Education Task Force Holds First Meeting

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Columbia , S.C. (WOLO) — The newly-formed education task force set the basis Monday for how to improve South Carolina’s education system. “Focus on achieving what others think can’t be achieved, make South Carolina competitive on a national level,” said House Speaker Jay Lucas. Speaker Lucas appointed the 17-member panel to create substantial education reform. “I’m asking you to be innovative, if we have procedures and programs that work keep them, if there’s a program you believe is failing, then scrap it,” said Speaker Lucas. The call to action comes after a court ruled last fall, the state does not provide opportunities for low-income, rural districts. “Our court tells us we are failing,” said guest speaker and USC School of Law professor Derek Black. To help the committee get started, several speakers, including former South Carolina Governor and US Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, made several recommendations for them to consider, including to improve the transportation system and reform the system from early childhood education up through high school. “I urge as a first step, that you start a new and serious conversation that would encourage a broad public support for a comprehensive thoughtful and research based reform package,” said Riley. The task force will give house speaker Lucas a report of recommendations by the start of the 2016 legislative session.