DELAWARE — Governor-elect Matt Meyer announced Wednesday his nomination of Cindy Marten, the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, as Delaware’s next Secretary of Education. Marten, who has a career in education spanning over three decades, brings experience as a teacher, principal, superintendent and national policymaker.
“Cindy Marten is a proven leader with a deep understanding of the challenges that students and educators face. She has spent her career working to ensure every student has the tools and resources they need to thrive,” said Governor-elect Matt Meyer.
Marten served as superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District for eight years before joining the Biden administration. During her tenure, she implemented policies that narrowed opportunity gaps, increased graduation rates and expanded support for multilingual education. At the U.S. Department of Education, Marten managed a $230 billion budget, focusing on K-12 initiatives as the agency’s Chief Operating Officer.
"I am honored to join Governor-elect Meyer’s team and help lead Delaware’s public schools into a new era," said Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten. "I believe deeply in the power of education to change lives, and I am committed to working with teachers, parents, students, and communities to ensure all of Delaware’s children receive a world-class education."
Governor-elect Meyer has outlined a reform agenda aimed at transforming Delaware’s public schools. Key priorities include:
- Overhauling the state’s school funding formula to address inequities
- Expanding universal pre-K and early childhood education access
- Increasing teacher pay to combat shortages and improve working conditions
- Investing in technology and modernized classrooms
Marten’s nomination has received widespread praise from Delaware education leaders, lawmakers, and national experts.
Stephanie Ingram, President of the Delaware State Education Association, which represents over 12,000 classroom teachers, specialists, and education support professionals said, "I believe Deputy Secretary Marten will quickly become a strong partner for public educators as we continue working to raise educator pay, improve school climates, reform Delaware’s antiquated and inequitable education funding formula, and ensure all students have an opportunity to succeed."
State Rep. Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha said, “Cindy Marten is the right leader to deliver for Delawarean families at the right time. It's time that we turn the page on antiquated funding formulas, district referendums, and other failed/outdated tactics that caused our public school rankings to plummet."