Driving the news: DeVos' rejection of the department she once led was well-received at the Moms for Liberty summit, which provided training on how to develop conservative majorities on local school boards, the Phoenix reported.

"I personally think the Department of Education should not exist," DeVos told the crowd in Tampa, Florida, per the Phoenix.

The big picture: The summit is part of the so-called parental rights movement, which arose in response to efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 in schools, particularly mask and vaccination mandates.

Florida has been ground zero for many of the efforts to increase parental involvement in, and reduce teachers' autonomy over, classroom decisions.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also issued an executive order in August 2021 banning mask mandates in schools.

The state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, which went into effect on July 1, bans instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for children in kindergarten through third grade. It also allows parents to sue schools and teachers who discuss these topics.