LETTER: PDE Action Endorses Kimberly Richey for Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education

May 30, 2025

Chairman Bill Cassidy, M.D.
Ranking Member Bernie Sanders
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
428 Senate Dirksen Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Cassidy and Ranking Member Sanders,

As the executive director of PDE Action – a nonprofit social welfare organization created to advocate for parental rights at the local, state, and federal level – I wish to convey our organization’s support for Ms. Kimberly Richey as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education under President Donald J. Trump.

Ms. Richey is a highly qualified nominee with decades of experience in education at both the federal and state level, and we urge the committee to move quickly to officially confirm her position.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Richey has served twice in the Office for Civil Rights under President George W. Bush as well as the previous Trump administration – and as a result, her understanding of the nuances of not only this cabinet agency but this office specifically is second to none. Over the course of her career, Ms. Richey has demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to equal protection for ALL students, and to rooting out unlawful discrimination no matter the source. She played a leading role in the Trump administration’s efforts to positively reform and codify Title IX – an issue that remains top of mind for millions of American parents in the wake of the Biden administration’s since enjoined rulemaking. Having also worked for the Office for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Ms. Richey brings a keen understanding of a set of stakeholders that are often left out of education reform conversations.

Somewhat unusually, Ms. Richey also brings to bear significant experience at the state level. Having worked for the Florida, Virginia, and Oklahoma Departments of Education, she has a keen understanding of how the federal government and state education agencies can and should work together; as the federal government looks to return power and authority to the states, this expertise – particularly in the realm of civil rights – will be critical as the executive branch looks to ensure that states maintain the same high standards of the federal government.

Ms. Richey’s insight into federal regulatory policy – and her commitment to communicating that knowledge to others – has been invaluable to parents across the country. As a distinguished senior fellow with our organization, Kim “translated” Washington policy-speak into layman’s terms at a time when American families began to engage with the education system; her patience, calm demeanor, and ability to demystify both issues and process played an essential role in encouraging parents how to best engage in their children’s education.

As an organization that advocates on behalf of parents’ concerns and the quality of education, we urge you to expedite and prioritize Ms. Richey’s nomination. We have the utmost confidence that the experience and wisdom Kim will bring to the Department of Education will benefit both the country enormously.

Sincerely,
Nicole Neily
Executive Director
PDE Action