United States Secretary of Education

The United States Secretary of Education is the head of the Department of Education. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet, and 16th in line of United States presidential line of succession. The United States Secretary of Education deals with Education.

United States Secretary of Education
Seal of the United States Department of Education.svg
Seal of the Department of Education
Flag of the United States Secretary of Education.svg
Flag of the secretary
Linda McMahon official photo.jpg
Incumbent
Linda McMahon

since March 3, 2025
Department of Education
StyleMrs. 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; 45 years ago (1979-11-30)
First holderShirley Hufstedler
SuccessionSixteenth[1]
DeputyDeputy Secretary
SalaryExecutive Schedule, Level I
Websiteed.gov

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter established the Department of Education as a cabinet-level agency. Previously, Education had been handled by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, henceforth known as the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Chronological list

Source[2]

No. Portrait Name State of residence Took office Left office President
1 United States Secretary of Education Shirley Hufstedler at Miami-Dade Community College 1980-02-07 (cropped 2).jpg Hufstedler, ShirleyShirley Hufstedler California November 30, 1979 January 20, 1981 Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter
(1977–1981)
2 TerrelBell.jpg Bell, TerrelTerrel Bell Utah January 22, 1981 January 20, 1985 Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan
(1981–1989)
Bill Bennett by Gage Skidmore.jpg Bennett, WilliamWilliam Bennett North Carolina February 6, 1985 September 20, 1988
3
4 Cavazos.jpg Cavazos, LauroLauro Cavazos Texas September 20, 1988 December 12, 1990
Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush
(1989–1993)
Portrait gray.png Sanders, TedTed Sanders
Acting
Illinois December 12, 1990 March 22, 1991
5 Lamar Alexander black and white photo.jpg Alexander, LamarLamar Alexander Tennessee March 22, 1991 January 20, 1993
6 Richard Riley Official Department of Education Photo.jpg Riley, RichardRichard Riley South Carolina January 21, 1993 January 20, 2001 Clinton, BillBill Clinton
(1993–2001)
7 Rod Paige.jpg Paige, RodRod Paige Texas January 20, 2001 January 20, 2005 Bush, George W.George W. Bush
(2001–2009)
8 Margaret Spellings, official ed photo 3.jpg Spellings, MargaretMargaret Spellings January 20, 2005 January 20, 2009
9 Arne Duncan official photo (cropped).jpg Duncan, ArneArne Duncan[3] Illinois January 21, 2009 January 1, 2016 Obama, BarackBarack Obama
(2009–2017)
10 John B. King official portrait (cropped2).jpg King Jr., JohnJohn King Jr.[3] New York January 1, 2016 March 14, 2016
March 14, 2016 January 20, 2017
Phil Rosenfelt (cropped).jpg Rosenfelt, PhilPhil Rosenfelt
Acting
Virginia January 20, 2017 February 7, 2017 Trump, DonaldDonald Trump
(2017–2021)
11 Betsy DeVos official portrait (cropped).jpg DeVos, BetsyBetsy DeVos Michigan February 7, 2017 January 8, 2021
Mick Zais official photo (cropped).jpg Zais, MickMick Zais
Acting
South Carolina January 8, 2021 January 20, 2021
Phil Rosenfelt (cropped).jpg Rosenfelt, PhilPhil Rosenfelt
Acting
Virginia January 20, 2021 March 2, 2021 Biden, JoeJoe Biden
(2021–2025)
12 Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, official portrait (cropped).jpg Cardona, MiguelMiguel Cardona Connecticut March 2, 2021 January 20, 2025
Denise L. Carter.png Carter, DeniseDenise Carter
Acting
January 20, 2025 March 3, 2025 Trump, DonaldDonald Trump
(2025–present)
13 Linda McMahon official photo.jpg Linda McMahon Connecticut March 3, 2025 Incumbent

United States Secretary Of Education Media

References

  1. "3 U.S. Code § 19 - Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act". Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  2. "The Education Secretaries Miguel Cardona Would Follow". Education Writers Association. Archived from the original on 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Eilperin, Juliet; Layton, Lyndsey; Brown, Emma (October 2, 2015). "U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to step down at end of year". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 23, 2016.