FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Howie Berman
703.894.2900 ext. 106
ACTFL applauds President-elect Joe Biden on his nomination of Dr. Miguel Cardona, the current Commissioner of Education in Connecticut, as the next Secretary of Education.
Dr. Cardona has a proven track record in Connecticut as an elementary school teacher, a principal, an assistant superintendent, and as the state’s top education official. At 28, he became Connecticut’s youngest principal and was named Principal of the Year in 2012. Cardona also taught for four years as an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education, his alma mater.
The son of parents who came to the U.S. from Puerto Rico when they were children, Cardona, an English language learner, has focused on issues like closing academic achievement and connectivity gaps among learners and increasing diversity in the teacher workforce. This year, Connecticut became the first state in the nation to provide a device to every PK-12 student in need, a major milestone in any year, but especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Miguel Cardona’s professional and personal experiences make him uniquely qualified to lead the Department of Education”, said Howie Berman, ACTFL Executive Director. “He understands the wide-ranging needs of diverse educators and learners, and has a proven track record supporting bilingual and multicultural education.”
Jessica Haxhi, Supervisor of World Languages for New Haven, CT Public Schools and the incoming ACTFL President added, “As a fellow Connecticut educator, I’m excited for the opportunity to work with Dr. Cardona and the Department of Education this coming year to ensure that all students in the U.S. have access to quality language education.”