The country’s 11th Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, is in Alaska this week and today is doing a walk-through tour and panel at Mat-Su Central School, which is a K-12 program of individualized learning based in Wasilla. She will be at education meetings this week with Alaska Education Commissioner Michael Johnson, Gov. Michael Dunleavy, and other education thought leaders.
DeVos is an advocate for charter schools, is a former board member of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, served as board chair for Alliance for School Choice and the Acton Institute, and was at the heart of All Children Matter, a political action committee. She served as the chair of the Michigan Republican Party.
In 2017, she was confirmed by the Senate in a 51-50 tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President Mike Pence. Although Sen. Lisa Murkowski voted to move the nomination to the floor of the Senate for a vote, Alaska’s senior senator voted against DeVos’ confirmation after receiving pressure from Great Alaska Schools, whose leader was Alyse Galvin. Galvin is running for the second time to unseat Congressman Don Young.
