Feb. 07, 2017
HARRISBURG - Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) today applauded the U.S. Senate as it voted to confirm school reform advocate Elisabeth “Betsy” DeVos as the United States Secretary of Education.
“Betsy DeVos is a champion for education reform in our country,” Turzai said. “One size does not fit all, and she recognizes that each child needs an educational environment that suits her or him best. As secretary of education, Ms. DeVos will bring a refreshing broadmindedness to this position.”
Involved in education and education reform for nearly 30 years, DeVos, a Michigan philanthropist and education reform advocate, was chair of the American Federation for Children, which is considered one of the nation’s leading school choice advocacy groups. She says her goal is “to empower parents to choose the best education for their children.”
Turzai has been a strong advocate of school choice, championing the expansion of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) scholarships in the most recent state budget. He also authored the amendment creating the OSTC program. The two programs provide tax credits to eligible businesses contributing to a scholarship organization, an educational improvement organization, and/or a pre-kindergarten scholarship organization. Turzai also sponsored the amendment providing for a formal application and appeal process to approve charter schools in order to increase seats and reduce waiting lists in the School District of Philadelphia.
Representative Mike Turzai
Speaker of the House
28th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
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