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Delaware Secretary of Education

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Delaware Secretary of Education

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General information
Office Type:  Nonpartisan
Office website:  Official Link
Compensation:  $173,407
2025 FY Budget:  $2,179,866,000
Term limits:  None
Structure
Length of term:   Serves at the pleasure of the governor
Authority:  Delaware Code, 14-1-102
Selection Method:  Appointed by the governor
Current Officeholder(s)

Delaware Secretary of Education Cynthia Marten
Nonpartisan
Assumed office: January 29, 2025

Other Delaware Executive Offices
GovernorLieutenant GovernorSecretary of StateAttorney GeneralTreasurerAuditorSecretary of EducationAgriculture SecretaryInsurance CommissionerNatural Resources SecretaryLabor SecretaryPublic Service Commission

The Delaware Secretary of Education is a state executive position in the Delaware state government. The secretary is the administrative head of the Delaware Department of Education, which oversees the state's public school system.

Current officeholder

The current Delaware Secretary of Education is Cynthia Marten (nonpartisan). Marten assumed office in 2025.

Authority

The office of secretary is established by state law.[1]

Delaware Code, 14-1-102

(a) The administrator and head of the Department shall be the Secretary of Education...

Qualifications

The secretary must have five years of cumulative experience in teaching and administration. Additionally, the secretary must become a resident of the state within 6 months of appointment.[1]

Delaware Code, 14-1-102

The administrator and head of the Department shall be the Secretary of Education, who shall be a graduate of an accredited college and shall have not less than 5 years' experience in teaching and administration, with experience in each such category.

Delaware Code, 14-1-103

The Secretary of Education shall become a bona fide resident of the State within 6 months after the Secretary's appointment; provided, however, that upon good cause shown, the Governor may grant an additional extension of 6 months.

Appointments

The secretary is appointed by the Governor of Delaware and confirmed by a majority vote of the state Senate. He serves at the pleasure of the governor.

Term limits

There are no term limits associated with the office of secretary of education.

Vacancies

In case of a vacancy, the governor appoints either the deputy secretary or associate secretary as acting secretary until new permanent officeholder is selected.[2] The acting secretary has all the powers and duties of a permanent secretary.

Duties

The secretary is the administrative head of the Delaware Department of Education, and is responsible for implementing the policies and regulations made by the state Board of Education. State law empowers the secretary to appoint and fix the salary of subordinates, establish and change the department's subdivisions, and perform other administrative duties.[3]

Divisions

As of January 14, 2021, divisions within the Department of Education included:[4]

  • Early Childhood Support
  • Office of Equity and Innovation
  • Chief of Staff/Policy Analyst
  • Performance Support
  • Academic Support
  • Student Support
  • Educator Support
  • Operations Support

State budget

See also: Delaware state budget and finances

The budget for the Department of Education in the Fiscal Year 2025 was $2,179,866,000.[5]

Compensation

See also: Compensation of state executive officers

The secretary's compensation is determined by law.

2023

In 2023, the officer's salary was $173,407, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $170,007, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]

2021

In 2021, the secretary received a salary of $165,055, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]

2020

In 2020, the secretary received a salary of $164,055 according to the Council of State Governments.[9]

2019

In 2019, the secretary received a salary of $164,055 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]

2018

In 2018, the secretary received a salary of $160,645 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]

2017

In 2017, the secretary received a salary of $160,645 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]

2016

In 2016, the secretary received a salary of $160,645 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]

2015

In 2015, the secretary received a salary of $160,645 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]

2014

In 2014, the secretary of education was paid an estimated $160,145. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.[15]

2013

In 2013, the secretary of education was paid an estimated $160,145. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.

2012

In 2012, the secretary of education was paid an estimated $158,599. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.

2010

In 2010, the secretary of education was paid an estimated $151,565. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.[16]

Historical officeholders

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Delaware Secretary of Education has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Delaware Secretary of Education. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Contact info

Delaware

Address:
The Townsend Building
401 Federal Street, Suite 2
Dover, DE 19901
Phone: (302) 735-4000

See also

Delaware State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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Delaware State Executive Offices
Delaware State Legislature
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Party control of state government
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State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Delaware Code, "14-1-102," accessed January 14, 2021
  2. Delaware Code, "14-1-102," accessed January 14, 2021
  3. Delaware Code, "14-1-103," accessed January 14, 2021
  4. Delaware Department of Education, "Organizational Chart," accessed January 14, 2021
  5. Delaware General Assembly, "Senate Bill 325," accessed January 16, 2025
  6. Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
  7. Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
  8. Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
  9. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed January 14, 2021
  10. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 14, 2021
  11. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 14, 2021
  12. Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 14, 2021
  13. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
  14. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
  15. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
  16. The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2010 -- Table 4.11," accessed August 11, 2011