WASHINGTON — Richard Culatta, CEO of The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), released the following statement on the nomination of Miguel Cardona for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

ISTE extends congratulations to Miguel Cardona on the nomination for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.  

Dr. Cardona is a proven education leader and lifelong champion of providing all students with a high-quality education. He is a big picture thinker who understands very well the intersection of policy and learning and the opportunities presented by stronger partnerships between K-12 and higher education. His experience working in and leading public education systems will serve him well.  

Throughout the pandemic, Dr. Cardona has demonstrated steadfast leadership — providing clear reopening guidance to schools while also trusting local superintendents and school board leaders. It’s that leadership, for example, that has helped the state of Connecticut quickly narrow the digital divide. Early in the pandemic, the state gave every K-12 student a laptop and tapped federal, state, and philanthropic funding to pay for families’ internet — a notable milestone in a state where census data show that as many as 40% of households lack home access. 

Our education system faces dual crises today; the tasks of addressing systemic equity gaps while tackling learning loss and continuity of instruction for all our children loom large. ISTE stands by ready to support Dr. Cardona and his team as they bring the same bold leadership around using technology to transform learning from Connecticut to the US Department of Education.