percent), and Latinas (4 percent) are also
suspended at rates that exceed those of White girls. Racial disparities
in out-of-school suspensions start early: Black children represent 18
percent of preschool enrollment, but 42 percent of the preschool
children suspended once, and 48 percent of the preschool children
suspended more than once. Similarly, students with disabilities are
more than twice as likely to receive one or more out-of-school
suspensions as students without disabilities. This is important because
suspension from school increases the likelihood of dropping out of
school and having contact with the juvenile justice system, with long-
term consequences that include a greater prevalence of low-wage work
and unemployment. Great progress has been made to identify school
discipline disparities and the Department of Education has taken steps
to provide guidance to schools for decreasing the use of exclusionary
discipline. As Secretary of Education, how will you lead the Department
of Education in incentivizing positive school discipline policies that
keep children in school and learning over exclusionary discipline
policies (suspension and expulsion) that tends to exacerbate a child's
behavior problems by pushing students out of school?
Answer 6. I have seen remarkable things happen in schools that use
positive behavioral supports and interventions, and I would welcome the
opportunity to encourage more States and local school districts to make
use of the tremendous research behind that system. As a proponent of
local control, I believe that States and schools districts are best
positioned to make decisions about suspensions and other matters of
discipline. If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share data
and good research from the Department of Education with State and local
officials looking to improve their policies and address disparities in
this area. I will travel around the country, sharing best practices in
the hopes that it encourages others to look to solutions that have
worked and adapt it to their particular needs. But I also hope that
States and local leaders will think outside the box and innovate,
looking for new solutions to vexing educational problems.
Question 7. In just the 2013-14 school year, more than 100,000
students were locked in rooms or held down by teachers and school
employees through the use of practices called ``seclusion and
restraint.'' Students' bones have been broken, they've sustained
psychological trauma, and some have even been killed. These practices
disproportionately affect students with disabilities and students of
color. For example, students with disabilities represent 12 percent of
public school students nationally, but 67 percent of students subjected
to seclusion or restraint. Do you believe teachers and school employees
should be allowed to restrain children, for example three adults
holding a child face down on the floor? Do you believe teachers and
school employees should be allowed to put children in seclusion, for
example locking them in closets without food, water, or interaction for
hours on end? What about other aversive interventions, for example
spraying a child's skin with undiluted bleach?
Question 8. In the Every Student Succeeds Act, I fought for a
provision requiring State plans to address how the State will assist
districts in reducing the use of aversive behavioral interventions,
including seclusion and restraint. And over the last several years, the
Department of Education has taken significant steps to educate school
employees and reduce the use of seclusion and restraint. Just 2 weeks
ago, the Office of Civil Rights released new guidance clarifying how
these practices may violate the rights of students with disabilities
under ADA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and offering ways to
reduce the use of seclusion and restraint. Will you continue and expand
the Department of Education's efforts to reduce the harmful practices
of restraint and seclusion in schools that receive taxpayer dollars?
Answers 7 and 8. I am aware of some of the incidents of
inappropriate and horrific treatment of children, especially children
with disabilities and minority students. This cannot be tolerated. If
confirmed, I will carefully review what the Department of Education has
done in this area to help States and local school districts address
these issues.
Question 9. Recent months have seen accounts of small elementary-
age children being handcuffed at school by School Resource Officers,
including in: Covington, KY; Flint, MI; Kansas City, MO; and Southlake,
TX. Often these are children of color with disabilities. Handcuffing
small children with disabilities causes trauma and is unnecessary. What
do you think is the appropriate role of School Resource Officers?
Answer 9. I believe that School Resource Officers can serve a vital
role in helping schools maintain order, deescalate violent situations,
and make students, teachers, and parents feel safe in their schools. I
am grateful that the Every Student Succeeds Act provides significant
flexibility on the use of professional development dollars and can help
School Resource Officers get and maintain the education they need to
improve their important skills.
Question 10. There is research that practices such as Positive
Behavior Interventions and Supports and Trauma Informed Practices can
be highly effective in addressing inappropriate student behavior. How
will your Department of Education help support States and local school
districts to implement these appropriate and effective strategies to
ensure the safety of children with disabilities and school personnel?
Answer 10. I have seen remarkable things happen in schools that use
positive behavioral supports and interventions, and I would welcome the
opportunity to encourage more States and local school districts to make
use of the tremendous research behind that system. In general I believe
it is best to defer to the judgment of State and local officials about
how best to implement education policies. If confirmed, I would welcome
the opportunity to share data and good research with State and local
officials looking to improve policies in this area. I will travel
around the country to share best practices in the hopes that I can help
others to look to solutions that have worked and adapt them to their
particular needs. But I also hope that States and local leaders will
think outside the box and innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing
educational problems.
Question 11. The Promise Neighborhoods program, which was
permanently authorized under ESSA, has been instrumental in helping
some of the most distressed communities in the United States build
capacity to better serve children and families. Do you support this
program and believe that funding should continue to be appropriated for
it?
Answer 11. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal years.
Question 12. According to a 2015 report by the American Enterprise
Institute and the Brookings Institution, Social Emotional Learning
(SEL) competencies are critically important for the long-term success
of all students in today's economy. The authors noted that major
educational and school reforms over the past few decades have not
sufficiently focused on the SEL factors that are necessary for
education, employment, and family life. The report also recommends an
effort to scale up high-quality, evidence-based SEL programs as a core
component of education for children. The report recommends that Federal
and State governments: (1) scale evidence-based SEL practices and
policies; (2) implement high-quality State SEL standards, preschool
through high school; and (3) establish SEL centers of excellence. A
2015 national study published in the American Journal of Public Health
found statistically significant associations between SEL skills in
kindergarten and key outcomes for young adults years later in
education, employment, criminal activity, substance use, and mental
health. The study concluded that early prosocial skills decreased the
likelihood of living in or being on a waiting list for public housing,
receiving public assistance, having any involvement with police before
adulthood, and ever spending time in a detention facility. How will you
use this research and incorporate this evidence on a national level to
promote standards that not only ensure academic success but ensure that
every student is college- and career-ready?
Answer 12. If confirmed, I will review this research and share best
practices with States and local school districts, which are best
positioned to use this type of information when developing their
educational approaches.
Question 13. A 2016 audit report by the Department of Education's
Office of Inspector General looking at Charter Management
Organizations, or CMOs, noted that the Michigan Department of Education
``has limited authority to monitor and oversee its 37 authorizing
agencies.'' Do you think it's problematic that 37 different entities in
Michigan can authorize charter schools? Does this lead to inconsistent
standards and oversight?
Answer 13. On the contrary, Michigan law grants the State
Superintendent the authority to suspend any charter authorizer if he/
she believes they are not exercising appropriate oversight over their
schools (MCL 380.507(5)). Also, legislation passed this year eliminates
the ability of failing schools to shop for a new authorizer, and it
requires any authorizer wanting to sponsor a school in Detroit to be
nationally accredited.
Question 14. That same OIG audit report noted that Michigan's State
charter law does not include rules regarding conflicts of interest.
When we're dealing with public dollars, and especially when the well-
being of children is at stake, do you think it is important to have
mechanisms to ensure that the individuals who found and run charter
schools are not using them for self-enrichment, steering management and
facilities contracts to friends and family?
Answer 14. According to Michigan law, public charter public schools
have more strict requirements to avoid conflicts of interest than in
traditional public schools. For example, traditional district school
board members must recuse themselves from making decisions that impact
family members employed by the district, while it is illegal for anyone
to serve on a charter school board if they have any family members
employed by the school.
Question 15. Approximately 80 percent of charter schools in
Michigan are operated by for-profit companies, and the authorizers
receive 3 percent of a charter school's operating revenue. With
unchecked growth, limited oversight, and profit incentives, there are a
lot of factors here that can accrue to the detriment of students. Do
you consider Michigan's charter sector a successful model and would you
hope to see Michigan's charter laws replicated nationally? If not, can
you tell me what sort of framework for charter schools you would
promote as Secretary of Education that would ensure strong
accountability and excellent academic outcomes for students?
Answer 15. Public Charter schools in Michigan are held to more
oversight and accountability than traditional public schools. My
expectations for accountability and academic outcomes are the same for
all schools whether traditional public or charter public schools.
Michigan charter schools are a success story. Students in these
charter schools gain an additional 2 months of learning in reading and
math over their traditional public school peers. In Detroit, the gain
is 3 months. In both reading and math, Black students in Detroit
charter schools have significantly larger growth compared to Black
students in Detroit Public Schools. Hispanic charter students in
Detroit show significantly better outcomes in math compared to their
Hispanic peers in Detroit Public Schools. I believe in funding what
works, and in Michigan, particularly in Detroit, charter schools are
demonstrating their value by improving student achievement.
Question 16. You were Chairman, until your nomination, as well as a
major funder of the American Federation for Children, the preeminent
voucher school advocacy group. AFC's website features seven model bills
for State legislatures to use in creating voucher systems, and they all
have nearly identical accountability provisions. This accountability
framework includes requirements that students receiving a voucher to
attend a private school must take either a State achievement test or
national norm-referenced test. However, students do not have to take
the same test as public school students in the State, so there is no
way to compare their performance. The school must report the grade
level, gender, income, and race of students receiving vouchers.
However, they are not required to report disability or ELL status.
Under these model bills, the State must aggregate the results for all
students receiving vouchers, but critically, results are not required
to be aggregated by school. Parents may know how all students receiving
vouchers perform on average statewide, but they would not know how
students perform at a given school. Finally, a State may bar a school
from participating in the voucher program if it ``routinely fails to
comply with the accountability standards. But ``routinely'' is not
defined, and nothing in the accountability framework gives the State
the authority to cutoff a school's eligibility to accept vouchers
because of poor student outcomes.
Answer 16. AFC's model legislation is a guide and starting point
for States. Each State will customize legislation to fit their own
State's needs and can promulgate further rules or regulations around
the removal of schools from private school choice programs.
Question 17. When ESSA first came to the Senate floor, lacking a
strong accountability framework, I voted against it. I can assure you
that if any education bill came to the floor with the framework of your
former organization's model bills, it would not earn my vote. Do you
think parents deserve to know how students perform at a school before
they enroll their child? Do taxpayers also deserve to know that their
money is being well-spent at schools that ensure their students
succeed? How can you justify denying the State the ability to cutoff
the use of vouchers at a school with poor academic performance?
Answer 17. As you know, the legislative process puts any proposal
through many changes, improvements, negotiations, and compromises. The
model legislation that AFC puts on its website is intended as a
starting point for a legislative process. President-elect Trump has
made a robust school choice proposal a centerpiece of his platform,
and, if confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to working with you on
our proposal and hope to convince you to support the legislation. I
will certainly keep your concerns in mind as we further develop our
proposal.
Question 18. The President-elect recently settled a $25 million
lawsuit over misrepresentations made to consumers who bought his real
estate training program. Although ``Trump University'' was not a real
college and did not accept Federal financial aid, the alleged abuses
that led to the lawsuit closely mirror what we've seen over and over
again in the for-profit college sector. This leaves me concerned about
how students would be protected from predatory colleges under this
administration. Do you think it is acceptable for colleges to
misrepresent their graduates' earnings or job placement rates or
otherwise lie to prospective students? If confirmed, will you commit to
aggressively root out any fraud and abuse, and stop the flow of
taxpayer dollars to any college that is found to have engaged in fraud,
as authorized by Section 487 of the Higher Education Act and the
misrepresentation regulations?
Answer 18. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad actors in
all sectors of higher education exist. When we find them, we should act
decisively to protect students and enforce existing laws. If confirmed,
I will work to ensure faithful implementation across the board--whether
the school is a public, private non-profit, or a for-profit school.
Accountability is for ALL schools, and I intend to use the various
tools at my disposal to enforce the law. If confirmed, I will look
forward to working with you and your colleagues on reforming the Higher
Education Act in such a way that ensures that all actors in the higher
education system--States and accreditors--have the ability to
faithfully execute their appropriate role to hold institutions
accountable and protect students.
Question 19. The Federal Government provides about $150 billion of
taxpayer dollars for higher education each year in the form of Federal
student loans and grants. Some bad actors have played fast and loose
with the facts about their students' postgraduate success because it is
so easy to access this pot of student aid dollars if they can just get
students in the door. Federal law prohibits colleges from paying
commissions, bonuses, and financial incentives either directly or
indirectly for enrolling a student or obtaining their financial aid. In
order to protect students and the taxpayers' investment in higher
education, do you commit to upholding these compensation laws if you
are confirmed as Secretary? Will you promise to reclaim any and all
illegally obtained student aid dollars for our taxpayers?
Answer 19. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad actors
clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions--and when we
find them, we should act decisively to protect students and enforce
existing laws. If confirmed, I will review the current regulations
issued by the Department and apply them appropriately.
Question 20. Over 6 years ago, the Department of Education did away
with the bank-based, Guaranteed Student Loan program and created the
Direct Loan program. With this change, the Department of Education was
able to save tens of billions of dollars which went toward Pell
increases and more forgivable repayment options for distressed
borrowers. In this midst of rising costs in higher education, will you
continue to support the cost-saving Direct Loan program?
Answer 20. I am interested in ensuring the Federal student loan
program is serving students in the most efficient and effective way. If
confirmed, I look forward to discussing this issue--among others--with
you and your colleagues as you move forward with the Higher Education
Act reauthorization.
Question 21. The U.S. Department of Education promulgated the
gainful employment rule in order to protect students and taxpayers from
investing time and money into programs with poor performance in
relation to debt, earnings, and loan repayment. Additionally, the
gainful employment rule has provided prospective students with critical
information as they consider institutions and programs of study. Do you
believe this type of information is valuable to consumers and the
Department? What role do you think the Department should have in
protecting students from investing time and money into programs that
lead them into debt they cannot repay?
Answer 21. I believe that all institutions of higher education
participating in the title IV programs should provide value to students
and taxpayers alike. There are many tools to provide information to
students, parents, and the public, and, if confirmed, I look forward to
working with Congress to reform the Higher Education Act in a way that
will allow all institutions to appropriately demonstrate their value to
students and the public.
With regard to the gainful employment regulations, as President-
elect Trump has directed, we will review and assess all regulations and
make determinations once that review is complete. But I do know that
the Department has had significant implementation issues, including
questions as to the accuracy of the data originally reported, the
design of a system that would allow schools to challenge incorrect
data, and the ability to provide the necessary technical assistance
required. The last thing any of us want is to unnecessarily shutter
important programs--putting students on the street with limited or no
other options.
Question 22. Adult education State grants support programs that
assist (1) adults in becoming literate and in obtaining the knowledge
and skills necessary for employment, (2) parents in obtaining the
skills necessary to become full partners in the education of their
children, and (3) adults in the completion of a secondary education and
transition to occupational training and high demand jobs. Without
access, under-educated, under-prepared adults cannot qualify for jobs
with family sustaining incomes that require not only a high school
equivalency, but also some college--preferably a 1- or 2-year
certificate in a high demand occupation. And, adults without a high
school diploma or functioning below high school level cannot qualify
for either community college programs or high demand occupations. How
do you envision the Administration incorporating Adult Education into
its competitiveness agenda?
Answer 22. Too many Americans are suffering in the current economy.
President-elect Trump made improving the employment opportunities of
all Americans a cornerstone of his campaign, and his administration
will work to improve the prospects of those left behind in this
economy. Reforms enacted in the Adult Education and Family Literacy
Act, which was reauthorized in 2014 as part of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (WIOA), were meant to help States and communities
improve services for adult learners to better provide them the
education and skills they need to obtain employment and increase self-
sufficiency. If confirmed, I will work with States, local educational
agencies, and institutions of higher education to help identify best
practices and provide appropriate technical assistance and guidance to
assist in program coordination and alignment with local employer needs.
I will also work through the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult
Education to implement reforms enacted by Congress as part of WIOA to
improve outcomes for adult learners. Combined with other efforts across
the government, we have an opportunity to restore the American Dream
for all.
senator warren
Question 1. You have a lengthy history of advocating for
privatization of public education, particularly through private school
voucher programs.\1\ But the reality is that more than 9 out of 10
American children attend public schools. If confirmed, how would you
fight to ensure that all students in America including students with
disabilities, English learners, and students of color--have access to
high-quality public schools after spending the majority of your career
advocating against public education?
Answer 1. I am a strong advocate of great public education. Period.
I believe we can both challenge the status quo and support public
education to help it improve. Our current approach is not working for
far too many. Last year, the National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) recorded declines in fourth- and eighth-grade reading
and math following flat 2013 results, marking a downturn after years of
steady gains. Recently, the Program for International Student
Assessment (PISA) reported that U.S. performance has declined steadily
since 2009 in reading, math, and science--after a decade of rising
scores. In fact, the United States is now 35th in math (down from
28th). In science, we're 25th and in reading, we're now in 24th place.
This is indefensible.
We must be open to progress, to moving ahead, to challenging the
old ways that aren't working. I believe that a choice for children in
education is a powerful way to start. But we should all think of choice
in the widest terms: Excellent traditional public schools, Public
Charters, Non-government schools, Home schooling, Online or Distance
Learning and forms of education that we haven't yet thought of--we need
to be open to progress.
We have to keep the focus on students and not on the adult issues
that too often gum up the conversation.
Question 2. If confirmed, would you use your position as Secretary
of Education to promote the expansion of private school voucher
programs funded with taxpayer dollars?
If so, which States, regions, or types of school systems do you
intend to include in this expansion?
Answer 2. Every child should be given the opportunity to succeed
and parents should be empowered to make choices that best fit their
child. If there is a mismatch between the school and their child,
parents need to have access to multiple opportunities--and be able to
pick an educational setting that best meet the needs of their child.
And they need the best information possible upon which to make those
decisions.
But those specific choices should not be mandated by the Federal
Government. It is up to States to determine what works with their
unique situations. If confirmed, I do look forward to working with
Congress to develop President-elect Trump's proposal that would provide
the opportunity for choices to be offered.
Question 3. Will you commit to only pursuing education policy
initiatives that have solid, reliable, and rigorous bases in actual
peer-reviewed evidence of improved student outcomes?
What specific evidence do you believe should be considered as part
of these decisions about education policy initiatives?
Answer 3. To be responsible with taxpayer dollars and ensure that
our programs are as effective as possible, we should use reliable data,
strong research and rigorous evaluations. First, data is critical to
education. It helps inform decisions by teachers and school leaders. It
helps parents make more informed decisions about their child's
education choices. And it helps taxpayers know if their tax dollars are
being well-spent. In addition, we must use the best research and
independent, rigorous evaluations to ensure that our Federal programs
are effective and having the intended effects.
Question 4. The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA)
explicitly prohibits the Secretary of Education from mandating,
prescribing, directing, or incentivizing the allocation of State or
district resources, including a prohibition on policies that would
mandate private voucher programs or eliminate teacher due process
protections in exchange for a waiver or State-plan approval.
Will you commit to adhering to ESSA by not using your position as
Secretary of Education to mandate, prescribe, direct, or incentivize
any private school voucher programs in any State or school district?
Answer 4. If confirmed, I will enforce the Every Student Succeeds
Act as intended.
Question 5. A September 2016 GAO study documents ``how increased
demand for Federal funds for services in private schools has affected
the quality and amount of services that public schools can provide for
their students.'' In light of this study, will you commit to opposing
any private school voucher program that results in a net funding cut
(either per-pupil or total funding) for any public education system?
If yes, how will you ensure that private school voucher programs do
not result in public school funding cuts?
Answer 5. Federal education dollars are provided in support of
students, not systems. Those dollars should follow the student. While
there are certain fixed costs, if a student leaves a school, the school
district no longer needs to provide services and programs for that
student.
Question 6. Will you commit to opposing any private school voucher
program using Federal taxpayer dollars if that program results in
increased racial or socioeconomic segregation?
If yes, how will you ensure that private school voucher programs do
not further segregate our schools?
Answer 6. Research shows that students in school choice programs
attend more integrated schools than their traditional public school
counterparts. On average, nonpublic school classrooms are more
integrated than nearby traditional public school classrooms.
Traditional Public schools, by contrast, are heavily segregated because
attendance is determined by where people live. On the other hand,
nonpublic schools can draw students from a bigger geographic area--
allowing for a broader range and diversity of potential students.
Question 7. Will you commit to opposing any private school voucher
program using Federal taxpayer dollars if that program does not adhere
to Federal accountability and anti-discrimination rules?
How will you ensure that private school voucher programs that
receive Federal dollars comply with Federal education accountability
and civil rights laws?
Question 8. Will you commit to opposing any private school voucher
program using Federal taxpayer dollars if that program does not adhere
to basic health and school safety requirements?
Answers 7-8. President-elect Trump has made a robust school choice
proposal a centerpiece of his agenda, and, if confirmed, I look forward
to working with you on our proposal and hope to convince you to support
the legislation.
As you may know, the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program
prohibits, by law, discrimination against ``program participants or
applicants on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, or
sex'' and participating schools must abide by city health and safety
codes. I would imagine that any voucher proposal approved by Congress
would maintain these common-sense requirements, and I look forward to
working with you on President-elect Trump's proposal when it is
released. I hope you'll keep an open mind.
Question 9. Will you commit to pursuing the President-elect's $20
billion voucher program only if Congress explicitly authorizes it and
appropriates the funds for such a new program?
Will you commit to not using executive or administration action to
pursuing the President-elect's $20 billion voucher program unless
explicitly authorized to do so by Congress?
Answer 9. As stated above, President-elect Trump has made a robust
school choice proposal a centerpiece of his agenda, and, if confirmed,
I look forward to working with you on our proposal and hope to convince
you to support the legislation. I hope to convince you to support the
legislation.
Question 10. ESSA authorizes a charter school expansion grant
program. In administering this program, what are your specific plans
for enforcing the oversight and accountability requirements in the law?
Answer 10. I support the Federal charter school program, which was
reauthorized as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act. The reforms
made to the program will allow for the expansion and replication of
high-quality charter schools as well as the opening of new charter
schools. If confirmed, I will enforce the law as intended by Congress.
accountability in k-12 education
Question 11. What are your plans for enforcing ESSA to ensure that
States are in compliance and intervening in schools that are not
serving their students?
Will you commit to rejecting State plans for implementing ESSA that
fail to meet accountability and reporting requirements set forth in the
law?
Are you willing to hold States accountable to the law in the event
that they are not directing additional support and resources to schools
that are failing to serve their students in accordance with the law?
Answer 11. If confirmed, I will implement the requirements of Every
Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). While I believe that providing maximum
flexibility to States is necessary and critical in order to adhere to
the plain language and intent of ESSA, I believe there is an
appropriate role for the Department in providing States and local
education agencies with technical assistance and guidance to aid with
successful implementation of the law.
Question 12. I wrote an important provision in ESSA with Republican
Senator Cory Gardner to require States to make student performance data
publicly available in a manner that can be cross-tabulated, so that
researchers, parents, and the public could see the performance of
certain subgroups of students, like Hispanic girls or African-American
boys. Will you commit to enforcing this provision of ESSA by requiring
States to make these data available? What is your timeline for doing
so?
Answer 12. If confirmed, I will enforce the Every Student Succeeds
Act as intended. It would be premature to commit to any timelines at
this time.
Question 13. Will you commit to implementing and enforcing the new
ESSA accountability regulations finalized by the Education Department
in November 2016, without amendment or delay?
What specific goals or timelines do you have for enforcing these
provisions?
Answer 13. If confirmed, I will carefully review all regulations to
ensure they are consistent with the relevant statute and are necessary
to enable successful implementation of Federal law. I will also work
with stakeholders to determine if any additional guidance is needed to
ensure the Every Student Succeeds Act is implemented as Congress
intended and all students are well-served.
Question 14. 14. What are your specific plans for ensuring that
States and districts hold schools--particularly for-profit charter
schools--accountable if they are discriminating against or failing to
educate students?
What specific measures will you use to identify discrimination or
failure to appropriately educate students?
Answer 14. I believe that a school's tax status does not determine
its effectiveness and most families judge a school based on its
quality, not its management structure. Those schools that succeed in
attracting families and raising student achievement should be
applauded. Those that don't ought to be closed.
I also believe that States have the authority, under the
legislation this Committee passed last year to determine how they will
hold the public schools in their State accountable.
Question 15. Will you commit to vigorously enforcing the fiscal
accountability provisions of ESSA, including the critical ``maintenance
of effort'' and ``supplement, not supplant'' provisions, which are
intended to prevent States and school districts from using the arrival
of Federal dollars as an excuse to cut back funding to low-income
public schools?
Will you penalize States that are not in compliance with these
provisions?
Will you ensure that low-income schools receiving title I funding
do not receive less State and local funds as a result of their title I
status?
Answer 15. If confirmed as Secretary, I will implement the
requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act as intended.
Question 16. A recent NBER study showed that policies that send
more money to low-income school districts help increase student
achievement and that the effect of school resources on educational
achievement is large, reinforcing the view that more money matters.
Given these findings, what will you do to address funding inequality
among schools and districts in K-12 education? If confirmed, how will
you ensure equity in the distribution of district resources?
Answer 16. State and local funding systems are complicated and vary
from State to State. Decisions about those systems are best left to
States and their elected officials who have a better understanding of
their resources and needs. If confirmed, I will commit to discussing
this issue with you, to gain a better understanding of your goals, and
see what the appropriate Federal role might be.
Question 17. According to a report by the Center for American
Progress, deep fiscal inequities are a stain on our Nation's education
system.
How would you improve fiscal equity within States?
How would you improve fiscal equity within districts?
Answer 17. State and local funding systems are complicated and vary
from State to State. Decisions about those systems are best left to
States and their elected officials who have a better understanding of
their resources and needs. If confirmed, I will commit to discussing
this issue with you, to gain a better understanding of your goals, and
see what the appropriate Federal role might be.
Question 18. Will you commit to implementing and enforcing ESSA
provisions that ensure additional Federal resources for struggling
public schools that are in need of improvement?
Will you penalize States that are not in compliance with these
provisions?
Answer 18. If confirmed, I will implement the requirements of the
Every Student Succeeds Act as intended.
Question 19. From 2008 to 2015, we saw the number of high schools
graduating fewer than 60 percent of students shrink from 1,812 to 1,040
as a result of Obama administration policies that provided these
schools with additional support, funding, and accountability. ESSA
includes an important provision that I wrote to ensure that States and
districts identify high schools for additional support, resources, and
improvement if the school graduates fewer than 67 percent of their
students.
If confirmed, what strategies would you employ to support States
and districts in improving high schools that graduate less than two-
thirds of their students?
Answer 19. If confirmed, I will implement the requirements of the
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as intended. While I believe
providing maximum flexibility to States is necessary and critical in
order to adhere to the plain language and intent of ESSA to let States
determine how to identify and improve schools, I believe there is an
appropriate role for the Department in providing States and local
education agencies with technical assistance and guidance to aid with
successful implementation of the law.
Question 20. Will you commit to ensuring that all educational
entities that receive Federal funding are subject to the same
accountability requirements under Federal law?
Will you commit to adhering to ESSA and holding charter schools to
the same Federal accountability standards as traditional public
schools?
Will you commit to enforcing ESSA in a manner that ensures that
statewide accountability and improvement systems required under the law
include all charter schools and hold them accountable for their poor
performance?
Question 21. Will you commit to enforcing ESSA in a manner that
ensures that statewide accountability and improvement systems required
under the law include virtual schools and hold them accountable for
their poor performance?
Question 22. Will you call for tougher accountability, limits on
enrollment, and improved oversight structures for poorly performing
virtual schools?
Question 23. The 2011 charter school law you supported repealed a
requirement that the State Department of Education issue yearly reports
monitoring charter school performance. Given your record of supporting
charter growth and expansion without accountability, will you commit to
encouraging States to annually monitor charter school performance so
that parents have the information they need to make an informed choice?
Question 24. A recent analysis shows that charter performance would
greatly improve if States did a better job closing down low performing
charter schools. Will you commit to using your authority as Secretary--
programmatically and through the bully pulpit--to push for stronger
accountability and increased performance in the charter sector?
How would you push for stronger accountability?
Answers 20-24. I believe the primary responsibility for creating a
high-quality, accountable, and autonomous charter school sector rests
with States, local communities, and the broader charter school sector
itself, not with the Federal Government or the U.S. Department of
Education. At the same time, I support high-quality, accountability,
autonomy, and transparency. If confirmed, my responsibility is not to
make decisions for States or local school districts but to create an
environment where they have the freedom and flexibility to decide what
to do to improve education in their local communities, including how to
hold poor performers accountable whether they are virtual, place based,
traditional or charter. I can, and will, highlight best practices and
encourage them to be more widely adopted.
Question 25. What steps will you take to ensure that English
language learners have access to qualified translators, interpreters,
and modern and culturally sensitive English language materials?
Answer 25. Highlighting the best evidence-based practices will be
important to help support local education agencies have the tools and
pathways toward helping these students succeed.
Question 26. What specific steps have you taken to provide quality
education to English language learners in Michigan?
If confirmed, what is your plan for supporting the education of
English language learners across the country?
Answer 26. With Great Lakes Education Project's advocacy, Michigan
has recently passed a ``K-3 Reading'' bill that provides early
screening and a host of interventions to assist students who are
reading below grade level. Specific measures in the bill protect
English Language Learners from any consequences for reading
difficulties, and we support efforts to highlight ELL progress in the
State's proposed Every Student Succeeds Act-compliant accountability
system.
Question 27. Will you commit to continuing the Civil Rights Data
Collection by the Office of Civil Rights?
If yes, please explain how you will ensure that these data are
provided to parents and public in a transparent way, and how you will
use the findings to inform policy decisions?
If yes, do you intend to make any changes to this data collection?
If no, how do you intend to provide parents, educators and
policymakers with data on key issues?
Answer 27. The Civil Rights Data Collection is an important,
longstanding tool of the Department. If I am confirmed, it will
continue to have my support.
Question 28. If confirmed as Secretary of Education, will you
commit to fully carrying out the funding obligations of ESSA and to
preserving the intent of the law to ensure stronger educational
programs for students from low-income families?
What are your plans for strengthening oversight over how title I
funds are used?
Answer 28. As you know, while the Administration makes funding
requests through the President's budget, decisions about funding levels
for various programs are made by Congress. If confirmed, I intend to
follow through on my responsibilities, including working with the
administration and Congress on title I funding and its uses.
higher education
The Department's Student Loan Program
Question 29. By several measures, the U.S. Department of Education
is one of the largest banks in the country. It oversees a portfolio of
$1.3 trillion in Federal student loans that affects more than 42
million Americans. You have never run a company or school system of any
size. You have no practical banking experience.
What are your specific plans for ensuring the Office of Federal
Student Aid (FSA) prioritizes students and borrowers over colleges,
student loan companies, and the Department of Education's contractors?
How will you work to reduce delinquencies and defaults in the
Federal student loan program?
Answer 29. With all due respect, I have run a company and, to the
best of my knowledge, no previous Secretary of Education has had
``practical banking experience.'' According to the Higher Education
Act, the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) should be a ``performance-
based organization'' and held accountable for its outcomes.
Unfortunately, the previous administration did not conduct much
oversight over FSA to ensure it was meeting its statutory requirements.
If confirmed, I plan to hold FSA accountable for results in such a way
that ensures students and families will be well-served.
Question 30. Do you agree with me and with President-elect Trump
that it is fundamentally unfair for the Federal Government to be making
a profit off the backs of students?
Will you support reducing the interest rates on Federal student
loans?
Do you support my Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act?
Answer 30. I do agree that the Federal Government should not be
profiting off the backs of students. That is one of the reasons why we
need to look very carefully at the Direct Lending Program as we move
into discussions around the reauthorization of the Higher Education
Act. I also believe that the refinancing of student loans is an issue
we should discuss as part of that reauthorization.
Question 31. In 2010, Congress dramatically improved the Federal
student loan program by ending the old bank-based student lending
system and allowing the Department of Education to lend directly to all
students and families who need more money to attend college. This
change has been projected to save the Federal Government $61 billion
between 2010 and 2019 by cutting out the private banks and putting the
taxpayer subsidies in banks received to make loans toward increasing
Pell Grants for low-income students.
Will you commit to protecting the cost-saving Direct Loan program
from attempts to privatize it?
Will you commit to take no action that undermines the operational
capacity, financial health, or long-term viability of the Direct Loan
program?
Answer 31. As you know, the U.S. Department of Education is now one
of the country's largest lenders. I believe we must look carefully at
how the direct loan program is functioning. It's the responsible thing
to do, especially with taxpayer dollars at stake. If confirmed, I look
forward to discussing these issues as part of the reauthorization of
the Higher Education Act.
Question 32. Since Congress went to total direct Federal lending,
guaranty agencies have overcharged defaulted borrowers unreasonable
percentages of their loan balances to rehabilitate loans. One of these
guaranty agencies is even suing the agency for the ability to continue
to charge these overburdened borrowers. What will you do as Secretary
to make sure that these large companies no longer take advantage of the
system and serve the public interest as their nonprofit status requires
them to do?
Can you get these guaranty agencies in the legacy bank-based
student loan system, with new funding opportunities in the Federal
student loan system to subsidize their business model and increase
their bottom line? If yes, how do you plan to pay for this new program?
Answer 32. As you know, the U.S. Department of Education is now one
of the country's largest lenders. I believe we must look carefully at
how the direct loan program is functioning. It's the responsible thing
to do, especially with taxpayer dollars at stake.
If confirmed, I look forward to discussing these issues as part of
the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 33. Do you believe there is statutory authority to re-
privatize segments of the student loan program?
If so, where is this authority?
If not, will you oppose efforts by Wall Street lobbyists to pass
legislation that privatizes the student loan program?
Do you support calls from student loan industry lobbyists to
auction off the federally held student loan portfolio? If so, why? How,
specifically, would this be a better deal for students? How,
specifically, would this be a better deal for taxpayers?
Are you planning to reward any Department of Education contractor,
many of which were lenders or which includes evaluating how well
servicers are getting student loan borrowers into the repayment and
forgiveness programs that are best for them?
What would you do to improve performance metrics to which student
loan servicers are currently held?
Will you commit to publicly releasing borrower repayment rates by
servicers?
Answer 33. As you know, the U.S. Department of Education is now one
of the country's largest lenders. I believe we must look carefully at
how the direct loan program is functioning. It's the responsible thing
to do, especially with taxpayer dollars at stake. With respect to loan
servicers, I believe it is important to review all aspects of the
program and how well it is serving the interests of students,
borrowers, and taxpayers. There is a need for greater transparency on
the part of the Department with respect to loan performance generally.
If confirmed, I look forward to discussing these issues as part of
the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
Question 34. Will you commit to establishing specific metrics by
which you will evaluate how well student loan servicers are keeping
borrowers out of delinquency and default, and to holding them
accountable to such metrics?
Will you establish a transparent process for evaluating the quality
of customer service that student loan servicers provide borrowers,
which includes evaluating how well servicers are getting student loan
borrowers into the repayment and forgiveness programs that are best for
them?
What would you do to improve performance metrics to which student
loan servicers are currently held?
Will you commit to publicly releasing borrower repayment rates by
servicers?
Answer 34. According to the Higher Education Act, the Office of
Federal Student Aid (FSA) should be a ``performance-based
organization'' and held accountable for outcomes. Unfortunately, the
previous administration did not conduct much oversight over FSA to
ensure it was meeting its statutory requirements. If confirmed, I plan
to hold FSA accountable for results in such a way that ensures students
and families will be well-served.
Question 35. Will you commit to holding accountable Department of
Education student loan servicers, debt collectors, and other
contractors that break the law, abuse students, or otherwise provide
poor service to borrowers, including through sanctions, fines, contract
terminations and other penalties?
Answer 35. We should do everything possible to ensure that our
students are getting excellent servicing of their student loans. If
confirmed, I will strive to do a better job than the previous
administration at managing all of the Department's contractors and will
ensure they follow all applicable laws.
Question 36. Will you commit to increasing data transparency in the
student loan portfolio as outlined in the Education Department's July
2016 Policy Direction on Federal Student Loan Servicing?
Do you believe it is appropriate for the Office of Federal Student
Aid to hide Federal student loan and grant data from the public and
policymakers?
Answer 36. I am a big believer in transparency. If confirmed, I
will review the information currently made available and, after
consultation with policymakers, determine what additional information
can and should be made public. This review and decision will be done in
a way that follows all applicable authorization and privacy laws.
Question 37. Will you commit to ensuring that students have a
meaningful complaint system that is public and searchable?
Answer 37. It is premature for me to commit to a particular course
of action here. However, ensuring that students have a clear and
transparent way to make complaints is important.
Question 38. Will you commit to prohibiting the Department of
Education from opposing borrowers in bankruptcy seeking a discharge on
their student loans due to an undue hardship?
Answer 38. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress on
ways to improve all provisions of the student loan program as part of
HEA reauthorization.
Question 39. The Obama administration has recently announced a
Memorandum of Understanding between the Education Department and the
Treasury Department, establishing a framework for electronically
sharing tax data over multiple years for borrowers with Income-Driven
Repayment plans, allowing them to provide consent for the IRS to share
certain information with FSA and their loan servicer for several years,
so that they do not have to annually recertify their income. Will you
commit to continuing this practice if confirmed as Secretary?
Answer 39. If confirmed, I will review all MOUs with an eye toward
ensuring the Higher Education Act is being faithfully implemented and
that students are not forced to untangle unnecessary red tape to avail
themselves of their benefits.
Question 40. President-elect Trump has released an income-driven
repayment reform plan because he says that student loan debt should not
be ``an albatross around [the necks of students] for the rest of their
lives.''
Will you commit to protecting the availability of our current
Income-Driven Repayment programs, including program expansions by the
Obama administration?
Will you commit to holding student loan servicers accountable to
notifying borrowers of their options to lower their monthly payments
through Income-Driven Repayment plans?
Answer 40. If confirmed, I look forward to discussing President-
elect Trump's income-driven repayment plan--and all of the repayment
plans--with you and your colleagues during the reauthorization of the
Higher Education Act.
Question 41. The Obama administration has announced a process to
proactively identify and assist Federal student loan borrowers with
disabilities who may be eligible for Total and Permanent Disability
(TPD) loan discharge through a partnership with the Social Security
Administration. Will you commit to continuing this practice if
confirmed as Secretary?
Answer 41. If confirmed, I will review current policies and
procedures to ensure that they align with the legal authority granted
to the Secretary in the Higher Education Act.
Question 42. The Obama administration has recently allowed the use
of prior-year tax data to make it easier for students and families to
fill out the FAFSA. Will you commit to continuing this practice if
confirmed as Secretary?
Answer 42. Yes.
Question 43. The Department has recently taken steps to improve
transparency in the Federal student aid program for researchers and
policymakers to identify better ways to improve student outcomes.
Will you commit to at least maintaining the current availability of
data from FSA for researchers and policymakers, including the data
that's currently available through the FSA Data Center, on the College
Scorecard, and the through the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet?
Will you commit to maintaining the Department's recent transparency
commitments, including expanding researcher access to student aid data
and clarifying permissible uses of financial aid data for program
evaluation and research?
Will you commit to releasing raw data sets on the FSA Data Center
website that are stripped of personally identifiable information to
allow researchers and policymakers to independently evaluate the
performance of the student aid programs?
Answer 43. While it is premature to commit to a particular course
of action, I value the research and policymaking communities' need for
student loan data while recognizing that the National Student Loan Data
System (NSLDS) was designed to serve Federal Student Aid operational
purposes rather than the dissemination of data for public consumption.
if confirmed, I will review the Department's existing policy related to
data transparency and explore opportunities that can advance public
policy interests while protecting students' information.
Question 44. In December 2015, Senators Lee, Markey, Hatch and I
sent the Department a letter to express our concerns about using
``robocalls'' to collect student loan debt. While a caller must
generally have a person's consent before using auto dialers and pre-
recorded messages to ``robocall'' the person's cell phone or
residential line, Title III of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015
created an exemption allowing anyone to robocall a person's phone--
without consent for the purpose of collecting a debt owed to or
guaranteed by the Federal Government. Our letter asked the Department
not to use this new authority until the Department can demonstrate with
data that robocalling is in the best interest of student loan borrowers
and taxpayers and will not result in abusive debt collection practices.
In August 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted
consumer protections in its implementing regulations. Specifically, the
FCC limited the number of these robocalls to three per month, required
that these robocalls occur between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., and
allowed the recipients of these robocalls to opt out at any time. The
FCC rules also prohibit robocalls to relatives and references who may
be secondarily responsible for student loans. The student loan industry
has already started lobbying President-elect Trump to roll back the
FCC's consumer protection rules.
Do you support the consumer protection rules the FCC adopted to
protect student loan borrowers from abusive debt collection practices?
Will you commit to directing student loan servicing organizations
and third-party debt collectors to continue to follow the consumer
protections in the FCC rules?
Will you commit to providing the data that Senators Lee, Markey,
Hatch and I requested?
Answer 44. If confirmed, I will ensure the Department's debt
collectors follow the law.
Question 45. A decade ago, Sallie Mae (now known as Navient) was
implicated in a student loan kickback scandal. According to public
reports and a settlement by the Attorney General of New York, the
student loan industry gave gifts to school officials in order to steer
borrowers to individual lenders. Navient retains a very large portfolio
of government-guaranteed loans, and the government has never revoked
guarantees on loans involved in the kickback.
Will you do what is right for taxpayers and ensure that all
guarantees of loans held by Navient where the law was broken are
revoked?
Answer 45. If confirmed, I will review existing policies and
procedures in evaluating all contractors involved with the student loan
program, including servicers to ensure borrowers are being treated
fairly and equitably.
Question 46. Last year, the Department's Office of Federal Student
Aid announced that Navient was a finalist for its blockbuster contract
to develop a new servicing system. Do you think it is appropriate for
the Education Department to award contracts to Navient, with its long
record of skirting the law?
Answer 46. If confirmed, I look forward to enforcing the provisions
of the Higher Education Act related to the performance nature of the
Office of Federal Student Aid, including all of the contractors to
ensure compliance with all applicable laws and positive outcomes for
students, borrowers, and taxpayers.
Question 47. In 2014, the FDIC and the Justice Department fined
Sallie Mae/Navient nearly $100 million for illegal behavior on its
Direct, Federal Family Education Loan, and private loan portfolio. Most
egregiously, the companies were found to be overcharging members of the
military. In its complaint, the Justice Department described their
conduct as ``intentional, willful and taken in disregard for the rights
of servicemembers.'' The FDIC also noted that the companies improperly
advised servicemembers that they must be deployed to obtain benefits
under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which is not required. The
Education Department subsequently conducted a sham review, sharply
criticized by the Inspector General.
If confirmed, will you rely on the findings of law enforcement to
terminate contracts and all appropriate government guarantees when
there is significant evidence of student loan servicers breaking the
law?
Answer 47. If confirmed, I will ensure the critical review of all
contractors to ensure their compliance with the Higher Education Act
and other laws pertinent to Federal student loans, as well as any
guidance issued related to those laws. I will also work closely with my
counterpart at the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense on loan
issues related to service members and veterans.
Question 48. In 2009, the Department's Inspector General found that
a Sallie Mae subsidiary was overcharging taxpayers as part of the so-
called ``9.5 percent'' scam. The Inspector General determined that
Sallie Mae/Navient were overpaid $22.3 million. More than 7 years
later, the Department has still not collected these funds. Will you
commit to issuing a final order to resolve the appeals that have
dragged on for years? Please provide a timeline for doing so.
Answer 48. if confirmed, I will review any outstanding Inspector
General findings in order to determine the relevant and proper action
moving forward.
Question 49. In 2008, the Department of the Treasury and the
Department of Education bailed out the student loan industry under the
Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act program. While the
bailout was primarily intended to provide liquidity to the market, some
student loan companies made off like bandits. According to SEC filings,
Sallie Mae booked profits of $284 million in 2009 off of loan sales to
the Education Department.
Do you think it's appropriate for the government to design programs
that lead to windfall profits for politically connected contractors?
If confirmed, will you audit loan sales under the student loan
bailout program to ensure that taxpayer interests are protected?
Answer 49. By passing the Ensuring Continued Access to Student
Loans Act, the Congress authorized the Department to establish a loan
purchasing program. These programs have since expired.
Question 50. Just this week, Sallie Mae and Navient were sued by
the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and State Attorneys General.
Will you commit that the Department will collaborate with the CFPB
on the investigation?
What specific steps will you take to work with the Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau to ensure that the consumer agency has all
of the information it needs for its enforcement action?
Answer 50. If confirmed, I will review the findings of the Consumer
Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) in order to determine what steps, if
any, the Department of Education should take.
oversight of colleges and universities
Question 51. For years, some colleges have survived off of Federal
taxpayer dollars while committing outright fraud. In fact, during the
Reagan administration, Republican Secretary of Education William
Bennett said that there were ``profit institutions out there that are
interested only in that profit and not interested in students.'' He
pledged to ``put some of them out of business right now . . . to get
institutions that are exploiting kids and exploiting taxpayers out of
the business.'' In 2012, the Senate HELP Committee released an
investigation and report on for-profit college abuses, showing that
these abuses still persisted decades later. For-profit colleges
represent only about 10 percent of students but nearly half of Federal
student loan defaulters. Students at for-profit colleges pay more in
tuition, have more debt, are less likely to graduate, are more likely
to owe more money on their loans years after entering repayment, and
are more likely to default. What are your specific plans for protecting
students and taxpayers from waste, fraud, and abuse in the Federal
student-aid programs by all colleges, but especially for-profit
colleges?
Question 52. Will you commit to rooting out the fraud, fighting it
preventively, and taking steps to help students who have been
defrauded?
Will you commit to maintaining the Department of Education's
Enforcement Unit to protect students and taxpayers from illegal actions
by colleges and universities?
Will you commit to taking all necessary steps to protect students--
especially veterans and service members--from any form of consumer
fraud or misrepresentations by deceptive colleges?
Answers 51 and 52. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad
actors clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions--and
when we find them, we should act decisively to protect students and
enforce existing laws. If confirmed, I will review the current
regulations issued by the Department and determine their necessity for
implementing the Higher Education Act.
Question 53. Will you commit to adhering to your responsibility
under the Higher Education Act to investigate or take other enforcement
actions when the Department becomes aware of a State Attorney General
or other Federal agency investigating or suing an institution of higher
education participating in the title IV program?
When faced with evidence of fraud from other Federal or State law
enforcement agencies, what will you do to hold colleges accountable?
Answer 53. I will follow the law and obligations required under the
Higher Education Act.
Question 54. The Congressional Budget Office found in 2016 that
repealing the Gainful Employment Rule would increase spending by $1.3
billion over 10 years and contribute to the waste of taxpayer dollars
on overpriced, ineffective career education programs that fail to
prepare students for employment. In October 1991, then-Secretary of
Education Lamar Alexander urged Congress to increase the Federal
Government's role on outcome measures for vocational post-secondary
schools, arguing
``But with particular emphasis on vocational programs and
schools, which would benefit most from closer oversight. . . .
The Federal Government should set the parameters for certain
standards, such as outcome measures, for use by States in
carrying out their increased responsibilities. . . . The scope
of a State's review should explicitly include institutional
performance in student outcome areas such as program completion
and job placement rates.''
What are your specific plans for enforcing the Gainful Employment
rules as finalized in July 2015 without amendment or delay to hold
career and vocational programs accountable for helping students
graduate with skills that can get them jobs?
Will you enforce the rule as written by cutting off aid to schools
that are leaving their students with unaffordable debts and without
meaningful prospects in the job market?
Will you commit to ensuring that taxpayers do not subsidize career
education programs that consistently leave students with debts they
cannot repay?
Will you commit to ensuring that students have access to clear
information on the cost and typical outcomes of career education
programs, including completion rates, median debt at graduation,
graduate earnings, and job placement rates?
Answer 54. I believe all institutions of higher education
participating in the title IV programs should provide value to students
and taxpayers alike. There are many tools to provide information to
students, parents, and the public, and, if confirmed, I look forward to
working with Congress to reform the Higher Education Act in a way that
will allow all institutions to appropriately demonstrate their value to
students and the public.
With regard to the gainful employment regulations, as President-
elect Trump has directed, we will review and assess all regulations and
make determinations once that review is complete. The Department has
had significant implementation issues with this regulation, including
questions as to the accuracy of the data originally reported, the
design of a system that would allow schools to challenge incorrect
data, and the ability to provide the necessary technical assistance
required. The last thing any of us want is to unnecessarily close down
important programs--putting students on the street with limited or no
other options.
Question 55. Will you expand resources for enforcement and
oversight of predatory colleges that defraud students or leave them
with expensive and useless degrees?
What other specific actions will you take as Secretary to hold
these schools accountable?
Answer 55. If confirmed, I will examine the management and
operation of the Department to ensure that resources are allocated
wisely to meet the responsibilities of the Department.
Question 56. What are your specific plans for improving performance
of accreditors and for holding accreditors accountable for failures?
Secretary King eliminated the charter of the Accrediting Council
for Independent Colleges and Schools due to a series of failures by the
company. From 2010 to 2015, this accreditor 90 times held up a college
as an ``honor roll'' institution around the same time it was under
investigation by a State or Federal entity. All told, these schools
received more than $5.7 billion in Federal funds over 3 years, or 52
percent of all Federal aid dollars handed out to schools approved by
this accreditor. Do you believe this action was justified?
Now, ACICS is suing the Federal Government over this action. Will
you stand by Secretary King's decision to keep that accreditor out of
the Federal student aid programs?
Will you commit to defending this action in court challenges and
proceedings?
Will you commit to upholding the program participation requirements
instituted by the Department of Education for ACICS-accredited school
in order to protect students and taxpayers in the event of sudden
collapse?
Answer 56. The accreditation system is not working--both in terms
of protecting students and encouraging innovation in higher education.
It's a complicated issue that the field has been grappling with for
some time. If confirmed, I look forward to engaging with you, the
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the
entire Congress on this topic. However, as this matter is currently
being litigated it is inappropriate for me to comment on this
particular matter.
Question 57. What are your specific plans for holding college
accrediting agencies accountable for only accrediting colleges if they
meet the standards set forth in the Higher Education Act?
How will you make the college accreditation system more focused on
student outcomes?
Answer 57. The accreditation system is not working--both in terms
of protecting students and encouraging innovation in higher education.
It's a complicated issue that the field has been grappling with for
some time. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pension to find a solution
that does not in effect make the Federal Government a national
accreditor.
Question 58. Will you seek any changes to the new Borrower Defense
to Repayment or arbitration rules as issued in November 2016?
Will you commit to aggressively enforcing these new rules without
amendment or delay to protect students and taxpayers from fraudulent
schools?
Will you enforce the provisions of the rule that would hold schools
accountable for abuses through early warning and triggers?
If not, how do you intend to discourage colleges from engaging in
fraud?
Answer 58. As it relates to the Borrower Defense regulations issued
in November, If confirmed as Secretary, I will carefully review all
regulations to ensure they are consistent with the relevant statute as
Congress wrote them and are necessary to enable successful
implementation of Federal law. I will also work with stakeholders to
determine what additional guidance is needed to ensure statutes are
implemented as Congress intended and all students are well-served.
Question 59. Will you grant full, automatic group discharges of
student loan debts in instances of widespread fraud uncovered by other
Federal or State law enforcement agencies, including fraud uncovered by
State attorneys general?
What will your specific criteria be for allowing such relief?
Will you support full, automatic discharge of individual loans at
schools where students were systematically defrauded?
Question 60. Can you guarantee that every student who is defrauded
by a school during your tenure will see every penny of debt relief they
are entitled to under the law?
Will you commit to granting full debt relief to students who were
defrauded by Corinthian Colleges?
Answers 59 and 60. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad
actors clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions. When
we find them, we should act decisively to protect students and enforce
existing laws. However, I'm agnostic about the type of provider of
educational options to our students. Let's find the best and not
discriminate simply because of their tax status.
If confirmed, my role as Secretary, in part, would be to ensure
that the Higher Education Act is faithfully implemented. I will work to
ensure faithful implementation across the board--whether the school is
a public, private non-profit, or a for-profit school.
Accountability is for ALL schools, and I intend to use the various
tools at my disposal to enforce the law. Helping those harmed by
Corinthian Colleges or by any fraudulent institution is an important
issue. We will be reviewing the Borrower Defense regulations to ensure
we are applying a consistent standard and are taking into account the
effect on students and taxpayers.
Question 61. Many for-profit colleges used arbitration ``rip off'
clauses to keep their fraud in the shadows and prevent students from
speaking out about waste, fraud, and abuse. The new borrower defense
rules ban colleges from forcing their students to sign mandatory pre-
dispute arbitration clauses in their enrollment agreements.
Will you enforce this provision without amendment or delay?
Will you commit to ensuring that students who have concern or
complaints about their institutions have the right to raise those
concerns publicly?
Will you commit to ensuring that students have a choice in deciding
how they will file and pursue a complaint?
Answer 61. As it relates to the Borrower Defense regulations issued
in November, If confirmed as Secretary, I will carefully review all
regulations to ensure they are consistent with the relevant statute as
Congress wrote them and are necessary to enable successful
implementation of Federal law. I will also work with stakeholders to
determine what additional guidance is needed to ensure statutes are
implemented as Congress intended and all students are well-served.
Question 62. Currently, many students and families aren't able to
access basic consumer information on their college or university,
including how much they will pay, borrow, earn if they complete their
degree, or their chances of succeeding, which makes it hard for
students to shop for the right college option. Do you believe students
have a right to know this information?
Do you support reexamining current restrictions that prevent the
public from accessing this critical consumer choice data?
Will you commit to informing students about significant events
regarding colleges, such as major lawsuits alleging fraud or heightened
oversight by Federal or State governments or accreditors?
Will you commit to taking steps to improve and expand the
information available to students, families, and the Department of
Education: veterans' graduation rate, Pell grantees' graduation rate,
and more accurate college transfer rates?
Answer 62. I believe that for consumers to make good choices they
need access to reliable information. If confirmed, I will review the
Education Department's current effort to provide students and families
with information about post-secondary education institutions'
performance. If confirmed, I also look forward to working with Congress
during the Higher Education Act reauthorization this year to address
these issues.
Question 63. There's been a lot of focus in this committee on the
idea that higher education regulations raise costs. This stems from a
Vanderbilt University study that claimed that regulations cost the
school around $11,000 per student. But, a closer investigation of that
report shows that the vast majority of those costs are due to research
dollars, and that the costs of complying with Department of Education
regulations are so small they did not even merit their own category.
Given this information, before any attempt to deregulate colleges
and universities, will you commit to submit to Congress independent
evidence that it will ultimately help students and taxpayers?
Will you commit to not cut or rollback regulations unless the
Department of Education can demonstrate the benefit to students and
taxpayers?
Answer 63. As is customary at the beginning of any administration I
will carefully review all existing regulations to ensure that they
adhere to the laws as Congress intended.
Question 64. For years, many for-profit colleges took advantage of
low-income students and students of color using high-pressure sales
tactics and commissioned boiler-room style sales for recruitment--often
breaking the law.
Is that the model you believe higher education should use to
recruit students?
What will you do to protect students and taxpayers from this kind
of practice?
Do you believe recruiters at private for-profit colleges should be
allowed to receive bounties or bonus payments for recruiting students?
Will you commit to enforcing the ban on incentive compensation
without amendment?
Answer 64. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing existing
regulations and policies to ensure that they align with the provisions
of the Higher Education Act and will work with you, the committee and
the Congress in addressing these issues during debate of the upcoming
Higher Education Act reauthorization.
Question 65. In 2010, the Obama administration issued new rules
regarding program integrity and defining illegal misrepresentations. If
confirmed, will you commit to fully enforcing this rule without
amendment?
Answer 65. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing existing rules
and regulations and their alignment with the Higher Education Act and
faithfully implementing the law.
Question 66. The Higher Education Act requires colleges to be
authorized by a State in order to receive Federal dollars. The Obama
administration recently announced new rules to clarify States'
responsibility in holding colleges accountable. If confirmed, will you
commit to enforcing this rule without amendment or delay?
Answer 66. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing existing rules
and regulations and their alignment with the Higher Education Act and
faithfully implementing the law.
Question 67. Over the years some institutions have been responsible
for aggressive and harassing recruiting tactics, misleading
servicemembers and veterans about their quality of education or
employment prospects, and even taking advantage of veterans with severe
traumatic brain injury to get their GI bill money even when the veteran
was so injured they did not remember or understand they were enrolling.
The 90-10 rule exists in law as a market-value accountability
mechanism to prevent for-profit colleges from pricing their programs at
an artificially high level. Will you commit to working with Congress to
close the 90-10 loophole, which allows for-profit colleges to exclude
Federal funds from the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs in
their total Federal aid calculations in order to remain in compliance
with the 90-10 rule?
How will you prevent fraudulent colleges from preying on veterans
and servicemembers for their GI bill and Tuition Assistance funds?
How will you work across other agencies to protect veterans from
being cheated by colleges?
What specifically will you do to advocate for policies that protect
veterans and servicemembers?
Answer 67. The Higher Education Act outlines what is included in
the 90/10 rule calculation. If confirmed as Secretary, I will
faithfully implement the HEA. Should Congress decide to change this
rule in the HEA reauthorization process, I look forward to engaging in
that discussion. I will also work closely with my colleague at the
Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense to ensure veterans and
servicemembers have the same information about post-secondary outcomes,
or the results of program reviews or other audits as appropriate, as
the non-veteran/non-servicemember students. The GI bill and Tuition
Assistance programs have different requirements that colleges and
universities must meet in order to participate and the Secretary of
Education does not have jurisdiction over those programs.
Question 68. A recent Century Foundation report has revealed that
some schools currently recognized by the Department of Education as
nonprofit are making a profit for their board members and others
involved in the school's administration. These activities run contrary
to the legally mandated mission of a nonprofit to serve public, rather
than private, interests, while allowing these institutions to skirt
regulation designed to monitor the for-profit education sector. The
Secretary is responsible for approving all attempts by for-profit
colleges to convert to nonprofit colleges. If confirmed, what specific
steps would you take to ensure that the Department of Education only
recognizes schools as nonprofit if their governance structure ensures
that no one with a personal financial stake in the school also has
administrative authority?
Answer 68. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the IRS
Commissioner should the need arise as I faithfully implement the Higher
Education Act.
Question 69. The incoming President's campaign remarks and
literature state that he is interested in prioritizing Federal funding
for higher education programs that result in good jobs with decent
wages.
In confirmed, how would you accomplish this goal?
What are your specific plans for holding higher education programs
accountable to their student outcomes, including labor market outcomes?
Answer 69. I am interested in making sure students have good
information about the costs of college and the labor market outcomes of
particular fields so they can make good decisions at the beginning of
their educational pursuits about what program may work best for them
and their situation. If confirmed, I look forward to working on these
issues with members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions and other interested Members of Congress during
Higher Education Act reauthorization.
Question 70. The evidence is clear that declines in State funding
for public colleges have directly led to increases in tuition and
student debt. At the same time, the amount of money that these schools
actually spend to educate students is not growing.
If confirmed, how would you address the problem of State
disinvestment in higher education?
What are your specific plans for addressing this growing problem
and encouraging States to reinvest in their higher education systems
and lessen the financial burden on students and families paying for
college?
If confirmed, what steps would you take to alleviate the financial
burden on our students, and how would you ensure that our students are
able to afford their college education, even if a financial crisis
hits?
Answer 70. While research increasingly shows a strong relationship
between rising tuition at public colleges and lower State investment,
some one-third of all post-secondary institutions are not public, yet
students have witnessed higher tuition at these institutions as well.
It takes a partnership between the Federal Government, States,
institutions of higher learning, and families to ensure post-secondary
education remains affordable. If confirmed, I look forward to
discussing this issue with Congress as part of the reauthorization of
the Higher Education Act.
Question 71. The ``credit hour'' is the measure the Federal
Government uses to determine whether a course load's expectations of
students should qualify for a ``full-time'' amount of financial aid. In
2011, a new Federal definition made clear that financial aid is meant
to finance actual academic engagement. Will you enforce the credit-hour
guidance as written?
Answer 71. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress to
evaluate new and novel approaches to awarding credit and corresponding
rules for financial aid that permit greater innovation in delivering
post-secondary instruction, including measures of competency.
Question 72. How do you plan to increase support for students in
higher education in order to help them complete their education?
How will you support the expansion of student support services
designed to help students stay in school and graduate on time, such as
Federal Work Study, on-campus childcare, and TRIO programs?
Answer 72. I think high quality college access programs provide a
vital service to helping students achieve their dream of a post-
secondary education. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the
results of these programs and putting forward a budget request that
supports high quality, effective programs.
Question 73. Will you commit to promptly reviewing all borrower
defense claims by former ITT Technical Institute (ITT) students and
other evidence of wrongdoing by ITT and provide discharges to all
students entitled to them based on the Department's regulations and
current law?
Answer 73. As it relates to the Borrower Defense regulations issued
in November, If confirmed, I will carefully review all regulations to
ensure they are consistent with the relevant statute as Congress wrote
them and are necessary to enable successful implementation of Federal
law. I will also work with stakeholders to determine what additional
guidance is needed to ensure statutes are implemented as Congress
intended and all students are well-served.
Question 74. Will you commit to supporting legislation to restoring
Pell Grant and GI bill eligibility for former ITT and other students
who receive borrower defense loan discharges or would be eligible to
receive one if they had taken out a Federal loan?
Answer 74. This is an important issue. If confirmed, I will be
reviewing the Borrower Defense regulations to ensure we are applying a
consistent standard and are taking into account students and taxpayers.
I look forward to working with you, the entire Senate Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and Congress to address these
issues where needed.
public service to students and taxpayers
Question 75. Will you commit to closing the revolving door and
preventing Education Department employees from personally profiting
from their activities at the Department?
Will you prevent Education Department employees from working on
issues that directly impact a previous employer?
Will you demand that, prior to appointment, political appointees
pledge that they will not work in industries related to or
significantly subject to Education Department regulation for 3 or more
years upon leaving Federal service?
Will you commit to disclosing to Congress all department employees
who previously worked for a Department of Education contractor?
Answer 75. If confirmed, I will enforce all applicable ethics laws
that relate to Department of Education employees.
Question 76. Many of the Department of Education's contractors and
other companies in the student loan program spend significantly on
lobbying Members of Congress and the Department. How will you ensure
that this lobbying activity does not influence your decisionmaking?
Answer 76. If confirmed, I will implement and enforce all relevant
laws.
Question 77a. During Mr. Trump's campaign, there were reports that
even volunteers were required to sign non-disclosure agreements. And
following his election, there were also reports that transition
officials were requesting information about career employees who worked
on issues such as climate change at the Energy Department or women's
issues at the State Department. Any implication that people who worked
on advancing policies that the new President-elect disagrees with may
be targeted or retaliated against could create a chilling effect on
non-political Federal employees simply trying to do their jobs.
If you are confirmed, will you commit to protect the rights of all
civil servants in the Department of Education?
Answer 77a. Yes. If confirmed, I intend to uphold all laws
applicable to Department of Education employees.
Question 77b. Those rights include the right for civil servants to
communicate with Congress, and in fact it is against the law to deny or
interfere with their right to do so. If you are confirmed, do you
commit to protect these workers right to communicate with Congress?
Answer 77b. Yes. If confirmed, I intend to uphold all laws
applicable to Department of Education employees.
Question 78a. Your family has a large financial stake in Performant
Financial Corporation--a company that collects student loan debt.
Performant's most recent quarterly report states, ``We derive the
majority of our revenues from the recovery of student loans.'' I have
deep concerns about some of the deceptive--and sometimes illegal--
practices that private debt collection companies have aggressively used
to go after student loan borrowers. In 2015, Performant had the
distinction of becoming one of five companies that received the most
complaints at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from student
loan borrowers. In April 2015, Performant's debt collection contract
with the Department expired, and the Department elected not to extend
Performant's contract--a tremendously consequential decision, given
that the company derived 23.8 percent of its revenues in 2015 from its
contract with the Department. Performant is currently protesting the
Department's decision not to renew its contract.
If you are confirmed as Secretary of Education, you would have
direct influence over the Department's decisions and how the Department
responds to Performant's protest. In addition, you would have direct
influence over policies that could enrich Performant at the expense of
student loan borrowers. Performant's own SEC filings indicate that the
Department's past decisions to promote policies that benefit student
loan borrowers, such as income-based repayment, have reduced the
company's profits.
Will you commit to divesting yourself and your family from
Performant Financial Corporation?
Answer 78a. Yes. I will resolve any issues related to Performant in
accordance with my ethics agreement with the U.S. Department of
Education's Designated Agency Ethics Official.
Question 78b. What steps will you take to ensure that neither you
nor any member of your family has a financial stake in a company that
would benefit from the decisions you make at the Department of
Education?
Answer 78b. Like you, I am committed to a system of conflict-free
governance.
The family offices that manage my and my husband's investment
activities and I will, in consultation with the U.S. Office of
Government Ethics and U.S. Department of Education's Designated Agency
Ethics Official, create a robust system of controls designed to keep me
informed of the investments in my portfolio, so that I can avoid any
conflicts of interest with respect to the decisions I make at the
Department of Education.
Question 78c. If given the choice, will you commit to promoting
policies that benefit student loan borrowers rather than the companies
that make money off of them?
Answer 78c. My goal is to ensure that affordable post-secondary
educational and vocational opportunities are available to anyone who
seeks to pursue them. I would promote policies that further this goal.
Question 78d. Will you recuse yourself from any specific actions or
decisions regarding Performant?
Answer 78d. I will resolve any issues related to Performant in
accordance with my ethics agreement with the U.S. Department of
Education's Designated Agency Ethics Official. I believe this practice
and standard is similar to those to which Members of Congress adhere.
senator kaine
Question 1. Do you believe there are aspects of the Michigan
charter schools experience that have been problematic and that require
corrective action? What, if any, problems do you identify? What
corrective policies and practices have you proposed in Michigan? Do
problems you identify with the Michigan charter experience suggest to
you any need for changes to Federal charter policies to try to avoid
such problems in other States with charter schools?
Answer 1. Each legislative effort to expand school choice in
Michigan has come with additional oversight expectations for these
schools, including the ``Race to the Top'' bills passed in 2009, the
charter cap increase bill in 2011, and the Detroit Public Schools (DPS)
reform legislation passed in 2016.
In the DPS bill, the legislature eliminated the ability of failing
schools to shop for a new authorizer, and it now requires any
authorizer wanting to sponsor a school in Detroit to be nationally
accredited. Thank you for the opportunity to correct the record,
Detroit schools--traditional public and public charter schools--now
have more accountability than before.
Question 2. Do you think that charter schools have done a good
enough job fulfilling their original promise to share best practices
with traditional public schools?
Answer 2. There is certainly room for improvement in the area of
cooperation between traditional district and charter public schools.
This is one of the goals of the charter school movement and I support
an increase in the sharing of best practices between all successful
schools.
Question 3. Nearly 90 percent of virtual schools fail to graduate
one-third or more of their students. Some virtual high schools are
specifically intended to serve as alternative schools for high-risk
students, but their outcomes are equally dismaying. In fact, one-third
or more students fail to graduate in 92 percent of the alternative
virtual high schools in your home State of Michigan. What role have you
played in supporting or reforming virtual schools? How can you explain
their dismal outcomes for students, and particularly the most at-risk
students? What controls do you believe need to be in place so these
schools do not proliferate as ``dumping grounds'' for vulnerable
students across the country?
Answer 3. I believe that States have the obligation to set
accountability standards and if schools consistently fall below those
standards, they should be closed regardless of their governance or
form. Bad schools that fail our children must be closed. I will
certainly support States in their efforts to hold schools accountable
and will provide technical assistance, training, or other support as
appropriate.
Question 4. What proactive steps would you take to ensure girls of
color are not subject to disparate school discipline policies,
including disproportionately high rates of suspensions and expulsions?
Answer 4. Discipline policies need to be regularly reviewed to
ensure they are effective and implemented fairly; and if confirmed, I
look forward to working with State and local officials should they seek
assistance.
In general I believe it is best to defer to the judgment of State
and local officials about how best to implement education policies. I
do not think the Nation's Governors want me to come to their States and
tell them what to do. If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to
share data and good research from the Department of Education with
State and local officials looking to improve educational opportunities.
I will travel the country sharing best practices and encourage others
to look to and adapt solutions that have worked.
Question 5. The school to prison pipeline has been well-documented,
with reports from the Department demonstrating the relationship between
harsh and disparate school discipline policies and future criminal
justice system involvement. The most profound disparities in this
pipeline affect African Americans. Would this issue be a priority for
you? What are your plans to address these systemic challenges?
Answer 5. I believe good education is the foundation to being a
good citizen. A good school can provide a lifeline to a struggling
student and help prevent them from slipping through the cracks and into
our justice system. If confirmed, I would look forward to working with
you and others in Congress to better understand what an appropriate
Federal role could be to help our State and local leaders address this
important issue.
Question 6. You have been outspoken since your nomination about the
importance of local control to ensure that local policymakers can
create an agenda that best suits their specific needs. And yet, let's
consider the practicality of the President-elect's privatization
proposal. Many States don't have private school programs at all and
many more have extremely small programs. Also, only 32.4 percent of
children have access to a charter school option. Wouldn't the
President-elect's voucher plan trample on their local control of
education in those communities by forcing funds into private schools
even if it goes against the community's wishes?
Answer 6. Not at all. What is more local and individualized than a
parent's decision? Every child should be given the opportunity to
succeed and parents should feel empowered to make choices that best fit
their child. If there is a mismatch between the school and their child,
parents need to have access to multiple opportunities--and be able to
pick an educational setting that best meet the needs of their child.
And they need the best information possible upon which to make those
decisions. But those specific choices should not be mandated by the
Federal Government. If confirmed, I do look forward to working with
Congress to develop President-elect Trump's proposal that would provide
the opportunity for choices to be offered.
Question 7. As Secretary, would you support bankrupting local
districts and leaving them to private, free-market forces rather than
intervening or otherwise working to rebuild the public system in a more
effective way?
Answer 7. No.
Question 8. Numerous Federal agencies have found that student loan
servicers contracted by the Federal Government are causing borrowers
massive headaches. An astounding eight million borrowers are in
default. Do you believe we should hold our Federal contractors to
higher standards?
Answer 8. If confirmed, I will strive to do a better job than the
previous administration at managing all of the Department's contractors
and will ensure they follow all the appropriate consumer protection
laws as those laws were written.
Question 9. Recent data demonstrates Hispanic/Latino and African
American graduation rates (75.2 percent and 70.7 percent, respectively)
are still lower than rates for White (86.6 percent) and Asian (88.7)
students. How would the U.S. Department of Education under your
leadership prioritize policy guidance, technical assistance, and
funding to improve graduation rates for students of color?
Answer 9. I do agree that the graduation gaps in our country are
unacceptable, which is why I have made it my life's work in Michigan
and around the country to improve educational opportunities for our
most vulnerable students.
I look forward to working with this committee to continue those
efforts. In general I believe it is best to defer to the judgment of
State and local officials about how best to implement education
policies. if confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share data
and good research from the Department of Education with State and local
officials looking to improve educational opportunities. I will travel
around the country sharing best practices hoping to encourage others to
look to solutions that have worked and adapt it to their particular
needs. But I also hope that States and local leaders will think outside
the box and innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing educational
problems.
Question 10. The Department released guidance for colleges to urge
them to remove questions about criminal histories on admissions
applications. These questions impose bias, and studies have shown that
these biases can serve as a barrier to post-secondary access which has
implications for low-income and minority communities, despite there
being no evidence that screening for criminal history threatens campus
safety. If confirmed, do you intend to maintain this guidance, or
support similar new guidance?
Answer 10. If confirmed, I will review the referenced guidance.
There is a very careful balance colleges and universities must strike
between the different steps they may choose to take to ensure campus
safety (e.g., criminal history questions on admission applications) in
their particular locality, versus not unduly discouraging otherwise-
qualified applicants.
Question 11. What are you going to do to lessen the total debt load
students are taking on, and in particular, help the estimated 8 million
Americans who are in default on their Federal student loans?
Answer 11. I think we can all agree that the growing amount of
student debt in America is a serious challenge. I think the solutions
to this challenge must be multi-faceted. One of the best ways to tackle
the student debt issue is to ensure students are able to actually be
hired after they complete their post-secondary program. President-elect
Trump has spoken extensively about his plans to put Americans back to
work and boost the Nation's stagnant economy.
Beyond that, we need to embrace new pathways of learning, such as
competency-based education. The old and expensive brick-mortar-and-ivy
model is not the only one that will lead to a prosperous future.
We need to support all post-secondary avenues, including programs
offering credentials. There are many great jobs available that do not
require a traditional 4-year degree. We also need to support students
and families so they are able to make informed choices about what type
of education they want to pursue.
In this vein, I am interested in making sure students have good
information about the costs of college and the labor market outcomes of
particular fields so they can make good decisions at the beginning of
their educational pursuits about what program may work best for them
and their situation.
Finally, we need to simplify and streamline the repayment options
offered to borrowers to help them better understand their options.
President-elect Trump has proposed to streamline the income-driven
repayment plans into one plan that will cap a borrower's monthly
payment at 12.5 percent of his or her discretionary income, and ensure
a borrower has relief from his or her loan after 15 years of payment.
If confirmed, I look forward to working on all of these issues as
the committee begins the process of reauthorizing the Higher Education
Act.
Question 12. The Pell Grant program is currently slated to have a
significant surplus for the next several years. In 2011, Congress
eliminated the year-round Pell Grant, cutting off access to an
additional grant disbursement for thousands of students. In 2012,
Congress made additional eligibility changes to the program by
eliminating eligibility for ``Ability-to-Benefit'' students, reducing
the income threshold to qualify for zero Expected Family Contribution,
eliminating eligibility for students receiving 10 percent of the
maximum award, and reducing the number of semesters students are
eligible to receive a Pell Grant. Because of these changes hundreds of
thousands of students have seen their Pell Grant award reduced or lost
eligibility all together. The current surplus exists in part due to the
eligibility changes made to the program. Do you support retaining the
funding that was generated from cuts to student aid to reinvest in the
Pell Grant program?
Answer 12. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Members of
Congress from both parties in both chambers to appropriately fund the
Department's programs, especially the Pell Grant program. In doing so,
I will look closely at the budget of the Department of Education to
determine the best allocation of taxpayer dollars to programs when
making a proposed budget for future fiscal years.
Question 13. As you know, there are at least 15 million students
living in poverty in this country. The majority of these students
attend 60,000 public schools with funds designated for schools with the
highest percentages of children from low-income families. Known in the
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as title I, this funding stream is
dedicated to educating low-income students in schools with additional
funds to serve their students. It also provides mechanisms to ensure
that title I funds are actually spent on these students. Will you
commit that the President-elect's $20 billion school choice proposal
would not take from ESSA Title I?
Answer 13. President-elect Trump has made a robust parental choice
proposal a centerpiece of his education platform, and, if confirmed, I
look forward to working with you on our proposal and hope that you will
keep an open mind that this voluntary program will simply allow
interested families to choose the school setting that best meets the
unique needs of their individual child.
Question 14. The Department of Education collects extensive data on
public schools including achievement, enrollment, discipline, bullying
and harassment, and special education information. These data
collection procedures provide transparency to stakeholders and allow
for the Department and State educational agencies to intervene if
necessary to reduce and prevent discriminatory practices. In fact, in
Virginia our Governor analyzed the Department of Education's data and
found that there were a disproportionate number of student discipline
referrals for students with disabilities. You're a proponent of
vouchers to private schools. As you know, private schools are not
required to report the same information, including many private schools
receiving Federal taxpayer dollars in States with voucher programs.
However, if your Department of Education does not collect any of this
information on private schools, how will you ensure schools are not
discriminating against students based on their race, gender, religion,
or disability?
Answer 14. Transparency of necessary information is important to
ensuring accountability to parents, and I support ensuring parents
receive necessary information so that they can make informed decisions
about the school their child would attend. As you may know, the D.C.
Opportunity Scholarship program prohibits, by law, discrimination
against ``program participants or applicants on the basis of race,
color, national origin, religion, or sex.'' I would imagine that any
new voucher proposal approved by Congress would maintain this common-
sense requirement, and I look forward to working with you on President-
elect Trump's proposal when his administration releases such a
proposal.
Question 15. I am a strong believer in the power of our community
colleges, which do an incredible amount of the workforce training in
this country. In fact, many people don't know that the Pell Grant is
really the largest source of support for workforce training, and about
1 in 4 community college students receive Pell Grants. Last year,
students in my State of Virginia who received training a community
college earned more than 15,000 industry certifications and
professional licensures. And as Governor I prioritized investing in our
2-year colleges.
Many of these programs at our community colleges are largely
focused on career and technical education, which is in demand by many
employers around the country. This committee will consider
reauthorization of the Carl Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.
How would you support the development of high-quality CTE programs at
our community colleges? And how do you make sure that all students can
afford them--especially when they might need expensive equipment or
supplies?
Question 16. What are your top three priorities for the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act reauthorization? What policy
changes would you advocate for in the upcoming reauthorization of the
Act?
Answers 15 and 16. I agree reauthorization of the Perkins Career
and Technical Education Act is an important priority, and, if
confirmed, I look forward to working with the Senate Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensionss and other interested Members of
Congress to update and improve the law.
I believe we should work to align Federal laws to ensure
consistency across programs, reduce duplication and unnecessary
requirements, and provide a seamless set of policies. It is also
important to provide flexibility at the State and local level so local
officials on the ground can create and run programs that help educate
students to attain the skills needed to work in those in-demand jobs.
Finally, I support transparency of data so parents, students, and other
taxpayers can see how well their programs are working.
Question 17. The quality of career and technical education (CTE)
programs largely relies on the quality of CTE teachers. CTE teachers
have a dual challenge they must be excellent teachers as well as up-to-
date on their industry knowledge, which can be particularly challenging
for some in-demand, quickly changing sectors. States and districts
often struggle with finding high quality CTE teachers, many of whom can
earn a higher salary in the private sector, especially in rural areas.
If you are confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Education, what will you do
to increase the supply of highly effective CTE teachers in the United
States?
Answer 17. As it relates to career and technical education (CTE)
teachers, if confirmed, I look forward to exploring with this committee
ways to improve CTE through the reauthorization of the Perkins CTE Act.
In general I believe it is best to defer to the judgment of State and
local officials about how best to implement education policies.
If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share data and
good research from the Department of Education with State and local
officials looking to improve educational opportunities. I also hope
that States and local leaders will think outside the box and innovate,
looking for new solutions to vexing educational problems.
Question 18. Do you believe school districts should be held
accountable for identifying children of active duty service members and
tracking their student achievement results? Why or why not?
Answer 18. The Every Student Succeeds Act requires States and
school districts to report student achievement data on the children of
active duty service members and I am committed to implementing the law.
Question 19. A large number of students in our country have more
interactions with school resource officers than with school counselors
or other specialized instructional support personnel. In what ways will
you work to invest in programs that provide students with access to
mental health, counseling and other related services to improve student
safety and health?
Answer 19. Early intervention to address the underlying issues
students are facing is critical to preventing students from becoming
involved in the criminal justice system.
In addition to working with my colleague at the Department of
Justice to promote the importance of education for students caught in
the juvenile justice system, if confirmed, I will work with States to
help promote the sharing of best practices to help these students and
to implement the law as envisioned by Congress. Under the State
Academic Education Grants, districts will be able to capitalize on the
flexibility in the law to fund important programs they believe will
help address some of the issues to help students succeed.
Question 20. One of the hallmarks of Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (WIOA), of which adult education is a core component,
is better alignment and coordination at the Federal, State, and local
levels across a number of workforce and skill development programs. The
Departments of Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services have
been at the center of a dynamic, innovative and impactful working group
of agencies to improve access to and accountability of these programs.
Will you commit to supporting these efforts and advancing the work of
these agencies to ensure the success of programs under WIOA?
Answer 20. The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act was
reauthorized in 2014 as part of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act. The reforms enacted in that legislation were meant to
help States and communities improve services for adult learners to
better provide them the education and skills they need to obtain
employment and increase self-sufficiency. If confirmed, I will work
through the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education to
implement these reforms to improve outcomes for adult learners.
Question 21. Students and families face steep costs for post-
secondary education while having limited information about the return
on investment. What opportunities do you see for the Department of
Education to provide the public with better information on expected
post-secondary outcomes, including job placement and earnings?
Answer 21. I do believe greater transparency for students and
parents is important. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you
to address this issue as part of Higher Education Act reauthorization.
Question 22. FIRE, and other organizations opposing the rights of
campus rape victims, have argued that victims should not be able to
report to the school and should instead only be able to report to law
enforcement. This position is universally opposed by victims'
advocates, who believe victims should be able to choose whether to
report to law enforcement, to their school, or to both. Given that very
few survivors come forward to report sexual assault to law enforcement,
victims' groups believe that limiting a survivor's reporting options
will lead to many survivors not coming forward to anyone at all. Even
when victims do report to law enforcement, they rarely see justice--
only 14--18 percent of assaults reported to police result in
conviction. Could you speak about your position on denying a survivor
the ability to report to their schools?
Answer 22. Every student has a right to have a learning environment
that is safe to learn, grow and thrive. I am very sensitive to issues
involving violence in our schools, including sexual violence.
Students have a right to feel safe and protected in their learning
environment. Sexual violence is particularly disturbing as its victims
often are reluctant to pursue action by the criminal justice system.
Protecting the victim's right to privacy and right to decide how and
whether to pursue all the legal avenues afforded him/her must be
respected.
Sexual violence can impact a student in profound ways, destroying
trust and potentially re-victimizing the victim as the most private of
relationships is on display for judgment, ridicule and challenge.
Innocent victims and survivors of sexual violence who want to continue
their education deserve our strong, and unrelenting support.
Perpetrators of this violence are also entitled to certain protections,
including the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty. In a
non-criminal context, many schools have a zero-tolerance policy for
violence as well as honor codes that set these expectations for the
entire student body.
It is expected that schools will have in place mechanisms to
respond to allegations of violence, and processes to fully investigate
and respond to allegations of criminal activity, including sexual
violence, on their campuses. Those procedures must be fair, accessible,
and consistent.
If confirmed, I will work to ensure robust enforcement of laws that
protect students from violence and commit to working with the
leadership at the Department to examine mechanisms that improve public
access to information and empower students, parents, and others to make
decisions about which environments are the most appropriate.
Question 23. Title IX requires that every recipient of Federal
education funds must designate at least one employee who is responsible
for coordinating the school's compliance. This person is sometimes
referred to as the title IX coordinator. Coordinators oversee all
complaints of sex discrimination. They also identify and address any
patterns or systemic problems at their schools. Instead of giving these
coordinators the support, guidance, and training they need to do their
work, we've seen time and time again that many schools are without a
title IX coordinator. It is also unfortunately quite common to find
coordinators who do not understand the scope of the law. What efforts
will you undertake to ensure that all title IX coordinators have the
resources available to do their job--including access to funding for
training and professional development?
Answer 23. If confirmed, I will look closely at the budget of the
Department of Education to determine the best allocation of taxpayer
dollars to programs when making a proposed budget for future fiscal
years.
Question 24. An important component of ESSA is robust stakeholder
engagement, from planning to implementation. What will you do as
Secretary to ensure that States engage in substantive stakeholder
engagement under ESSA both in their planning over the next several
months and during implementation starting next school year?
Answer 24. if confirmed, I will implement the requirements of the
Every Student Succeeds Act as intended. Stakeholder engagement is an
important part of the law and a provision to ensure parents, local
officials, and other important community leaders are consulted as the
States and school districts develop their plans.
As a part of the job in monitoring States for the implementation of
the new law, I will expect full compliance with all of the consultation
requirements under the law.
Question 25. Your predecessors in the Department of Education made
it clear that they believed the United States should lead the world in
access to high-quality early childhood education. Do you share this
belief and would you make this a goal for our country?
Answer 25. Early childhood education is important and can help put
a child on a path to success and the workforce. That is why it is
exciting to see so many States invest in and support early education
programs for families.
If confirmed, I look forward to working with State and local
leaders to support their efforts to provide early childhood education.
As you know, the Every Student Succeeds Act included the authorization
of Preschool Development Grants to help States improve the services
they are providing. If confirmed, I will work with the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to confirm the efficiency and effectiveness
of all early childhood education programs and initiatives.
Question 26. TRIO and GEAR UP programs help prepare many minority
and first generation students for college. What is the administration's
position on increasing access/funding for these programs?
Answer 26. I think high quality college access programs provide a
vital service to helping students achieve their dream of a post-
secondary education. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the
results of these programs and putting forward a budget request that
supports high quality, effective programs.
Question 27. Can you provide some insight on how this
Administration will work with HBCUs? How will you strengthen our HBCUs?
Answer 27. I believe historically black colleges and universities
are an important piece of America's higher education system. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with these institutions to ensure
they are well-positioned to continue to serve students in the most
effective way.
Question 28. Data from the latest arts education data study
undertaken by the National Center for Education Statistics shows that
students in high poverty elementary and high schools were less likely
to have access to a well-rounded education, including music and arts,
than their more affluent counterparts. What role would you play as
Secretary of Education in supporting equal access to a well-rounded
education, including music and arts, for all children, including those
who are in high poverty schools? And what role can music and arts
education play in the lives of students identified with special needs,
or students studying in a low-performing schools?
Answer 28. In general I believe it is best to defer to the judgment
of State and local officials about how best to implement education
policies. If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share data
and good research from the Department of Education with State and local
officials looking to improve educational opportunities.
I will travel around the country sharing best practices,
encouraging others to look to solutions that have worked and adapt it
to their particular needs. But I also hope that States and local
leaders will think outside the box and innovate, looking for new
solutions to vexing educational problems. If I can be a resource to
help as Secretary, I would welcome that opportunity.
As it relates to arts and music education, I strongly agree that
they can be an important part of a well-rounded education and I hope
that with the greater flexibility provided to States and local school
districts that education leaders at the local level can find new ways
to provide opportunities to students in the music and arts.
Question 29. Recent experimental studies on statewide voucher
programs in Indiana and Louisiana found that public school students
receiving vouchers subsequently scored lower on State assessments than
similar students remaining in public schools. Why do you think the
proposal from the President-elect, which is supported by mixed research
at best, is a responsible use of Federal dollars? How are we to expect
that a national experiment, that at best covers only a small portion of
private school tuition, will have vastly better outcomes than so many
of the voucher programs across the country?
Answer 29. The initiative proposed by the President-elect during
the campaign is a voluntary program to enable interested States to
offer a range of educational options to low-income families. I look
forward to working with the President-elect and Congress to support and
improve public schools and increase high quality educational options,
particularly for low-income students. Several studies have found that
students participating in choice programs have higher test scores,
better graduation rates and higher parental satisfaction levels than
their public school counterparts. In addition, a study about the FL
choice program found generalized improvements across education sectors,
including public schools. (Figlio and Hart Study of Florida Tax Credit
Scholarship Program, 2014).
senator hassan
disabilities
Question 1. There is evidence of children who experience
disabilities receiving inappropriate punishment, including restraint
and seclusion when attending a private school with a taxpayer-funded
voucher. Under your leadership, how will the Department of Education
hold these private schools accountable to ensure every students'
safety?
Answer 1. If confirmed, under my leadership the Department of
Education will disseminate the best research on classroom management
and handling difficult behavioral challenges, including effective
positive behavior interventions and supports.
As we fashion policies to increase parental choice, we will pay
close attention to protecting the rights of students with disabilities
and ensuring the safety of every student. We will provide additional
details when plans are announced.
Question 2. A recent report by the Council of Parent Attorneys and
Advocates, Inc. noted that, in most voucher programs for students with
disabilities,
``Voucher amounts are not set at rates high enough to cover
the full cost of the education at a private school, and many of
the programs do not cover critical costs to enable full access
and participation, such as transportation.''
This means that low-income families with students with disabilities
cannot make use of the voucher to make a choice among schools. The
report describes the promise of ``choice'' in such situations as
``hollow'' for many families. Do you think that this is a problem? Why
or why not? If so, under your leadership what will the Department of
Education do to address this problem?
Answer 2. I am concerned that many students across our great Nation
are not getting the education that they deserve. If confirmed, I
promise to work to increase access for all students, including students
with disabilities, to a high-quality education. As part of this work, I
will examine the issue of the cost for services needed to access choice
options.
Question 3. You have been a very vocal supporter of vouchers for
students to choose their own school. How would you ensure the family of
a student who uses such a voucher to attend a school other than the
public school they would attend normally would not have to pay for
access to special instructional support personnel (SISP) and other
related services to provide the student with the tools needed to
graduate and succeed in a higher education institution or the
workforce?
Answer 3. It is premature to discuss the details about a policy on
which the administration has not yet offered a detailed proposal.
However, I can assure you that equity will be a key factor in the
design of such policies. We will pay close attention to the issue of
access to special instructional support personnel and other related
services as we develop these policies.
Question 4. Will the Trump Administration ensure that there is
adequate funding for qualified specialized instructional support
personnel (SISP) to provide the services identified in student's
individualized education program (IEP) in all publicly funded
education, including in taxpayer-funded voucher programs.
Answer 4. I am committed to supporting States and local communities
in ensuring that all students with disabilities receive the services
they need. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA), funding for special education services is a shared
responsibility of the Federal, State and local governments. Should I be
confirmed, I look forward to working with you to ensure that the
responsibilities of the Federal Government in this regard are met.
Question 5. How will you ensure that all teachers and specialized
instructional support personnel (SISP), regardless of whether they work
in public, private or parochial schools are provided with high-quality
professional development?
Answer 5. Every student should receive high-quality assessment,
curricula, and instruction. In order for that to occur, teachers and
other instructional staff (including SISP) need to actively engage in
ongoing evidence-based professional development. If confirmed, under my
leadership, the Department of Education will support research and
dissemination activities to ensure that educators have access to up-to-
date information.
Question 6. Numerous studies have demonstrated that students with
disabilities can make significant developmental and learning progress
in inclusive settings. Studies have also shown that when compared to
their peers in more segregated settings, they experience greater
cognitive and communication development, fewer absences from school,
higher test scores in reading and math, and a higher probability of
employment and higher earnings. Further, these benefits for students
with disabilities do not have adverse effects on their peers without
disabilities. What would you do to increase the amount of instructional
time that students with disabilities spend in the regular education
classroom?
Answer 6. I appreciate the value and benefits of educating students
with disabilities inclusively with their general education peers. A
student's Individual Education Plan (IEP), developed by local
educators, parents, and in many cases, the student, determines the
level and type of services that a student needs. Those closest to the
situation are usually best positioned to make decisions about what will
work for a particular student. Under my leadership, the Department will
continue to promote evidenced-based and effective best practices to
inform decisionmaking at the local level.
Question 7. Considerable investments have been made in
comprehensive research on educating students with disabilities. How do
you intend to support and utilize research to inform your policy
priorities?
Answer 7. I am a strong advocate of using research to inform
practice and policy. Therefore, research on educating students with
disabilities will continue to be encouraged and supported under my
leadership. In addition, we will examine interdepartmental
collaborations with the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor
and other departments that are conducting research about students with
disabilities to develop a more complete view of effective practices. We
need to remove the silos that separate each department's knowledge base
and increase access to evidence that could impact the professional
knowledge base.
Question 8. The specially trained educators who work with students
with sensory disabilities are educated through a small number of
specialized university personnel preparation programs. The low-
incidence of students and the complex qualification requirements for
teachers make these personnel preparation programs unique among teacher
training programs. As Secretary of Education, what will you do to
ensure the continuation and expansion of these essential personnel
preparation programs in order to supply and support the well-trained
professionals to meet the specialized needs of students with low-
incidence, sensory disabilities?
Answer 8. If confirmed, under my leadership, the Department will
examine the personnel preparation grants and other teacher preparation
and professional development program opportunities to determine
appropriate priorities. Students with sensory disabilities and students
with multiple disabilities deserve well-prepared and excellent teachers
who receive ongoing evidence-based professional development to maintain
and enhance their expertise.
Question 9. Do you believe that most students with disabilities can
master grade-level standards when they have access to special education
and related services? If yes, please describe how you will support
students, parents, educators and schools in this effort. If no, please
describe what research you reference to support your answer.
Answer 9. The short answer is: yes.
However, it is not just access to special education or related
services that can impact a student's achievement. Schools that use
evidence-based practices as a part of their regular curriculum are
producing exciting results for students with disabilities. We need to
examine what these schools do and share these practices.
In addition, students with disabilities often learn at different
rates. This needs to be considered when developing educational policies
and plans. Special educators tell me, for example, that they don't want
to waste valuable instructional time having their students color
pictures of ``food'' as a way to ``meet'' the grade-level objective of
examining the impact of international trade routes with Mexico. I will
task the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services to
review what States and districts are doing regarding ``grade level''
practices to ensure that knowledge and skill required by the grade
level educational standard and objective is not lost. At the same time,
we will maintain the expectation that students with disabilities must
have an opportunity to achieve or exceed their IEP goals.
Question 10. Current Federal practices for collecting State
education agencies' accountability data by disability category produce
a ``non-duplicate count,'' meaning that each student is only identified
within a primary disability category, regardless of any additional
disabilities he or she may have. This often results in a dramatic
undercounting of children who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or
hard of hearing, or deaf or blind, because these students often have
additional disabilities and, therefore, may be counted in different,
primary disability categories. State and Federal funding depend on
accurate knowledge of the numbers of students who receive specialized
services. As Secretary of Education, how will you ensure that children
with sensory disabilities--particularly those with additional
disabilities--receive the services that are specially designed to meet
their unique blindness, deafness, and deaf-blindness needs?
Answer 10. Having accurate numbers of students with disabilities is
essential in order to ensure that appropriate amount of resources is
provided for essential services. Thank you for bringing this to my
attention. Should I be confirmed, I will examine this issue and look
forward to discussions with you regarding the best way to improve such
data collection and reporting.
Question 11. Children with sensory disabilities--those who are
deaf, blind, or deaf-blind--constitute a very low-incidence population.
This population amounts to fewer than 2 out of 1,000 students in grades
K-12 nationally. These children have complex needs that require highly
specialized professionals with focused training, and beyond their
unique communication and learning needs, a large percentage of these
students have additional disabilities that impact learning. Given all
of this, how will you support efforts to ensure that deaf and hard of
hearing, blind and visually impaired, and deaf-blind students have the
trained, professional personnel, access to communication and materials
in school, and the appropriate school settings needed to help them
succeed educationally?
Answer 11. Students with sensory disabilities and students with
multiple disabilities deserve well-prepared and excellent teachers who
receive ongoing evidence-based professional development to maintain
their expertise. To accomplish this, if confirmed, I will examine ways
to support research to determine the most effective practices and
programs for students who are deaf and hard of hearing, blind and
visually impaired, and deaf-blind.
Question 12. How will your Department of Education ensure the
rights of students with disabilities in virtual learning environments?
Answer 12. The Department must monitor and stay up to date on the
latest technology challenges to protecting the rights of students with
disabilities.
If I am confirmed, I will study the issue of ensuring the rights of
students with disabilities in virtual learning environments. We will
examine best practices from the States so we can share effective
strategies and programs for educating students with disabilities using
virtual environments.
Question 13. Parent Information Centers (PTIs) provide parents of
children with disabilities free access to information related to the
law and their children's rights. These PTIs are woefully under-
resourced. How do you plan on supporting the PTIs?
Answer 13. Parents need good information to make informed decisions
about their child's rights and educational plan. If confirmed, the
Department will examine the effectiveness and efficiency of current
outreach programs, centers, and events that focus on providing parent
information while also exploring new opportunities to use technology to
improve this outreach. Our goal is to increase parent and family access
to information across the range of essential issues, from evidence-
based practices to legal rights for parents of students with
disabilities.
Question 14. Explain your experience in addressing policy issues
impacting students with disabilities. Share examples of how education
initiatives you have supported have impacted students with
disabilities.
Answer 14. The development of charter schools in Michigan gave me
an inside view of how students with disabilities are treated within the
traditional public school system. The students that transferred from a
traditional district school to the charter school founded by my husband
had received services that met the minimum compliance standards, but in
some cases hadn't achieved academic or social-behavioral goals in
years. It was tragic. When we asked about it, we were told that the law
only requires that the student receive a minimum benefit--so their
sending schools believed that they had met these students' needs. Quite
honestly, I was shocked that ``minimum benefit'' was considered
sufficient. Our parents and student deserve so much more. The
opportunity they had to choose a more appropriate school to meet the
needs of the students was invaluable.
Question 15. Please describe in detail how you envision Office of
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) being part of the
process to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Answer 15. If confirmed, I will ask the Office of Special Education
and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to perform a complete review of all
current activities, policies, guidance, and regulations, to determine
overlap, gaps, and areas that need to be brought into compliance with
the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Given this analysis, we will
develop a schedule to implement changes. I will require that OSERS
inform me of any areas of concern regarding how ESSA is implemented for
students with disabilities. Under ESSA, we will continue to ensure that
States and local education agencies are accountable for meeting the
needs of students with disabilities.
Question 16. Section 503 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act requires Federal contractors to recruit and hire people
with disabilities. Will you work with the Department of Labor to ensure
that new regulations strengthening Section 503 of WIOA are fully
implemented and supported?
Answer 16. I believe that individuals with disabilities can be
valuable contributors to the workforce. If confirmed, I look forward to
inter-departmental collaboration with the Department of Labor, as well
as other departments, to protect the rights of individuals with
disabilities and ensure that they are able to contribute to the fullest
of their abilities.
Question 17. In response to a candidate questionnaire, the Trump
campaign stated that,
``It is important that the final regulations under section
501 are enforced. We will then do all we can to make sure that
the agenda outlined and agreed upon gets implemented. My
administration will work with Congress to set an example of the
importance and value of hiring individuals with disabilities. A
Trump administration will follow the law.''
What will you do to strengthen Section 501 of the Rehabilitation
Act, which requires affirmative action and nondiscrimination in
employment by Federal agencies of the executive branch and ensure the
Federal Government is a model employer of people with disabilities?
Answer 17. Should I be confirmed, I will ensure that the Department
of Education complies fully with these laws. This will not only benefit
individuals with disabilities, but also enrich and strengthen the
Department itself. Wherever we have the opportunity to hire qualified
individuals with disabilities, we will be thrilled to consider them
fairly for any position. We will work hard to create a model work
environment that values and benefits people with disabilities.
student safety
Question 18. Do you believe that students should be isolated from
their peers, classroom and learning environments for part of or all of
the school day, for standing up, not following directions, pushing back
from a desk, not displaying ``on-task'' behavior? Would you agree that
these types of isolation measures used by teachers creates a difficult
learning environment? What is your approach to address these practices?
Answer 18. Seclusion should never be used to solve routine
classroom management issues. In fact, it should not be used at all
unless the student could cause serious physical harm to him/herself or
others. If used, specific procedures for its use should be carefully
followed by trained personnel. Underlying your question is the issue
that we need to give teachers (and other school personnel) effective
tools and strategies for dealing with ``disruptive'' behaviors. All
school personnel need to be trained to implement evidence-based
practices such as positive behavioral interventions that reduce the
likelihood that seclusion is needed. We also need to promote the use of
effective positive behavioral practices as a part of administrator and
teacher preparation programs, so that our educators are prepared to
handle the many challenges facing them in schools today.
Question 19. Teachers have often organized for the health and
safety of their students, such as instances where schools are without
heat or experience other safety concerns. Do you think it is important
for teachers to be able to organize in these circumstances?
Answer 19. I believe that ALL schools should be safe and offer an
environment conducive to learning. Teachers, parents, and students
should have a major voice in these issues. How their voices are heard
and attended to should be left up to the local level.
role of u.s. department of education
Question 20. As Secretary of Education you will oversee an agency
with 4,400 employees and a $68 billion budget. Do you believe the
Agency has the right level of resources to support the vision you laid
out? If not, how will you change the size of the agency?
Answer 20. Generally speaking, I believe the Federal Government's
role in education has grown dramatically since its creation and could
be made more effective. If confirmed, I will review the structure of
the agency along with its budget and make recommendations to the
President-elect for any changes. I believe it would be premature to
discuss specific changes without meeting with employees from each
office and listening to them.
Question 21. You often cite the need for competition as the reason
for pushing private voucher programs, but why not work within the
public system where there's accountability and oversight to nurture
choice and competition?
Answer 21. I am a strong advocate of great public education.
Period. But, I believe we can both challenge the status quo and support
public education.
Our current approach is not working for far too many. Last year,
the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) recorded
declines in fourth- and eighth-grade reading and math following flat
2013 results, marking a downturn after years of steady gains. Recently,
the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) reported that
U.S. performance has declined steadily since 2009 in reading, math, and
science--after a decade of rising scores. In fact, the United States is
now 35th in math (down from 28th). In science, we're 25th and in
reading, we're now in 24th place.
I'm certain we can all agree that is indefensible. I am and will
always be an advocate for what is best for students and for parents,
not for the system.
Question 22. Do you think the Federal Government has a role to play
in closing the achievement gap and help level the playing field for
disadvantaged students?
Answer 22. Yes.
Question 23. One of the best investments in improving American
education is improving the ability of educators to use high-quality
research in their practice, access the best educational tools, and
produce sufficient numbers of highly qualified teachers who can
effectively teach the diverse population of students who attend public
schools in the United States. What will you do to improve high-quality
educator preparation?
Answer 23. I absolutely agree that good teachers make an incredible
difference in student performance.
Many university-based teacher preparation programs have been slow
to embrace research-based practices to inform their preparation
practices. However, many alternative certification programs have based
their program content and clinical experiences on evidence about ``what
works'' in classrooms. States are responsible for determining which
programs are allowed to offer teacher certification or licensure
programs.
If confirmed, I would increase the visibility of how States are
improving their teacher preparation programs so that their graduates
are ``learner-ready'' and significantly adding value to students.
Louisiana, for example, started on this path to improve their teacher
preparation programs almost 15 years ago when the Board of Regents and
the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education terminated all
teacher preparation programs and required a complete redesign using
more rigorous standards and accountability. This type of bold reform
and Louisiana's use of student result measures to determine
effectiveness is a great example that needs to be shared with other
States.
every student succeeds act (essa) implementation
Question 24. Under your leadership, will the Department of
Education implement Section 1204 of Every Student Succeeds Act, the
Innovative Assessment and Accountability Demonstration, a section
influence by New Hampshire's Performance Assessment in Competence
Education (PACE)?
Answer 24. If confirmed, I intend to implement the Every Student
Succeeds Act as written. I would look forward to learning more about
New Hampshire's experience with the Performance Assessment in
Competence Education program as this Federal demonstration project is
developed.
Question 25. Do you think Congress took the right approach with
ESSA by returning many decisions to States but maintaining annual
testing and other guardrails? Why or why not?
Answer 25. Yes, I do. I believe that Congress made great strides in
returning the responsibility for education primarily to States and
localities, where it belongs.
Question 26. You recently said you want to end the Common Core, yet
you founded the Great Lakes Education Project, which has supported the
Common Core and was a major driver of its implementation in Michigan.
Additionally, you served on the board of Jeb Bush's Foundation for
Excellence in Education, which supported the Common Core. Do you
generally not agree with the foundations that you support on major
policies, or is this an anomaly?
Answer 26. I believe in high standards of excellence and
achievement. I also believe it is the job of States to set those
standards. The Federal Government can highlight their success, but I
don't support a federalized approach to Common Core.
I have supported many good causes over the years across the
political spectrum. I have contributed to organizations because of
particular initiatives they have undertaken, but that in no way means I
support all of their activities. In fact, I appreciate the opportunity
to highlight my diversity, from GLEP, to Excel in Ed to the Clinton
Global Initiative, there are organizations that I have helped support
with whom I do not fully agree. It is important to listen to a variety
of perspectives.
I applaud what this Congress and committee did in its passage of
the Every Student Succeeds Act. You all made it quite clear that there
should be no Federal role in determining standards.
Question 27. You have stated you want to end the ``Federalized
Common Core''. Despite the fact that Common Core is entirely voluntary
and not federalized, how would you proceed with eliminating it,
particularly since ESSA clearly prohibits the Federal Government from
requiring States to adopt or change their standards?
Answer 27. I agree that the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
clearly prohibits the Federal Government from requiring States to adopt
or change their standards. If confirmed, I intend to ensure this
provision is implemented as Congress intended.
Question 28. Do you believe student participation in statewide
assessments is important so that all students, families, and schools
have data to support learning, and because this participation is
critical to a functioning school accountability system? Why or why not?
Answer 28. Yes. In order for parents to make informed choices about
the best education options for their children, they need to understand
how their child and their school are performing.
Question 29. Some States have experienced high levels of opting-out
of State standardized tests. Do you support testing opt-out? Do you
have plans to address this issue?
Answer 29. If confirmed, I will implement the statutory
requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), including
ensuring compliance with the requirement that States must annually
measure not less than 95 percent of students on annual reading and math
assessments. At the same time, I will respect the intent of Congress
under ESSA to defer to State and local laws and decisions concerning
both parents' determinations about whether or not their children
participate in such assessments and State approaches to holding schools
accountable where less than 95 percent of students or students within
subgroups are assessed.
Question 30. For what should schools/districts be held accountable?
What is the Department's role in determining that? How do you reconcile
your answer with the Every Student Succeeds Act?
Answer 30. I believe the Every Student Succeeds Act empowers States
to make the decisions about what should be included in their
accountability systems. The Department's role is to ensure the law is
implemented as written.
Question 31. Do you believe State accountability systems should
measure both student academic proficiency and academic growth? Why or
why not?
Answer 31. I believe the Every Student Succeeds Act empowers States
to make that decision, and they should be allowed that flexibility.
Question 32. Do you believe that States should be able to choose
which annual tests they administer for accountability purposes? Why?
Answer 32. Yes. States should be allowed to use the assessments
that best meet the needs of the students in their State.
Question 33. As you are aware, requiring schools to report
performance of sub-groups of students highlighted that many schools
across our country were failing to provide equal education for all
students. What policies do you believe have been most critical in
advancing equity for English language learners, students with
disabilities and low-income students? How would you protect and further
these policies?
Answer 33. I believe the disaggregation of data across subgroups--
and making that information transparent to parents and the public--is
one of the most important and effective ways to ensure equity for
students who have been poorly served by our education system.
Question 34. There was bipartisan agreement in the development and
passage of ESSA to support new title I provisions that support and
assure that students with disabilities are fully included in State
accountability systems and are held to the same high standards as all
other students. What are your plans to help States so that schools and
districts can maximize the new law's flexibility without jeopardizing
accountability for educating vulnerable and disadvantaged students,
including students with disabilities?
Answer 34. These accountability assurances for student with
disabilities are already in place. IDEA requires that an individualized
education program (IEP) created by a team including the parent (and
often the student) must spell out the student's learning needs, how the
needs will be met, and how progress will be measured. Parents having
this level of information about their child need to be informed about
their rights and responsibilities regarding how to hold schools
accountable for their child's results.
Question 35. ESSA has taken significant steps to elevate the
importance of school leadership and school principals. We know that
leadership is a cost-effective approach to creating schools where
teachers thrive and students succeed. Through ESSA, how will your
Department support States in thoughtful inclusion of evidence-based,
school leadership strategies and meaningfully consult with school
leaders (as required by the law)
Answer 35. Having school leaders who have the skills and knowledge
to develop and maintain high-performing schools is one of the most
important ingredients for increasing student performance. If confirmed,
I will look for ways the Department of Education can expand
dissemination of strategies that States use to include leaders who have
demonstrated outstanding results in ESSA implementation discussions.
Question 36. ESSA places new emphasis on supporting school
leadership through increased professional development, mentoring,
residency, and other evidence-based programs that support the
recruitment and retention of effective school leaders. Given the
extensive research that shows principals are second only to effective
teachers when it comes to improving student achievement, what will you
do as Secretary of Education to improve the pipeline for school
leadership and provide the support school leaders need to stay in the
profession and lead school change and improvement efforts that
establish a positive culture so they stay in their schools long enough
to increase student achievement?
Answer 36. In general I believe it is best to defer to the judgment
of State and local officials about how best to implement education
policies. If confirmed as Secretary I would welcome the opportunity to
share data and good research from the Department of Education with
State and local officials looking to improve educational opportunities.
I will travel around the country sharing best practices in the hopes
those successes encourage others to look for solutions that have worked
and adapt it to their particular needs. But I also hope that States and
local leaders will think outside the box and innovate, looking for new
solutions to vexing educational problems. If I can be a resource to
help as Secretary, I would welcome that opportunity. I agree that
supporting the development and retention of strong school leaders is
one of the most important things we can do as a country to improve
education.
Question 37. ESSA requires stakeholder engagement. How will the
U.S. Department of Education (USED) use this concept to expand
involvement in key decisions at the State and local levels?
Answer 37. In general I believe it is best to defer to the judgment
of State and local officials about how best to implement education
policies.
If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share data and
good research from the Department of Education with State and local
officials looking to improve educational opportunities. I will travel
around the country sharing best practices in the hopes those successes
encourage others to look for solutions that have worked and adapt it to
their particular needs. I also hope that States and local leaders will
think outside the box and innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing
educational problems. If I can be a resource to help as Secretary, I
would welcome that opportunity. I agree that stakeholder engagement is
critically important. Every Student Succeeds Act includes specific
requirements around stakeholder engagement and I am committed to
enforcing those provisions as written.
Question 38. What is your position about public school teachers'
voices being heard before major decisions regarding public school
policies and funding?
Answer 38. In general I believe it is best to defer to the judgment
of State and local officials about how best to implement education
policies.
I am also reminded of the wisdom of former President Franklin D.
Roosevelt on the topic.
If confirmed, I would welcome the opportunity to share data and
good research from the Department of Education with State and local
officials looking to improve educational opportunities. I will share
best practices in the hopes that those successes encourage others to
look to solutions that have worked and adapt it to their particular
needs. I also hope that States and local leaders will think outside the
box and innovate, looking for new solutions to vexing educational
problems.
If I can be a resource to help, I would welcome that opportunity.
As I said before, I agree that stakeholder engagement is critically
important. I believe we as policymakers also have a responsibility to
push as many decisions as possible down to the local level, so that
teachers are fully heard and engaged.
for-profit k-12 education
Quesion 39. According to financial disclosures, you and your
husband owned shares in K12 Inc, a company whose core business model is
the management of public for-profit online charter schools. This
company has been criticized for negative student outcomes and called
out for its business models by several outlets including the New York
Times, which characterized the organization as a ``company that tries
to squeeze profits from public school dollars by raising enrollment,
increasing teacher workload and lowering standards.''
This business model clearly aims to funnel taxpayer dollars
dedicated for public education to Wall Street and its shareholders. We
know that President-elect Trump is also supportive of this troubling
business model since K12 Inc founder, Ron Packard, participated and
helped organize President-elect Trump's announcement of his education
platform this past September in Cleveland, OH.
Is it true that you and your husband owned shares in K12 Inc?
How can you support K12 Inc., given their dismal results for
students? Is this business model something you and President-elect
Trump aim to promote while at the Department of Education?
Answer 39. Shares in K12 Inc. were acquired in 2002 and 2003, but
all such shares were sold in 2008. I am not familiar with K12 Inc.'s
current business model to comment on whether that particular business
model is of the type that I would promote or not.
Question 40. As evidenced in a recent GAO report, many for-profit
charter schools have a poor track record of recruiting, admitting,
retaining and providing a quality education for students with
disabilities. If you advocate for expanding school choice via charters
or vouchers to families using Federal funds what will you do to rectify
these inequities? How will you assure all schools will improve
educational opportunity and educational quality for students with
disabilities?
Answer 40. First, charter schools are not for-profit entities. They
are public schools. There are those, however, that contract with for-
profit organizations for various services such as management services.
This is no different than a traditional public school contracting with
a private transportation provider or for private psychological services
for students.
In terms of the disparities in enrollment of children with
disabilities in charter schools, there are a variety of reasons why a
gap might exist--parental selection, lower rates of special education
identification because students learn more in high-performing charters,
and because not all charter schools do as well as they could in terms
of serving children with disabilities.
As you know, any charter schools that receive Federal funds must
abide by all Federal laws--including those that govern special
education. If confirmed, I will enforce all laws under the jurisdiction
of the U.S. Department of Education.
Question 41. Would you seek to give virtual schools less
accountability or more accountability when it comes to the role of the
Department of Education in oversight and accountability?
Answer 41. I support strong accountability for our Nation's
schools. Any school that receives Federal funding is subject to Federal
law, including the accountability provisions of Every Student Succeeds
Act, whether that school is virtual or place-based. If confirmed, I
will enforce all laws under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of
Education.
Question 42. You have been supportive, and have had a financial
interest in K12 Inc., a for-profit operator of online charter schools.
Ohio's Virtual Academy operated by K12 Inc. has reported an on-time
graduation rate below 40 percent. Do you think this on-time graduation
rate is acceptable? If not, what do you think is an acceptable on-time
graduation rate?
Answer 42. As previously noted, I do not have a financial interest
in K12 Inc. I believe that States have the obligation to set
accountability standards and if schools consistently fall below those
standards, they should be closed, whether they are virtual, place-
based, traditional, or charter schools.
There are many schools with graduation rates near 40 percent. This
cannot be acceptable regardless of how the school organizes itself.
Question 43. With K12 Inc.'s poor performance levels, do you think
it is acceptable to spend as much as $40 million in 1 year on marketing
to vulnerable students, as K12 Inc. reported doing in 2014?
Answer 43. I believe that companies have an obligation to decide
the best use of their resources in providing the services they offer.
rural education
Question 44. How do you plan to ensure that the Department better
supports students in rural schools than past Administrations?
Answer 44. Too often competitive grants ignore the realities of
rural areas, or unintentionally exclude rural areas because of
requirements that make no sense for smaller, rural areas. If confirmed,
I look forward to working with Congress and stakeholders from rural
areas to learn how the Department of Education can better serve their
needs.
Question 45. You have been very supportive of voucher programs.
This type of system can be particularly difficult to implement in rural
areas where President-elect Trump received some of his strongest
support. Do you think unregulated school choice markets are the answer
in rural areas as well as urban areas?
Answer 45. Technology is one answer to providing more choice in
rural areas. In addition to virtual schools and choosing a different
school, there are also options to implement course choice, allowing
students to take one or more classes online. Course supplements, like
Khan Academy, can also help when traditional schools are not serving
students well.
We are no longer in an industrial age. We are changing at warp
speed. Technology has transformed every area of our lives--except in
education. We're seeing so many developments that can help us
individualize and personalize education in a variety of settings.
And let's be clear, different regulation is not the same as
``unregulated.''
Question 46. What will your strategy be as Secretary of Education
for improving low performing schools? Do you have a different strategy
for schools in rural areas? If so, please explain.
Answer 46. This is one of the issues that has challenged the
education field for years. A variety of approaches have been tried and
we are still seeing dismal results for too many of our kids. As you
likely know, the previous Administration recently spent $7 billion with
no measureable impact for children.
With the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act last year,
Congress decided that States should have the flexibility to try a
variety of approaches and determine what tools work best for their
situation. But I do believe that at the core of this issue is the fact
that every child is unique, yet our education system treats them all
the same. With the remarkable advances that are being made in the use
of technology, in personalizing education, and in focusing on
competencies and skills, there are some promising practices developing.
If confirmed, my job will be to highlight those best practices.
dc voucher program
Question 47. Do you support the reauthorization of the DC Voucher
program? If yes, can you explain your support of American taxpayers
being expected to support programs that divert money from public
schools to a program that has shown to have no impact on student
safety, satisfaction, motivation, or engagement according to U.S.
Department of Education reports in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010?
Answer 47. Since the SOAR Act was authorized in 2011 it has
diverted $0 away from the DC public school system.
Rather, it has been the primary authorizing mechanism for the
three-pronged approach to DC education--one that has generated over
$600 million for K-12 education in the district since 2004, and will
generate another $45 million more in 2017.
In short, SOAR has led to a greater investment in the education of
our public.
The 2010 U.S. Department of Education Institute for Education
Sciences report stated that students who used a scholarship through the
DC Opportunity Scholarship Program had a 91 percent graduation rate; 21
percent higher than those who sought, but didn't receive a scholarship.
By comparison, DCPS have a graduation rate of 69 percent, which is up
from 53 percent in 2011--a commendable improvement, but still 13
percentage points below the national average.
DCOSP provides students a high quality education, and actually
saves taxpayers money. DC residents participating in the program are
awarded scholarships at a rate of $8,300 for students grades K-8, and
12,400 for students in grades 9-12. This is well below the cost of
educating a student in the DC Public School system, which has an
average per student amount of over $18,000 per year.
The program enjoys popularity amongst taxpayers. It was originally
begun in partnership with former DC City Council Education Committee
Chairman Kevin Chavous, and then-Mayor Anthony Williams, and is
currently supported by Mayor Muriel Bowser, eight members of the DC
City Council, 74 percent of DC's residents, and bipartisan Members of
Congress.
DCOSP also includes a number of accountability mechanisms to
protect student safety and performance. Federal law requires annual
testing and evaluations of participants to determine student progress.
Furthermore, participating schools must require background checks for
all school employees who have direct contact with students, and
requires those few schools that are not accredited to become accredited
within 5 years or face dismissal from the program.
While a final decision on reauthorization is ultimately up to you,
Congress, I welcome the opportunity, if confirmed, to working together
to support programs that provide equal opportunity and accountability
for students, while also protecting taxpayers' substantial investment
in our students.
Question 48. During the 2011-12 school year, 64 percent of vouchers
distributed in the District of Columbia did not cover the entire cost
of the student's private school tuition, leaving many families with
unequal access. Do you think this disparity in access based on
financial resources is a problem? If yes, how would you address it? If
no, please explain why not?
Answer 48. As mentioned above, the Federal three-pronged approach
to DCOSP has generated substantial funds for DCPS, DC Charters, and
DCOSP. Of the $618 million that has been appropriated, $239 million has
been appropriated for DCPS, $195 million for DC's charter schools, and
$183 million for DCOSP. Furthermore, applications for DCOSP and DC
charter schools have seen applications and waiting lists increase
substantially in the past several years. Since 2004, more than 16,000
families have applied to DCOSP and thousands more are currently on the
charter school waiting lists.
There is clearly a disparity in access based on financial
resources. However, the 2014 DOE IES Study suggested that many other
factors, not solely program funding, played a role in unequal access
for students wanting to participate in the program. Still, 72 percent
of students receiving a scholarship were able to enroll in a
participating school according to the same study. I am hopeful that the
program's new administrator, Serving Our Children, will make good on
their promise to address any outstanding issues related to program
outreach and communication with participating schools.
stem
Question 49. It has been noted by the Computing Research
Association that,
``The percentage of female computer science CS majors remains
very low, at only 14.1 percent, and several racial minorities
are also significantly underrepresented (with African Americans
representing only an estimated 3 percent of majors, and
Hispanics representing around 7 percent).''
Will you work as Secretary to direct existing Federal funding not
just to computer science education, but to helping make computer
science education a possibility for all American students regardless of
their background?
Answer 49. Computer science is an important discipline--and for the
sake of our national security and prosperity, it should be available to
all students regardless of background. Most jobs today require a much
higher degree of technical competence than even 5 years ago. If
confirmed, I will work with States and local school districts to
encourage them to prioritize computer science education, and I will
help identify best practices wherever possible to serve as models of
where it is being done well. I will also look closely at the budget of
the Department of Education to determine the best allocation of
taxpayer dollars to programs when making a proposed budget for future
fiscal years.
Question 50. This decade, computing occupations have become the
single largest sector of new wages in the United States. There are
almost 500,000 open computer jobs. These are among the best-paying jobs
in the country, and they are growing almost twice as fast as all the
other jobs in the country. Surveys show that 90 percent of American
parents want their children to study computer science in school, yet
the majority of K-12 schools don't even teach computer science. How do
you think that we should expand computer science and other advanced
coursework in our K-12 schools?
Answer 50. Computer science is an important discipline. Most jobs
today require a much higher degree of technical competence than even 5
years ago. If confirmed, I will work with States and local school
districts to encourage them to prioritize computer science education,
and I will help identify best practices wherever possible to serve as
models of where it is being done well.
Question 51. Do you see an opportunity as part of the Perkins
Career and Technical Education (CTE) reauthorization to highlight the
importance of computer science education?
Answer 51. Yes.
Question 52. Scientists have long confirmed that climate change is
real and manmade. The implications to our country and society of
climate change are potentially devastating. Do you think it is
appropriate to teach students about climate change?
Answer 52. Decisions about what curricula are taught in schools are
made by States and school districts, not at the Federal level. Federal
law makes this clear. Additionally, as I noted in my hearing, I believe
in good science.
Question 53. Do you believe that evolution should be taught in
public schools?
Answer 53. Decisions about what curricula are taught in schools are
made by States and school districts, not at the Federal level. Federal
law makes this clear. Additionally, as I noted in my hearing, I believe
in good science.
Federal Courts have made it clear that evolution shall be taught in
public schools.
higher education--four-year and community colleges
Question 54. Will you support full, automatic discharge of loans at
schools where students were systematically defrauded and provided a
substandard education?
Answer 54. The Higher Education Act explains the circumstances in
which students can request relief. There should be a fair process that
looks out for the interests of students, institutions, and taxpayers.
If confirmed, I will review the process that has been put in place to
ensure it meets that standard.
Question 55. We know that for-profit schools are over-represented
in leaving students struggling with massive amounts of debt. A third of
graduates of for-profit college certificate programs are earning below
minimum wage. There is a clear historical pattern of fraud and abuse by
for-profit schools in the Federal student aid program. Are you aware of
this pattern? Do you support the gainful employment rule? If not, what
steps do you support to hold for-profit schools accountable when
they're not providing a benefit to students?
Answer 55. Fraud should never be tolerated. Period. Bad actors
clearly exist--in both public and nonpublic institutions. When we find
them, we should act decisively to protect students and enforce existing
laws. However, I'm agnostic about the type of provider of educational
options to our students. Let's find the best and not discriminate
simply because of their tax status.
If confirmed, my role as Secretary, in part, would be to ensure
that the Higher Education Act is faithfully implemented. I will work to
ensure faithful implementation across the board--whether the school is
a public, private non-profit, or a for-profit school. Accountability is
for ALL schools, and I intend to use the various tools at my disposal
to enforce the law.
Question 56. Students in New Hampshire and across the country
depend on financial aid like the Pell Grant to be able to afford rising
college costs. And yet, even with this financial aid, they are
shouldering increasingly large burdens out of pocket and in student
debt. Instead of trying to make college more affordable, House and
Senate Republican budget proposals by Paul Ryan and others have very
recently called for cuts in financial aid. They have called for
eliminating all mandatory funding for the Pell Grant program, freezing
the maximum Pell Grant for 10 years, making interest accrue on loans
while undergraduates are in school, and eliminating the Public Service
Loan Forgiveness Program entirely. Do you support these congressional
proposals to cut funding to financial aid?
Answer 56. I have not studied the House Republican 2016 budget, but
if confirmed as Secretary, I look forward to working with Members of
Congress from both parties in both chambers to appropriately fund the
Department's programs. In doing so, I will look closely at the budget
of the Department of Education to determine the best allocation of
taxpayer dollars to programs when proposing budgets for future fiscal
years.
Question 57. All regulations require enforcement, and one area that
has been neglected has been the enforcement of the regulations that
make a college nonprofit. One test of whether a nonprofit is actually
operating as a nonprofit is whether the board of trustees is able to
make decisions independent of any personal financial interest. Some
cases have clearly cross that line. It has come to light that some
schools currently recognized by the Department of Education as
nonprofit are actually serving to make money for their board members
and others involved in the school's administration. These activities
run contrary to the legally mandated mission of a nonprofit to serve
public, rather than private, interests, while helping these
institutions skirt regulation designed to monitor the for-profit
education sector. What steps would you take to ensure that the
Department recognizes as nonprofit only those schools whose governance
structures ensure that no one with a financial stake in the corporation
has administrative authority?
Answer 57. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing current
policies and procedures and whether they align with the Higher
Education Act. In addition, I look forward to working with you, the
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and Congress
on this issue during debate of the reauthorization of the law.
Question 58. Will you commit to improving student loan servicing so
that borrowers know about their income-driven repayment options?
Answer 58. If confirmed, I will strive to do a better job than the
previous administration at managing all of the Department's contractors
and will ensure they follow all the appropriate consumer protection
laws as those laws were written.
Question 59. A 2012 Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Committee report found that some for-profit colleges push student
borrowers into forbearance and deferment with the express purpose of
improving or manipulating their cohort default rate, and without
concern for what is in the best financial interest of individual
students. Many students will end up paying more over the life of their
loans after a forbearance or deferment, and could have been eligible
for an income-driven repayment plan. Do you believe default rate
manipulation is appropriate behavior? Will you support Federal
legislation to reduce or halt default rate manipulation through
forbearance and deferment?
Answer 59. The Higher Education Act (HEA) and accompanying
regulations outline how an institution of higher learning must
calculate its cohort default rate. If confirmed, I look forward to
discussing this policy, among all the others, with you and your
colleagues as part of the HEA reauthorization.
Question 60. Do you believe that accrediting agencies should
conduct surprise visits or secret shopping of the institutions they
oversee, to ensure that colleges and universities are meeting
accreditation requirements at all times, and not just during scheduled
site visits?
Answer 60. The accreditation system is not working--both in terms
of protecting students and encouraging innovation in higher education.
It is a complicated issue that the field has been grappling with for
some time. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the committee
to find a solution that does not in effect make the Federal Government
a national accreditor.
Question 61. For-profit colleges market themselves as career-
focused, and encourage students to enroll by offering the prospect of
better jobs. Accordingly, for-profit colleges use job placement data to
promote their programs, and to satisfy national accrediting agencies
and some State regulators that the students who complete the programs
are finding jobs in their field. However, when job placement rates are
audited by outside agencies or the Federal Government, problems have
repeatedly been found. Law enforcement investigations have found some
colleges falsified their placement rates. Do you support establishing a
uniform and accurate methodology for calculating job placement rates?
Do you believe that the Federal Government should continue to verify
the job placement rates provided to students and families?
Answer 61. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the merits of
the several current calculations used by the Department to determine
repayment rates and look forward to engaging you, the Senate Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and Congress on this topic
during debate of the Higher Education Act reauthorization.
Question 62. In 2014, an interagency task force was created with
several Federal agencies to enhance cooperation and ensure proper
oversight of for-profit institutions of higher education. Through this
task force, the Department and other Federal and State agencies
coordinate their activities and promote information sharing to protect
students from unfair, deceptive, and abusive policies and practices.
Will you ensure that the Department of Education continues to
participate in this task force? Will you commit to recommending to the
President-elect that he retain this task force, given the extraordinary
abuses in higher education over the last several years?
Answer 62. If confirmed, I will review existing work with other
Federal agencies in order to determine their alignment and usefulness
in implementing the Higher Education Act (HEA). In addition, I will
evaluate current Department resources to ensure that they are aligned
with the requirements of HEA.
Question 63. Sexual assault is a horrific crime, that can happen in
any environment including, all too often, high schools and college
campuses. We must help ensure that every victim's needs and rights are
identified and addressed, while continuing to make progress toward the
ultimate goal of preventing these crimes in the first place. The
University of New Hampshire is home to the Prevention Innovations
Research Center and the Sexual Harassment & Rape Prevention Program
(SHARPP) both of which are working tirelessly to help educate the
public on how to prevent sexual assault. What new tactics or programs
would you implement to ensure proven evidenced-based sexual assault
prevention education is available to elementary, secondary, and post-
secondary schools? Would you support additional research for sexual
assault prevention?
Answer 63. Sexual abuse is a horrific crime. Federal law makes
clear that decisions about curricula cannot be made at the Federal
level. But let me be clear, I personally support teaching sexual
assault prevention.
Question 64. The Department of Education's student financial aid
programs, from Pell Grants to graduate PLUS loans, are essential to
ensuring that all students, regardless of income, can attend and
graduate from college. If confirmed, will you support the Department's
financial aid programs to help our Nation's students obtain post-
secondary education? Will you support other efforts to reduce costs to
students, including income-based repayment and loan forgiveness
programs?
Answer 64. I believe the current Federal financial aid system is
helping millions of students, who otherwise would not have the
opportunity, to access higher education. I do believe that the wide
range of Federal financial aid programs could be dramatically
simplified and streamlined in order to provide the best benefits for
students. If confirmed, I look forward to discussing these issues with
you and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
during Higher Education Act reauthorization.
Question 65. From 2011 to 2014 the Department of Education dually
administered the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and
Career Training Grant (TAACCCT) program with the Department of Labor.
The program was created as a successor to the Bush-era Community-Based
Job Training Grant program, and funded through the 2010 reconciliation
vehicle. The TAACCCT program supported partnerships between community
colleges and businesses to design and implement workforce training
programs in high-need fields. President-elect Trump has stated his
priority for job creation, and in particular job creation through an
infrastructure investment package. Given the current shortage of
workers in the building trades additional training capacity will be
necessary to meet industry demand. Do you support a renewal of or
successor to the TAACCCT program as part of any infrastructure package
to help train workers in high-need fields?
Answer 65. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you, the
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and Congress
on this issue and will faithfully implement any future law or funding
stream so designated by Congress related to this topic.
Question 66. I have heard from community colleges about their
interest in providing greater flexibility in the Pell Grant program to
provide for short-term training opportunities. Currently a program has
to be two-thirds of a year in length to qualify, and some high-quality
programs are shorter.
Is this something that you have thought about and do you have a
position on it as part of the ongoing Higher Education Act
reauthorization?
Answer 66. I agree that education after high school should include
a variety of options. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions regarding
the Higher Education Act, and discussing how families can pay for
innovative post-secondary options.
Question 67. College completion has been a focus area for community
colleges nationally and in New Hampshire. As you know, the Federal
Government's primary role in undergraduate education is providing
student financial aid rather than getting engaged in colleges'
operations, although there are some programs designed to support
specific institutional activities. In any case, do you have any
thoughts about how the Federal Government can augment what is going on
currently at colleges in terms of enhanced pathways to completion, so
that fewer students will start college but leave prior to earning the
type of credential that can help them advance into skilled jobs that
require education beyond high school?
Answer 67. If confirmed, I look forward to engaging with you, the
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and Congress
during the debate on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act on
ways to support improved student completion and success.
Question 68. Among industry and community leaders there is strong
interest in educational programs being better aligned with career
opportunities and industry workforce needs. Do you have plans for
Federal programs that can support career pathways from high school to
community colleges in high demand middle-skills fields, such as
advanced manufacturing and emerging healthcare fields?
Answer 68. I strongly believe there needs to be alignment between
post-secondary education and workforce needs. Too many people are
unemployed and underemployed while many good jobs are left unfilled.
This is an issue I hope we have the opportunity to work together on as
Congress considers the reauthorization of Higher Education Act, should
I be confirmed. However to be clear, I do believe that higher education
serves a purpose greater than workforce preparation.
Question 69. As you are aware, while the overall economy has
improved there is significant geographic disparity in economic
performance that is correlated to differentials in workforce skills,
training and education. What is your perspective on the role of Federal
support of higher education, and in particular support of community
colleges, in enhancing rural economic development?
Answer 69. If confirmed, I look forward to engaging on this
important topic with you, the committee and Congress during debate of
the Higher Education Act.
Question 70. Student debt is rising and is of concern to families
across our Nation. What strategies and approaches would you support to
address access to affordable higher education and the reduction of
student debt among low-income students?
Answer 70. I think we can all agree that the growing amount of
student debt in America is a serious challenge. A key component of the
American Dream is the belief that tomorrow will be better than today,
especially for the next generation. Yet, that opportunity is now at
risk. For too many Americans, higher education has become unaffordable
and disconnected from the Nation's economic realities.
There is no magic wand to make the debt go away, but we do need to
take action. It would be a mistake to shift that burden to struggling
taxpayers without first addressing why tuition has gotten so high.
We need to embrace new pathways of learning. The old and expensive
brick-mortar-and-ivy model is not the only one that will lead to a
prosperous future. Students should be able to make informed choices
about what type of education they want to pursue after high school and
have access to a variety of high quality options. President-elect Trump
and I agree that we need to support all postsecondary avenues,
including credentials, trade and vocational schools, and community
colleges.
In addition, President-elect Trump spoke about several ways to
address the issue of student debt during the campaign. One of the best
ways to address this issue is ensure students are able to get jobs
after they complete their post-secondary program. And President-elect
Trump has spoken extensively about his plans to put Americans back to
work and boost the Nation's stagnant economy. We are also interested in
making sure students have good information about the costs of college
and the labor market outcomes of particular fields so they can make
good decisions at the beginning of their educational pursuits about
what program may work best for them and their situation. Finally,
President-elect Trump spoke on the campaign trail about his plan to
streamline the income-driven repayment plans into one plan that will
cap a borrower's monthly payment at 12.5 percent of his or her
discretionary income, and ensure a borrower has relief from his or her
loan after 15 years of payment.
Question 71. Students learn in different ways. Would you make any
effort to support applied learning, such as work-based learning and
apprenticeships, at community colleges?
Answer 71. I do agree that work-based learning and apprenticeships
are a great way to improve skills for students and I will work with
community colleges to expand those opportunities. In general I believe
it is best to defer to the judgment of State and local officials about
how to implement education policies. If confirmed, I would welcome the
opportunity to share data, best practices, and strong research from the
Department of Education with State and local officials so they can
adapt it to their particular needs. But I also hope that States and
local leaders will think outside the box and innovate, looking for new
solutions to vexing educational problems. If I can be a resource to
help, I would welcome the opportunity.
[Whereupon, at 8:43 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
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