{{Short description|American educator (born 1975)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Use American English|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Miguel Cardona | image = Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, official portrait.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2021 | office = 12th [[United States Secretary of Education]] | president = [[Joe Biden]] | deputy = [[Cindy Marten]] | term_start = March 2, 2021 | term_end = January 20, 2025 | predecessor = [[Betsy DeVos]] | successor = [[Linda McMahon]] | office1 = [[Connecticut State Department of Education|Education Commissioner of Connecticut]] | governor1 = [[Ned Lamont]] | term_start1 = August 8, 2019 | term_end1 = March 1, 2021 | predecessor1 = Dianna Wentzell | successor1 = Charlene Russell-Tucker | birth_name = Miguel Angel Cardona | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|7|11}} | birth_place = [[Meriden, Connecticut]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] | spouse = {{marriage|Marissa Pérez|2002}} | children = 2 | education = [[Central Connecticut State University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br>[[University of Connecticut]] ([[Master of Science|MS]], [[Educational specialist|SYC]], [[Doctor of Education|EdD]]) |module = {{Listen |pos = center |embed = yes |filename = Miguel Cardona speaks on his vision for the Department of Education post Covid-19 pandemic.ogg |title = Cardona's voice |type = speech |description = Cardona on his vision for the [[United States Department of Education|Education Department]] post-[[COVID-19 pandemic]].<br>Recorded January 27, 2022}} }} '''Miguel Angel Cardona''' (born July 11, 1975) is an American educator who served as the 12th [[United States Secretary of Education]] under [[President of the United States|President]] [[Joe Biden]] from March 2, 2021 to January 20, 2025. A member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], he was confirmed by the [[United States Senate|U.S. Senate]] by a vote of 64–33 on March 1, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=117&session=1&vote=00068 |title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: Miguel A. Cardona, of Connecticut, to be Secretary of Education) |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2021-03-01 |website=U.S. Senate |access-date=2021-03-01}}</ref> 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 twenty-seven, he was named principal of Meriden's Hanover School, making him the youngest principal in the state.<ref>{{cite news|first=Rachel R.|last=Makwana|title=New principal is popular pick|work=[[Record-Journal]]|date=May 22, 2003|pages=1, 4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65431196/|accessdate=December 16, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Kathleen|last=Megan|title=The state's new education commissioner: collaborator, listener, hard worker|work=[[The Connecticut Mirror]]|date=August 21, 2019|url=https://ctmirror.org/2019/08/21/the-states-new-education-commissioner-collaborator-listener-hard-worker/|accessdate=December 16, 2020}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Miguel Cardona was born on July 11, 1975, in [[Meriden, Connecticut]], to [[Puerto Rican people|Puerto Rican]] parents.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|title=Biden To Pick Connecticut Schools Chief Miguel Cardona As Education Secretary|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/biden-transition-updates/2020/12/22/949114642/biden-to-pick-connecticut-schools-chief-miguel-cardona-as-education-secretary|access-date=2020-12-22|website=NPR.org|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Registered Voters in the State of Connecticut, U.S.A.|url=https://connvoters.com/by_number/0003/27157_miguel_angel_cardona.html|access-date=2020-12-22|website=connvoters.com|archive-date=January 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111152126/https://connvoters.com/by_number/0003/27157_miguel_angel_cardona.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Cardona grew up speaking Spanish as his [[first language]] and started to learn English when entering [[kindergarten]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last1=Binkley|first1=Collin|last2=Jaffe|first2=Alexandra|last3=Lemire|first3=Jonathan|date=2020-12-22|title=Biden picks Connecticut schools chief as education secretary|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-race-and-ethnicity-connecticut-coronavirus-pandemic-db2814d3527838d5633648d408d7fab3|access-date=2020-12-22|website=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Tough Topics with the Sec. of Education {{!}} LX News |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89n_TCw4z9s |access-date=2023-05-27 |language=en}}</ref> His father is a retired police officer in Meriden.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Blair |first=Russell |date=2020-12-22 |title=Who is Miguel Cardona? The Connecticut education commissioner is President-elect Joe Biden's pick for U.S. education secretary |url=https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-who-is-miguel-cardona-20201222-t3ok4evvobfhrgwyesjql67vny-story.html |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Hartford Courant |language=en-US}}</ref> Cardona 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. He visits his Alma Mater frequently, recently being the guest speaker for the class of 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-22|title=Biden selects CT's Miguel Cardona to lead the U.S. Department of Education|url=http://ctmirror.org/2020/12/22/biden-selects-cts-miguel-cardona-to-lead-the-u-s-department-of-education/|access-date=2020-12-22|website=The CT Mirror|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=About CSDE--Commissioner|url=https://portal.ct.gov/sde/about/commissioner|access-date=2020-12-22|website=CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website|language=en}}</ref><ref name="ctmirror.org">{{Cite web|date=2020-12-17|title=Connecticut's Miguel Cardona in the mix for Biden's education secretary|url=http://ctmirror.org/2020/12/16/connecticuts-miguel-cardona-in-the-mix-for-bidens-education-secretary/|access-date=2020-12-21|website=The CT Mirror|language=en-US}}</ref>
Cardona earned a Bachelor of Science in education from [[Central Connecticut State University]] in New Britain, CT 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 [[Educational specialist|sixth year certification]] at UConn where he earned a [[Doctor of Education|doctor of education]] in 2011.<ref name="csde" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Cardona|first=Miguel Angel|title=Sharpening the focus of political will to address achievement disparities|journal=Doctoral Dissertations|date=2011|publisher=University of Connecticut|pages=1–72|language=en|oclc=1196370756|url=https://opencommons.uconn.edu/dissertations/AAI3468062/}}</ref>
Cardona's dissertation, titled ''Sharpening the Focus of Political Will to Address Achievement Disparities'', studied the gaps between [[English-language learner]]s and their classmates.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> His doctoral major advisor was Barry G. Sheckley and his associate advisor was Casey D. Cobb.<ref name=":1" />
== 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 [[Head teacher|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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Miguel A. Cardona|url=https://www.ct.edu/regents/members/miguel_cardona|access-date=2020-12-21|website=www.ct.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=|title=Two outsiders emerge as top contenders for Biden's education secretary (Meckler, Strauss)|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/biden-education-secretary-fenwick-cardona/2020/12/16/5811142e-3fb4-11eb-8bc0-ae155bee4aff_story.html|access-date=|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
Cardona was also an adjunct professor of education in the University of Connecticut's Department of Educational Leadership.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Biden to pick Connecticut education commissioner for top schools post|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/22/biden-connecticut-schools-chief-education-secretary-449808|access-date=2020-12-22|website=POLITICO|date=December 22, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> During his career, he has focused on closing gaps between English-language learners and their peers.<ref name=":0" />
In August 2019, Governor [[Ned Lamont]] appointed Cardona as [[Connecticut State Department of Education|commissioner of education]]; Cardona was the first Latino to hold the position.<ref name="csde">{{Cite web|title=About CSDE--Commissioner|url=https://portal.ct.gov/sde/about/commissioner|access-date=2020-12-21|website=CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website|language=en}}</ref><ref name="ctmirror.org" /> During his tenure, Cardona helped oversee state schools' response to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Connecticut|COVID-19 pandemic]], where he expressed concerns over the long-term mental health impacts of [[remote education]] on students.<ref name=":3" />
== Secretary of Education (2021–2025) ==
=== Nomination and confirmation === In December 2020, Cardona emerged as a candidate for [[United States Secretary of Education|United States secretary of education]] in [[Cabinet of Joe Biden|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 [[National Education Association|NEA]] and [[American Federation of Teachers|AFT.]]"<ref>{{Cite web|last=Nichols|first=Hans|title=Biden leaning toward Miguel Cardona for education secretary|url=https://www.axios.com/miguel-cardona-biden-education-secretary-4b05f071-8b96-4141-8f11-b695d48648aa.html|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Axios|date=December 21, 2020|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=DOMESTIC NOMINEES AND APPOINTEES |url=https://buildbackbetter.gov/nominees-and-appointees/dr-miguel-cardona/ |website=Biden-Harris transition |access-date=23 December 2020}}</ref> [[File:P20210805CS-0453 (51478523057).jpg|left|thumb|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.<ref name="ctmirror.org"/> ''[[Politico]]'' noted that "[[Hispanic]] lawmakers are stressing in particular the need for a Latina to join the administration."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Barrón-López|first=Laura|title=Hispanic Caucus presses Biden to appoint Latinos to lead Education, Small Business|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/19/hispanic-caucus-biden-cabinet-448698|access-date=2020-12-21|website=POLITICO|date=December 19, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
Cardona appeared before the [[United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions|Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions]] on February 3, 2021.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/Cardona-nomination-for-US-Secretary-of-Ed-to-be-heard-by-Senate-HELP-Committee-Feb-3.html | date= January 29, 2021 | accessdate = February 2, 2021 | publisher= myrecordjournal.com | title= Committee hearing for Meriden resident Miguel Cardona's nomination as U.S. Secretary of Education set for Wednesday}}</ref> On February 25, his nomination was advanced by the Senate on a [[cloture]] vote of 66–32.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1365028993993478144 | date= February 25, 2021 | accessdate = February 25, 2021 | author= Manu Raju | publisher = Twitter| title= Senate Democrats break GOP filibuster to advance Miguel Cardona's nomination to run the Education Department}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://edsource.org/2021/miguel-cardona-confirmed-by-senate-as-u-s-secretary-of-education/650310 |title=Miguel Cardona to be sworn in as U.S. Secretary of Education |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2021-03-02 |website=EdSource |access-date=2021-03-02}}</ref>
=== Tenure === [[File:The Atlantic Interview with Miguel Cardona on 14 December 2023 - 2.jpg|right|thumb|Cardona speaks on a panel hosted by ''[[The Atlantic]]'' in December 2023.]] Throughout his tenure as Secretary of Education, Cardona has been responsible for implementing several forms of forgiveness for [[Student loans in the United States|student loans]].<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2023/12/06/1217552875/government-efforts-to-erase-student-loan-debt-have-now-reached-3-6-million-borro|title=Government efforts to erase student loan debt have now reached 3.6 million borrowers|author=Cory Turner|date=2022-12-06|website=[[NPR]]|access-date=2023-12-19}}</ref> The administration's most sweeping attempt to do so, which would have forgiven about $430 billion in student loan principles, was struck down by the [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] on June 30, 2023, in ''[[Biden v. Nebraska]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/30/us/student-loans-supreme-court-biden|title=Student Loan Forgiveness Supreme Court Rules 6 to 3 Against Biden Plan|last=Liptak|first=Adam|website=[[New York Times]]|date=June 30, 2022}}</ref> Since the ''Biden v. Nebraska'' decision, Cardona has announced a series of smaller and more targeted student loan forgiveness programs, and the Department of Education has reemphasized the [[Public Service Loan Forgiveness]] program to reduce the student debt of people working full-time in [[public service]].<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/06/politics/student-loan-forgiveness-biden/index.html|title=Biden administration cancels nearly $5 billion more in student loan debt|author=Kate Lobosco|date=2022-12-06|website=[[CNN]]|access-date=2023-12-19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2023/10/28/check-your-email-50000-borrowers-get-student-loan-forgiveness-notices-and-yes-its-real/?sh=ca8451825a6b|title=Check Your Email: 50,000 Borrowers Get Student Loan Forgiveness Notices, And Yes, They're Real|last=Minsky|first=Adam|website=[[Forbes]]|date=October 28, 2023}}</ref> In December 2023, Cardona announced that the administration had forgiven about $132 billion of student debt in its first three years.<ref name="auto"/> At President [[Joe Biden]]’s [[2024 State of the Union Address|2024 State of The Union]], Cardona was the [[designated survivor]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/politics/designated-survivor-state-of-the-union-2024/index.html|title=Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is the designated survivor for the State of the Union | CNN Politics|first=Betsy|last=Klein|date=March 8, 2024|website=CNN}}</ref>
In December 2023, simplified [[Free Application for Federal Student Aid]] (FAFSA) forms were released after a two-month delay.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lonas |first1=Lexi |title=New FAFSA forms aim to make college applications easier. Here’s what to know |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4381682-new-fafsa-forms-college-applications/ |access-date=August 7, 2024 |work=The Hill |date=December 29, 2023}}</ref> By late March 2024, there was a backlog of 6 million applications.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quilantan |first1=Bianca |title=Education Department sparks new GOP anger as Cardona pivots on financial aid blunder |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/22/cardona-federal-student-aid-blame-00148547 |access-date=August 7, 2024 |work=Politico |date=March 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407094756/https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/22/cardona-federal-student-aid-blame-00148547 |archive-date=April 7, 2024}}</ref> On April 26, the Education Department announced that the top official in charge of federal financial student aid would step down.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schermele |first1=Zachary |last2=Wong |first2=Alia |title=Top Education Department official steps down amid crisis over college financial aid |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2024/04/26/amid-fafsa-crisis-richard-corday-steps-down/73469057007/ |work=USA Today |date=August 7, 2024}}</ref> Colleges across the country were obliged to delay their decision deadlines as students were still waiting for financial aid offers. On April 30, Cardona was questioned at a congressional hearing about the troubled introduction of the new form.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Connell |first1=Jordan |title=‘Inexcusable’: Senators grill Education secretary over botched FAFSA roll out |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4633533-inexcusable-senators-grill-education-secretary-over-botched-fafsa-roll-out/ |access-date=August 7, 2024 |work=The Hill |date=April 30, 2024}}</ref> On May 7, Cardona apologized at another congressional hearing.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schermele |first1=Zachary |title=Biden's education secretary apologizes for FAFSA rollout amid new concerns about next year |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2024/05/07/fafsa-miguel-cardona-rollout/73599215007/ |access-date=August 7, 2024 |work=USA Today |date=May 7, 2024}}</ref>
== Personal life ==
In 2002, Cardona married Marissa Pérez, a [[School social worker|family-school liaison]].<ref name="Alverio">{{cite web|first=Diane|last=Alverio|title=Meriden's Dr. Miguel Cardona: From Student To Administrator|work=CT Latino News|date=July 2, 2015|url=https://ctlatinonews.com/dr-miguel-cardona-leading-the-way/|accessdate=December 22, 2020}}</ref> Pérez was named [[Miss Connecticut]] in 2001 and [[Miss Connecticut Teen USA]] in 1996.<ref>{{cite web|title=Perez–Cardona|work=[[Record-Journal]]|date=May 19, 2002|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65816122/|accessdate=December 22, 2020|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name="Alverio"/> Cardona and his wife have two children: a son, Miguel Jr., and a daughter, Celine.<ref name=csde /> Cardona is [[Catholic Church|Catholic]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-03-01 |title=Miguel Cardona: Biden's pick for Education is a teacher – and unifier |work=Christian Science Monitor |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2021/0301/Miguel-Cardona-Biden-s-pick-for-Education-is-a-teacher-and-unifier |access-date=2022-10-08 |issn=0882-7729}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{commons category}} {{Wikisource|Author:Miguel Angel Cardona|Miguel Cardona}} * [https://www2.ed.gov/news/staff/bios/cardona.html Biography] at the [[United States Department of Education]] *{{C-SPAN|128828}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Dianna Wentzell}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Connecticut State Department of Education|Education Commissioner of Connecticut]]|years=2019–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Charlene Russell-Tucker}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Betsy DeVos]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States Secretary of Education]]|years=2021–2025}} {{s-aft|after=[[Linda McMahon]]}} |- {{s-prec|usa}} {{s-bef|before=[[Jennifer Granholm]]|as=Former U.S. Cabinet Member}} {{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]]<br>''{{small|as Former U.S. Cabinet Member}}''|years=}} {{s-aft|after=[[Gina Raimondo]]|as=Former U.S. Cabinet Member}} {{s-end}}
{{USSecEd}} {{Biden cabinet}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cardona, Miguel Angel}} [[Category:1975 births]] [[Category:21st-century American educators]] [[Category:American politicians of Puerto Rican descent]] [[Category:Biden administration cabinet members]] [[Category:Central Connecticut State University alumni]] [[Category:Connecticut State Board of Education members]] [[Category:Hispanic and Latino American members of the Cabinet of the United States]] [[Category:Hispanic and Latino American teachers]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Meriden, Connecticut]] [[Category:Puerto Rican Catholics]] [[Category:Schoolteachers from Connecticut]] [[Category:State cabinet secretaries of Connecticut]] [[Category:United States secretaries of education]] [[Category:University of Connecticut alumni]]