Tagged: Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett drove from Indiana over the weekend to start his first day as schools chief in Florida on Monday.

Last month the State Board of Education hired Bennett, a Republican who served as Indiana’s Superintendent of Public Instruction for one term.

He lost his re-election bid there after Democrat Glenda Ritz organized a grassroots campaign with help from the teachers union.

Bennett was viewed by some as being too aggressive towards teachers and not showing enough compassion when he pushed new policies, such as merit pay. 

On the Florida Roundup:  Florida has its new Education Commissioner, former Indiana Superintendent Tony Bennett.  We’ll learn why Jeb Bush fans are thrilled and the teachers unions are not. NPR’s StateImpact Florida reporter Sarah Gonzalez will tell us why many of Florida’s high school graduates are not ready for college work.  And we hear from you on Florida’s growing need for remedial education and what the purpose of high school should be.  Tweet us @WLRN.  

Florida has chosen a follower of Jeb Bush education theory from Indiana to be its next education commissioner.

Tony Bennett is serving out his term as Indiana's superintendent of public instruction after a re-election defeat.  In Florida, he'll replace Gerard Robinson, who resigned months ago after only a year in office.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush suffered long-distance electoral defeats in Indiana and Idaho on Tuesday.

In Indiana, the state's top education official -- a Bush ally and top lieutenant in his education foundation -- was defeated by a Democratic challenger. And, in Idaho, voters repealed three controversial education laws that bore the Bush seal of approval.