U.S. Secretary of Education

Secretary of Education of the United States of America
Seal of the Department of Education
Flag of the Secretary of Education
Incumbent Betsy DeVos since February 7, 2017
United States Department of Education
Style	Madam Secretary
Reports to	The President
Seat	Washington, D.C.
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Constituting instrument	20 U.S.C. § 3411
Formation	November 30, 1979
First holder	Shirley Hufstedler
Succession	Sixteenth
Deputy	Deputy Secretary of Education
Salary	Executive Schedule, level 1
Website	www.ed.gov

The United States Secretary of Education is the head of the U.S. Department of Education. The Secretary advises the President on federal policies, programs, and activities related to education in the United States. As a member of the President's Cabinet, this Secretary is fifteenth in the line of succession to the presidency.

The United States Secretary of Education is a member of the President's Cabinet and is the fifteenth in the United States presidential line of succession. This Secretary deals with federal influence over education policy, and heads the U.S. Department of Education.

The Secretary is advised by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, an advisory committee, on "matters related to accreditation and to the eligibility and certification process for institutions of higher education."

  Democratic (5)   Republican (6)

As of March 2017, there are eight living former Secretaries of Education, the oldest being Lauro Cavazos (served 1988–1990, born 1927). The most recent Secretary of Education to die was Shirley Hufstedler (served 1979–1981, born 1925) on March 30, 2016. The most recently serving Secretary to die was Terrel Bell (served 1981–1985, born 1921) on June 22, 1996.