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COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- As U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings spoke here about new federal rules for calculating graduation rates, South Carolina educators said the accountability law should be revamped when Spellings' boss is out of office.

Spellings said states will be required to break down graduation rates for each group of students, including minorities.

But the new rules won't take effect until long after she and President Bush leave office in January.

State schools Superintendent Jim Rex and district educators say No Child Left Behind should be revamped to recognize schools' progress. And they complain South Carolina's high standards unfairly portray state schools as failing.

Local educators welcomed a national standard for calculating graduation rates.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)