SC board allows Teach for America to expand

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The state education board has approved expanding a program that puts enthusiastic, non-education college graduates into hard-to-fill slots in South Carolina’s underprivileged schools.

The board voted 7-6 this week to allow Teach for America to place more recruits in schools outside the Pee Dee region in its second year in the state. The program as approved in December 2010 called for a three-year phase-in of recruits for classrooms in the state’s northeastern corner, starting with 30 this school year and 60 next year.

The nonprofit hopes to provide 80 teachers in 2012-13, including 30 in Charleston County.

Opponents worry recruits could take jobs from education graduates of South Carolina colleges.

But state Superintendent Mick Zais says that’s nonsense. He says the recruits are needed because districts can’t fill the jobs.