Speaking at the start of the Foundation for Excellence in Education’s annual conference, the former Florida governor said the 2016 elections, in which he came up short in a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, reflected a loss of faith in core American institutions, which need to be dramatically reinvented.
When it comes to education, he said, Congress and the new presidential administration should tap into that hunger for change.
“I hope there’s an earthquake as it relates to education funding and education policy,” he said.
On the campaign trail, Bush released a plan to support “lifelong education savings accounts.” States could create programs in which parents would control public education funding for their children, starting with early learning programs and continuing all the way through college. They could use the accounts for tuition, tutoring or other educational expenses. In states that created those programs, federal education funding could help top off the accounts for low-income students or children with special needs.
Trump’s selection of Betsy DeVos, a longtime school choice advocate, as his prospective Education Secretary has fueled speculation about what a federal agenda might look like under the new political regime.
This morning, Bush called DeVos “an extraordinary choice” and reiterated his position that states should have more control over federal education funding. In turn, he said, states should give parents a greater say over how that money helps educate their children. Giving them the ability to customize their child’s education might give them a new sense of hope and control over their lives.
“In effect, what we should be doing is empowering people to make decisions for themselves,” he said.
