North Dakota's candidates for superintendent of public instruction say they support state financing of preschool instruction and more support for vocational education.

Incumbent Superintendent Wayne Sanstead and challenger Max Laird both say they have reservations about merit pay for teachers.

Laird says North Dakota's public school teacher salaries aren't good enough to be arguing about merit pay.

Both Sanstead and Laird say a federal education law called No Child Left Behind needs major changes to put more power back in the hands of local schools. Congress is reviewing a new version of the law.

Laird says Sanstead has not pushed enough for greater leeway in administering the law. Sanstead denies that and says he won't take the blame for the law's shortcomings.

Sanstead and Laird discussed education issues Thursday during a debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Bismarck-Mandan and Community Access Television. It was broadcast on cable television and the Internet.

-Associated Press