Governor-elect Matt Meyer to Nominate Cindy Marten to be Delaware’s Next Secretary of Education
Marten has spent her career advocating for policies and practices that help all students succeed, particularly those from historically underserved communities. Her appointment reflects Governor-elect Meyer’s continued dedication to transforming Delaware’s educational system to ensure every child, regardless of background or zip code, has access to a high-quality education.
“I am honored to join Governor-elect Meyer’s team and help lead Delaware’s public schools into a new era,” said Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten. “I believe deeply in the power of education to change lives, and I am committed to working with teachers, parents, students, and communities to ensure all of Delaware’s children receive a world-class education.”
Marten has had a distinguished career as both a teacher and an administrator. As the Deputy Secretary of Education, she is responsible for K-12 initiatives while serving as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing a $230-billion budget and more than 4,000 federal employees. She has over 15 years of experience as a classroom teacher. She served as Superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District, the second-largest school district in California, for eight years, where she successfully implemented policies to close opportunity gaps, support educators, and increase graduation rates. Throughout her career, she has championed community engagement, student-centered learning, and the empowerment of educators as key drivers of success. Marten is also a strong proponent of multilingual education.
Stephanie Ingram, President of the Delaware State Education Association, which represents over 12,000 classroom teachers, specialists, and education support professionals:
“I am grateful to Governor-elect Meyer for providing DSEA an opportunity to sit down with Deputy Secretary Marten to discuss her approach, philosophy, and experience as a classroom teacher, literary specialist, principal, and superintendent. Deputy Secretary Marten’s substantial record of working collaboratively with educators and families to improve public education earned her high marks from the National Education Association and other pro-union organizations that have had an opportunity to work with her.
Based on our conversations, I believe Deputy Secretary Marten will quickly become a strong partner for public educators as we continue working to raise educator pay, improve school climates, reform Delaware’s antiquated and inequitable education funding formula, and ensure all students have an opportunity to succeed.”
Delaware State Representative Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha (HD-1):
“Cindy Marten is the right leader to deliver for Delawarean families at the right time. It’s time that we turn the page on antiquated funding formulas, district referendums, and other failed/outdated tactics that caused our public school rankings to plummet. Delaware can and must do better for the next generation, and by serving as Secretary of Education to Governor Meyer, I’m confident Cindy will be the catalyst to create the change we need.”
Freeman L. Williams Ed.D., Retired Superintendent, Christina School District:
“Governor-elect Meyer understands that our Black and Brown students have historically been underserved and that every student deserves the resources to learn, grow, and thrive. With his choice of Cindy Marten, a national leader in developing equitable educational practices, we will continue the work of creating opportunities for Delaware students, regardless of where they attend school.”
Fleur McKendell, President of the Delaware NAACP State Conference of Branches:
“Delaware’s education system is in urgent need of a leader who can deliver transformative change, as we are at a pivotal moment where our students, teachers, and families are counting on bold action to address long-standing inequities and improve outcomes across the board. This is not a time for small adjustments—it is a time for an overhaul of the systems and practices that have left too many of our children behind. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten brings a wealth of experience, and I am hopeful that she will bring a fresh perspective, innovative solutions, and an unwavering commitment to equity-driven policies that ensure marginalized students are at the center of the education reform we so desperately need.
I look forward to seeing her leadership in action and am not only committed but also eager to work collaboratively with Governor-elect Matt Meyer and his administration to fundamentally transform and strengthen Delaware’s public education system into one that, regardless of zip code or background, guarantees every student has access to an excellent education that prepares them for a bright future.”
Linda Darling Hammond, President of the Learning Policy Institute and Professor Emeritus at Stanford:
“Cindy Marten will be a strong, effective leader who will be able to address all of the education issues facing Delaware public schools, including the urgent need for an equitable funding system. Our research showed that, As superintendent in San Diego, she led her district to become a positive outlier, beating the state in student achievement for all student groups, especially the most vulnerable. She is an outstanding choice for the students, teachers, and parents of Delaware.”
Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell, Board Chair of Women Leading Ed and Superintendent of Oakland Unified School District:
“The nomination of Cindy Marten as Delaware’s next Secretary of Education is a win for the state’s students, families, educators, and communities. Throughout her career, Cindy has demonstrated a powerful commitment to ensuring that every student has access to the resources and opportunities necessary for success. Leadership as both a teacher and superintendent has instilled in her a deep understanding of the real challenges faced by students and educators alike, and the great promise of both.
I’ve witnessed firsthand her passion for fostering environments where students are encouraged to reach their fullest potential, regardless of their background or circumstances. Across her career, her work to close achievement gaps and support educators, has left lasting impacts on the communities she has served. As she steps into this new role, I am confident that Cindy will bring her bold vision for progress and innovation to ensure that every child is prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”
Mike Casserly, Strategic Advisor, The Council of Great City Schools:
“Every place Cindy Marten goes, school students are better off. You saw it in the classrooms where she taught, the schools she ran, and the big city district she led. And you saw it at the U.S. Department of Education. Now that she has been nominated for Delaware Secretary of Education, parents can expect a powerhouse leader for higher student achievement and intelligent reform. The state is lucky to have the most experienced and effective educational leader in the nation.”
Cynthia “Cindy” Marten was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Deputy Secretary on May 11, 2021. Before joining the Department of Education, Marten served as the superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District from 2013 to 2021. She has spent 34 years as an educator, holding various roles of increasing responsibility as a teacher, literacy specialist, vice principal, and principal. She is the author of “Word Crafting: Teaching Spelling, Grades K-6,” which places an emphasis on literacy as a key to students’ success.
As superintendent, she directed the implementation of the district’s Vision 2020 commitment to a meaningful graduation for all students, with the district achieving the highest graduation rate among big-city districts in California and the fastest reading growth of large urban districts nationwide in 2019.
In addition to her emphasis on academics, Marten has been a champion for health and wellness, implementing an award-winning wellness policy for staff and students. Under her leadership, San Diego Unified received Gold Recognition in the American Heart Association’s Workplace Health Achievement Index for efforts to support employee wellness, and multiple San Diego Unified schools received the “America’s Healthiest Schools” award from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
Before being appointed superintendent, Marten worked for ten years at Central Elementary School in City Heights, one of San Diego’s most ethnically diverse and economically challenged school communities. As a teacher, instructional leader, and later principal, she established a commitment to educating the whole child through an emphasis on social and emotional learning and the arts combined with academic rigor.
Governor-elect Matt Meyer is a former public school math teacher and small business owner who has served as New Castle County Executive since 2017. As the leader of Delaware’s largest local government, Matt has proven that government can still work for the people– delivering real results for real people and making real progress for Delaware’s working families. Gov-elect Meyer will bring that same result-driven leadership across our state by creating an effective government that reflects our values and priorities.
From Wilmington to Kenya and Iraq: Growing up in Delaware, Matt attended schools in the Brandywine School District, followed by Wilmington Friends School, and then studied Computer Science & Political Science at Brown University. He then moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where he learned Swahili and created Ecosandals, a recycled footwear company that sold environmentally friendly footwear to customers in 17 countries on five continents. Matt subsequently spent 12 months in Mosul, Iraq, as a diplomat embedded with the United States Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
