School of Education

State Superintendent Candidates Face Off in Debate Sponsored by CEEP

Opponents battling for open seat to oversee Indiana public education

Friday, October 10, 2008

The candidates for the Indiana State Superintendent of Public Instruction faced off in a debate in Bloomington September 30. The Center for Evaluation and Education Policy at the Indiana University School of Education sponsored the debate. Republican Tony Bennett and Democrat Richard Wood answered questions from a panel of media and the audience.

You can hear from each candidate as they spoke at the debate in this short video (video courtesy WTIU-TV).

For the first time in 16 years, an incumbent is not seeking re-election to the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The state superintendent serves as the chairman of the Indiana State Board of Education as well as the CEO of the Department of Education. Indiana is one of 13 states to elect its chief state school officer, and one of seven to do so through a partisan ballot. “Our new state superintendent of public instruction will play a prominent role in the development, advocacy, and implementation of K-12 education policies that impact the 293 school corporations in Indiana”  said Terry Spradlin, associate director of education policy at CEEP.

Wood recently retired after 19 years as the superintendent of Tippecanoe School Corporation in Lafayette. He was President of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents in 1998-99 and was a charter member of the Indiana Education Roundtable. He has an education specialist degree from Butler University and a doctorate in education from Indiana University.

Bennett is in his second year as the superintendent of Greater Clark County Schools. He received his doctorate from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. His experience ranges from building administration to central office administration, and his background includes curriculum and instruction, strategic planning, continuous improvement, school operations, facilities planning and construction, human resources, labor relations, and contract negotiations.

CEEP promotes and supports rigorous program evaluation and policy research primarily, but not exclusively, for education, human services and non-profit organizations. Its research uses both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. To learn more about CEEP, go to http://ceep.indiana.edu.