A plan for a new way of distributing state money to school districts that is before the state House this week has the full support of Gov. Mark Sanford.

The plan would give school districts more flexibility in how they spend state money by putting money into six categories: quality teaching, instruction, technical assistance, operations and infrastructure, workforce education and special needs.

School districts would get block grants and could use the money however they saw fit within each category. They also could transfer up to 20 percent of the money between categories.

"Reforming the way we fund education in South Carolina is key regardless of the budget situation you find yourself in," Sanford said in a statement. "When you look at the budget crisis we're currently facing, though, I believe it's absolutely essential."

Block grants were one of the recommendations that came out of the governor's Education Task Force in February.

Called the Streamlined Management and Accountable Resources for Teaching proposal, the bill also calls for the S.C. Education Department to adopt uniform accounting measures.

Even though local school districts already have benefited from new flexibility with state money to compensate for budget cuts, some district officials are wary of the block grant approach.

With block grants, there are a lot of unknowns, said Brantley Thomas, executive director of finance for Berkeley County schools.

Districts could end up with less money under the grants, he said. Other local officials said they wanted to find out more about the proposal before commenting.

All of the money would be distributed through block grants, said Will Folks, spokesman for the governor.

Districts also could carry forward any money they did not spend to use during the next school year in the same category.

The bill had 60 sponsors in the House by midday Wednesday, Folks said. If approved, it would take effect in the 2004-05 fiscal year.