Betsy DeVos

Elisabeth Dee DeVos served as the United States Secretary of Education from 2017 to 2021, becoming the eleventh individual to hold the position. Born in 1958 and raised in Holland, Michigan, she entered public service after a career rooted in philanthropy, political fundraising, and advocacy for educational choice. Appointed by President Donald Trump, DeVos’s tenure was marked by her support for school vouchers, charter schools, and broader market‑based reforms within the federal education system. She resigned in early 2021 following the January 6 United States Capitol attack, citing the president’s rhetoric as a contributing factor to the events that unfolded.

Early life and career

Elisabeth Dee Prince was born on January 8, 1958, in Holland, Michigan, where she grew up as the eldest of four children. Her parents were Elsa (Zwiep) Prince and Edgar Prince, an industrialist who founded the Prince Corporation, a company that supplied automobile parts. The family’s Dutch heritage influenced DeVos’s upbringing; she was raised within the Christian Reformed Church in North America and later became an elder at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids.

DeVos attended Holland Christian High School before enrolling at Calvin College in Grand Rapids. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business economics in 1979. During her college years, she engaged actively in campus politics, volunteered for President Gerald Ford’s campaign, and participated in the 1976 Republican National Convention as part of a program designed for young Republicans.

Her early involvement in political organization began in 1982 when she joined the Michigan Republican Party. Over the next decade, DeVos served repeatedly as a local precinct delegate, earning sixteen consecutive two‑year terms starting in 1986. She was elected to the Michigan Republican National Committee from 1992 to 1997 and later chaired the state party during two separate periods: first from 1996 to 2000 and again from 2003 to 2005. In these roles, she was recognized for her fundraising abilities and organizational skills, often working behind the scenes to support candidates aligned with core conservative principles.

DeVos’s political activities extended beyond Michigan. She raised more than $150,000 for President George W. Bush’s re‑election campaign in 2004 and hosted a fundraiser at her home that featured President Bush as a headline speaker in October 2008. During the Bush administration, she served two years as finance chairperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, collaborating on various projects with the administration.

The DeVos family has long been active donors to Republican candidates and causes, contributing over $17 million to political committees and individuals since 1989. Betsy DeVos herself opposed limits on political spending, arguing that such restrictions infringed upon free speech; she was a founding board member of the James Madison Center for Free Speech.

Cabinet tenure

On November 23, 2016, President‑elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate DeVos as Secretary of Education. The nomination proceeded through the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where it was approved on January 31, 2017 by a party‑line vote that sent the nomination to the full Senate floor.

The confirmation hearing culminated on February 7, 2017, when the Senate voted 51–50 in favor of DeVos. Vice President Mike Pence cast the decisive tie‑breaking vote, marking the first instance in U.S. history where a vice president’s tiebreaker determined the outcome for a cabinet nominee.

DeVos served as Secretary of Education from her confirmation until January 8, 2021. During this period, she championed policies that expanded school choice options, including voucher programs and charter schools. She was an advocate for the Detroit charter school system and held leadership positions on several education‑related boards: she chaired the board of the Alliance for School Choice, served as a member of the Foundation for Excellence in Education’s board, and led the Acton Institute. Additionally, she headed the All Children Matter PAC.

On January 7, 2021, DeVos submitted her resignation to President Trump, citing the president’s rhetoric as contributing to the events surrounding the January 6 Capitol attack. Her resignation became effective on January 8, 2021, just twelve days before the conclusion of President Trump’s term in office.

Legacy

DeVos’s impact on federal education policy is most closely associated with her advocacy for market‑based reforms and expanded educational choice. She promoted school voucher initiatives that allow public funding to be directed toward private schools, including religious institutions. Her support extended to charter schools, which operate independently of local district control while receiving public funds. Through these efforts, she sought to increase competition among schools and provide families with greater flexibility in selecting educational environments for their children.

Beyond policy advocacy, DeVos’s legacy includes her philanthropic work and leadership within nonprofit organizations focused on education. Her roles on the boards of the Foundation for Excellence in Education and the Alliance for School Choice positioned her as a prominent voice in debates over school quality and accountability. The Acton Institute, where she served as chair, further reflected her commitment to integrating conservative principles with educational discourse.

DeVos’s tenure also intersected with broader discussions about political influence on public policy. Her active fundraising background and opposition to campaign finance limits underscored the connection between private wealth and public office. While her confirmation process was historically notable for the vice president’s tiebreaking vote, it highlighted the partisan dynamics that can shape appointments within federal agencies.

In sum, Betsy DeVos’s career spans decades of political organization, fundraising, and advocacy for educational choice, culminating in a four‑year term as Secretary of Education. Her work has left an enduring imprint on debates over school vouchers, charter schools, and the role of private interests in shaping public education policy.