South Carolina’s former education superintendent could be the new No. 2 at the federal education department.
The White House announced Tuesday that Mick Zais has been named the deputy education secretary by President Donald Trump.
Zais is a former U.S. Army brigadier general who served as president of Newberry College. He served as the head of South Carolina’s state education department, a statewide elected position, from 2010 to 2014.
The announcement of the appointment from the White House highlighted the growth of school choice in South Carolina while Zais was superintendent, Inside Higher Ed reports.
The number of public charter schools increased by 78 percent during his tenure and the number of students enrolled in online courses jumped by 130 percent.
As superintendent, Zais was a critic of federal involvement in education, and fought against the Palmetto State adopting Common Core education standards, according to Education Week.
Zais’s nomination will have to be confirmed by the Senate.
Bristow Marchant: 803-771-8405, @BristowatHome, @BuzzAtTheState
This story was originally published October 04, 2017 8:32 AM.