Senate Confirms John B. King Jr. ’07 as Education Secretary

The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of John B. King Jr. ’07 to be Secretary of Education on March 15, 2016. King has served as Acting Education Secretary since December 2015, when former Secretary Arne Duncan stepped down from the permanent post.

King was named senior adviser to Mr. Duncan in 2015. Before that, he was the education commissioner of New York State.

In tapping him to lead the Department, President Obama called Dr. King "an exceptionally talented educator," citing his commitment to "preparing every child for success" and his lifelong dedication to education as a teacher, principal, and leader of schools and school systems.

King is a Brooklyn native who often credits teachers with guiding him toward a successful path after he was orphaned at age 12. A former charter school leader in Boston and New York, he joined the Education Department after serving as commissioner of education for the state of New York.

Dr. King earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Harvard University, a Master of Arts in the teaching of social studies from Columbia University's Teachers College, a J.D. from Yale Law School, and a Doctor of Education degree in educational administrative practice from Columbia University's Teachers College. King was a 1995 Truman Scholar and received the James Madison Memorial Fellowship for secondary-level teaching of American history, American government, and social studies. Prior to joining the Department, in February 2011, Dr. King was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to serve on the U.S. Department of Education's Equity and Excellence Commission. In addition, Dr. King served on the board of New Leaders for New Schools from 2005 to 2009, and is a 2008 Aspen Institute-New Schools Entrepreneurial Leaders for Public Education Fellow.

For his leadership on issues of educational equity, King has been honored with the Ann S. Kheel Award from the New York Urban League, the Eugene M. Lang Lifetime Achievement Award from the "I Have A Dream" Foundation, the New York Immigration Coalition Builders of the "New" New York Award, and the Robin Hood Foundation Heroes Award.