INDIANAPOLIS | The Republican-controlled House and Senate appear to be at odds over whether deposing Democrat Glenda Ritz as chairwoman of the State Board of Education should be accompanied by changes in how the other board members are selected.
House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, seemed unenthusiastic Thursday about Senate Bill 1, which would shrink the board to nine members with legislative leaders appointing four members, the governor appointing four and Ritz remaining on the board but not automatically designated chairwoman.
"I'm still reviewing that and uncertain if changing the appointing authority is the right way to go," Bosma said. "We did have a discussion about it in my office this morning, I'm taking advice from our other education experts here and we'll come to a conclusion."
The current 11-member board is headed by Ritz, the elected state superintendent of public instruction, with Republican Gov. Mike Pence appointing the other 10 members -- one each from the state's nine congressional districts and one at-large member.
Bosma hinted he wants to preserve the mandate that board members come from all parts of the state, which is not required under the Senate proposal, but said he likes the Senate's idea for at least half the board to have school employment experience.
"We want to be sure that we put together a functioning board and that every element of Senate Bill 1 or House Bill 1609 buttresses that," Bosma said. "The primary concern here is making a board that works."
House Bill 1609, approved 58-40 on Feb. 9, simply removes Ritz as board chairwoman without changing the other board members who repeatedly have clashed with her over education policy and board procedures since she defeated Republican State Superintendent Tony Bennett in 2012.
Under that plan, the board would elect its leader each July. Ritz would be eligible to serve as chairwoman, but likely would not be chosen by the other members.
Senate President David Long, R-Fort Wayne, said the Senate is confident shrinking the board's size to match most other state boards of education and changing the selection process for board members is the right course.
In addition, the symbolic importance attached to the "Senate Bill 1" designation suggests the upper chamber is likely to insist the House approve its proposal.
"In the end ... we want the board to operate effectively because if it doesn't K-12 education suffers, the kids suffer," Long said. "If there's another way to do that we'll certainly consider it, but we think Senate Bill 1 is a really good model."
Neither the House legislation nor Senate Bill 1, which passed 33-17 on Feb. 17, has been scheduled yet for committee review in the opposite chamber.