For Release: March 1, 2021
Contact: Dorie Turner Nolt, 404.861.1127, dturnernolt@all4ed.org
“The Alliance for Excellent Education congratulates Dr. Miguel Cardona on becoming the next U.S. Secretary of Education. We are grateful to the Senate for moving this nomination to a vote quickly knowing how much our students, families, and educators need stability, direction, and support right now. Secretary Cardona will help reinstate respect, vision, and leadership after four years of the Trump administration actively dismantling public education—including nearly a year of severe disruption to student learning because of COVID-19. We look forward to working with Secretary Cardona to tackle long-standing inequities in education that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic for our most vulnerable students. The Department of Education has the important challenge of addressing these issues and providing immediate relief to schools and families. We hope to soon see guidance to states on the ways in which federal relief funding can be used to help with the many needs of students during the pandemic—including addressing the learning loss and decline in college enrollment that disproportionately impacts students who already were underserved before the pandemic. We must take immediate action on policies to ensure all students—no matter their race, religion, background, or ZIP code—can thrive. Students, families, and educators deserve nothing less.”
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Deborah S. Delisle is the president and CEO of the Alliance for Excellent Education and served as assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education from 2012 to 2015.
The Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed) is a Washington, DC–based national policy, practice, and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those underperforming and those historically underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. all4ed.org