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IN launches Center for Education and Career Innovation

Governor Mike Pence announced the creation of another state agency aimed at helping coordinate Indiana's education and career development efforts. 

Since Pence took office seven months ago, he’s played a part in creating the Indiana Career Council and Regional Works Councils, placing a renewed emphasis on career and technical education.  He’s taken another step in that direction by signing an executive order creating the Center for Education and Career Innovation. 

Pence says the center will collaborate with a wide range of state organizations in education and workforce development, including the Career Council and Regional Works Councils.

“So that we’re drawing from and then can take, hopefully more readily, the recommendations that they have for the Department of Workforce Development straight to DWD, that we can take their recommendations for curricular approval straight to the state Board of Education and the connection between those entities will be much more fluid and hopefully much more effective.”

A statement from Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz’s office criticized Pence for failing to involve her in the new education center.  Ritz spokesman Daniel Altman says students would be better served if Pence works with Ritz, not around her.

Pence’s office indicates that the governor’s staff informed Ritz’s staff prior to the announcement, briefing other elected officials in the same way.  Altman says the superintendent’s office got a voicemail about the new center an hour before the launch event.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.
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