The Virginia Secretary of Education is a cabinet-level position that serves as the Governor’s senior advisor on every part of the Commonwealth’s education system, from K-12 public schools through higher education and the state’s major cultural institutions. The job is not ceremonial. The secretary can resolve disputes between agencies, direct budget preparation, and shape policy across every level of public education in Virginia.
What the Secretary Oversees
Virginia Code § 2.2-208 establishes the position and assigns responsibility for ten specific agencies and institutions:1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 2.2-208 – Position Established; Agencies for Which Responsible; Powers and Duties
- Department of Education, which manages the K-12 public school system across Virginia’s counties and independent cities
- State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), which coordinates policy for public and private colleges and universities
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
- Science Museum of Virginia
- Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia
- Library of Virginia
- Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
- Board of Regents of Gunston Hall
- Commission for the Arts
- Board of Visitors of the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind
The Governor can reassign any of these agencies to a different secretary, or add new ones to the education portfolio, by executive order.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 2.2-208 – Position Established; Agencies for Which Responsible; Powers and Duties In practice the secretariat’s reach extends further than the statutory list. The Governor’s office describes it as also providing guidance to the Virginia Community College System and the Commonwealth’s 16 public universities, 23 community colleges, five higher education research centers, and seven state-funded arts and cultural institutions.2Governor of Virginia. Cabinet
Statutory Powers and Duties
Supervision is only part of the job. Unless the Governor expressly reserves a particular power, the secretary can resolve administrative, jurisdictional, or policy conflicts between any of the agencies under the education umbrella. When the Department of Education and SCHEV disagree on a policy that spans K-12 and higher education, the secretary has statutory authority to settle it. The secretary can also provide policy direction for any program that involves more than one agency.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 2.2-208 – Position Established; Agencies for Which Responsible; Powers and Duties
On the budget side, the secretary can direct the preparation of alternative policies, plans, and budgets for education on the Governor’s behalf, and can require any supervised agency to assist in that work. The secretary is specifically required to lead the creation of a comprehensive program budget for cultural affairs covering all agencies in that area.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 2.2-208 – Position Established; Agencies for Which Responsible; Powers and Duties
The secretary must also consult with all supervised agencies and submit a biennial report to the General Assembly on how well those agencies are coordinating with each other. That reporting requirement forces regular evaluation of whether the education portfolio is operating as an integrated system rather than a collection of independent entities.
How the Secretary Is Appointed
The Governor appoints the Secretary of Education directly, and the appointment is subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. If the legislature is in session when the appointment is made, confirmation happens during that session. If not, it is taken up at the next session.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 2.2-200 – Appointment of Governor’s Secretaries; General Powers; Severance Before taking office, the secretary takes an oath to faithfully carry out the duties of the position.
The secretary serves at the Governor’s pleasure for a term that runs alongside the Governor’s own term, or until a successor is appointed and qualified. A new Governor can replace the secretary immediately upon taking office. If the General Assembly refuses to confirm a nominee, that person cannot continue serving and is ineligible for reappointment during the legislative recess.4Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 2.2-105 – Appointments to Office; Effect of Refusal to Confirm by the General Assembly Any severance benefits provided to a departing secretary must be publicly announced by the Governor before departure.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 2.2-200 – Appointment of Governor’s Secretaries; General Powers; Severance
How the Secretary Differs From the Board of Education
The Secretary of Education and the Virginia Board of Education are distinct bodies with separate authority. The Board consists of nine members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the General Assembly, and it operates as the constitutionally established policymaking body for K-12 public education. The Board sets educational standards, approves regulations, and oversees the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who runs the Department of Education’s day-to-day operations.
The secretary’s relationship to the Board is one of coordination rather than direct control. Because the Department of Education sits under the secretary’s statutory oversight, the secretary shapes the policy environment in which the Board operates and serves as the primary channel between the Board and the Governor’s office. When the Governor wants to advance a particular education initiative, the secretary is typically the person who works with Board members to build support and align it with existing standards and regulations.
Ethics and Financial Disclosure
Like all cabinet members, the Secretary of Education must meet Virginia’s conflict-of-interest and financial transparency standards. Before assuming office, the secretary files a Statement of Economic Interests, and must continue filing annually by February 1. These filings are governed by Virginia Code §§ 2.2-3114 and 2.2-3116, along with the Governor’s Executive Order on ethics, and all filings must be submitted electronically through the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council’s online system.5Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council. Conflict of Interest
Cabinet members also submit a Session Gift Report each year, due by May 1, covering any gifts received from January 1 through the adjournment of the regular General Assembly session. The report cannot be signed or submitted before the session adjourns.5Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council. Conflict of Interest