A crazy week of state board controversy ended with one more back-and-forth between Gov. Mike Pence and Superintendent Glenda Ritz:
- Pence asked for a national group to mediate for the state board, but Ritz said he should talk to her instead. (Chalkbeat)
- Pence says he wants to reduce state board tensions. (StateImpact, AP, Statehouse File, Indy Star)
- In a TV interview, Mike Pence said he regrets Ritz “misunderstands” his motives. (WISH-TV)
- Ritz did her own TV interview and said she had “no regrets” about her state board walkout. (RTV6)
How did we get from frosty relations on the state board to a a full-on hot war? Some news outlets had theories:
- Instead of Robert’s Rules, state board made its own rules. (AP)
- Pence’s CECI has gotten off to a rocky start. (Indy Star)
- Editorial says “bring on the mediators.” (Journal Courier)
- Paul Gable: Both Ritz and GOP need to “get over” the 2012 election. (Shelbyville News)
There was big news in the school choice world when another charter school announced it would close, as we exclusively reported:
- Monument Lighthouse charter school decided to close at school year’s end. (Chalkbeat)
In another big Indiana education debate, a legislative panel studying Common Core standards failed to agree on recommendations:
- On Common Core, Democrats thwarted a panel’s effort to recommend Indiana create its own standards instead. (StateImpact)
- Lone Democrat who voted said it was a protest over the panel’s process. (The Statehouse File)
- Nobody on the panel seemed happy with the outcome. (WIBC)
In other education news:
- One powerful opponent helps block preschool law changes. (Indy Star)
- Amos Brown: Indy must deal with the fact that charters would be the second largest school district in the city. (Indianapolis Recorder)
- Fort Wayne school board says kids are losing with legislative reforms. (Journal Gazette)
- Muncie’s high school consolidation votes will come tonight. (WTHR)
- Carmel, Avon finish 2-3 in national band finals. (WTHR)
- Blogger Anthony Cody outlines 10 reasons to oppose Common Core standards. (EdWeek)