Penny Schwinn

Penny Schwinn was named Tennessee Education Commissioner in January 2019 and continues to focus on accelerating achievement and opportunity for all students. Under the department’s strategic plan, Best for All, Schwinn launched a comprehensive statewide reading strategy (Reading 360); the largest state tutoring initiative in the country (TN ALL Corps); robust Grow Your Own programming, including a first in the nation federal apprenticeship for teaching; Innovative School Models to redesign the high school experience; and a new, student-based funding formula. Schwinn most recently served as the Chief Deputy Commissioner in Texas and Assistant Secretary of Education in Delaware. She holds an undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley, a Masters from Johns Hopkins University, and a PhD from Claremont Graduate University.