Indiana's State Board of Education has picked a former Indianapolis school principal to be its lead staffer.
Former Harshman Middle School Principal Bob Guffin is set to become the board's new executive director. Gov. Mike Pence's education adviser announced the appointment Tuesday.
Guffin is stepping into a political minefield that has only recently cooled down. Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, a Democrat, and Pence, a Republican, spent much of last year battling over control of education in the state.
Ritz chairs the state board, but appointees from two Republican governors comprise the other 10 members.
Guffin is credited with improving student achievement and decreasing dropout rates during his five-year run leading Harshman.
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