President Biden’s education secretary, Miguel Cardona, is marking his first year in office. And what a year it has been – not just for the federal agency but for schools, educators, students, and families. The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Eric Kelderman and Education Week’s Andrew Ujifusa look at the highs and lows of Cardona’s first year at the helm of the federal agency. How has Cardona fared as a crisis manager amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including his role facilitating how states spend their federal relief funds? What grades would he get from the nation’s teachers, college leaders, and parents? Where will he focus his attention in his second year? (Hints: Expect a big push to support students' mental health and well-being, plus improving college access and affordability). And how does Cardon's approach to the job differ from his predecessor Betsy DeVos, who in many ways was his polar opposite?