Ritz Sworn in as Superintendent of Public Instruction

Glenda Ritz has been sworn in as Indiana’s superintendent of public instruction, making her the first Democrat to hold the position in decades. Ritz, a former teacher, was inaugurated as Indiana’s top education official this weekend at the Statehouse before a crowd of supporters.

Ritz managed to beat out Republican School Superintendent Tony Bennett in November with her campaign against many of Bennett’s education changes. Her primary electoral support seemed to come from teachers as Ritz said she feels teachers need to be evaluated, but not with high stakes such as merit pay at risk.

However, Gov. Mike Pence and other Republicans, who dominate both the State House and Senate, are supporting legislative proposals this year that look to expand the school voucher program and use private money to send children to preschool.

Ritz also bashed the school letter grades that Bennett released last year and said the new model used to calculate the grades is to blame. Ritz said she would like to implement a “true growth model,” as opposed to Bennett’s Indiana Growth Model.