This past Tuesday, Betsy DeVos was narrowly confirmed as Secretary of Education.
Critics decry her lack of experience with public schools along with her outspoken interest in using public funds to help pay for private education, while supporters appreciate her efforts at education reform along with her interest in using those same public funds.
So how could the President’s radical choice to direct education policy affect Bay Area school districts? San Francisco schools’ Chief of Staff Jill Hoogendyk, who has directed the district's state and federally funded programs, has an idea.
HOOGENDYK: "We have a responsibility and a commitment to ensure that we're providing additional services to those students, so that we can accelerate their learning and help them be successful. If we don't have those measures across private schools, then how would we be able to tell that those students are actually achieving at the same level as their peers?"
What do you think about school vouchers — using public funds to help families pay for private or religious schools? Share your thoughts at 415-264-7106.
Editor's note: KALW's license is held by the San Francisco Unified School District
