Tennessee’s education commissioner Penny Schwinn announced Monday that she will be stepping down. Appointed by Gov. Bill Lee in 2019, Schwinn has led the state’s education department through its COVID-19 response, a new education funding formula, the governor's controversial Education Savings Account program and more — though she’s faced significant criticism along the way.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have voiced concern about Scwhinn and her leadership of the department. Notably, Tennessee Republicans expressed frustration that Schwinn didn’t collaborate with them enough or properly adhere to certain state processes. In 2020, Chalkbeat Tennessee reported that lawmakers were upset about a $2.5 million voucher-related contract that the TDOE pushed through without a competitive bid process or legislative review. They also criticized Scwinn’s plan for a million-dollar program that would’ve checked on students at home during the pandemic. (That program never happened.) In 2021, some raised questions about a conflict of interest surrounding an $8 million contract with an education group that Scwhinn’s husband worked for.
Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds will replace Schwinn as education commissioner this summer. With a background in education policy at both the state and federal levels, Gonzalez Reynolds is currently vice president of policy for ExcelinEd, a nonpartisan, pro-voucher education think tank founded by Jeb Bush.
“Lizzette’s significant education policy expertise and leadership make her well-suited to continue our work to deliver a high-quality education and expand school choice for Tennessee students,” Lee says via a press release. “I welcome her to Tennessee and appreciate her service to students, families and teachers across the state.”
Schwinn will step down at the end of the current school year. The TDOE’s current deputy commissioner of operations, Sam Pearcy, will serve as the interim education commissioner until Gonzalez Reynolds begins on July 1.
