69ý

Blog

Your Education Road Map

Politics K-12®

Politics K-12 kept watch on education policy and politics in the nation’s capital and in the states. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: , .

Federal

Biden Picks San Diego Superintendent for Deputy Education Secretary

By Evie Blad — January 18, 2021 2 min read
Image of the White House seal
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

President-elect Joe Biden will nominate Cindy Marten, the superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District, to serve as deputy secretary of education, his transition team announced Monday.

Marten was a classroom teacher for 17 years before she took roles as a vice principal, principal, and literacy specialist. The San Diego school board appointed her to lead the district in 2013. In the time since, the school system has been recognized for improving students’ and .

Marten has been outspoken about addressing concerns about equity and interrupted learning time as schools continue to face the COVID-19 crisis. In November, she to push for a massive federal response, including $350 billion in direct aid to schools over two years, support for a national teacher corps program, and a nationwide coronavirus testing strategy for schools.

“Our nation cannot afford a lost generation of learners,” . “Nor can we afford an incomplete recovery that leaves communities of color behind and extends 400 years of inequality for another decade.”

The San Diego district’s academic success and leadership has also , an organization founded by Linda Darling-Hammond, who led the Biden transition team’s education efforts.

San Diego schools have remained largely closed for in-person instruction this year. Marten spoke to Education Week in December about a massive testing plan she developed with local scientists to help reopen classrooms. Those plans have since been stalled by an unprecedented across the state.

“We are educators,” Marten told Education Week in December, explaining her concerns about a lack of federal support and guidance. “We are not epidemiologists and virologists who understand the nature of this disease and who understand public health policy.”

Marten’s letter to the Biden transition team backed up some of his biggest education priorities: tripling Title I funding for disadvantaged students and boosting federal special education funding.

If confirmed by the Senate, Marten will replace current Deputy Education Secretary Mick Zais, who has served as acting education secretary since former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos resigned earlier this month.

Biden has named Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona as his choice for education secretary.

A version of this news article first appeared in the Politics K-12 blog.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Federal From Our Research Center How Educators Say They'll Vote in the 2024 Election
Educators' feelings on Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump vary by age and the communities where they work.
4 min read
Jacob Lewis, 3, waits at a privacy booth as his grandfather, Robert Schroyer, fills out his ballot while voting at Sabillasville Elementary School, Nov. 8, 2022, in Sabillasville, Md.
Jacob Lewis, 3, waits at a privacy booth as his grandfather, Robert Schroyer, fills out his ballot while voting at Sabillasville Elementary School, Nov. 8, 2022, in Sabillasville, Md.
Julio Cortez/AP
Federal Q&A Oklahoma State Chief Ryan Walters: 'Trump's Won the Argument on Education'
The state schools chief's name comes up as Republicans discuss who could become education secretary in a second Trump administration.
8 min read
Ryan Walters, then-Republican candidate for Oklahoma State Superintendent, speaks at a rally, Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City.
Ryan Walters speaks at a rally on Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City as a candidate for state superintendent of public instruction. He won the race and has built a national profile for governing in the MAGA mold.
Sue Ogrocki/AP
Federal Why Trump and Harris Have Barely Talked About 69ý This Election
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump haven't outlined many plans for K-12 schools, reflecting what's been the norm in recent contests for the White House.
6 min read
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris participate during an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept.10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris participate in an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center on Sept.10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal Who Could Be Donald Trump's Next Education Secretary?
Trump must decide if he wants someone with a "proven track record" or a "culture warrior," says a former GOP Hill staffer.
9 min read
President Donald Trump, right, arrives in a classroom at St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, Fla., on March 3, 2017.
President Donald Trump, right, arrives in a classroom at St. Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, Fla., on March 3, 2017.
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP