Committee Unanimously endorses state Department of Education Bill

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A House committee has unanimously endorsed a bill that would change who runs the state Department of Education.

The House Appropriations Committee approved Senate File 104 Tuesday evening after hearing nearly two hours of testimony for and against the measure.

The bill now goes to the House floor for debate. It has already passed the Senate.

The proposal would remove the state superintendent of public instruction as administrator of the Education Department and turn the duties over to a director appointed by the governor.

Supporters say Superintendent Cindy Hill has failed to follow state law on education accountability measures and agency spending.

Hill has defended her administration of the agency and says stripping her post of power would reduce the public's voice in K-12 education.