Cardon’s Perspective as Former English Learner Could Drive Direction at Education Department
January 18, 2021
If confirmed, President JoeBiden’s pick for education secretary, Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, would bring a perspective previously unseen in the role – that of a student whose first language was Spanish and who learned English primarily at school. As a former English learner, writes Kevin Carey for the New York Times, Cardona will be tasked with ensuring that states have the resources – and the urging – needed to meet their promises, as defined by individual state plans required by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, to identify and support the nation’s increasing number of English learners. Some of the actions Cardona’s department could take on behalf of English learners, Carey says, could include improving teacher preparation and training, developing new digital tools for students, and potentially helping to scale innovations that occur in successful districts and schools.