Key senator against school chief changes

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The leader of Indiana's Senate Education Committee says Republicans shouldn't change the state schools superintendent position to one appointed by the governor following the election of a Democrat to that office.

Republican Sen. Dennis Kruse says he is meeting incoming schools superintendent Glenda Ritz on Tuesday afternoon to discuss issues ahead of the 2013 legislative session. Kruse says he'll oppose any effort to change the status of the superintendent's position.

Ritz upset Republican incumbent Tony Bennett in last month's election with the help of teachers who opposed changes he pushed.

Kruse says lawmakers plan to review the A-F school grading system Bennett rolled out just before the election and could find common ground with Ritz with concerns over the national Common Core Standards.