The United States Senate has confirmed Kent Talbert as General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Education. Talbert has been serving as Acting General Counsel for the Department since January 2005. He joined the Department in 2001 as the Deputy General Counsel for the Division of Business and Administrative Law and the Division of Legislative Counsel. The General Counsel serves as principal adviser to the Secretary on all legal matters affecting Departmental programs and activities.

"Kent brings great integrity, talent, and a strong work ethic to the U.S. Department of Education, and his years of experience make him an outstanding choice as General Counsel," said Secretary Spellings. "Kent is a dedicated public servant who believes in the worth and potential of every child and is committed to serving the needs of the Department and America's students. I look forward to his continued strong leadership and wise counsel."

Prior to his work at the Department of Education, Mr. Talbert served as Education Policy Counsel for the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. He also served on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in the United States Senate, as well as on the staff of the late U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. Mr. Talbert also practiced law in Columbia, South Carolina.

Born in Greenwood, South Carolina Talbert graduated from Greenwood public schools and went on to get his bachelor's degree from Erskine College before earning his JD from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1985.

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