Ind. Bill To Create Teacher-Majority Board Advances

By Mark Pitsch

Backed by the formidable lobbying clout of the state's teachers' unions, a bill to establish an autonomous, teacher-majority board to license and certify teachers has cleared the Indiana legislature.

The measure, currently awaiting Gov. Evan Bayh's signature, passed easily despite opposition from the state education department and other education groups.

If the bill becomes law, Indiana will join a handful of other states that already have teacher controlled beards with independent authority over licensing and certification. Creation of such panels has been a major goal of the National Education Association. (See Education...