U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos plans to visit McMinnville High School on Wednesday, according to the school district.
Related: Betsy DeVos' First Semester: A Status Report
She added the visit to Yamhill County as part of a West Coast trip that includes a fundraising event in the Seattle area Friday.
The school DeVos is visiting, McMinnville High, has graduation rates and standardized test scores significantly above Oregon’s average.
The McMinnville School District posted a notice to its website Monday that said DeVos asked to visit McMinnville "to learn about the excellent instructional practices" there.
DeVos' visit has come as a surprise to officials in both McMinnville and in Washington, D.C. As of Tuesday morning, the Department of Education's press office was not aware of DeVos' visit. Administrators in McMinnville said the stop was added just a few days ago, and details were still being worked out.
"Secretary DeVos is not scheduled to speak at the high school. She will enjoy a one-hour tour beginning at 2 p.m," the district wrote on its website.
DeVos also plans to visit the nearby Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, where high schoolers often take science courses.
School officials are planning for possible protests against DeVos. She has drawn controversy, most recently for a policy shifts on how colleges respond to campus sexual assault.
McMinnville school officials called the visit an "honor."
"Secretary DeVos’ visit is intended to provide an opportunity for staff and students to tell their story," the notice said.
