Former U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona has joined the Yale School of Management faculty, despite ongoing criticism over his handling of national education policy during the Biden administration. Cardona will co-teach a course on education policy, even as U.S. student performance has reached historic lows under his watch.
Cardona will help lead an elective course titled “Education Policy” that focuses on public accountability, college access, and the return on educational investment. His appointment is part of Yale’s Broad Center programs, which are aimed at preparing education leaders to engage with underserved communities. According to Yale, Cardona’s experience from local superintendent to cabinet official offers students “a practitioner’s perspective” on policy.
The move has reignited scrutiny over Cardona’s track record. During his tenure, student achievement declined dramatically. The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores showed the steepest drop in U.S. math performance in over three decades. Reading scores also fell, with sharp declines among low-income and minority students—those Cardona claimed to prioritize.
Critics argue that Cardona prioritized ideological agendas over academics. His Department of Education promoted “equity-based” reforms while failing to address core learning losses caused by prolonged school closures. Conservative education leaders have pointed to Cardona’s support for keeping schools closed longer than necessary and pushing divisive curricula over reading and math basics.
Cardona’s new role at Yale is viewed by some as a reward for political loyalty rather than policy success. His leadership style reflected the broader progressive education approach championed by the Biden administration, one that many parents and local officials have blamed for worsening learning outcomes and undermining parental rights.
