The Office of Non-Public Education, the USDE's central address for all matters pertaining to private education, will be housed within the OII.

A letter from Under Secretary of Education Gene Hickok, heralding the new development, states that the OII "...will lead the efforts to provide greater parental options and information in education." In addition to embracing the Office of Non-Public Education, the OII will combine and coordinate programs relating to charter schools, magnet schools, public school choice, and family educational rights.

Prior to joining the White House team, Nina Rees was a Senior Education Analyst at the Heritage Foundation and served as Director of Outreach at the Institute for Justice. She is an ardent and articulate spokesperson on behalf of private education.

Read selected articles by Nina Rees:

• "America's Single Most Promising Racial Solution is School Reform" (1998)

• "Public School Benefits of Private School Vouchers" (1999)