Education Secretary Betsy DeVos had two decades of promoting charter schools and the school voucher program before obtaining her new role. Now, leaders of both charter and Catholic schools are keeping a close eye on Washington.
7 Eyewitness News sat down with both the Superintendent for the Diocese of Buffalo and the Executive Director of Tapestry Charter School.
Both leaders say they are supporters of parents having a choice in their child's education and hope DeVos will bring an understanding of the complexity of the educational environment.
Eric Klapper, Executive Director of Tapestry Charter School in South Buffalo says in the coming months he plans to pay close attention to federal funding. This after DeVos made comments about re-routing federal funding for public schools during her congressional hearing.
"You know hearing those funds would be not only hurt public schools in traditional districts but also public charter schools."
Klapper says his school receives about $.60 on the dollar to their public school counterparts. He hopes the new Education Secretary will make funding for both charter and public schools.