Miguel A. Cardona, the former commissioner of education in Connecticut, became the U.S. Secretary of Education on March 2, 2021, taking office in the midst of an historic pandemic that had profoundly reshaped the nation's schools. In his initial months on the job, Cardona- also a one-time public school teacher and principal--has focused closely on school reopenings and championed equity as a central education priority. In addition, he has been charged with overseeing the unprecedented $130 billion federal investment in K--12 schools provided in the American Rescue Plan. In the interview presented in this article, "Educational Leadership" asked Secretary Cardona about the challenges and opportunities facing schools and educators as they embark on this pivotal school year.