State Sen. Walter Dalton was elected the chairman of the Southern Regional Education Board's Legislative Advisory Council.

The Rutherfordton Democrat, who is running for lieutenant governor, was chosen at the at SREB's Legislative Work Conference in Oklahoma City, Jane Stancill reports.

This is the 56th year that the annual conference has brought together legislators from 16 states to develop ways to improve education throughout the South.

The 62-member SREB Legislative Advisory Council is the largest standing advisory group to the Board. The council meets regularly to give guidance to the SREB and address education topics.

Dalton has served on the Board and the Legislative Advisory Council since 2000. Other SREB Board members from North Carolina include Gov. Mike Easley; Howard Lee, chairman, State Board of Education; Cathy Tomon, principal, Broad Creek Middle School, Newport; and Rep. Douglas Y. Yongue of Laurinburg.

SREB is an Atlanta-based nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that advises state education leaders on ways to improve education.