State Board of Education to Appoint Interim Commissioner

The State Board of Education will meet Friday to appoint an interim commissioner of education after Tony Bennett officially resigned from his position Thursday morning.

Bennett suggested appointing public school chancellor Pam Stewart to take his place. Stewart served as interim commissioner before Bennett took the position last year.

The board will then begin its search for a permanent replacement for Bennett, who resigned after reports surfaced that he changed a charter school's grade in Indiana as a result of political influence. Bennett denied any wrongdoing.

Bennett was Florida's third commissioner of education under Gov. Rick Scott.