U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona laid out his vision for continued recovery through the pandemic and his priorities for broader investments in America’s education system to ensure all students can succeed and thrive during a Jan. 27 address at the U.S. Department of Education.
During the address, Cardona highlighted key strategies the department, schools and colleges and universities must take to help students, educators and school communities – from preschool through postsecondary education – continue to recover from the pandemic and address inequities that have long existed in our education system.
“Reopening schools — and keeping them open — while critical, is insufficient,” he said. “Our hardest and most important work lies ahead. Our students’ success is at stake. Not just the students we serve today, but for those who have yet to be born. Our task is not only to improve our education system from where it was before the pandemic, but also to take bolder action to elevate it to lead the world.”
Cardona laid out key actions in four priority areas that will guide the Department’s work over the coming months and years:
- Support students through pandemic response and recovery.
- Boldly address opportunity and achievement gaps.
- Make higher education more inclusive and affordable.
- Ensure pathways through higher education lead to successful careers.
Visit the website to view a transcript of Cardona’s remarks.