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The secretary of education is a senior federal official responsible for leading the U.S. Department of Education and advising the president on federal education policies, programs, and activities. The position combines policy leadership, department management, public communication, and oversight of federal education programs. Unlike state education officials or local school administrators, the secretary operates at the federal level and works within the responsibilities established by Congress. Understanding the role requires looking at the Department of Education, the federal government’s role in education, financial aid programs, civil rights responsibilities, research, and the relationship between federal, state, and local education systems.
What Is the Secretary of Education?
The secretary of education leads the U.S. Department of Education and serves as a member of the president’s Cabinet. The secretary is nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. According to the Department of Education, the secretary is the principal adviser to the president on federal education policies, programs, and activities.
The position was created as part of the federal Department of Education’s Cabinet-level structure. The Department of Education was established as a Cabinet-level agency in 1980.
The secretary’s responsibilities cover a broad range of education-related issues, but the federal government does not directly operate most public schools. Education in the United States is primarily a state and local responsibility, with states, communities, and educational institutions making many decisions about schools, curricula, enrollment, and graduation requirements.
Who Is the Current Secretary of Education?
As of September 2026, Linda E. McMahon serves as the 13th United States Secretary of Education. The Department of Education states that she was sworn into office on March 3, 2025.
McMahon previously worked in business and public service and served on the Connecticut State Board of Education and the Board of Trustees of Sacred Heart University. Her official biography also notes her earlier interest in becoming a teacher and her later involvement in education administration and advocacy.
Because the secretary is a political appointee, the priorities of the office can change between presidential administrations. For that reason, information about a current secretary’s initiatives should be distinguished from the permanent responsibilities of the position itself.
How the Secretary Is Appointed
The appointment process involves both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government.
The president nominates a candidate for secretary of education. The nomination then goes through the U.S. Senate, which considers whether to confirm the nominee.
After confirmation, the secretary becomes the head of the Department of Education and participates in the president’s Cabinet.
This process provides a formal connection between the executive branch and the legislative branch in the appointment of one of the nation’s highest-ranking education officials.
Main Responsibilities of the Secretary
The secretary has responsibility for the overall direction, supervision, and coordination of Department of Education activities. The Office of the Secretary describes the position as responsible for leading the Department and advising the president on federal education matters.
Major responsibilities can include:
Developing and communicating federal education priorities
Overseeing Department of Education programs and offices
Advising the president on education-related issues
Working with Congress on federal education legislation and funding
Overseeing federal education regulations and programs
Representing the Department in public discussions
Supporting research and information about education
Working with states, school systems, colleges, organizations, and other education stakeholders
The secretary does not personally manage individual classrooms or local schools. Instead, the office operates at the federal policy and administrative level.
Role in Federal Education Policy
One of the secretary’s most visible responsibilities involves federal education policy.
The Department of Education explains that the secretary participates in national discussions about improving education and can lead the Department in implementing the administration’s education policies. This can involve legislative proposals, research priorities, regulations, public communications, and federal programs.
Federal policy can influence areas such as student financial aid, civil rights protections, education research, special education programs, and assistance for schools and students.
However, the federal government shares education responsibilities with state and local governments rather than controlling the entire American education system.
Relationship With States and Local School Systems
The relationship between federal, state, and local education authorities is important when understanding the secretary’s role.
States and local communities establish many of the rules and practices governing schools. They generally determine curricula, enrollment requirements, graduation requirements, and other major aspects of public education.
The federal Department of Education provides funding, research, guidance, oversight, and other forms of support.
This division of responsibility means that the secretary can influence national education policy without directly running every public school.
Financial Aid and Student Support
Federal education programs include financial assistance for students and educational institutions.
The Department of Education administers or oversees federal financial aid programs and distributes funds for eligible education programs. These activities can involve grants, loans, work-study assistance, and other forms of federal support.
For college students and families, the federal education system is therefore connected to important questions about paying for higher education.
The secretary oversees the Department that administers these programs, while specific offices and agencies handle the operational details.
Role in Education Research
Education policy depends partly on information and research about how students learn and how educational programs operate.
The Department of Education collects data, oversees research, and shares information with educators, policymakers, researchers, families, and the public.
The secretary therefore has a role in supporting the Department’s broader research and information mission.
Research can cover topics such as student achievement, educational access, teaching practices, higher education, special populations, and other aspects of the education system.
Reliable data can help policymakers understand trends and evaluate education programs.
Civil Rights and Equal Educational Access
The Department of Education also has responsibilities related to equal access and civil rights in education.
Federal laws prohibit certain forms of discrimination in educational settings, and the Department’s Office for Civil Rights has authority to investigate complaints involving discrimination and retaliation.
The Department’s stated mission includes promoting educational excellence and ensuring equal access for students of all ages.
The secretary oversees a department that contains offices responsible for carrying out these federal responsibilities.
Secretary of Education and Higher Education
The secretary’s responsibilities extend beyond elementary and secondary schools.
Federal education programs also involve colleges, universities, vocational education, adult education, and student financial assistance.
The Department’s organizational structure includes offices dealing with postsecondary education and federal student aid.
Higher education policy can involve issues such as college affordability, financial aid, institutional accountability, workforce preparation, research, and access to postsecondary opportunities.
Department Leadership Structure
The secretary is supported by senior officials who oversee different parts of the Department.
The Department’s current leadership directory lists Linda McMahon as secretary and Nicholas Kent as under secretary and delegated deputy secretary, along with assistant secretaries and other senior officials responsible for specific offices.
This structure allows the Department to manage different areas of federal education policy and administration.
The secretary provides overall leadership while other officials manage particular programs and organizational responsibilities.
Why the Position Matters
The secretary of education is important because federal education policy can affect millions of students, families, educators, and institutions.
The Department manages programs involving financial assistance, research, civil rights, education policy, and other federal responsibilities.
At the same time, the secretary’s influence has limits because education is largely administered by states and local communities.
Understanding both sides is important. The secretary has significant federal responsibilities, but the office does not function as a national school superintendent who controls every school.
Current Education Priorities
Current priorities can change as presidential administrations change. As of 2026, the Department’s official website highlights initiatives related to returning education responsibilities to states and local leaders, along with current federal education programs and initiatives.
The Department’s current public materials also show ongoing activity involving federal grants, higher education, student financial aid, civil rights, student privacy, and education programs.
When researching current priorities, it is useful to distinguish official announcements from historical descriptions of the office. A secretary’s current policy agenda represents the administration in office, while the underlying statutory responsibilities of the Department continue across administrations.
Key Points to Remember
The secretary of education leads the U.S. Department of Education.
The secretary is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
The secretary is a member of the president’s Cabinet.
As of September 2026, Linda E. McMahon is the U.S. Secretary of Education.
The federal government shares education responsibilities with states and local communities.
The Department administers and oversees federal education programs, including financial aid and education assistance.
The Department also has responsibilities involving research, data, civil rights, and educational access.
The secretary’s specific policy priorities can change between presidential administrations.
Tips for Understanding the Secretary of Education’s Role
When researching the secretary of education, start by separating federal responsibilities from state and local education responsibilities.
Check the date of information because the secretary is a political appointee and leadership can change after presidential administrations change.
Use official Department of Education sources when looking for current information about the secretary, Department programs, leadership, and announcements.
Distinguish between the secretary’s personal policy priorities and the permanent responsibilities established by federal law.
When evaluating an education policy, examine the specific program, law, regulation, or federal action involved rather than assuming that the secretary directly controls every part of education.
It is also useful to understand the Department’s organizational structure because many responsibilities are carried out through specialized offices rather than by the secretary personally.
Final Thoughts
The secretary of education is the leader of the U.S. Department of Education and one of the federal government’s most prominent officials responsible for education policy and administration. The position involves advising the president, overseeing Department activities, communicating federal education priorities, and supervising programs involving financial assistance, research, civil rights, and educational access. At the same time, American education remains highly decentralized, with states and local communities responsible for many decisions involving schools and curricula. Understanding this division of responsibilities provides a clearer picture of what the secretary can influence and what remains under state and local authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is the current Secretary of Education?
As of September 2026, Linda E. McMahon serves as the 13th United States Secretary of Education. She was sworn into office on March 3, 2025.
2. What does the Secretary of Education do?
The secretary leads the U.S. Department of Education, oversees its activities, and advises the president on federal education policies, programs, and activities.
3. How is the Secretary of Education chosen?
The president nominates the secretary, and the U.S. Senate must confirm the nominee before the person takes office.
4. Does the Secretary of Education control public schools?
No. Education in the United States is primarily a state and local responsibility. States and local communities make many decisions about schools, curricula, enrollment, and graduation requirements.
5. What does the Department of Education do?
The Department administers and oversees federal education programs, supports education research and data collection, administers financial assistance programs, addresses certain civil rights responsibilities, and participates in national education policy discussions.