President-elect Trump announced on Saturday he has picked Penny Schwinn, the former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education, as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.
While in Tennessee, Schwinn oversaw the department’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, implemented Gov. Bill Lee‘s school voucher program and overhauled the state’s school funding formula, the Associated Press reported.
Schwinn previously worked at the Texas Education Agency as the deputy commissioner of standards and engagement, deputy commissioner of special populations and monitoring, and chief deputy commissioner of academics.
She was also the assistant secretary of education in Delaware.
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Trump congratulated Schwinn on Saturday in a post on Truth Social.
“A former teacher herself, Penny became the founding principal of a charter school, because she believes in the power of School Choice, and is committed to delivering the American Dream to the next Generation by returning Education BACK TO THE STATES,” Trump wrote. “Congratulations to Penny and her wonderful family!”
Schwinn holds a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins, and a Ph.D. from Claremont.
