United States Secretary of Education

United States Secretary of Education
Post	Secretary of Education
Body	United States
Incumbent	Miguel Cardona
Incumbentsince	March 2, 2021
Department	United States Department of Education
Style	Mr. Secretary
Member of	President's Cabinet
Reports to	President of the United States
Seat	Washington, D.C.
Appointer	President of the United States
Appointer qualifications	with Senate advice and consent
Termlength	No fixed term
Formation	October 17, 1979
First	Shirley Hufstedler
Salary	Executive Schedule, Level I

United States Secretary of Education is the head of the federal executive department charged with national policies and programs related to elementary and secondary education and higher education in the United States. The Secretary serves as a member of the President of the United States's Cabinet of the United States and is principal adviser on issues affecting student achievement, federal student aid, and civil rights enforcement in federally funded institutions. The office interacts regularly with state chief school officers, leaders of national associations, and international bodies to shape policy affecting students, families, institutions, and educators.

Role and Responsibilities

The Secretary oversees the United States Department of Education and directs implementation of federal statutes such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Higher Education Act of 1965, and provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Responsibilities include administering the federal student aid portfolio created under the Federal Student Aid program, enforcing civil rights obligations under statutes influenced by decisions from the United States Supreme Court, and coordinating with agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, and Department of Justice on cross-cutting initiatives. The Secretary advises the President of the United States, participates in Cabinet meetings convened by the White House Chief of Staff, and testifies before the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives committees, notably the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the United States House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

History and Establishment

The Department of Education was established by the Department of Education Organization Act of 1979 following debates in the United States Congress over the proper federal role in schooling, influenced by policy reports from the National Commission on Excellence in Education and the 1983 report "A Nation at Risk" authored by Terrel H. Bell. Earlier federal involvement traced to agencies like the Office of Education and programs from the New Deal under Franklin D. Roosevelt and assistance measures in the Great Society under Lyndon B. Johnson. The first Secretary, Shirley Hufstedler, set precedents for departmental organization; subsequent secretaries such as Terrel H. Bell, Lamar Alexander, Richard Riley, Roderick Paige, Rod Paige, Margaret Spellings, Arne Duncan, John King Jr., Betsy DeVos, and Miguel Cardona have each shaped policy during administrations of Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.

Appointment and Succession

The Secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate under advice and consent procedures derived from the United States Constitution. Confirmation hearings are conducted by the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions or the United States Senate Committee on Education as applicable, with nominees often responding to questioning from Senators such as Ted Kennedy, Edward M. Kennedy, Arlen Specter, Mitch McConnell, and Chuck Schumer about budget priorities and policy positions. In cases of vacancy, the line of succession follows statutory and departmental orders, with the Deputy Secretary of Education or other designated officials stepping in as Acting Secretary pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 and internal delegations adopted by previous administrations.

Organizational Structure and Officeholders

The Department is organized into offices including the Office for Civil Rights, Office of Federal Student Aid, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and the Institute of Education Sciences. Leadership has included diverse appointees and career officials, from former state governors like Lamar Alexander and Roy Romer to educators such as Arne Duncan and John King Jr., and business-oriented nominees like Betsy DeVos. The Secretary works with under secretaries, assistant secretaries, and agency heads; past partners have included chairs of the Council of Economic Advisers, directors of the National Science Foundation, presidents of major higher education associations like the American Council on Education, and leaders of teachers' unions such as the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers.

Powers and Policy Influence

While the Secretary lacks direct control over state-run school systems governed by state education agencies such as those led by state governors and state legislatures, the office wields influence through conditional funding, regulatory guidance under statutes like the Every Student Succeeds Act, and negotiated rulemaking affecting institutions such as historically black colleges and universities and private colleges. Secretaries have advanced initiatives on standardized testing influenced by debates around the National Assessment of Educational Progress, promoted early childhood programs linked to research from the Pew Charitable Trusts, and shaped higher education policy including loan forgiveness programs and accreditation standards overseen by regional accreditors. Internationally, the Secretary represents U.S. interests at forums alongside officials from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and bilateral education partnerships with countries like Canada and United Kingdom.

Controversies and Criticism

Secretaries have attracted criticism over issues including federal overreach cited by state officials, the efficacy of accountability measures from the No Child Left Behind Act, rollbacks or expansions of civil rights enforcement influenced by guidance letters from the Office for Civil Rights, and the management of student loan systems criticized by advocacy groups like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Student Loan Servicing investigations. High-profile controversies have involved debates over privatization and school choice promoted by figures such as Betsy DeVos, conflict over testing regimes intensified during administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and legal challenges reaching the United States Supreme Court on matters of religious liberty and discrimination. Public advocacy organizations including Teachers unions and civil rights groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union have frequently contested departmental policy, while congressional oversight by panels led by members like Maxine Waters and Bobby Scott has produced hearings and legislative responses.

Category:United States Cabinet