Superintendent-elect says she’ll be more positive

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Superintendent-elect Molly Spearman says she wants to bring an optimistic, collaborative approach to improving South Carolina’s schools.

The former director of the state Association of School Administrators takes over in January from Mick Zais, who had a contentious relationship with both the State Board of Education and teacher advocacy groups.

Spearman pledges to focus on successes while involving educators in all of her decisions. She says that since her November win, she’s traveled the state asking district leaders for ideas and addressed two gatherings of district superintendents in Columbia.

Spearman takes office two months after the state Supreme Court ruled legislators must do more to help children in poor districts succeed. Her tenure also begins amid changes to the state’s math and English standards and to the teacher evaluation system.