Bill To Remove Ritz As Education Chair Passes Senate Committee

Last updated on Friday, April 10, 2015

(INDIANAPOLIS) - An Indiana Senate committee has advanced a bill that would strip Democratic state schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz of her role as chair of the State Board of Education. The committee passed the bill 8-4.

WTHR reports that Republican lawmakers want to change state law so the superintendent would no longer automatically be the State Board of Education's chairman. Another proposal would transfer control of areas such as teacher evaluations, testing and student data from the education department to the board, which is dominated by GOP Gov. Mike Pence's appointees.

The changes come amid charges of a dysfunctional board. Ritz's supporters in the Legislature protest that Republicans are disenfranchising voters who in 2012 elected Ritz, but they had slim prospects of blocking the moves.

Those backing the changes say Ritz is blocking education programs that the Legislature expects the Board of Education to oversee.

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