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United States Secretary of Education

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United States Secretary of Education

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. Prior to its creation as an Executive Department, there was a non-Cabinet level position called the United States commissioner of education who led the United States Office of Education. The current secretary of education is Linda McMahon, serving in this role under President Donald Trump.

Infobox

Seat
Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education BuildingWashington, D.C.
Style
Madam Secretary (informal)The Honorable (formal)
Deputy
Deputy Secretary
Salary
Executive Schedule, Level I
Website
ed.gov
Appointer
The presidentwith Senate advice and consent
Formation
November 30, 1979; 45 years ago (1979-11-30)
Member of
Cabinet of the United States
Reports to
President of the United States
Succession
Sixteenth
Term length
No fixed term
First holder
Shirley Hufstedler
Constituting instrument
20 U.S.C. § 3411

Tables

· List of secretaries › Health, Education, and Welfare
Oveta Culp Hobby
Oveta Culp Hobby
No.
1
Name
Oveta Culp Hobby
State of residence
Texas
Took office
April 11, 1953
Left office
July 31, 1955
President(s)
Dwight D. Eisenhower(1953–1961)
Marion B. Folsom
Marion B. Folsom
No.
2
Name
Marion B. Folsom
State of residence
New York
Took office
August 2, 1955
Left office
July 31, 1958
Arthur Flemming
Arthur Flemming
No.
3
Name
Arthur Flemming
State of residence
Ohio
Took office
August 1, 1958
Left office
January 19, 1961
Abraham A. Ribicoff
Abraham A. Ribicoff
No.
4
Name
Abraham A. Ribicoff
State of residence
Connecticut
Took office
January 21, 1961
Left office
July 13, 1962
President(s)
John F. Kennedy(1961–1963)
Anthony J. Celebrezze
Anthony J. Celebrezze
No.
5
Name
Anthony J. Celebrezze
State of residence
Ohio
Took office
July 31, 1962
Left office
August 17, 1965
John W. Gardner
John W. Gardner
No.
6
Name
John W. Gardner
State of residence
California
Took office
August 18, 1965
Left office
March 1, 1968
Wilbur J. Cohen
Wilbur J. Cohen
No.
7
Name
Wilbur J. Cohen
State of residence
Michigan
Took office
May 16, 1968
Left office
January 20, 1969
Robert Finch
Robert Finch
No.
8
Name
Robert Finch
State of residence
California
Took office
January 21, 1969
Left office
June 23, 1970
President(s)
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
Elliot L. Richardson
Elliot L. Richardson
No.
9
Name
Elliot L. Richardson
State of residence
Massachusetts
Took office
June 24, 1970
Left office
January 29, 1973
Caspar Weinberger
Caspar Weinberger
No.
10
Name
Caspar Weinberger
State of residence
California
Took office
February 12, 1973
Left office
August 8, 1975
F. David Mathews
F. David Mathews
No.
11
Name
F. David Mathews
State of residence
Alabama
Took office
August 8, 1975
Left office
January 20, 1977
Joseph A. Califano Jr.
Joseph A. Califano Jr.
No.
12
Name
Joseph A. Califano Jr.
State of residence
District of Columbia
Took office
January 25, 1977
Left office
August 3, 1979
President(s)
Jimmy Carter(1977–1981)
Patricia Roberts Harris
Patricia Roberts Harris
No.
13
Name
Patricia Roberts Harris
State of residence
August 3, 1979
Took office
May 4, 1980
No.
Portrait
Name
State of residence
Took office
Left office
President(s)
1
Oveta Culp Hobby
Texas
April 11, 1953
July 31, 1955
Dwight D. Eisenhower(1953–1961)
2
Marion B. Folsom
New York
August 2, 1955
July 31, 1958
3
Arthur Flemming
Ohio
August 1, 1958
January 19, 1961
4
Abraham A. Ribicoff
Connecticut
January 21, 1961
July 13, 1962
John F. Kennedy(1961–1963)
5
Anthony J. Celebrezze
Ohio
July 31, 1962
August 17, 1965
Lyndon B. Johnson(1963–1969)
6
John W. Gardner
California
August 18, 1965
March 1, 1968
7
Wilbur J. Cohen
Michigan
May 16, 1968
January 20, 1969
8
Robert Finch
California
January 21, 1969
June 23, 1970
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
9
Elliot L. Richardson
Massachusetts
June 24, 1970
January 29, 1973
10
Caspar Weinberger
California
February 12, 1973
August 8, 1975
Gerald Ford(1974–1977)
11
F. David Mathews
Alabama
August 8, 1975
January 20, 1977
12
Joseph A. Califano Jr.
District of Columbia
January 25, 1977
August 3, 1979
Jimmy Carter(1977–1981)
13
Patricia Roberts Harris
August 3, 1979
May 4, 1980
· List of secretaries › Education<sup><span>[</span>8<span>]</span></sup>
Shirley Hufstedler
Shirley Hufstedler
No.
1
Name
Shirley Hufstedler
State of residence
California
Took office
November 30, 1979
Left office
January 20, 1981
President
Jimmy Carter(1977–1981)
Terrel Bell
Terrel Bell
No.
2
Name
Terrel Bell
State of residence
Utah
Took office
January 22, 1981
Left office
January 20, 1985
President
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
William Bennett
William Bennett
Name
William Bennett
State of residence
North Carolina
Took office
February 6, 1985
Left office
September 20, 1988
Lauro Cavazos
Lauro Cavazos
No.
4
Name
Lauro Cavazos
State of residence
Texas
Took office
September 20, 1988
Left office
December 12, 1990
Ted SandersActing
Ted SandersActing
No.
–
Name
Ted SandersActing
State of residence
Illinois
Took office
December 12, 1990
Left office
March 22, 1991
Lamar Alexander
Lamar Alexander
No.
5
Name
Lamar Alexander
State of residence
Tennessee
Took office
March 22, 1991
Left office
January 20, 1993
Richard Riley
Richard Riley
No.
6
Name
Richard Riley
State of residence
South Carolina
Took office
January 21, 1993
Left office
January 20, 2001
President
Bill Clinton(1993–2001)
Rod Paige
Rod Paige
No.
7
Name
Rod Paige
State of residence
Texas
Took office
January 20, 2001
Left office
January 20, 2005
President
George W. Bush(2001–2009)
Margaret Spellings
Margaret Spellings
No.
8
Name
Margaret Spellings
State of residence
January 20, 2005
Took office
January 20, 2009
Arne Duncan
Arne Duncan
No.
9
Name
Arne Duncan
State of residence
Illinois
Took office
January 21, 2009
Left office
January 1, 2016
President
Barack Obama(2009–2017)
John King Jr.
John King Jr.
No.
10
Name
John King Jr.
State of residence
New York
Took office
January 1, 2016
Left office
March 14, 2016
Phil RosenfeltActing
Phil RosenfeltActing
No.
–
Name
Phil RosenfeltActing
State of residence
Virginia
Took office
January 20, 2017
Left office
February 7, 2017
President
Donald Trump(2017–2021)
Betsy DeVos
Betsy DeVos
No.
11
Name
Betsy DeVos
State of residence
Michigan
Took office
February 7, 2017
Left office
January 8, 2021
Mick ZaisActing
Mick ZaisActing
No.
–
Name
Mick ZaisActing
State of residence
South Carolina
Took office
January 8, 2021
Left office
January 20, 2021
Phil RosenfeltActing
Phil RosenfeltActing
No.
–
Name
Phil RosenfeltActing
State of residence
Virginia
Took office
January 20, 2021
Left office
March 2, 2021
President
Joe Biden(2021–2025)
Miguel Cardona
Miguel Cardona
No.
12
Name
Miguel Cardona
State of residence
Connecticut
Took office
March 2, 2021
Left office
January 20, 2025
Denise L. CarterActing
Denise L. CarterActing
No.
–
Name
Denise L. CarterActing
Took office
January 20, 2025
Left office
March 3, 2025
President
Donald Trump(2025–present)
Linda McMahon
Linda McMahon
No.
13
Name
Linda McMahon
State of residence
Connecticut
Took office
March 3, 2025
Left office
present
No.
Portrait
Name
State of residence
Took office
Left office
President
1
Shirley Hufstedler
California
November 30, 1979
January 20, 1981
Jimmy Carter(1977–1981)
2
Terrel Bell
Utah
January 22, 1981
January 20, 1985
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
William Bennett
North Carolina
February 6, 1985
September 20, 1988
3
4
Lauro Cavazos
Texas
September 20, 1988
December 12, 1990
George H. W. Bush(1989–1993)
–
Ted SandersActing
Illinois
December 12, 1990
March 22, 1991
5
Lamar Alexander
Tennessee
March 22, 1991
January 20, 1993
6
Richard Riley
South Carolina
January 21, 1993
January 20, 2001
Bill Clinton(1993–2001)
7
Rod Paige
Texas
January 20, 2001
January 20, 2005
George W. Bush(2001–2009)
8
Margaret Spellings
January 20, 2005
January 20, 2009
9
Arne Duncan
Illinois
January 21, 2009
January 1, 2016
Barack Obama(2009–2017)
10
John King Jr.
New York
January 1, 2016
March 14, 2016
March 14, 2016
January 20, 2017
–
Phil RosenfeltActing
Virginia
January 20, 2017
February 7, 2017
Donald Trump(2017–2021)
11
Betsy DeVos
Michigan
February 7, 2017
January 8, 2021
–
Mick ZaisActing
South Carolina
January 8, 2021
January 20, 2021
–
Phil RosenfeltActing
Virginia
January 20, 2021
March 2, 2021
Joe Biden(2021–2025)
12
Miguel Cardona
Connecticut
March 2, 2021
January 20, 2025
–
Denise L. CarterActing
January 20, 2025
March 3, 2025
Donald Trump(2025–present)
13
Linda McMahon
Connecticut
March 3, 2025
present
· External links
Preceded byChris Wrightas Secretary of Energy
Preceded byChris Wrightas Secretary of Energy
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byChris Wrightas Secretary of Energy
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Order of precedence of the United Statesas Secretary of Education
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Succeeded byDoug Collinsas Secretary of Veterans Affairs
U.S. presidential line of succession
U.S. presidential line of succession
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
U.S. presidential line of succession
Preceded bySecretary of EnergyChris Wright
Preceded bySecretary of EnergyChris Wright
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded bySecretary of EnergyChris Wright
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
16th in line
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Succeeded bySecretary of Veterans AffairsDoug Collins
order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byChris Wrightas Secretary of Energy
Order of precedence of the United Statesas Secretary of Education
Succeeded byDoug Collinsas Secretary of Veterans Affairs
presidential line of succession
Preceded bySecretary of EnergyChris Wright
16th in line
Succeeded bySecretary of Veterans AffairsDoug Collins

References

  1. Legal Information Institute
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/3/19
  2. www.usa.gov
    https://www.usa.gov/presidential-succession
  3. Education Week
    https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/trump-names-acting-education-secretary-ahead-of-linda-mcmahons-confirmation/2025/01
  4. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/10/20/the-presidential-order-of-succession/
  5. "US Department of Education Principal Office Functional Statements"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20230410180435/https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/om/fs_po/osods/intro.html
  6. "Welcome"
    https://sites.ed.gov/naciqi/
  7. Harris was Secretary on May 4, 1980, when the office changed names from Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to S
  8. Education Writers Association
    https://www.ewa.org/blog-educated-reporter/education-secretaries-miguel-cardona-would-follow
  9. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2015/10/02/education-secretary-arne-duncan-reportedly-will-step-down-at-end-of-year
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