Betsy DeVos

Betsy DeVos – Life, Career, and Notable Statements

A comprehensive look at Betsy DeVos — American public servant, education reform advocate, and former U.S. Secretary of Education (2017–2021). Biography, controversies, philosophy, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Elisabeth "Betsy" DeVos (born January 8, 1958) is an American businesswoman, philanthropist, and political activist who served as the 11th U.S. Secretary of Education under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021. She is best known for her advocacy of school choice, charter schools, and voucher programs, and she remains a controversial figure in the arena of U.S. education policy.

Early Life and Family

Betsy DeVos was born Elisabeth Dee Prince on January 8, 1958, in Holland, Michigan. She is the eldest of four children of Edgar Prince, founder of the Prince Corporation (a supplier of automotive parts), and Elsa (née Zwiep) Prince.

DeVos grew up in a wealthy, politically active family. She attended Holland Christian High School, a private Christian school in her hometown. After high school, she enrolled at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics in 1979.

While at Calvin College, she became involved in campus politics and volunteered in Republican campaigns.

In 1979, she married Richard “Dick” DeVos Jr., heir to the Amway fortune, and together they have four children. Her brother is Erik Prince, founder of the private military contractor Blackwater.

Political & Organizational Activities

Early Political Involvement

DeVos was active in Michigan Republican politics for many years. She served as Republican National Committeewoman for Michigan from 1992 to 1997. She also held the role of Chair of the Michigan Republican Party during two periods: from 1996 to 2000, and again from 2003 to 2005.

She was a long-term donor and activist in education reform and school choice movements prior to her federal appointment.

Secretary of Education (2017–2021)

After President-elect Trump nominated her in November 2016, her confirmation was hotly debated. Her confirmation in the Senate was notably decided by a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Mike Pence (51–50), making her the first Cabinet nominee confirmed by a vice-presidential tiebreaker.

As Secretary, DeVos made significant changes to federal education policy, particularly undoing or rolling back several Obama-era regulations on student protections and for-profit colleges. She was a strong proponent of expanding school choice, charter schools, vouchers, and reducing the federal role in education.

Her tenure was controversial — she faced protests, criticism from teachers’ unions, and scrutiny over her handling of student loan and civil rights policies.

In January 2021, following the January 6 Capitol violence, DeVos tendered her resignation, citing concerns over the impact of (President Trump’s) rhetoric. Her resignation became effective on January 8, 2021.

Philosophy, Style & Influence

DeVos’s public persona and policy approach are rooted in free-market principles, skepticism of large centralized government agencies, and belief in parental choice as a mechanism for improving education outcomes. She often frames education funding as an investment in individual students, rather than in institutions or bureaucracy.

Her style is assertive — she has made provocative analogies and statements to emphasize her reform agenda (for instance, comparing school choice to ride-sharing models). Critics argue her policies disproportionately favor privatization at the expense of equitable public schooling, while supporters see her as a bold reformer willing to challenge status quo systems.

Through her philanthropic work and foundations, she supports conservative think tanks, Christian schools, educational reform programs, and the charter school movement.

Notable Quotes by Betsy DeVos

Here are a selection of her more frequently cited statements:

• “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.”

• “Our nation’s commitment is to provide a quality education to every child … we must shift the paradigm to think of education funding as investments made in individual children, not in institutions or buildings.”

• “Government tends to stifle innovation, and it abhors improvisation. Any good military strategist will tell you that a battle plan rarely survives past the first engagement. After that, you have to improvise to survive and to win.”

• “The bottom line is we believe that parents are the best equipped to make choices for their children’s schooling and education decisions.”

• “I expect there will be more private schools.”

• “We will not accomplish our goals by creating a new federal bureaucracy or by bribing states with their own taxpayers’ money.”

• “If we can manage to break free, to open the system and embrace all choices for education, we will be the first to give politicians awards to hang on their office walls.”

• “The older generations are too wedded to political parties … too wedded to the status quo group that clings to power.”

• “Any assault in any form is never OK.”

These quotes reflect her emphasis on agency, reform, innovation, and a critical stance toward large institutions.

Lessons & Reflections

1. Bold reformers trigger strong pushback.
   DeVos’s approach shows that challenging entrenched systems—especially public education—is likely to produce fierce political resistance.

2. Ideas and funding must align.
   Advocating for choice and privatization demands serious consideration of how public dollars are redirected and who benefits.

3. Rhetoric matters.
   Her provocative comparisons and statements have sometimes energized supporters but also given fodder to critics—underscoring that style and framing are powerful in public service.

4. Resignation can carry symbolic weight.
   By resigning after the January 6 events and citing concerns about leadership rhetoric, DeVos used departure as a moral stand.

Conclusion

Betsy DeVos is a polarizing yet significant figure in modern U.S. education policy. Her tenure as Secretary of Education marked one of the most intense national debates over the role of public education, school choice, and federal oversight. Her legacy will likely be judged through two contrasting lenses: as a courageous reformer seeking to empower parents and innovate education, or as a privatization advocate whose policies risked undermining public institutions.