MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- The Alabama Board of Education is scheduled to discuss approving a contract and salary for Deputy Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice to become state superintendent.

The board is scheduled to discuss and possibly vote on the contract for Bice at its meeting Thursday morning. A committee of the state board, headed by Gov. Robert Bentley, has voted to offer Bice a $198,000 annual salary. That's $37 more a year than the previous superintendent, Joe Morton, was making.

Committee members have said that by putting the salary at $198,000, Bice will work for more than all but one local school
superintendent in Alabama.

The State Board of Education voted Nov. 10 to hire Bice. The proposed contract would be for two years.

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