OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is making stops in six states, including Kansas and Missouri, as part of a back-to-school tour.
DeVos kicked off the 'Rethink School' tour on Tuesday to "highlight the innovative and groundbreaking work happening in schools across America," according to a press release.
She visited Johnson County Community College on Thursday.
DeVos: "We have done a disservice by telling young people that four year college is the only way to be successful as adults. @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/lXQIV7Ag8R
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"Every student is special and unique and we need to focus on them having the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential," she said at the college.
While at JCCC, DeVos observed students, like Daniel Ward, working in the school’s automotive and technology shop. She also visited with a welding class, toured at the healthcare simulation labs and spoke to students at the culinary institute.
“It’s really important for these tehcnical degrees,” Ward said. “This is something tomorrow, one of us could get a job in easily.”
She met with students and staff and toured classrooms.
"For me it is really inspiring to hear their individual stories," she said.
The 'Rethink School' tour started in start in Wyoming and includes schools Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Indiana. The tour will end on Friday. The tour will end on Friday with a visit to the Kansas City Academy, a small private school in Waldo.
DeVos praised JCCC for it’s job training programs telling reporters her tour is highlighting a wide variety of schools, which includes charter, private and public schools.
“I would hope we could focus less on what word comes before school and what more we need to meet the individual needs of students to give them the greatest opportunity to personally succeed,” she said.
About 50 protestors gathered in front of the school to protest DeVos and her position on school choice and vouchers. Another protest is planned for DeVos’ visit Friday to Kansas City Academy.
"There are so many new and exciting ways state-based education leaders and advocates are truly rethinking education,” said DeVos in a news release. “It is our goal with this tour to highlight what’s working. We want to encourage local education leaders to continue to be creative, to empower parents with options and to expand student-centered education opportunities.”
