Penny Schwinn

Schwinn was born and raised in Sacramento, California. Her mother was an educator for low-income students in Sacramento for nearly 40 years. Many of her extended family are also educators.[3] After graduating high school, she went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, then Master of Arts in Teaching from Johns Hopkins University, and her PhD in Education Policy from Claremont Graduate University.[4]

Schwinn began her career in education as a high school history and economics teacher in Baltimore, Maryland. She also has been involved in education in South Los Angeles and has worked in the private sector. She then served on the board of education for Sacramento County, California.[5] After being a principal and board member, she served as the Assistant Secretary of Education of Delaware. She later served as the Deputy Commissioner of Standards and Engagement, Deputy Commissioner of Special Populations and Monitoring, and Chief Deputy Commissioner of Academics at the Texas Education Agency. In 2019, she left the agency, after being appointed by Governor Bill Lee to become the next Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education.[4] She was sworn in on February 1, 2019.

On May 1, 2023, Schwinn announced she would be stepping down as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education on June 1, 2023. She was succeeded by Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds on July 1, 2023.[6]

Schwinn is married to Paul Schwinn, who is also an educator and has worked with multiple educational institutions and advocacy groups.[3] She has three children, two of whom are students in Tennessee public schools.[2]