Education nominee pledges new guidance, more virus testing

President Joe Biden's nominee for education secretary is pledging to counter the “frustration and distrust and fear” about reopening schools in the middle of a pandemic with clear guidance, expanded virus testing and a call for teachers to be prioritized in vaccine rollout plans.

But Miguel Cardona stopped short at a Senate hearing Wednesday of saying that all teachers should receive vaccines before being asked to return to the classroom, a demand being made by some teachers unions.

“We have great examples throughout our country of schools that have been able to reopen safely,” Cardona told the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Cardona, 45, was questioned by senators on a range of topics before an expected confirmation vote. Washington Sen. Patty Murray, who leads the committee, said she plans to move quickly to bring Cardona's nomination to a vote by the committee and the full Senate.

If approved, Cardona would oversee an Education Department that employs thousands and has an annual budget of more than $60 billion. He would also oversee the agency’s $1.5 trillion student loan portfolio.

But his most pressing job would be to coordinate a national effort to open schools. Biden has pledged to have most of the country’s K-8 schools within his first 100 days in office, and he is asking Congress for $130 billion to help make it happen.

Cardona said the administration will release new guidance based on scientific evidence to help schools make decisions. He also emphasized the need for more surveillance testing to detect the coronavirus among teachers and other employees.

But Cardona did not side with teachers unions in Chicago and other districts that say all teachers should receive vaccines before schools open. He said they should be...