(AP) -- South Carolina Superintendent Mick Zais says an updated opinion from the attorney general's office could resolve a dispute with the state Board of Education regarding its authority over the elected schools chief.
Zais says the education agency's attorney has offered to stem a threatened lawsuit from the board by seeking an opinion from Attorney General Alan Wilson. The last opinion on the issue was written in 1966.
Board attorney Michael Montgomery did not immediately return a message Wednesday.
On Dec. 8, the board directed Montgomery to sue if a resolution wasn't reached by Dec. 23. But Zais spokesman Jay Ragley says hectic holiday schedules make Friday's deadline impossible to meet.
The board wants to require Zais to report monthly on available large federal grants. Zais says he reports to voters.
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