Betsy DeVos’ tenure as the nation’s 11th secretary of education will come to an end in January. As she approaches the end of her tenure, Secretary DeVos agreed to share some thoughts on her experiences, what she learned in office, and what advice she’d offer her successor.—Rick Hess

Hess: Back in 2017, your confirmation process was remarkably contentious. Looking back, what did you take from that and how did it affect your approach to the role?

Secretary DeVos: It confirmed my belief that entrenched interests were going to do their best to protect the status quo, their power, and their jobs no matter what. It gave me a clear-eyed look at the uphill battle I knew we would face as we pivoted the federal focus away from adults’ interests to what’s best for kids.

Hess: You came to your position as an outsider—how has that mattered?

DeVos: Like I’ve said before, I didn’t know all the things you “can’t do.” So I came in with fresh eyes and a laser focus on rethinking the way we approach all aspects of work at the department.

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This post originally appeared on Rick Hess Straight Up.