At his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday, President Joe Biden s secretary of education nominee, Miguel Cardona , was largely praised by Democratic and Republican lawmakers, who said they would work to confirm him quickly, as schools continue to flounder due to the challenges of COVID-19 .

Cardona, who most recently served as the commissioner of education for the state of Connecticut, told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that he would work to safely reopen schools for in-person education.

Our nations education challenges didnt begin with the pandemic, but it has exacerbated inequities in our educational system. These inequities will endure, and prevent the potential of this great country, unless tackled head-on, Cardona said during his opening remarks. And so it is our responsibility, and it would be my greatest privilege, if confirmed, to forge opportunity out of this crisis.

When Cardonas nomination was announced in December , he was cheered by both teachers unions and education reform groups, two factions that are often at odds. Before becoming Connecticuts top education official, he spent a long career as a teacher, a principal and one-time Connecticut principal of the year and school district administrator, after becoming the first in his family to graduate from college.

As education commissioner in Connecticut, Cardona pushed schools to reopen in-person for students in fall 2020 without alienating teachers or families, highlighting his ability to find consensus while making difficult decisions. Biden has said that he wants to reopen most K-8 schools within the first 100 days of his presidency.

Cardona suggested that he did not believe that teachers and students would have to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in order to safely return to school, although he added that he thinks educators should be prioritized for vaccination.

I recognize the frustration and distrust and fear that is out there, he said, noting that he would emphasize contact tracing and surveillance to ensure safety when reopening schools. We have examples throughout our country of schools that are able to reopen safely and do so while following mitigation strategies.