| Phil Rosenfelt | |
| Office: | Acting United States Secretary of Education |
| President: | Joe Biden |
| Term Start: | January 20, 2021 |
| Term End: | March 2, 2021 |
| Deputy: | Denise L. Carter (acting) |
| Predecessor: | Mick Zais (acting) |
| Successor: | Miguel Cardona |
| President1: | Donald Trump |
| Term Start1: | January 20, 2017 |
| Term End1: | February 7, 2017 |
| Predecessor1: | John King Jr. |
| Successor1: | Betsy DeVos |
| Office2: | Acting General Counsel of the United States Department of Education |
| President2: | Donald Trump |
| Term Start2: | January 20, 2017 |
| Term End2: | April 23, 2018 |
| Predecessor2: | James Cole Jr. |
| Successor2: | Carlos G. Muñiz |
| Office3: | Deputy General Counsel of the United States Department of Education for Program Service |
| President3: | George W. Bush Barack Obama Donald Trump Joe Biden |
| Term Start3: | March 2005 Acting: March 2005 – July 2006 |
| Birth Place: | Paterson, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Party: | Independent |
| Education: | University of Pennsylvania (BS) Columbia University (JD) New York University (LLM) |
Philip H. Rosenfelt is an American lawyer and civil servant who served as the acting United States Secretary of Education from January 20, 2021 to March 2, 2021. He served in this same position under the Trump administration prior to the Senate confirming Betsy DeVos.
On November 23, 2016, President-elect Donald Trump announced Betsy DeVos to be his designee for Secretary of Education.[1] Prior to DeVos' confirmation by the United States Senate, Rosenfelt was the acting Secretary of Education. Rosenfelt served from January 20, 2017 to February 7, 2017, when DeVos was sworn in.
With the departure of Betsy DeVos at the end of former president Donald Trump's term, Rosenfelt once again assumed the position of acting secretary; this time under the administration of President Joe Biden. Rosenfelt was serving in an acting capacity under Joe Biden's administration until the Senate reviewed the nomination of Miguel Cardona for the position.
Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Rosenfelt is of Jewish descent. He received a bachelor of science degree from the University of Pennsylvania, his juris doctor from Columbia University, and his LLM from New York University. He began his service in the federal government in 1971 at the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.[2]
In 2005, Rosenfelt assumed the position of Deputy General Counsel of the United States Department of Education for Program Service. He served under the administration of George W. Bush. He has continued to serve in that capacity since his appointment.
From January 20, 2017 to April 23, 2018, Rosenfelt served as the General Counsel of the United States Department of Education.
He has been designated as the acting United States Secretary of Education on two occasions; the first of these from January 20, 2017 to February 7, 2017, and the second from January 20, 2021 until March 2, 2021. He has been replaced by President Biden's nominee Miguel Cardona as he was confirmed by the Senate.