Miguel Cardona Confirmed As Education Secretary. What It Means For Students And Loan Borrowers – Forbes
The Senate on Monday confirmed Dr. Miguel A. Cardona as Secretary of Education, formally replacing Betsy DeVos, who led the Education Department of four years under President Trump. The vote was 64-33, a large bipartisan majority.
Dr. Cardona previously was the Connecticut Education Commissioner, and served for 30 years as a public school teacher and administrator. He is the first Latino to lead the Department of Education.
“In Miguel Cardona, America will have an experienced and dedicated public school teacher leading the way at the Department of Education — ensuring that every student is equipped to thrive in the economy of the future, that every educator has the resources they need to do their jobs with dignity and success, and that every school is on track to reopen safely,” said President Biden in a statement when Cardona’s nomination was first announced.
In previous remarks, Cardona signaled he would support student loan borrowers, saying student loan debt “would be a priority for me. It would be an area of focus that, early on, we’d have to really make sure we’re coming up with clear support plans and strategies” to help student loan borrowers. Cardona also emphasized that as a first generation college student, he understands “the importance of higher education, and the importance of making it accessible.”