Penny Schwinn
Penny Schwinn | |
|---|---|
| Tennessee Commissioner of Education | |
| Assumed office February 1, 2019 | |
| Appointed by | Bill Lee |
| Preceded by | Lyle Alishie (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1982 (age 39) Sacramento, California |
| Spouse | Paul Schwinn |
| Education | |
Penny Schwinn is an American educator and current Commissioner of Education for the U.S. state of Tennessee.[1] She was appointed by Governor Bill Lee on January 17, 2019,[2] and was sworn in on February 1, 2019.[1]
Early life and education
Schwinn was born and raised in Sacramento, California. Her mother was an educator for low-income students in Sacramento for nearly 40 years. Many of her extended family are also educators.[3] Prior to graduating high school, she went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, then Master of Arts in Teaching from Johns Hopkins University, and her PhD in Education Policy from Claremont Graduate University.[4]
Career
Schwinn began her career in education as a high school history and economics teacher in Baltimore, Maryland. She also has been involved in education in South Los Angeles and has worked in the private sector. She then served on the board of education for Sacramento County, California.[5] Prior to being a principal and board member, she served as the Assistant Secretary of Education of Delaware. She later served as the Deputy Commissioner of Standards and Engagement, Deputy Commissioner of Special Populations and Monitoring, and Chief Deputy Commissioner of Academics at the Texas Education Agency. In 2019, she left the agency, after being appointed by Governor Bill Lee to become the next Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education.[4] She was sworn in on February 1, 2019.
Personal life
Schwinn is married to Paul Schwinn, who is also an educator and has worked with multiple educational institutions and advocacy groups.[3] She has three children, two of whom are students in Tennessee public schools.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "About the Commissioner". www.tn.gov. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ Gonzales, Jason. "Gov.-elect Bill Lee taps reform advocate Penny Schwinn as new Tennessee education commissioner". The Tennessean. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ a b "Six things to know about Penny Schwinn, Tennessee's new education commissioner". Chalkbeat Tennessee. 2019-02-01. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ a b "Penny Schwinn". Tennessee Board of Regents. 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
- ^ "Penny Schwinn -- Area 5". KCRA. 2012-06-02. Retrieved 2022-09-24.