United States Secretary of Education

United States Secretary of Education is the head of the United States Department of Education, a member of the Cabinet of the United States, and fifteenth in the United States presidential line of succession. The secretary is appointed by the President of the United States with the confirmation of the United States Senate and is responsible for administering federal education policy and managing the department's programs. The position was established in 1979 following the creation of the department by the Department of Education Organization Act, signed by President Jimmy Carter.

History and establishment

The push for a dedicated federal education agency gained significant momentum during the mid-20th century, influenced by events like the Cold War and the Space Race, which highlighted perceived shortcomings in American schooling. Prior to 1979, a smaller United States Office of Education operated under various parent departments, including the former United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The movement to elevate education to cabinet-level status was championed by the National Education Association and other groups, culminating in the passage of the Department of Education Organization Act in 1979. President Jimmy Carter signed the act into law on October 17, 1979, as a fulfillment of a pledge to the National Education Association, and it became operational on May 4, 1980. The first to hold the office was Shirley Hufstedler, a former judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Appointment and succession

The secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and must undergo a confirmation hearing before the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. A simple majority vote in the full United States Senate is required for confirmation. There is no fixed term of office, and the secretary serves at the pleasure of the president, typically resigning at the start of a new administration. The secretary is fifteenth in the United States presidential line of succession, a placement established by the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. In the event of a vacancy, the Deputy Secretary of Education typically serves as acting secretary until a new nominee is confirmed.

Duties and responsibilities

The secretary's primary duty is to execute and enforce federal education laws passed by the United States Congress. This includes administering billions of dollars in federal funding for programs under statutes such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Higher Education Act of 1965. The office oversees federal student aid programs, collects data on the nation's schools through the National Center for Education Statistics, and enforces federal civil rights laws in educational contexts, such as Title IX and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The secretary also advises the President of the United States on educational policy, represents the administration at events, and delivers reports to Congress on the state of American education.

List of secretaries

Since the department's creation, individuals from diverse professional backgrounds have held the position. The inaugural secretary, Shirley Hufstedler, served under President Jimmy Carter. Subsequent notable secretaries include William Bennett under President Ronald Reagan, known for his focus on school choice and character education; Richard Riley under President Bill Clinton, the longest-serving secretary; and Margaret Spellings under President George W. Bush, who oversaw the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. More recent secretaries include Arne Duncan and John King Jr. under President Barack Obama, and Betsy DeVos under President Donald Trump. The current secretary, Miguel Cardona, was appointed by President Joe Biden.

Office and staff

The secretary's principal office is located in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building in Washington, D.C.. The secretary is supported by a senior staff including the Deputy Secretary of Education, the Under Secretary of Education, and several assistant secretaries who lead offices like the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Office of Postsecondary Education. The department employs thousands of civil servants across its headquarters and ten regional offices. Key operational components reporting to the secretary include the Federal Student Aid office, the Institute of Education Sciences, and the Office for Civil Rights.

Category:United States Secretaries of Education Category:United States Department of Education Category:Education in the United States