State schools chief Glenda Ritz has announced the members of a panel she’s formed to investigate why a declining number of people are becoming teachers in Indiana.
Ritz said Thursday she and Dr. Maryann Santos de Barona, dean of Purdue University’s College of Education, will co-chair the 49-member commission that includes educators and lawmakers.
She says they’ll meet Sept. 11 in Indianapolis to begin developing strategies “to help recruit and retain excellent educators throughout the state.”
Republican state Rep. Randy Truitt of West Lafayette and Democratic state Rep. Gregory Porter of Indianapolis are among the commission’s members.
Ritz says there’s been an 18 percent drop in the number of initial teacher licenses issued in Indiana over the past five years.
A legislative committee is also looking into the decline.
