Miguel Cardona

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Miguel Cardona
File:Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, official portrait.jpg
12th United States Secretary of Education
Assumed office
March 2, 2021
President Joe Biden
Deputy Denise L. Carter (acting)
Cindy Marten
Preceded by Betsy DeVos
Commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education
In office
August 8, 2019 – March 1, 2021
Governor Ned Lamont
Preceded by Dianna Wentzell
Succeeded by Charlene Russell-Tucker
Personal details
Born Miguel Angel Cardona
(1975-07-11) July 11, 1975 (age 49)
Meriden, Connecticut, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Marissa Pérez (m. 2002)
Children 2
Education Central Connecticut State University (BS)
University of Connecticut (MS, SYC, EdD)
Occupation
  • Educator
  • government official

Miguel Angel Cardona (born July 11, 1975) is an American educator and is currently serving as the 12th United States Secretary of Education under President Joe Biden since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 64–33 on March 1, 2021.[1] Cardona previously served as commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education from 2019 to 2021.

A native of Meriden, Connecticut, Cardona began his career as a fourth-grade teacher at Israel Putnam Elementary School in Meriden. In 2003, at the age of 27, he was named principal of Hanover School, also in Meriden, making him the youngest principal in the state.[2][3]

Early life and education

Cardona was born on July 11, 1975, in Meriden, Connecticut, to Puerto Rican parents.[4][5] Cardona grew up speaking Spanish as his first language and struggled to learn English when starting kindergarten.[6] He was raised in a housing project in Meriden and graduated from the H.C. Wilcox Technical High School, where he was a part of the automotive studies program.[7][8][9] Cardona earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Central Connecticut State University in 1997. He obtained a Master of Science in bilingual and bicultural education at University of Connecticut (UConn) in 2001. In 2004, he completed a professional sixth year certification at UConn where he earned a Doctor of Education in 2011.[10][11] Cardona's dissertation, entitled Sharpening the Focus of Political Will to Address Achievement Disparities, studied the gaps between English-language learners and their classmates.[11][6] His doctoral major advisor was Barry G. Sheckley and his associate advisor was Casey D. Cobb.[11]

Career

Cardona began his career as a fourth-grade teacher at Israel Putnam Elementary School in Meriden, Connecticut. In 2003, at Hanover Elementary School, he was promoted and made the youngest principal in the state's history for ten years. From 2015 to 2019, Cardona served as Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in his home town.[12][13] Cardona was also an adjunct professor of education in the University of Connecticut's Department of Educational Leadership.[14] During his career, he has focused on closing gaps between English-language learners and their peers.[6]

In August 2019, Governor Ned Lamont appointed Cardona as Commissioner of Education; Cardona was the first Latino to hold the position.[10][15]

Secretary of Education

In December 2020, Cardona emerged as a candidate for United States Secretary of Education in Joe Biden's cabinet. Biden began to lean toward Cardona over two other "high-profile" teachers' union leaders, Lily Eskelsen García and Randi Weingarten. By choosing Cardona over the two, Biden "appeared to have sidestepped any sibling rivalry between the NEA and AFT".[16][17]

File:P20210805CS-0453 (51478523057).jpg
Cardona talks with reporters during a press briefing on August 5, 2021, at the White House.

Cardona was brought to the attention of Biden by Linda Darling-Hammond, the leader of the transition's Education Secretary search efforts, a role she also filled for Barack Obama in 2008. Darling-Hammond and Cardona had worked together on numerous projects.[18] Politico noted that "Hispanic lawmakers are stressing in particular the need for a Latina to join the administration."[19]

Cardona appeared before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on February 3, 2021.[20] On February 25, his nomination was advanced by the Senate on a cloture vote of 66–32.[21] Cardona was confirmed on March 1, 2021 by a 64–33 vote. Cardona took his oath of office on March 1, 2021 and was ceremonially sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on March 2, 2021.[22]

Personal life

In 2002, Cardona married Marissa Pérez, a family-school liaison.[23] Pérez was named Miss Connecticut in 2001 and Miss Connecticut Teen USA in 1996.[24][25] Cardona and his wife have two children: a son, Miguel, Jr., and a daughter, Celine.[10]

In October 2021, Cardona solicited the controversial letter from the National School Boards Association to President Biden's Department of Justice that compared protesting parents to domestic terrorists, that suggested using the Patriot Act against parents.[26]

References

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  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Dianna Wentzell
 Education Commissioner of Connecticut
2019–2021		 Succeeded by
Charlene Russell-Tucker
Preceded by United States Secretary of Education
2021–present		 Incumbent
United States order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by as Secretary of Energy Order of precedence of the United States
as Secretary of Education		 Succeeded by
Denis McDonough
as Secretary of Veterans Affairs
United States presidential line of succession
Preceded by as Secretary of Energy 16th in line
as Secretary of Education		 Succeeded by
Denis McDonough
as Secretary of Veterans Affairs

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