Miguel Cardona

Miguel Cardona
Name	Miguel Cardona
Birth date	1975
Birth place	Meriden, Connecticut, United States
Occupation	Educator, administrator, public servant
Office	United States Secretary of Education
Term start	March 2, 2021
Predecessor	Betsy DeVos

Miguel Cardona is an American educator and administrator who has served as United States Secretary of Education since 2021. Prior to his cabinet appointment, he held leadership roles in Connecticut public schools and state education administration, advancing literacy, equity, and multilingual instruction. Cardona's career spans classroom teaching, school leadership, state policy, and federal education initiatives.

Early life and education

Born in Meriden, Connecticut, Cardona grew up in a family connected to the manufacturing and labor communities of New England and attended local public schools in Meriden, Connecticut. He earned a Bachelor of Science in bilingual and bicultural education from Central Connecticut State University, a Master of Science in bilingual elementary education from Wesleyan University (Connecticut), and an Ed.D. in educational leadership from University of Connecticut. His doctoral work intersected with research conducted at institutions such as Harvard Graduate School of Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Teachers College, Columbia University through conferences, collaborations, and literature. Cardona's early mentors and influences included educators associated with National Association for Bilingual Education, American Federation of Teachers, and regional leaders from Connecticut State Department of Education and NEA affiliates.

Career in education

Cardona began his career as a classroom teacher in Meriden, Connecticut schools, teaching bilingual elementary students and engaging with programs tied to Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, No Child Left Behind Act, and community initiatives supported by United Way. He served as a literacy coach and curriculum coordinator collaborating with organizations like Reading Is Fundamental, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and university research partnerships at Yale University and University of Connecticut. Cardona advanced to principal of Reuben F. Thomas Elementary School and later district administrator in Meriden, working with fellow leaders from Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, American Council on Education, and regional superintendents. His leadership connected with federal programs administered by U.S. Department of Education, state policy shaped by Connecticut General Assembly, and local initiatives funded through partnerships with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and philanthropic groups in Hartford, Connecticut.

Connecticut Commissioner of Education

In 2019, Cardona was appointed Commissioner of Education for Connecticut by Governor Ned Lamont, succeeding predecessors who had worked with bodies like Council of Chief State School Officers and National Governors Association. As commissioner he managed statewide policies connecting to Every Student Succeeds Act, statewide assessments coordinated with Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, and statewide professional development in collaboration with Connecticut Education Association and Hartford Public Schools leadership. His tenure involved coordination with municipal leaders in New Haven, Connecticut, Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Stamford, Connecticut and engagement with higher education institutions including University of Connecticut, Wesleyan University (Connecticut), and Southern Connecticut State University for teacher preparation pipelines. Cardona negotiated budget and legislative priorities with the Connecticut General Assembly and worked on initiatives related to early childhood linked to Head Start and special education services under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

U.S. Secretary of Education

Nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate in 2021, Cardona became Secretary of Education, operating from the United States Department of Education headquarters in Washington, D.C.. His agency engagement included collaboration with other cabinet members like Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, and interactions with congressional committees including the HELP Committee and the United States House Committee on Education and Labor. Cardona oversaw federal programs tied to Pell Grant, Federal Student Aid, and emergency programs authored under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. He engaged with stakeholder organizations including National School Boards Association, Council of Chief State School Officers, Teach For America, KIPP Foundation, National Parent Teacher Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and civil rights groups such as NAACP and Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Policy positions and initiatives

Cardona has emphasized literacy initiatives informed by research from National Reading Panel and collaborations with universities such as Harvard University, Stanford University, and Johns Hopkins University. He has promoted multilingual education and bilingual teacher pipelines aligned with organizations like Dual Language Consortium and the National Association for Bilingual Education. On accountability and assessment, Cardona has worked with Every Student Succeeds Act principals and state chiefs in the Council of Chief State School Officers to balance federal guidance and state implementation. He has advocated for expanded access to early childhood programs related to Head Start and Child Care and Development Block Grant, and for student support services referencing research from American Psychological Association and RAND Corporation. Cardona has supported debt relief discussions involving Department of Justice litigation, negotiated with members of the United States Congress on Pell Grant reform, and advanced equity work alongside Office for Civil Rights (United States Department of Education) and civil rights organizations like ACLU and Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. He has engaged on special education policy under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and workforce development partnerships with Department of Labor and Career and Technical Education networks.

Personal life and recognition

Cardona is married and has children; his family ties to Meriden, Connecticut and the broader Hartford County, Connecticut community have been central to his public narrative. He has received honors and recognition from local and national bodies including awards from the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association, local chambers such as Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce, and educational honors associated with National School Boards Association and regional foundations. Cardona has spoken at institutions such as Harvard Kennedy School, Georgetown University, and Columbia University and participated in panels with leaders from National Governors Association, Council of Chief State School Officers, and civil rights organizations. His public service connects to broader networks including AmeriCorps alumni, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce events, and national education coalitions.

Category:Living people Category:United States Secretaries of Education Category:People from Meriden, Connecticut Category:1975 births