EMBARGOED: Betsy DeVos Hearing Briefing

As promised today, on behalf of the Presidential Transition Team, please find below key points, excerpts
and remarks that Betsy DeVos will deliver to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions on Tuesday, January 17th.
As President-elect Trump noted, Betsy DeVos is a brilliant and passionate education advocate. Under her
leadership we will reform the U.S. education system and break the bureaucracy that is holding our
children back so that we can deliver world-class education and school choice to all families. I am pleased
to nominate Betsy as Secretary of the Department of Education.

Betsy DeVos has been a proven leader in the national school reform movement for nearly three
decades.

A native of Michigan, Betsy is a powerful voice for parents, who simply want the best educational
choices for their children; a stalwart advocate for students, especially low-income and special
needs children; and a strong supporter of great schools -- in all forms -- and of dedicated teachers
who strive every day to help students achieve.

She supports decision making by states and local communities who are closest to families and
students and best understand their unique needs.

Under her leadership, President-elect Trump believes that the U.S. education system will be
improved and strengthened through innovation, more reliable information and enhanced
transparency.

The following remarks and excerpts are embargoed from publication until 7:00 a.m. ET on January
17th.
Excerpts of Opening Statement of Secretary of Education-Designate Betsy DeVos:

My greatest educational influence in life was a public school teacher named Elsa Prince.

We recognized that other parents were not able to make similar decisions about their childrens
education, based on their income or the zip code in which they lived.

I share President-elect Trumps view that its time to shift the debate from what the system thinks
is best for kids to what moms and dads want, expect and deserve.

Parents no longer believe that a one-size-fits-all model of learning meets the needs of every
child, and they know other options exist, whether magnet, virtual, charter, home, religious, or any
combination thereof.

I will be a strong advocate for great public schools.

Every child in America deserves to be in a safe environment that is free from discrimination.

Our nations schools are filled with talented, devoted professionals, who successfully meet the
needs of many, many children.

We need to embrace new pathways of learningStudents should make informed choices about
what type of education they want to pursue post high school and have access to high quality
options.

President-elect Trump and I know it wont be Washington, D.C. that unlocks our nations