If Ritz Is Removed From Chair Position, What Will Change?

Yesterday the House Education Committee voted to move forward with a bill that would remove State Superintendent Glenda Ritz from her role as chair of the State Board of Education – and now the proposal goes to the full House of Representatives. If the rest of the legislature mirrors yesterday’s trend of voting along party lines, Ritz could lose her prominent position on the board as early as this spring.

Looking forward, the big question is would removing Ritz as chair improve the dysfunction that’s plagued the board ever since she took office?

That’s the point of HB 1609, according to the bill’s author, Rep. Jud McMillin, R–Brookville. McMillin testified during yesterday’s meeting that while Indiana will still have an elected legislature and an elected superintendent, this particular change might diffuse some of the political tensions.

“The best thing we can do to protect education and help kids, is to do our best to remove politics from the organization that stands in between the Department of Education and the General Assembly, and that’s the State Board of Education,” McMillin said.

The legislation wouldn’t remove Ritz from the board completely. She would still serve as a board member and as the head of the Department of Education – the entity that implements board-approved policies.

Right now, its between those entities – the SBOE and IDOE – where the miscommunication happens. But those against this bill argue that removing Ritz as chair won’t force the two to work together.

Still confused? Seeing how all of these groups interact with the state superintendent might help.