President-elect Donald Trump picked Linda McMahon, a business and wrestling executive and former administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), to lead the Education Department. Most recently, McMahon served as co-chair of Trump’s transition team.
From 2017-2019, McMahon served as the SBA administrator. During her tenure, she focused on promoting small business growth and frequently traveled the country talking with small business owners touting the effects of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. She left the Administration in 2019 to help create the American First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank that’s been closely involved in planning for the second term.
McMahon’s education experience includes serving on the Connecticut State Board of Education in 2009. She is also a trustee at Sacred Heart University, a private Catholic school in Fairfield, Connecticut.
In his announcement of McMahon, President-elect Trump said that McMahon will bring decades of leadership experience as well as a “deep understanding of both Education and Business” to empower the next generation of students and workers. The president-elect also reiterated his desire to give states more control of education systems.
One potential focus of McMahon could be short-term Pell. In a September op-ed, McMahon advocated for the expansion of Pell Grants for short-term training programs. In the piece she states, “many degree programs have lost sight of their mission. And their one-size-fits-all solution to workforce development has become outdated. Our educational system must offer clear and viable pathways to the American Dream aside from four-year degrees.”
As McMahon’s nomination moves through the Senate, ACTE will keep you updated on the latest developments.
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