South Carolina schools chief Mick Zais wants more money for textbooks, school buses, and teacher supplies.
/ MGN
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina schools chief Mick Zais wants more money for textbooks, school buses, and teacher supplies.
The Republican superintendent also wants districts to increase teacher salaries, though his request doesn't increase the $2,012 per-student allocation that's a primary source for salaries. Zais says how to pay for a required step increase is a local decision.
Zais presented his budget request Wednesday to a House Ways and Means panel.
It includes an additional $19.2 million for textbooks and other instructional materials, for a total of $53 million. Zais notes the state has new standards in math, reading and social studies, and new science standards will be adopted later this year.
He requests $34 million to buy enough new school buses to comply with a 2007 law legislators have ignored.
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