COLUMBIA, S.C. - Gov. Mark Sanford's education adviser has resigned so she can work on a national project and campaign for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jim DeMint.

The departure of former state schools superintendent Barbara Nielsen comes at a critical time for the governor, who announced last week he will continue to push a law to give tax credits to parents who home-school their children or send them to private schools.

Nielsen said along with campaigning for DeMint, she also will work with the National Governors Association on its new initiative to analyze high schools' strengths and weaknesses and recommend steps to fix their problems.

"I'm still going to be helping the governor," Nielsen said. "He's just not going to be paying me."

Nielsen is the third education adviser the governor has had since taking office 19 months ago.

Rita Allison of Lyman left to work for the state Commission on Higher Education and Dennis Drew of Greenwood, who owns a chain of child-care centers, replaced Allison until Nielsen came on board in January.

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Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com/