Pam Stewart Called as Interim Commissioner

Pam Stewart has been called as interim commissioner of education, taking over after Tony Bennett resigned from the position on Thursday. This will be Stewart's second time as interim commissioner.

She served in that role from Sept. 1, 2012, to Jan. 14, 2013, following Gerard Robinson, who resigned in August 2012 after just one year. Robinson cited family reasons for his resignation, though his tenure was wrought with controversy over the state's test-based school accountability system and failing scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Bennett resigned on Thursday after Associated Press reports surfaced saying that he changed the grade of a charter school in his home state of Indiana. Bennett fully admitted changing the school's grade, but denied changing it out of any political influence. The school, Christel House, was founded by big-time Republican donor Christel DeHaan, who has contributed over $2 million to the Republican Party since 1998, and contributed $130,000 to Bennett.