United States Secretary of Education

United States Secretary of Education
Seal of the Department of Education
Flag of the secretary
since March 2, 2021
Department of Education
StyleMr. Secretary (informal)
The Honorable (formal)
Reports toPresident
SeatLyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building, Washington, D.C.
AppointerPresident
with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthNo fixed term
Constituting instrument20 U.S.C. § 3411
FormationNovember 30, 1979; 44 years ago (1979-11-30)
First holderShirley Hufstedler
SuccessionSixteenth[1]
DeputyDeputy Secretary
SalaryExecutive Schedule, Level I
Websiteed.gov

The United States secretary of education is the head of the United States Department of Education. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States, and the federal government, on policies, programs, and activities related to all education in the United States. As a member of the Cabinet of the United States, the secretary is sixteenth in the line of succession to the presidency.[2]

The current secretary of education is Miguel Cardona, who was confirmed by the Senate on March 1, 2021.[3]

  1. ^ "3 U.S. Code § 19 - Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act". Legal Information Institute. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  2. ^ "Order of presidential succession". www.usa.gov. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  3. ^ Watson, Kathryn (March 2, 2021). "Senate confirms Miguel Cardona as education secretary". CBS News. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2021.