Penny Schwinn, President Trump's nominee for Deputy Secretary of Education, told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that she believes "when the money is closest to the child, when the decisions are closest to the child, we can best serve the child." She described an outcomes‑focused approach that gives states flexibility and emphasized literacy and workforce pathways.

"We must empower states, expand choice, and raise reading outcomes," Schwinn said, and cited Tennessee's results under her leadership: statewide literacy gains, expanded dual‑credit and credential access, and a larger set of STEM and career‑tech options. She pledged to "tirelessly work" for students and described a focus on implementation and transparency.

Senators pressed Schwinn on multiple operational issues. Senator Patty Murray raised the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) missing its statutory June 1 deadline for the annual Condition of Education report after staff reductions and canceled contracts; Murray said NCES had been "decimated" and asked whether Schwinn would ensure NCES fulfills statutory duties including administration of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Schwinn answered that, "If confirmed, I will absolutely ensure that we follow all of the laws that you all have passed, and certainly want to, reinforce our commitment to NAEP, and its full execution."

Senators also asked about implementation of the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Schwinn said she would prioritize statutory obligations and work with Congress and states to improve monitoring and outcomes; she agreed to discuss public reporting of monitoring findings with Secretary McMahon and the committee. Lawmakers flagged Government Accountability Office findings that fewer than half of identified schools had compliant improvement plans and that the department had reviewed only three of five states so far in the year.

Several senators raised resources for early identification of dyslexia and interventions. Schwinn described Tennessee's approach of including dyslexia characteristics in state funding formulas, increasing early assessment and training teachers, and said the federal role should be to share best practices across states. She said high‑dosage tutoring and targeted ESSER investments had produced measurable returns in Tennessee.

Senators criticized recent departmental program changes. Schwinn acknowledged that some grant programs were being rebid and said she would work with the secretary and Congress on implementation; she committed to "working to have an efficient, effective, and outcomes oriented department." Senator Maggie Hassan and others pressed her about cancelled funding for grants to expand access to student mental‑health services, which they said disrupted local programs.

Why it matters: As deputy secretary, Schwinn would help implement federal education law and decide how the department distributes funding and technical assistance; senators described potential changes in priorities and asked whether the department can meet statutory monitoring and reporting duties after staffing reductions. Schwinn repeatedly emphasized empowering states, improving fidelity of implementation, and elevating the science of reading as central priorities.

The hearing included follow‑up questions for the record; Schwinn did not receive a committee confirmation vote on the day of the hearing.