Vote to abolish education oversight agency delayed
Posted: 02.23.2010 at 10:32 PM

(AP) -- COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina legislators want more time to consider a bill that would eliminate the agency that oversees education reform and end-of-year standardized testing.

A House Education subcommittee delayed voting on a bill Tuesday abolishing the Education Oversight Committee.

The independent group was created by the state's 1998 Education Accountability Act. Its duties include rating schools and districts through annual state report cards.

Rep. Bakari Sellers wants to send the agency's $1.5 million budget to teachers for classroom supplies. The Denmark Democrat says it has become a redundant bureaucracy.

A House Ways and Means panel has given tentative approval to suspending the agency for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

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