WASHINGTON –Donald Trump’s pick for Education Secretary pledged Tuesday to fight for “high-quality alternative” choices for parents if their local public schools are failing.

Under pressure from Democrats and union activists who have branded her an “enemy” to public education, Betsy DeVos stood strong for the need for school-choice, local control of education and for teachers to break free from standardization.

“I will be a strong advocate for great public schools,” DeVos said Tuesday at her high-profile confirmation hearing. “But, if a school is troubled, or unsafe, or not a good fit for a child – perhaps they have a special need that is going unmet — we should support a parent’s right to enroll their child in a high quality alternative.”

DeVos is an unabashed school-choice and religious school advocate and mega GOP donor, who has ruffled the feathers of teachers unions and some education advocates who believe she poses a threat to public schools.

The Democratic National Committee branded her “an enemy of public education.”

In her home state of Michigan, the billionaire has been active donor to GOP causes and was a former chair of the Michigan Republican Party.

Her husband Dick, heir to the Amway company, was the GOP nominee for Michigan governor in 2006, but lost to Democrat Jennifer Granholm.

Several civil rights, disability and gay rights groups have banded together to oppose DeVos, concerned she won’t stand up for all students, arguing she never attended public school or been a public school parent.

“Ms. DeVos has never been a public school teacher or administer. She’s never served on a school board of a city or a town,” said Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. “She possesses no advance degree in teaching, education policy or administration. Ms. DeVos’ primary connection to education and education policy has been through her ideologically charged philanthropy.”

But backers say DeVos is just what is needed to shake up the education system and do what’s best for children, as she’s already demonstrated at her leading school choice advocacy organization, the American Federation of Children.

Eva Moskowitz, the force behind the high-performing Success Academy network, said DeVos was a promising agent for sorely needed change.

“It does not take years of teaching in the classroom to understand that public education in this country is in deep crisis,” she said in a statement. “Globally, 35 other countries outrank the U.S. in student math performance, and 20 beat us in reading.”

Moskowitz, who has been agitating for charter expansion in New York City, backed DeVos for the job.

“I believe Betsy DeVos has the talent, commitment, and leadership capacity to revitalize our public schools and deliver the promise of opportunity that excellent education provides, and I support her nomination as U.S. Secretary of Education,” Moskowitz said.

The GOP chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education and Pensions gave a glowing welcome to DeVos during her packed confirmation hearing.

“Betsy DeVos, in my opinion, is on our children’s side,” Alexander said, noting the rise of charters nationally to 6,800 nationally. “I believe she’s in the mainstream of public opinion and her critics are not.”

The top committee Democrat Sen. Patty Murray admonished the confirmation hearing even taking place before the Senate ethics office has cleared her of conflicts of interest and sorted through the “web of investments made by your immediate family.”

Democrats demanded the billionaire’s tax returns and protested only getting one round of questioning for a nominee who has never held a government office.

“I have major concerns with how you spend your career and fortune fighting to privatize public education and gut investments in public schools,” Murray said.

Sen. Bernie Sanders sought to get a commitment from DeVos for his signature idea: free public college tuition. DeVos said it’s an “interesting idea” but “there’s nothing in life that’s truly free.”

Sanders pressed on the DeVos family’s vast GOP contributions. When DeVos said she didn’t know the number, Sanders asked whether $200 million was in the ballpark.

“That’s possible,” DeVos said.

Without being a “multi-billionaire” and mega donor, Sanders asked, “do you think … you would be sitting here today?”

“I do think there would be that possibility,” DeVos said. “I have worked very hard on behalf of parents and children.”

DeVos pledged to resolve any conflicts of interest, stop making political donations and only take $1 in salary. DeVos pushed back on record of Detroit charter schools, sounding much like the President-elect.

“The notion that they haven’t been accountable – it’s false news.” She also rejected Minnesota’s Sen. Al Franken’s assertion she financially supported “conversion therapy” for gay youth.

“I never believed in that,” DeVos said.

“I embrace equality,” she later added.

DeVos voiced support of loosening the federal grip on education, encouraging alternatives to college like craftsmanship and more options for parents.

“For me, it’s simple: I trust parents, and I believe in our children,” DeVos said.