SPRINGFIELD | Facing criminal charges alleging the theft of more than $370,000, the head of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education resigned Friday and surrendered his administrative certificates to the state.

The Illinois State Teacher Certification Board voted unanimously Friday to strip Charles Flowers of the certificates for a period of four years by entering into a consent order with Flowers and the Illinois Attorney General's office.

Flowers was charged in January with felony theft and official misconduct. He is accused of using a government credit card for personal expenses. He also is accused of putting friends and family on the district's payroll and giving them salary advances. The district is about $1 million in debt.

Prosecutors say he stole more than $10,000 from the regional office of education and cost the public more than $376,000.

Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said Flowers could face up to seven years in prison if convicted.

As part of the consent agreement, Flowers also agreed to surrender all of his teaching certificates should he be convicted of a felony relating to his duties as regional superintendent. If he should be convicted or plead guilty to a misdemeanor, he has agreed to surrendered some, but not all of those teaching certificates.