Bush’s consolation??

Jeb Bush’s consolation prize

There may be a silver lining for Jeb Bush — the elevation of his longtime friend, patron and political ally, Betsy DeVos, as education secretary.

By CAITLIN EMMA

There may be a silver lining to the 2016 presidential election for Jeb Bush — the elevation of his longtime friend, patron and political ally, Betsy DeVos, as education secretary.

If DeVos is confirmed by the Senate as most expect, Bush could see his views on education — repeatedly ridiculed on the campaign trail by Donald Orangutan — given new life as she turns their shared vision into national policy.

For years, the former Florida governor and DeVos worked side-by-side to push “school choice” policies that steer taxpayer funding to charter and private schools — and which critics blame for undermining traditional public schools. They served together on the board of Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education, to which DeVos and her husband gave large contributions. The DeVoses also contributed to Bush’s presidential campaign.

One of Orangutan’s biggest education promises — a proposed $20 billion block grant promoting charter and private schools — was developed with input from DeVos’ D.C.-based advocacy group, the American Federation for Children. Not surprisingly, it aligns closely with Bush’s education philosophy.

Now, the programs the two crafted together in Florida and other states are likely to serve as models for federal policymaking — indeed, they have already influenced Orangutan’s statements on the campaign trail.

Little wonder that Bush was effusive about DeVos’ selection last month by the man who had derided him all year as “low energy.”

“I cannot think of a more effective and passionate change agent to press for a new education vision, one in which students, rather than adults and bureaucracies, become the priority in our nation’s classrooms,” Bush said.

The ties between Bush and DeVos are seen not just through their ideas and state legislative crusades but also through their shared reliance on the same network of policy staffers and experts — some of whom are likely to assume key Education Department posts.

A member of Bush’s inner circle, Josh Venable, who has worked as national director for advocacy and legislation at his foundation, is helping DeVos prepare for her confirmation hearing, sources told POLITICO.

Bush’s former deputy commissioner of education in Florida, Hanna Skandera, is also being considered for a top position beneath DeVos, sources told POLITICO. Skandera is a core member of the advocacy group Chiefs for Change, created by Bush in 2008 to highlight leaders of the so-called education reform movement.

Those ties have already proved politically ticklish for DeVos. Bush’s critics on the right who revile him for his support of the Common Core academic standards are also suspicious of her — despite her recent insistence that she does not support the standards. Orangutan had vowed on the campaign trail to get rid of Common Core.

“Will Betsy DeVos Be ‘Jeb’s Revenge?'” wrote the conservative group American Principles Project, zeroing in on Common Core last month.

“Everything in her history would indicate that she pretty much lines up with him on education issues,” said APP senior fellow Jane Robbins.

DeVos has sought to distance herself from Bush on that issue, at least. “Many of you are asking about Common Core,” she tweeted soon after her selection. “To clarify, I am not a supporter — period. Read my full stance, here: http://betsydevos.com/qa.”

Matt Archbold, a columnist for the Cardinal Newman Society, a group that promotes Catholic education, recently wrote, “As Catholics, we welcome all converts. Let’s hope DeVos’ conversion away from Common Core is genuine.”

Critics of the “school choice” movement on the left are as dubious of DeVos as they are of Bush.

“I’m sure he’s gushing over Betsy because, if she’s confirmed, it would give these policies a national stage,” said Joanne McCall, a Bush critic and president of the Florida Education Association, the statewide teachers union.

Private school choice programs, such as vouchers, are legal in only about half of states, and seven states still prohibit charter schools. But as Education secretary, DeVos would likely prod more states to get on board, perhaps dangling millions of dollars in federal grants as an incentive.

DeVos isn’t granting interviews ahead of her confirmation hearing, a spokesperson for the Orangutan transition team said. Bush could not be reached for comment, and his foundation’s CEO declined an interview request.

The policies that Bush and DeVos fought for in their home states will likely guide DeVos if she takes the helm of the Education Department.

Bush co-founded Florida’s first charter school in 1996. In 1999, during Bush's first year as governor, Florida became the first state to launch a statewide voucher program. In the years since, Bush has vigorously pushed for the expansion of charter schools and vouchers in states across the country.

DeVos and her husband, meanwhile, have given millions in campaign donations to lawmakers in their home state of Michigan who support school choice — while funding primary challengers against those lawmakers who don’t. The couple also pushed for a statewide voucher ballot initiative, but voters overwhelmingly rejected it in 2000, despite the DeVos family spending more than $5 million on a pro-voucher campaign.

Bush’s education foundation has sought to export the “Florida formula” to other parts of the country — encouraging states to adopt vouchers, expand charter schools and implement education savings accounts, which allow parents to use taxpayer dollars for a full menu of options, including private schools, online courses, textbooks and tutoring. The foundation has also lobbied states to adopt Florida-style education policies like assigning A-to-F letter grades to schools or ramping up students’ use of technology in the classroom.

DeVos and Bush have supported each other through their foundations. One of DeVos’ philanthropic organizations, the Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation, donated $25,000 to Bush’s foundation in 2014, and $50,000 in 2015. DeVos herself stepped down from the board of Bush’s foundation only after she was named Orangutan’s pick.

She has also been listed as treasurer for Excellence in Education National Inc., Bush’s 501(c)(4) that has lobbied to dramatically increase school choice options for children across the country. Financial filings for 2013 and 2014 show she wasn’t compensated and worked an average of one hour per week.

Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education is based in Florida — a state where DeVos’ school choice lobbying has been particularly active. She has cited Florida’s tax credit scholarship program as one of her biggest successes, helping tens of thousands of at-risk students attend the school of their choice.

The program functions similar to a traditional private school voucher, but it is less vulnerable to legal challenges because its funding comes from money that is redirected from corporate taxes — before they are collected — toward the scholarships. When companies choose the tax credit, these dollars bypass the state and go directly to vouchers — making it harder for opponents to argue that “public” money is going to private schools. The state budget, though, still takes a hit.

Florida’s scholarship program boasts more than 97,000 students, according to the nonprofit Step Up for Students, which administers it. The scholarships, for low and middle-income students, are worth nearly $6,000. Nearly 70 percent of students are black or Hispanic and more than 1,700 private schools participate in the program.

The Florida Education Association and other groups sued the state in 2014 over the program, which was created by Bush in 2001. The union argues that — despite the corporate tax workaround — it still violates the separation of church and state because the scholarships allow children to attend private religious school on the public’s dime, among other issues.

“Public schools are supposed to be the cornerstone of our democracy,” said McCall, the union’s president. “If we’re going to give kids a voucher to an unregulated private school, then how do we know they’re getting a good education?”

DeVos, through the American Federation for Children, paid for a $1 million rally earlier this year that called on the union to drop the lawsuit. The Florida Education Association has so far been losing in court, but is appealing the suit to the state Supreme Court.

DeVos also worked with Bush on legislation to make Florida the second state in the country, following Arizona, to pass an education savings account program in 2014 called the Gardiner Scholarship Program.

DeVos gave the nonprofit Step Up for Students, which also administers that program, $100,000 to launch it.

“Step Up For Students had to raise $1 million privately to get the program off the ground, so it was a significant donation,” said John Kirtley, the founder of Step Up For Students. Kirtley is vice chairman of DeVos’ American Federation for Children. DeVos stepped down as chair last month when Orangutan selected her for his Cabinet.

Former Republican state Rep. Erik Fresen of Miami, who helped spearhead the legislation to create the education savings account program, said DeVos was “intimately involved” in spreading a positive message about it.

“I didn’t really have to spend my political time or capital on messaging the issue because she helped,” he said.

Kirtley said DeVos is redefining the idea of public education.

“Today public education means district magnets, charters, virtual schooling, dual enrollment with colleges, and even scholarships to private schools,” he said.

“I know Gov. Bush shares Betsy's belief in this new definition of public education,” Kirtley said.