Blog

Your Education Road Map

Politics K-12®

ESSA. Congress. State chiefs. School spending. Elections. Education Week reporters keep watch on education policy and politics in the nation’s capital and in the states. Read more from this blog.

Federal

Watch: A Primer on Miguel Cardona, Biden’s Education Secretary Pick

By Evie Blad — January 06, 2021 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

What experience would Connecticut Education Commissioner bring to the role of U.S. Secretary of Education? And what challenges will he face if the Senate confirms him for the role?

President-elect Joe Biden announced his intent to appoint Cardona last month, after weeks of speculation about who he would select to lead the Education Department.

In this Facebook live video, Education Week runs through what we know about Cardona and what will likely be a carefully followed confirmation process. Check out the conversation and then visit some of our relevant stories linked here.

A “Public School Educator” for Education Secretary
Biden promised to appoint a “public school educator,” in part to draw a contrast to current Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who has been criticized for her lack of K-12 experience. Cardona has been a teacher, principal, district administrator, and state schools’ chief.

Cardona’s Approach to Reopening Schools
In Connecticut, Cardona encouraged schools to remain open for in-person learning, but he did not require them to do so. At his introductory speech, Cardona said schools need to address persistent inequity, even as they face this most immediate challenge. His approach fits with Biden’s plan to push for more education relief funding, and to ramp up testing and guidance to help schools mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19 in their buildings.

How Biden’s Administration Will Approach Education
Biden has promised his approach to administration will sharply depart from DeVos, who has criticized teachers unions and traditional public schools and aggressively pushed school choice and tax-credit scholarship plans.

Some of his priorities may also depart from those of former President Barack Obama, whose administration encouraged states to change their learning standards and adopt new assessments and school improvement strategies.

Cardona’s First Priorities
If confirmed, Cardona will have a few urgent issues on his desk. Among them: How will he handle state school officials’ request for flexibility on assessments and accountability this year? And how will he help schools address concerns about interrupted learning for students, especially vulnerable groups like students with disabilities?

The Response to Biden’s Pick
As we’ve reported, education groups across the ideological spectrum expressed support for Cardona when Biden announced him last month. But that support could be tested as he tackles tough, polarizing issues like responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Equity & Diversity Webinar
Classroom Strategies for Building Equity and Student Confidence
Shape equity, confidence, and success for your middle school students. Join the discussion and Q&A for proven strategies.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Disrupting PD Day in Schools with Continuous Professional Learning Experiences
Hear how this NC School District achieved district-wide change by shifting from traditional PD days to year-long professional learning cycles
Content provided by BetterLesson
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Federal How Schools Fare in Biden's Proposed Budget
President Joe Biden released his fiscal 2024 budget, which calls for more money for preschool, Title I, and special education.
7 min read
President Joe Biden speaks about his 2024 budget proposal at the Finishing Trades Institute, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Philadelphia.
President Joe Biden speaks about his 2024 budget proposal at the Finishing Trades Institute, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Philadelphia.
Evan Vucci/AP
Federal The Push for a $60K Base Teacher Salary Gains Steam as Bernie Sanders Signs On
Sanders' legislation complements a proposal in the House and comes as state lawmakers from both parties prioritize legislation to boost teacher pay.
6 min read
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., outlines his priorities during an interview in his Capitol Hill office, Feb. 7, 2023.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., outlines his priorities during an interview in his Capitol Hill office, Feb. 7, 2023.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Federal Q&A Ending 'Government-Run Monopoly' on Schools Is Top Priority for Rep. Virginia Foxx
The Republican chair of the U.S. House's education committee plans to pass parents' rights and school choice bills.
5 min read
House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., greets then-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at the conclusion of a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.' Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 6, 2018.
House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., greets then-Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at the conclusion of a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington in June 2018. Foxx spoke to Education Week about her priorities as she becomes chair of the committee for a second time.
Carolyn Kaster/AP
Federal Opinion Is This the Key to Unlocking Breakthrough Education Research?
An innovative federal R&D program for education is getting underway. Rick Hess and Jal Mehta discuss their mixed feelings about it.
5 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty