School superintendents would not need advanced education degree in measure advanced by Senate

A bill that would reduce education requirements for school superintendents passed the Senate this week. Under SB 366, superintendents would be preferred, instead of required, to have at least a master’s degree in education.

Sen. Linda Rogers (R-Granger) is the bill’s author. She said school corporations manage millions of dollars and many employees, similar to a business, so business professionals should be allowed to apply.

The bill would open superintendent positions to all professions, but Rogers said she envisions CEOs or professionals with masters of business administration degrees filling those spots.

“Now whether the school board would hire them, I don’t know. But at least it gives them that opportunity,” she said.

Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) questioned Rogers on the need for the bill.

“Even in some of my schools that aren’t very big, they have a financial officer that deals with that part of it, and I think of the superintendents as dealing with more of the educational requirements,” she said.

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The bill received some backlash in committee, mostly from Democratic lawmakers, who said schools are not businesses and superintendents need education experience.

The measure also contains several other provisions. One of those requires the Indiana Department of Education to determine how public schools can access On My Way Pre-K funding without the Child Care and Development Fund, a federal program. States use it to provide low-income families with money for child care and early learning.

Federal cuts, especially attempts to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education, have left the future of some federal programs uncertain.

Despite concern from some lawmakers, the bill passed 30 to 16. It now heads to the House for consideration.

Kirsten is our education reporter. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @kirsten_adair.