NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Penny Schwinn as his pick for U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education on Saturday.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced his reasonings for appointing Schwinn to the position.
The statement read in part,
Penny has a strong record of delivering results for children and families. She previously served as the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education and, 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 of Delaware, and holds a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins, as well as a Ph.D. from Claremont.
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.
Donald Trump
Schwinn previously worked under Gov. Bill Lee as the Tennessee Commissioner of Education from 2019 to 2023. Her role included overseeing the department’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, implementing the governor’s controversial school voucher program and overhauling the state’s school funding formula. Gov. Bill Lee responded to the announcement in a statement on Facebook.
Donald J. Trump has made another strong choice to further his education agenda —delivering school choice & finally returning power back to the states.
Penny is a true conservative with a brilliant mind for education. Tennessee benefited from her service & now our country will.
Gov. Bill Lee
According to the Department of Education, the position of Deputy Secretary “focuses on the development and implementation of policies, programs, and activities relating to elementary and secondary education matters.”
*The Associated Press contributed to this report
