Senator Vin Gopal Meets With US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Discusses Initiatives With State Education Chairs

OCEAN TOWNSHIP – Senate Education Committee Chair Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth, met with U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and education chairs from across the country Friday for a wide-ranging discussion on efforts to improve public education throughout the United States.

The discussion included education chairs from more than a dozen states and touched on efforts to improve student academic achievement, provide in-school mental health services, recruit educators, and create sustainable school funding solutions.

“Friday’s discussion was an important reminder that many of the critical issues facing New Jersey’s education system are being experienced nationwide,” Gopal said. “The opportunity to discuss strategies for tackling these issues with Secretary Cardona and legislative leaders from other states was invaluable and I’m extremely grateful to have been invited.”

Secretary Cardona said he hoped the discussion, which was organized in partnership with the National Conference of State Legislatures, would establish lasting partnerships among legislative leaders from across states.

“I learned a tremendous amount from Secretary Cardona and my fellow education chairs,” Gopal said. “And I’m looking forward to keeping the conversation going.”