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Under Secretary
Company NameU.S. Department of Education
Dates EmployedJul 2009 – Dec 2013
Employment Duration4 yrs 6 mos
Martha J. Kanter was nominated by President Barack Obama on April 29, 2009 as the under secretary of education, and confirmed by the Senate on June 19, 2009. Kanter reported to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and oversaw policies, programs and activities related to postsecondary education, adult and career-technical education, federal student aid, and six White House Initiatives-Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Educational Excellence for Hispanics, Educational Excellence for African Americans, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
To spur education, economic growth and social prosperity, Kanter was charged with planning and policy responsibilities to implement President Obama's goal for the U.S. to have "the best educated, most competitive workforce in the world by 2020" as measured by the proportion of college graduates over the next decade. Under Secretary Kanter and her team were keenly focused on improving college access, affordability, quality and completion to implement President Obama's 2020 goal.
During Kanter's term, the successful implementation of the Direct Student Loan program resulted in a 50-percent increase in college enrollment, growing from 6 to 9 million students today who are Pell Grant recipients. Kanter and her team worked closely with postsecondary partners from across the nation to boost American innovation and competitiveness with an ambitious college completion agenda, teacher quality reforms, adult education program improvements, modernization of career-technical education and a partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor to distribute a $2 billion federal investment to increase quality, graduation and employment opportunities for community college students. Kanter was also committed to the expansion of Open Educational Resources for all, underscored numerous times by the President, Secretary of State and Secretary of Education. See less |