Ohio school officials and education experts are waiting to see what President-Elect Trump’s choice for Secretary of Education will mean in a state that pioneered school vouchers. Billionaire Betsy DeVos is a longtime school choice advocate. She has some history in Ohio. 10 years ago her All Children Matter PAC tried to launder illegally funneled campaign money for school choice and was fined over 5 million dollars by the Ohio Elections Commission. That is a problem for Stephen Dyer who works on education policy for the progressive-leaning think-tank Innovation Ohio. He says DeVos might steer federal education funding toward vouchers and away from the earmarked funds for poor students who get it now.
The president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a charter school sponsor, doesn’t believe DeVos will take that money. Mike Petrilli says she’s more likely put new money into vouchers.
DeVos' nomination needs confirmation from the U.S. Senate.