The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing on the “Nomination of Miguel Cardona to serve as Education Secretary.” Overall, Dr. Cardona received bipartisan support for his nomination. As a technical high school graduate, he emphasized the importance of career and technical education while calling for more affordable postsecondary education. He plans to introduce career and technical pathways to middle and high school students, and he encourages high school dual enrollment with community colleges, which he called “the nation’s best kept secret.” When questioned by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Dr. Cardona agreed that students need relief from student loans and that the federal student loan process needed to be reformed.
Dr. Cardona plans to work collaboratively to re-open the Nation’s schools and address the widening educational disparities. He expressed support for charter schools but mentioned that students should also have access to high-quality neighborhood schools. Dr. Cardona was also questioned on transgender students in sports, rural education, Native American/Indian education, students with disabilities, student assessments amid the pandemic, protections for LGBTQIA students, Title IX policies, and students’ mental health.
Full memo is available here.