My understanding is that at least one member of the National Command Authority chain is always required to be absent and out of D.C. during the SOTU just in case a decapitation attack was attempted. In past years this has usually fallen to one of the lower totem pole positions (Sec of ED?) with the consolation "joke" being, "Well, look at it this way...if we lose Washington, you'll be President!"
I would hope that during times such as these they would choose a more senior member of the NCA to be absent, or more than one member, just in case.
Sec of Education -- sounds like BattleStar Galactica.