U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos released the following statement on President Donald J. Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address:

“Tonight, the President delivered a strong message in support of America’s students and their futures. Every student, parent, and teacher should be excited by this bold agenda to free them from a government system that limits their success. We know all too well that too many students can’t read or do basic math at the level they should; in fact, one in four eighth graders is functionally illiterate. President Trump is ensuring these forgotten students are forgotten no more.

“This Administration wants every American, no matter their age, income, zip code, or stage in life, to have access to K-12 and higher education options that work for them, unlock their individual potential, and help them pursue successful careers in our booming economy. That’s evidenced by the President’s strong commitment to career and technical education and apprenticeship expansion, higher education reform, Second Chance Pell expansion, and Education Freedom Scholarships.

“I urge Congress to heed the President’s call to pass the Administration’s Education Freedom Scholarships proposal. Education freedom is inevitable. We know it works for students, and we know overwhelming majorities of Americans want it. I’m grateful to the President for his strong support of this proposal from day one and look forward to Congress acting quickly on this bipartisan issue and putting students’ needs above everything else.”