Appropriators initially deferred the bill, which provides school districts with increased state aid for each Limited English Proficiency student, because there’s a provision in the recently hoghoused Senate Bill 235.

Committee members decided later in the hearing to reconsider the bill in case SB 235 was defeated. With the reconsideration, appropriators lowered the percentage of increased funding from one percent to ½ a percent. The percentage increase is expected to change. ASBSD supports the bill.

“This will impact every one of your districts at some point,” Executive Director Wade Pogany testified.

ESA bill hoghoused

Senate Bill 76 was hoghoused by committee members. The new version will be used for the purpose of enhancing military value of Ellswoth Air Force Base.

Previously, SB 76 called for the appropriation of funds for Education Service Agencies. The bill initially called for $500,000 in ESA funding before being downgraded to $150,000 and finally $1. ESAs, which serve school districts in one of six regions in South Dakota, had most of their state funding cut in 2009. ASBSD supported the bill.

CTE funding bill gets deferred

Appropriators deferred Senate Bill 229 to the 41^st legislative day.

SB 229 would have appropriated funds for CTE programs. At its time of deferral, the bill had $1 attached to it, but it was proposed with $1.5 million. ASBSD opposed the bill.

Critical needs scholarship sent on

Senate Bill 233, which establishes a critical needs teaching scholarship and creates a trust fund program for student’s working towards a teaching degree in a critical needs curriculum area, was passed to the Joint Appropriations committee.

Sen. Tim Rave (25) has requested$5 million in one-time dollars from the general fund to start the scholarship’s trust fund, which he said would supply 11-15 scholarships each year.

ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

For updates on funding legislation, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, State Aid, ESAs, CTE, Education Funding,

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From Education to Appropriations
Posted Thursday, February 28, 2013

House Education committee members deferred four K-12 related funding bills to the House Appropriations committee on Wednesday, which marked the committee’s last time discussing bills.

SPED levy bill discussed

Committee members unanimously voted to defer Senate Bill 15, which adjusts property tax levies for the special education fund of a school district and allows the use of 15 percent of special education fund dollars for special services, to appropriations.

SB 15 proposes the tax levy for special education be raised by $0.15, with the maximum level set at $1.552 per thousand dollars of taxable valuation and the state aid qualifying level at $1.352.

The levies are being raised to account for an increase in SPED students and the flattened land valuations. A state-to-local effort ratio would be set at approximately 39-61 percent, which DOE Finance Director Tammy Darnall said had been about the average ratio since 2008.

“We need to set a path and follow it to help the formula be sustainable,” Darnall said.

Darnall noted the tax levy ratio for special education hadn’t been “followed very closely” by the state in recent years and going forward it would be set annually, resembling the general education formula.

SB 15 also allows school districts to use up to 15 percent of their special education fund dollars to identify K-12 students who need additional academic and behavioral interventions and caps the Extraordinary Cost Fund at $5.5 million.

ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

ESL funding adjustment supported

Senate Bill 159, which provides school districts with increased state aid for each Limited English Proficiency student, was referred on a 15-0 vote by committee members.

“This (funding shortfall) is a problem. It’s a real problem with a great solution,” Executive Director Wade Pogany testified. “(SB 159) will impact every one of your districts.”

Initially the bill provided a 25 percent increase in state aid, but an amendment was introduced and passed that lowered the increase to 1 percent. The decrease is considered temporary until legislators have a better idea of available funding towards the end of session.

Rep. Mark Mickelson (13) said the 25 percent increase requested “is less than the actual cost” needed. Rep. Mickelson said a 25 percent increase would provide approximately $1,100 per ESL student.

ASBSD supports the bill.

Proposed scholarship program sent on

On a 12-3 vote, committee members referred Sen. Tim Rave’s (25) bill to establish a critical needs teaching scholarship.

Currently, Senate Bill 233, which creates a trust fund program for student’s entering the teaching profession in a critical needs curriculum area and staying in the state after completing their degree, has $1 attached to it.

Sen. Rave has requested $5 million in one-time dollars from the general fund to start the scholarship’s trust fund, which would supply 11-15 scholarships each year.

ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Vehicle bill amended before referral

Committee members hoghoused Senate Bill 138 – a vehicle bill for K-12 education – and referred it on a 14-1 vote.

The amended version of SB 138 now simply is “an act to enhance education.” The previous version of the bill revised certain provisions regarding educational data reporting.

ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

For updates on the progress, or lack thereof, in House Appropriations, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, SPED, State Aid, ESL, Education Funding,

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ESA bill moves from education to appropriation
Posted Monday, February 25, 2013

House Education committee members voted 13-1 to refer Senate Bill 76 on to the House Appropriations committee.

SB 76 Appropriates funding for Education Service Agencies. ESAs would have to apply to the Department of Education to receive the funds. The bill currently has $1 attached to it.

“This is an attempt to restore some of the funding (ESAs) were at least getting,” Sen. Ryan Maher (28), the bill’s sponsor, said.

Established in 2004, ESAs serve school districts in one of six regions through professional training or student assistance among other things, but had most of its state funding cut in 2009.

“ESAs have been sorely missed and if this (bill) would just get them back on their feet that would be a really good start,” Rep. Kathy Tyler (4) said.

ASBSD supports the bill.

For updates on the bill, and others, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, ESAs, education funding,

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Crossover Day comes and bills go - Senate
Posted Thursday, February 21, 2013

Members of the House and Senate discussed, debated and acted on a number of bills well into the evening hours on Wednesday, which marked Crossover Day. All bills still in their original house had to be passed or tabled by the end of the day.

A long list of legislation related to K-12 education littered the docket in both houses. Here’s a rundown of those bills from the Senate:

Senate Bill 28: Adjusts property tax levies for the general fund of a school district.

Just one day after being amended by the Senate Appropriations committee to include the proposed special education levy increase, SB 28 saw another change on the Senate floor.

The recent change to the bill returns it to its original form and ONLY includes the property tax levy changes for the general fund. Sen. Mark Kirkeby (35) introduced the amendment, saying that each fund’s levy “should be standing on their own two feet.”

SB 28’s adjustment to the property tax levies acts as the mechanism for the proposed three percent increase in state aid for schools and if not passed the increase would be jeopardized.

The amended version of the bill passed on a 29-4 vote. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Senate Bill 15: Adjusts property tax levies for the special education fund of a school district and allows the use of 15 percent of special education fund dollars for special services.

Like its counterpart SB 28, Senate Bill 15 received a facelift on the Senate floor. The bill was amended to include the proposed property tax levy increases for the special education fund added.

The tax levy for special education would be raised by $0.15, with the maximum level set at $1.552 per thousand dollars of taxable valuation and the state aid qualifying level at $1.352. The levies are being raised to account for an increase in SPED students and set a state-to-local effort ratio at approximately 39-61 percent.

Sen. Deb Peters (9), the Senate Appropriations committee chair, said if SB 15 did not pass “the state will have to kick in the entire” amount of shortfall for special education.

In addition to the levy increase, SB 15 allows school districts to use up to 15 percent of their special education fund dollars to identify K-12 students who need additional academic and behavioral interventions and caps the Extraordinary Cost Fund at $5.5 million.

The bill passed on a 24-9 vote. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Senate Bill 233: Establishes the critical needs teaching scholarship program for student’s looking to enter the teaching profession in a critical needs curriculum area and stay in South Dakota after completing their degree. There is $1 attached to the bill.

Sen. Chuck Welke (2) said the bill would have a “band aid effect” and would not make strides in recruiting and keeping teachers in South Dakota. Sen. Welke proposed the dollars should be put towards increasing teacher salaries.

SB 233 originally had $5 million attached to it in order establish a trust fund for the program. Sen. Tim Rave (25), the bill’s sponsor, said the $5 million would provide 15 scholarships. Rave said the 15 scholarships provided were “not enough… but it’s a start.”

SB 233 passed on a 29-4 vote. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Senate Bill 159: Provides school districts with an increase in state aid for each Limited English Proficiency student enrolled in the district. Initially the bill provided a 25 percent increase in state aid, but an amendment was introduced and passed that lowered the increase to 1 percent.

Sen. Jim White (22), the bill’s sponsor, said the decrease was temporary until legislators have a better idea of available funding towards the end of session.

The bill passed on a 31-2 vote. ASBSD supports the bill.

Senate Bill 180: Requires the publication of the total dollar amount of local government employees’ benefits – this group includes public school employees. Bill sponsor Sen. Corey Brown (23) said the bill shows taxpayers “what the total cost” of local government employees is.

An amendment to SB 180 requires the information be published in a designated newspaper. In the bill’s previous version, local government entities could publish the list online.

SB 180 passed on a 28-5 vote. ASBSD is opposed to the bill.

Senate Bill 136: Appropriates funding for the state aid education formula. Currently, SB 136 is a vehicle bill for school funding and has no dollar amount attached.

“I think most members of this body would like to see us get a little bit more money for K-12 education,” Sen. Tim Rave (25) said during the bill’s hearing on the floor. Sen. Rave added the bill would be utilized when financial projections for the state were solidified.

SB 136 passed on a 33-0 vote. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Senate Bill 76: Appropriates funding for Education Service Agencies. There is $1 attached to the bill. ESAs would have to apply to the Department of Education to receive the funds.

SB 76 passed on a 29-4 vote. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Senate Bill 229: Appropriates one-time dollars from the general fund to school districts for Career and Technical Education programs. There is $1 attached to the bill.

SB 229 passed on a 33-0 vote. ASBSD is opposed to the bill.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, State Aid, Taxation, Education Funding, ESA,

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The committees before the storm
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2013

It’s not the impending snow storm, but the “Crossover Day” flurry that happens Wednesday afternoon on the House and Senate floors as legislators work to pass or defer all the bills on the docket before the end of the day.

Before that flurry, committees met to discuss a variety of bills already passed through their original side of the legislature.

House Education committee members passed a bill that would provide state funding for educational programs for children in treatment centers on a 14-1 vote.

SB 158 provides funding to a student’s home district as well as the district the treatment center is located in and has the support of Gov. Daugaard. In addition, the bill clarifies the discrepancy that funding for the student in the treatment center is provided by the home district.

ASBSD supports the bill.

House Bill 1239, which would authorize school districts to implement certain tax levies at 30 cents per thousand dollars of taxable valuation for pension and health insurance funding purposes, passed the Senate Taxation committee on a 5-1 vote.

School districts are currently able to assess a levy for the district’s pension fund. HB 1239 would provide school districts the flexibility to apply funds from the levy to health insurance costs as well.

ASBSD supports the bill.

The House State Affairs passed an amended version of Senate Bill 5 on a 11-2 vote.

SB 5 would establish a Council on Higher Education and adjust the funding mechanism for higher education based on work done by the summer committee on Post-Secondary Education-Purpose and Funding. The amended version calls for the appointment of a school board member and a superintendent to the council.

ASBSD will continue to monitor the bills’ progress. For updates, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding, Taxation,

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Some special projects
Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Three dollar bills

Three K-12 education special project bills survived the Senate Appropriations cutting room floor on Tuesday. Each bill heads to the Senate floor today with just one dollar attached to them

Committee members passed Senate Bill 233, which establishes the critical needs teaching scholarship program for student’s looking to enter the teaching profession in a critical needs curriculum area and stay in South Dakota after completing their degree. SB 233 passed on an 8-0 vote.

If passed, the final dollar amount appropriated from the general fund would be used to start a trust fund for the program.

ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Senate Bill 76 passed the committee on an 8-0 vote as well, but was amended along the way.

SB 76 reached Senate Appropriations as a bill that created a grant program for ESAs and school districts. However, the provision allowing school districts to apply for grants was removed, leaving ESAs as the only possible grant recipients in the new version.

ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Committee members voted unanimously to pass Senate Bill 229, which appropriates one-time dollars from the general fund to school districts for Career and Technical Education programs. Initially, SB 229 appropriated $1.5 million for CTE programs.

ASBSD is opposed to the bill.

Today marks "Crossover Day" and the bills must be passed to the House or deferred by the end of the day. For updates on these bills, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Special projects stopped

Four special project bills were deferred to the 41^st legislative day in Senate and House Appropriations.

House Bill 1166, which would have rewarded teachers in school districts with bonuses based on the percentage of graduates not taking remediation courses upon entering higher education, and House Bill 1172, which called for the appropriation of $1.5 million from the general fund in the form of one-time dollars for school districts to use on career and technical education courses, were voted down by House Appropriations last week.

House Appropriations members deferred House Bill 1183, which called for the appropriation of funds to put a computer and Internet access into the homes of preschool aged children to prepare them for school, on Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, Senate Appropriations committee members tabled Senate Bill 188, which would have provided $500,000 in funding, taken from the general fund, for the Teach for America grant program.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Education Funding, CTE, ESA, Teachers, Pre-K,

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Morning moves by committees
Posted Friday, February 15, 2013

Pilot Program passed on

House Education committee members passed House Bill 1183 on an 8-7 vote this morning. The action comes after the bill was deferred on Wednesday and now moves to House Appropriations.

HB 1183 calls for the appropriation of funds to put a computer and Internet access into the homes of preschool aged children to prepare them for school. Children would spend 15-20 minutes per day working on interactive, educational programs on the computer.

Currently, $1 is attached to the bill as it relates to funding, but bill sponsor Rep. Jacqueline Sly (33) said the dollar amount supplied would dictate the number of participants. She said funding for the program would be ongoing. Funding for the bill would be appropriated from the general fund.

On Friday, Rep. Kathy Tyler (4) called the bill “a good idea” but said supporting these projects ignored the bigger issue in K-12 education, lack of continuing funds.

“We need to fix what we’ve broken before we add the extras,” Tyler said.

ASBSD opposes the bill.

House to hear Common Core bill

House Bill 1204, which Requires Board of Education to seek legislative approval before implementing any Common Core Standards, will have its day on the House floor after House Education committee members passed it 8-7 this morning.

The bill would not affect the math and reading standards, adopted by the Board of Education in 2010 and set for implementation by the Department of Education in 2014, but would require any further standards be approved by the legislature, which could impede their progress.

Executive Director Wade Pogany told committee members school board delegates voted unanimously to support Common Core at ASBSD’s Delegate Assembly in November because the standards establish national benchmarks helping students succeed in an advanced society.

“We want our South Dakota kids to compete in a global economy,” Pogany said.

Opponents of Common Core testified the standards are trying to fix standards that are not broken or are pushing agendas not favoring education.

Secretary of Education Melody Schopp argued the standards have been studied extensively and the DOE and Board of Education did not rush “into this work.” Rep. Timothy Johns (31) echoed the statement.

“This matter’s been studied and studied and studied and we’re going to sit here in 30 minutes and decide,” Johns said.

ASBSD is opposed to the bill.

Benefits bills moves on

Senate Local Government committee members passed (4-2) a bill that would require the publication of local government employees be published online or in the designated newspaper annually.

Senate Bill 180 would list the total dollar amount paid to employees for the employer's share of Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), retirement, any nonprofessional membership fee, and the average amount paid per employee or officer for health insurance.

“It allows taxpayers… to know what the services they’re paying for cost them,” Bill sponsor Sen. Corey Brown (23) said.

An amendment to include state employees under the new publication requirement was not passed, but committee members suggested the amendment be rewritten and introduced on the floor.

ASBSD is opposed to the bill.

For updates on these and other bills, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Pre-K, Common Core, Education Funding, Open Government,

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News and notes from Wednesday
Posted Thursday, February 14, 2013

Senate votes to extend sunset

A bill to extend the sunset date on capital outlay flexibility passed through the Senate on a 29-6 vote.

Senate Bill 194 would extend the provision allowing school districts to use capital outlay funds for certain insurance, energy, utilities and motor fuel costs to 2018. The provision, which was introduced in 2009, was set to expire in 2014. ASBSD supports the bill.

Bill sponsor Sen. Bill Van Gerpen (19) pointed to the growing number of schools utilizing the flexibility from 29 in fiscal year 2009 to 102 in 2012.

“That says to me we have a real crisis in our schools,” Van Gerpen told fellow Senators. “At our current rate, two-thirds of our schools need this to pass.”

Sen. Larry Rhoden (29) noted that a one-third of schools didn’t have capital outlay and were “in a lurch” when it came to funding flexibility.

“We are not providing equal opportunity for all of our students,” Rhoden said.

Van Gerpen noted that massive cuts made by the legislature to school funding “led to this crisis” and urged Senators to pass the bill. With its passage, SB 194 now heads to the House.

No change to small school adjustment

Senate State Affairs committee members voted 7-2 to defer Senate Bill 197 to the 41^st day.

SB 197 would have provided the small school adjustment to a district for an open-enrolled student, if that student’s home district received the adjustment and would not have provided the adjustment to a small school district if an open enrollee came from a district that did not receive the adjustment.

Gov. signs flexible spending accounts bill

Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed House Bill 1064, which allows school districts to implement flexible spending accounts as part of health insurance plans, into law on Tuesday. HB 1064 is the first bill that ASBSD has been tracking and updating to be signed into law.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Capital Outlay, Small Schools, Education Funding,

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Tabled, passed and deferred
Posted Wednesday, February 13, 2013

It went in that order this morning during the House Education committee’s meeting, which featured four important bills for K-12 education.

1200 Tabled

Rep. Lance Russell (30), sponsor of House Bill 1200, asked committee members to table the bill, which would have required school boards to hold a public hearing on any proposed purchase, lease or issue of capital outlay certificate with a cost over $250,000.

The bill would have changed the current public hearing requirement level of 1.5% of the taxable valuation of taxable property in the district.

Russell cited the need to retool HB 1200 before moving forward with it. ASBSD opposed the bill.

“Under 100” bills advanced

Committee members favored two bills offering leeway to school districts with enrollments under 100, which by state law requires consolidation.

Senate Bill 96, which already made its way through the Senate, was unanimously passed while House Bill 1213 moved on by a 9-6 vote. ASBSD opposes HB 1213.

Senate Bill 96 would allow school districts to remain open if they are exercising joint powers or intergovernmental cooperation in education, which would allow districts to share services and costs. House Bill 1213 allows school districts to remain open, but reduces the amount of state aid and eliminates the small school adjustment after school district drops under 100 total students.

Although each bill aims to keep the doors of small districts open, they conflict with each other’s end goal. HB 1213 would decrease much needed funding for smaller school districts where SB 96 keeps funding on par with the state and allows collaboration of resources among districts.

ASBSD Director of Policy and Legal Services William Engberg referred to the bill as “brilliant” because “it uses existing resources” by utilizing the joint powers agreement in his testimony before the committee.

“The intent of (SB 96) is to give local school boards maximum flexibility,” Sen. Mark Johnston (12), the bill’s sponsor, said.

ASBSD supports SB 96.

Action grounded on pilot program

The decision on a bill that would establish a home-based educational technology program will wait until Friday.

House Bill 1183 calls for the appropriation of funds to put a computer and Internet access into the homes of preschool aged children to prepare them for school. ASBSD opposes the bill.

Bill sponsor Rep. Jacqueline Sly (33) said pre-school aged children would spend 15-20 minutes per day working on interactive, educational programs on the computer. Sly said she modeled HB 1183 after a similar program in Utah.

Sly introduced an amendment that attached $1 to the bill and said the dollar amount supplied would dictate the number of participants. She said funding for the program would be ongoing.

Opponents testified the bill conflicted with the practices of federal head start programs, raised concerns of the amount of time that could be spent in front of the computer and used general fund dollars that would take away state funding dollars for schools.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Open Government, Pre-K, Education Funding, Small Schools,

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Full slate for House Ed.
Posted Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Public hearings, proposals and payments

Committee members will decide whether or not to change the current financial requirement for school boards to conduct a public hearing on certain purchases.

House Bill 1200 would require school boards to hold a public hearing on any proposed purchase, lease or issue of capital outlay certificate that would exceed $250,000, which would change the current public hearing requirement level of 1.5% of the taxable valuation of taxable property in the district.

The bill has the potential to require public hearing on most purchases, including textbooks or technology enhancements, especially in larger districts.

“School board members are entrusted to make purchases that enhance a school district,” Executive Director Wade Pogany said. “Changing the current method to what’s proposed would hamper many school boards from moving forward on decisions that improve their district.

Pilot program proposes preparation

House Bill 1183 is another in a list of special project funding bills the committee has heard so far in session.

The bill would appropriate funds for a computer and Internet access into the homes of preschool aged children to prepare them for school as part of a home-based educational technology program. HB 1183 does not have a dollar amount attached to it or how the funds would be provided.

“Along with many of the special project bills that have been proposed it’s a good idea, but there’s still some questions about its funding source and how it would work logistically,” Pogany said.

Small schools, big decisions

After receiving the approval of Senators, Senate Bill 96 makes its way to the other side of the legislature.

The bill would allow school districts with an enrollment under 100 to remain open if they are exercising joint powers or intergovernmental cooperation in education, which would allow districts to share services and costs. Districts could share teachers, courses or curriculums among other services while students remain in their home district.

House Education committee members deferred action on a bill that also would have an effect on smaller school districts last week until SB 96 had its hearing.

House Bill 1213 would reduce the amount of state aid and eliminate the small school adjustment after school district drops under 100 total students for two consecutive years, but allow districts to remain open and not consolidate.

“There’s a lot of merit to both bills and we’d prefer the ‘Under 100’ rule be repealed altogether,” Pogany said. “Senate Bill 96 offers smaller school districts a great opportunity to continue to provide the quality education they have been and keep students in their home district.”

For updates on the bills check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Open Government, Preschool, Education Funding, Small Schools,

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Extension and Innovation
Posted Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Capital Outlay sunset date extended

Senate Education committee members stretched the provision allowing school districts to use capital outlay funds for certain insurance, energy, utilities and motor fuel costs at Tuesday’s meeting.

The committee voted 7-0 to extend the sunset date to 2018 as part of Senate Bill 194. The provision, introduced in 2009, was set to expire in 2014. ASBSD delegates voted to support the extension of the sunset date at November’s Delegate Assembly.

“The bill offers school districts, that may need it, some relief on certain expenditures,” Executive Director Wade Pogany said. “Right now, with funding where it is for schools any flexibility helps.”

Bill sponsor Sen. Bill Van Gerpen (19) testified that school districts could see a more than 10 percent increase to health insurance costs and Milbank Superintendent Tim Graf told the committee his district saw the flexibility “as really the only realistic option to maintain even basic education services.”

During the committee’s discussion, Sen. Mark Johnston (12) noted each year since the capital outlay flexibility had been in place the total dollar amount has increased. In fiscal year 2009 school districts flexed a little more than $1 million with steady increases in FY 2010 and 2011 and topping out at over $15 million in FY 2012.

The bill now heads to the Senate floor.

Senate Bill 76 hoghoused

Rerouted from the Senate floor to the Senate Education committee, Senate Bill 76 underwent an overhaul on Tuesday.

The bill, which originally passed through Senate Education more than two weeks ago, was hoghoused by the committee and referred to the Senate Appropriations committee. SB 76 originally appropriated $150,000 in state funding for Education Service Agencies, which lost funding in 2009.

The new version of the bill creates an innovation grant program for ESAs and school districts. Sen. Johnston told committee members the updated SB 76 combined parts of the original version and House Bill 1133, which was deferred to the 41^st legislative day by the House Education committee.

Johnston said the bill would “create business processes to ensure the long-term survivability of the (small) districts and most importantly improve student achievement.”

Johnston said he expected the hoghoused version to exceed the $150,000 attached to the previous version, but he did not specify an amount. Currently, there is one dollar attached to the bill.

The state Board of Education would select grant recipients from school districts and ESAs that apply for funds. Applicants must have matching funds to be eligible.

ASBSD will continue to monitor the bill, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker for updates.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Capital Outlay, ESA, Education Funding, Student Achievement,

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Funding at the forefront
Posted Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Senate Appropriations

Wednesday marks a big day in Senate Appropriations, both literally and figuratively. Committee members have 16 bills on the docket, including six bill hearings and two that could be acted on related to K-12 education funding.

Here’s a breakdown of the bills:

Senate Bill 28: The vehicle for an increase to property tax levies for a school district’s general fund. The bill calls for a raise to the non-agricultural levy of $0.535, up to $9.163 per thousand dollars of valuation, a decrease of $0.24, down to $2.082 for the agricultural levy and an increase to the owner-occupied levy of $0.25, up to $4.279. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Senate Bill 191: Provides the proposed three percent increase to state aid. The bill would increase the per-student allocation to $4,626.65 for the 2013-14 school year. ASBSD supports the bill.

Senate Bill 193: Changes the language of the state aid increase from "less" to "more" as it relates to schools receiving an annual percentage increase or the change in CPI-W. The bill does not set a cap on the percentage increase for state aid. ASBSD supports the bill.

Senate Bill 196: Modifies the state aid increase to general and special education by adjusting increase to be based on the projected state general fund increase or CPI-W change, whichever is greater. The increase would be capped at six percent. ASBSD supports the bill.

Senate Bill 229: Appropriates $1.5 million in one-time dollars from the general fund to school districts for Career and Technical Education programs. ASBSD is opposed to the bill.

Votes could be cast on Senate Bill 15 and 188, as well. Each bill had hearings last week (Feb. 7).

SB 15 calls for the tax levy for special education be raised to $1.53 per thousand dollars of taxable valuation and would set the state’s qualifying levy at $1.33 per thousand dollars of taxable valuation and would set a $4 million cap on the extraordinary cost fund. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

SB 188 would provide $500,000 in funding, taken from the general fund, for the Teach for America grant program. Proponents of the bill testified it would allow TFA to increase the number of teachers recruited and retained by the program to 100, up from 57, and expand beyond the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations to other areas. ASBSD is opposed to the bill.

House Appropriations

Two bills will appear before the House Appropriations committee tomorrow after being passed and referred to appropriations by the House Education committee last week.

House Bill 1166 would reward teachers in school districts with bonuses based on the percentage of graduates not taking remediation courses upon entering higher education. The bill calls for up to $1 million, taken from the general fund, for the rewards. The rewards are not ongoing.

HB 1172 calls for the appropriation of $1.5 million from the general fund in the form of one-time dollars for school districts to use on career and technical education courses.

Combined, the two bills would offer $2.5 million in one-time funds from the pool of $26.5 million in excess general funds not appropriated in Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s budget proposal.

ASBSD is opposed to both bills due to its removal of dollars from the general fund.

For updates on these bills, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, State Aid, Taxation, SPED, Education Funding, CPI-W,

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News and Notes from Thursday
Posted Friday, February 8, 2013

Action on TFA bill deferred

Action on Senate Bill 188, which would provide $500,000 in funding, taken from the general fund, for the Teach for America grant program, was deferred at Thursday’s Senate Appropriations meeting.

The TFA grant program would recruit teachers to and place them in school districts with high numbers of students from low-income households, specifically in schools on reservations.

TFA Representative Jim Curran testified last year’s grant program provided $250,000 in state funds, which was matched in private contributions, as stipulated in last year’s legislation (2012 – SD 139).

Curran said the proposed $250,000 increase would allow TFA increase the number of teachers recruited and retained by the program to 100, up from 57, and expand beyond the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservations to other areas.

ASBSD is opposed to the bill because it removes general fund dollars that could be appropriated to school districts to use at their own discretion.

The bill is scheduled to come before the committee again on Wednesday, Feb. 13.

Agenda bill through House

Representatives unanimously passed House Bill 1158 on Thursday.

HB 1158 would require proposed agendas to include the date, time and location of a meeting. The bill was introduced to correct the oversight of meeting agenda information.

Ag. levy bill sent to 41^st

Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources committee members deferred SB 210 to the 41^st Legislative Day on an 8-1 vote at Thursday’s meeting.

The bill would have called for assessment of agricultural property based on full market value only and repeals the practice of assessing agricultural property based on its agricultural income value.

For updates on these bills, as well as others, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Education Funding, Open Government, Taxation,

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News and notes from Wednesday
Posted Thursday, February 7, 2013

Remediation bill reconsidered

In a surprise move that opened up this morning’s (Wednesday) House Education committee meeting, Rep. Scott Ecklund asked for reconsideration of an amended version of House Bill 1166 and members obliged.

At Monday’s (Feb. 4) committee meeting, members deferred HB 1166, which would reward teachers in school districts with bonuses based on the percentage of graduates not taking remediation courses upon entering higher education, to the 41^st Legislative Day, but voted 11-4 to take up discussion again.

Ecklund, who said the bill was “initially flawed” in its first draft, introduced an amendment drawn up by the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Lee Qualm, which would make the bonuses for teachers equal in dollar amount for all school districts. The committee did not hear public testimony or discussion on the amendment.

The bill calls for up to $1 million in money be taken from the general fund for the rewards, which are not funded in an ongoing fashion. A concept committee member Rep. Paula Hawks said failed to meet the salary concerns for the state’s teachers.

“We need to find a way to fund (teachers) appropriately year-to-year,” Hawks said.

The committee voted 9-6 to pass the bill on to the House Appropriations committee.

CTE funding bill continues on

Committee members voted 9-6 to refer House Bill 1172 to the House Appropriations committee.

HB 1172 calls for the appropriation of $1.5 million from the general fund in the form of one-time dollars for school districts to use on career and technical education courses. Bill sponsor Rep. Herman Otten testified that he does not believe the one-time dollars are “adequate” for programs but he intends to seek ongoing funding for CTE classes.

“The schools have made the choice to take the funds away from these programs,” Otten said.

Rep. Julie Bartling said the one-time funding may not be the answer for the CTE programs.

“There may not be the funding available (in the future) to continue the programs,” Bartling said.

Insurance and pension levy bill amended

Members of the House of Representatives passed an amended version of House Bill 1239 on a 53-17 vote on Wednesday.

HB 1239 would authorize school districts to implement certain tax levies at 30 cents per thousand dollars of taxable valuation for pension and health insurance funding purposes.

For updates on these pieces of legislation, and others, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Education Funding, CTE, Taxation,

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Two bills tackled on Tuesday by Reps
Posted Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Onward for innovation

Members of the House of Representatives passed House Bill 1164 with a 60-9 vote on Tuesday.

The bill would provide one-time dollars in the form of classroom innovation grants to utilize technology in creative and innovative ways to enhance learning and achievement of their students. Bill sponsor Rep. David Lust (34) told representatives the grants would “further the education experience” of students.

“It incentivizes teachers and classrooms to use technology in innovative ways,” Lust said.

An amendment to the bill changed the year the grants would be appropriated from 2014 to 2015 to allow teachers more time to prepare ideas before applying to the Department of Education. There is no dollar amount appropriated for the program at this time.

Tax levy bill voted down…for now

House Bill 1239 did not fare as well as HB 1164, as representatives turned back the bill by close margin.

The bill, which authorizes school districts, if they so choose, to increase certain tax levies for pension and health insurance purposes, failed to pass on a 33-36 vote. HB 1239 would have allowed districts to levy a tax of 40 cents per thousand dollars of taxable valuation. Funds collected from the levy can only be used for pension and health insurance purposes.

A request for reconsideration was made for the bill and representatives could vote on it again today.

ASBSD will continue to monitor each bill’s progress, or lack thereof, with updates on the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Education Funding, Taxation,

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News and notes
Posted Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Critical needs scholarship returns

Senate Bill 233 brings back a familiar piece of legislation from last year. The bill is looking to establish the critical needs teaching scholarship program, which was one of the lone bright spots from last year’s controversial education reform plan, House Bill 1234.

Senate Education committee members will have first review of the bill, which calls for $5 million from the general fund to kick start the program’s trust fund, at this morning’s hearing. SB 233 looks to put a variety of criteria in place for student’s looking to enter the teaching profession in a critical needs area and stay in South Dakota after completing their degree.

“I think everyone agreed the scholarship program was a great idea in House Bill 1234 and this bill has the potential to be a positive for the future of K-12 education,” Executive Director Wade Pogany said. “At the same time, it takes $5 million out of the general fund at a time when school districts could really use those dollars so we’re going to have to watch the bill’s development.”

Posting information online

House Local Government committee members will hear testimony this morning on a bill that would allow school districts to post any notice, minutes, bid, document or other information online.

House Bill 1224 would require a school district to put notice of the change and where the information can be found in the official school newspaper twice a year. In addition, school districts would have to designate a place where a hard copy of the information would be posted. ASBSD supports the bill.

“The Internet has become the outlet where most people get their information and this bill allows school districts to follow that trend,” Pogany said.

Flexible spending bill moves to Governor’s desk

House Bill 1064, which allows school districts to implement flexible spending accounts as part of health insurance plans, was unanimously passed by the Senate yesterday. The bill has one last step before being enacted into law as it awaits Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s signature.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Education Funding, Open Government,

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K-12 gets committee focus tomorrow
Posted Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Wednesday’s committee schedule marks a big day for legislation related to K-12 education.

House State Affairs committee members will hear two bills that would improve upon the current K-12 education funding situation.

House Bill 1201 calls for an increase to the per-student allocation dollar amount for the next three years to balance the “funding shortfalls” school districts suffered starting in 2011.

For the 2013-14 school year, the PSA would be raised by nearly seven percent to $4,802 and to $4,978 and at $5,154 (increases of 3.5 percent) in subsequent years. The PSA would return to the current funding formula level, with districts receiving a three percent increase or the change in the CPI-W, whichever is less following the 2015-16 school year.

House Bill 1202 would change the index factor increase for education funding from three percent to four percent. Gov. Dennis Daugaard proposed a three percent increase for school districts in his budget, which set the PSA at $4,625. A four percent increase would move the projected PSA to $4,670.

ASBSD supports both bills.

In addition to supporting the funding bills, ASBSD will stand behind Senate Bill 99, which changes the term "opt out" to "instructional support levy." A hearing for SB 99 is scheduled in Senate Taxation tomorrow.

ASBSD will take opposition against Senate Bill 167. The bill would require executive or closed sessions be recorded and maintained for one year. The bill has the potential to undermine confidentiality and stymie dialogue among board members on key closed session topics.

SB 167 appears before the Senate Local Government committee tomorrow.

The House Education committee will hold a hearing for House Bill 1166 tomorrow, as well. The bill would reward school districts based on the number of past year graduates not taking remediation courses upon entering higher education with dollars form the general fund. ASBSD opposes the bill because it removes dollars from the general fund school districts are in need of.

For updates following the committee meetings tomorrow on these bills, check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, State Aid, School Funding, CPI-W, Taxation, Open Government, Education Funding,

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Bills pass to start week
Posted Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Three bills passed their original house to start week number three of legislative session.

Representatives passed House Bill 1108 by 63-5 vote on Monday. The open meeting’s related bill initially placed sub- and advisory committees under the open meetings umbrella, but was amended by the House State Affairs committee removing the requirement.

The bill’s main function now is to exclude advisory bodies from having to provide telephone or Internet access for meetings.

Senate Bill 41 passed through the Senate floor by a 33-0 vote. The bill would allow school districts to use an approved inspector to inspect school buses, expanding the requirement that bus inspection be completed only by the highway patrol.

Senators also passed Senate Bill 78, which exempts bus drivers from physical requirements of transporting passengers unless required by their employer, by a 23-9 vote.

ASBSD will continue to monitor the bills.

A bill to reinstate $150,000 in state funding to Education Service Agencies was deferred by the Senate. ASBSD supports the Senate Bill 76.

Senate Health and Human Services committee members deferred Senate Bill 98 to the 41^st Legislative Day. The bill would have revised immunization exemption requirements to encompass a student that has a “personal religious commitment” opposed to the immunization and planning to enter school.

For updates on these bills, as well as other pieces of legislation, continue to check the blog and bill tracker.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Open Government, Education Funding,

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Grant bills deferred in vote
Posted Monday, January 28, 2013

House Education committee members elected to defer two bills proposing K-12 grant programs to the 41^st legislative day at this morning’s (Monday) bill hearings.

House Bill 1119 would have established a school-to-work grant program using $300,000 from the general fund for students who may not pursue a secondary education. House Bill 1133 would have provided $500,000 to $1 million from the general fund, estimated by bill sponsor Rep. Scott Munsterman (7), for school districts using innovative education practices.

HB 1119 fell by a 10-5 vote and HB 1133 at 12-3.

“The intention of each bill is appreciated,” Executive Director Wade Pogany said. “However, the fact remains school districts are severely underfunded and any money taken out of the general fund to do anything but give dollars to the bottom line is not feasible right now.”

Rep. Kathy Tyler (4) sponsored HB 1119 and said she related to the position of school districts.

“As a former school board member, I understand where the general funds (for schools) come from or the lack thereof,” Tyler testified before the committee.

Pogany said the grant programs are great ideas helping advance the conversation on school funding. He believes the discussion needs to shift to finding an ongoing funding source or increasing the current formula.

“We’re headed in the right direction,” Pogany said of the funding conversation. “Now, legislators and educators need to sit down and hammer out a sustainable funding plan.”

Two bills that would no doubt improve the current K-12 funding situation will have hearings on Wednesday in front of the House State Affairs committee.

House Bill 1201 calls for an increase to the per-student allocation dollar amount for the next three years to balance the “funding shortfalls” school districts have incurred. For the 2014 fiscal year, the PSA would be set at $4,802 an increase of almost seven percent from this year and for 2015 at $4,978 and at $5,154 in 2016, after which returning to three percent.

In addition to PSA increase bill, House Bill 1202 calls for the yearly percent adjustment for K-12 education change from three percent to four percent.

Check the ASBSD blog later this week for updates.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Grants, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Upcoming committee dockets
Posted Monday, January 28, 2013

Today’s House Education committee meeting features two bills proposing grant programs with dollars appropriated from the general fund.

House Bill 1119 would establish a school-to-work grant program for students who may not pursue a secondary education. The bill would take $300,000 from the general fund for the program.

House Bill 1133 would allocate an unspecified amount of dollars in 12-grants for school districts using innovative education practices through technology, cooperation with other districts or other creative practices.

ASBSD appreciates the thought behind the bills to find ways to fund K-12 education, but opposes each bill because they remove dollars from the general fund that could be used to better serve districts in an ongoing funding method.

House State Affairs will hold a hearing this morning on House Bill 1139, which would require school district’s to “submit to a survey regarding the district's budget, programs, workforce, or other related data” for the Department of Education. ASBSD will continue to monitor the bill.

On Tuesday, the Senate Education committee is scheduled to hold hearings on two bills ASBSD is in support of.

Senate Bill 96 would allow school districts with under 100 enrollment to remain open, if they are exercising joint powers or intergovernmental cooperation in education.

Senate Bill 158 would provide state funding for educational programs for children in treatment centers to the student’s home district and the district the treatment center is located in.

Bookmark the ASBSD blog and bill tracker for updates on the bills.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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ASBSD Weekly Legislative Roundup
Posted Friday, January 25, 2013

“Sentinel” bill passes committee

Following almost three hours of testimony and discussion spread across two days, the House Education committee passed an amended version of House Bill 1087 by an 8-7 vote this morning. The bill moves to the House floor for hearing next week.

The bill would allow school boards to “create, establish and supervise” a “sentinel” program that would arm staff, security or volunteers on school grounds.

“We’re disappointed the committee passed the bill,” Executive Wade Pogany said. ASBSD opposes the bill based on the standing position for "Safe and Secure Schools" which supports keeping “weapons” away from school grounds.

Part of the amendment requires school boards receive the approval of the county sheriff with jurisdiction over the district before implementing the "sentinel" program. The new requirement would shift the local control element proponents of the bill argued school boards had in deciding on the program to the discretion of the county sheriff.

Additionally, the amendment calls for non-law enforcement individuals filling the "sentinel" role to receive only 40-hours of firearms training from law enforcement before carrying the weapon.

The amendment also requires school boards only discuss the “sentinel” program in executive session.

“While we appreciate the attempt to address concerns with the amendment, it simply does not change the fact that this is bad policy,” Pogany said. “We maintain that more firearms in schools make them unsafe.”

“Quotes” of Note

(Quotes span the two-day hearing in House Education on HB 1087.)

“A school filled with young people is an unforgiving environment, where a miss will prove harmful or even deadlier to innocence. You cannot miss.” – Lead-Deadwood School Board member and military veteran Orson Ward.

“After the horrible shooting in Connecticut, I thought, ‘it’s time to do something.’” – Rep. Betty Olson (28B).

“Schools are still safe environments. We plan, we prepare, we practice.” – SASD Executive Director Rob Munson.

“When push comes to shove, the only way, in reality, to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” – Rep. Dan Kaiser (3).

“Is it acceptable to let teachers and administrators to carry firearms in a school with children? This is not a debate about local control. Arming teachers and arming administrators is so grave it needs to be decided (in the legislature).” – Executive Director Wade Pogany.

Past week’s posts

ASBSD Legislative Day

ESA funding bill passes committee

Vote on "Sentinel" bill deferred

Legislative news and notes

A bill summary from the past week

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, School Safety, ASBSD, Education Funding, Open Government,

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ESA funding bill passes committee
Posted Thursday, January 24, 2013

Senate Education committee members unanimously agreed to pass a bill that would return state funding to Education Service Agencies based on an application and matching funds process.

Senate Bill 76 will head to the Senate floor with a slightly adjusted look, but going forward nonetheless. The committee approved two amendments to the bill. The amendments changed the on-going funding amount to $150,000, down from $500,000 and will require ESAs apply to the Department of Education for a funding amount that must be matched by the agency through federal funds or other sources.

“I think $150,000 on-going (funding) is a little bit more realistic number at this point,” Sen. Timothy Rave (25) said. “Certainly, we can always add more in the future.”

Committee members decided to defer a vote on the bill from Tuesday’s meeting in order to hear input on the ESAs from Department of Education representatives, who were unable to attend due to the department’s budget hearing.

Secretary of Education Melody Schopp told committee members funding for ESAs was not in the department budget, but they were contracted for work that meets the department’s goals.

Schopp added funding for the ESAs to meet DOE goals would be useful, but it would not be if their purpose does not align with department goals. The “matching funds” amendment requiring ESAs to apply to the DOE does not specify the agencies align their educational purposes with department goals.

Sen. Deb Soholt (14) supported the bill, but said in the future she would like to see ESAs develop a plan for using the funding that parallels DOE’s goals.

“It (SB 76) gives us a vehicle to have an ongoing conversation versus just having (ESAs) die a slow death… from lack of funding,” Soholt said.

ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany testified in support of the bill at Tuesday’s hearing and we will continue to monitor its progress. Check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker for updates.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, ESA, Education Funding,

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Vote on ESA bill deferred until Thursday
Posted Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Senate Education committee members decided to defer a vote on a bill that would restore state funding for Education Service Agencies until their Thursday meeting.

The decision came after the committee heard testimony and discussion on Senate Bill 76 and determined further input from the Department of Education was needed. DOE Finance Director Tamara Darnall briefly testified, but had to return to the department’s joint appropriations budget hearing.

SB 76 had eight supporters testify and zero opposition. ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany was among the vocal supporters under the direction of the association’s resolution C3, which called for “full funding” return to ESAs.

“School boards clearly understand the impact ESAs can have,” Pogany testified. “I think it’s time for rekindling the ESAs.”

The bill proposes $500,000 in one-time funding for ESAs, which bill sponsor and committee member Sen. Ryan Maher (28) said was allocated for ESAs in the past.

Committee members’ questions about the bill included how the funding would be dispersed to the six agencies and why funding wasn’t provided in the DOE’s budget.

“We will have this (funding) problem every year, if you will, from a consistency stand point… until you make this (ESA) a part of somebody’s budget,” Sen. Bruce Rampelberg (30) said. Darnall told the committee ESA funding was not part of the DOE’s recommended budget.

Pogany referenced the beginning stages of DOE initiatives such as teacher and administrator evaluations and Common Core Standards as being areas ESAs could provide valuable assistance.

“What I hear superintendents and boards telling me is, ‘we just need help with the design and implementation of all these things (initiatives),” Pogany said.

Pogany, who worked closely with the development of ESAs during his tenure with the DOE, urged the committee to continue the conversation related to ESA funding because of their value to education and the instant benefits they could provide with the foundation already in place.

“Even if the dollar amount varies or changes, please keep this (reinstatement of funding) going as a conversation,” Pogany said. “All the infrastructure is in place. All that’s missing is the funding.”

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, ESA, Education Funding,

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A bill summary from the past week
Posted Monday, January 21, 2013

The spotlight was placed firmly on House Bill 1087, which would allow school boards to arm school employees, when it was introduced last week during legislative session.

HB 1087, which ASBSD opposes, will no doubt garner much of the attention this week, but in addition to it there were 11 more bills were introduced last week that ASBSD will be tracking. Here’s a recap of those bills:

Senate Bill 78: Revises provisions of medical requirements for bus drivers transporting passengers exempting them from the physical requirements unless required by their district. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Senate Bill 79: Transfers funds from the Game, Fish and Parks fund to the permanent school fund for each acre of school land shown as public hunting land in a GFP published hunting atlas, map or other publication. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Senate Bill 80: Repeals legislation requiring impact aid be accounted in the school's general fund and allows the impact aid be accounted for in a separate fund. ASBSD is monitoring the bill.

Senate Bill 91: Reduces contractor's excise tax over a three year period before its full repeal in2016. ASBSD is monitoring the bill and the affect it could have on funding for K-12 education.

Senate Bill 96: Allows school districts with fewer than 100 K-12 students to remain open and autonomous, if it is exercising joint powers or intergovernmental cooperation in education with another school district. ASBSD is in support of the bill.

Senate Bill 98: Revises immunization exemption requirements to encompass a student that has a “personal religious commitment” opposed to the immunization and planning to enter school or an early childhood education program. ASBSD will monitor the bill.

Senate Bill 99: Changes the term "opt out" to "instructional support levy” when school districts publish announcement of reference the additional property tax levy. ASBSD is in support of the bill.

House Bill 1064: Allows school districts to implement flexible spending accounts as part of health insurance plans, which includes the use of debit cards or direct deposits among other methods. Executive Director Wade Pogany testified in support of the bill, which passed through the House Education committee. ASBSD is in support of the bill.

House Bill 1108: Subjects committees appointed by a school board to open meetings laws. ASBSD opposes this bill.

House Bill 1113: Requires any digital communication (email, text message, etc.) involving a quorum of board members be subject to open meetings laws. ASBSD is monitoring this bill.

House Bill 1114: Requires any defamatory information about an individual, who is employed, seeking employment, etc., with a public body be confirmed before it can be publicized. ASBSD is monitoring this bill.

For updates on these bills and other legislation check the ASBSD blog and bill tracker often.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, ASBSD, School Safety, School Funding, Open Government, Taxation, Education Funding,

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"Quotes" of Note from Senate Ed.
Posted Thursday, January 17, 2013

It’s been limited to this point, but at Tuesday’s (1/15) Senate Education committee meeting, three Senators broached the subject of and possible alternatives to school funding.

Senator Deb Soholt (14) said the current funding formula feels “like it’s in its own universe in relationship to where we really need to go with accountability.”

“Away from funding, how can we help districts meet the challenges for the mass customized learning approach we’re taking today,” Senator, and Committee Chair, J. Mark Johnston (12) said.

“I’m coming around to the issue of funding,” Senator Bruce Rampelberg (30) said. “When you start to pare off of who gets what, it sure seems to me that we really need to, as a state… increase the funding level that we have available to do these (DOE education outcomes) many things that you (Secretary Melody Schoop) are identifying.”

We don’t want to read anything into any of the Senators’ quotes, but rather make note of the discussion that’s taking place in the early stages of session.

One of ASBSD’s goals for this session was to explore long-term, permanent funding options available and begin the conversation to secure a source. It’s encouraging to hear the discussion in committee and that legislators are carefully analyzing the current state of funding for schools.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, Education Funding, School Funding, State Aid,

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Bill calls for ESA funding return
Posted Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Restoration of state funding for Education Service Agencies was introduced today in the form of Senate Bill 76.

The bill calls for $500,000 from the general fund be given to the Department of Education for the 2013 fiscal year for the ESAs, which had most of its state funding cut in 2009. DOE would approve the allocation of the funds to the school districts served by the ESA in their region.

Established in 2004 and adopted by law as an organization in 2007, ESAs provide service and assistance to school districts under the direction of the DOE. ESAs serve school districts in one of six regions.

Courtesy of SD DOE

ASBSD Resolution C3: Education Service Agencies calls for support of a “full funding” return. The potential for reinstated funding would be a very welcome bonus for districts.

“This is a welcome surprise for school districts,” Executive Director Wade Pogany said. “ESAs are a valuable tool that unfortunately has not been available for districts in recent years, but with this bill schools could get extra help if needed.”

SB 76 was introduced by Senators Ryan Maher (28) and Corey Brown (23) and Representatives Jacqueline Sly (33), Justin Cronin (23) and Charles Hoffman (23). Sen. Maher and Representative Sly are education committee members for their respective houses.

ASBSD will continue to update the bill’s progress.

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, ESA, Education Funding,

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Daugaard delivers state address
Posted Tuesday, January 8, 2013

South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard offered up his 2013 State of the State Address this afternoon with little mention of K-12 education; a change from a year ago when the Governor introduced the omnibus education reform plan, House Bill 1234, during that address.

“K-12 education flew under the radar during the Governor’s State of the State Address and that’s OK with us,” ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany said.

“We’ll move forward firmly focused on securing one-time monies and having a more in-depth discussion on finding a long-term funding source for our school districts.”

Daugaard spent the majority of this year’s address unveiling his criminal justice initiative, as well as revisiting the unsteady federal financial situation, which he discussed during December’s budget address, and trumpeting the fiscal status of South Dakota.

“Governor Daugaard alluded to ‘reinforcing the floor’ for South Dakota and a great way to ‘reinforce it’ would be to invest in a sound K-12 education system with a long term funding plan,” Pogany said. “The conversation for establishing that long-term plan needs to start during the 2013 session.”

Categories:2013 Legislative Session, State of the State, Education Funding, Economic Impact,

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Legislation saves voluntary academic programs
Posted Friday, March 2, 2012

South Dakota school districts can continue to charge for voluntary pre-k, driver education and summer school programs, thanks to legislation signed into law Thursday by Gov. Dennis Daugaard.

State auditors took exception last year to school districts that charged for the voluntary programs, arguing that school districts lacked legal authority to assess fees. That position was later backed by the South Dakota Department of Education and the Attorney General’s office, though the state’s top lawyer did not issue an official opinion.

To clarify existing school district practice, ASBSD drafted and helped usher HB 1195 through the legislative process. The bill allows schools to charge a fee for programming “before or after the regular school term or school day, including weekends.” The language also grants permission to charge a fee for “early childhood services for any child his is under the age of compulsory attendance.”

The legislation also requires any fees collected to be deposited into the public enterprise fund, a provision intended to clarify that the funds raised can’t be used to supplement general fund programs. The law also states that fees may not charge fees for extracurricular activities.

Opponents of the measure were concerned about what they said was broad language relating to pre-k, arguing that the language would allow for K-12 schools to operate a host of day care and other non-education related services. ASBSD pushed back against that contention, saying schools were only seeking to clarify authority to charge for pre-k programs that already benefit students.

The measure cleared the House of Representatives on a 55-12 vote, and passed through the Senate on a 25-6 vote. South Dakota school board members voted last November to make the fee authority issue an advocacy priority for the upcoming year.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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House narrowly passes HB 1234
Posted Wednesday, February 29, 2012

A controversial package of education reforms narrowly passed the South Dakota House of Representatives Wednesday, earning support by the slimmest possible margin. House Bill 1234 will now be delivered to Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who is expected to sign the legislation.

The vote came in the early evening, after consideration of the measure had been delayed three times during the day. Debate lasted for more than an hour, and the bill passed with 36 votes, a single vote above the threshold required for approval.

House Education Chair Tom Brunner, R-Nisland, was the first to speak in favor of the bill, telling lawmakers that the measure had changed significantly in response to concerns from the education community. He ticked off numerous changes that he said would put additional money into the hands of the state’s teachers and bolster local control. He urged passage of the bill, which he said “starts us down the road to true education reform.”

A bipartisan coalition attacked the issue from several angles, including the supporters’ contention that the bill would lead to improved student achievement.

Rep. Scott Munsterman, R-Brookings, argued that the bill was flawed because it lacked the input of the education community. He challenged the notion that the reforms will drive improvement, saying policies within the bill have proven ineffective elsewhere.

Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Shawn Tornow, R-Sioux Falls, and Rep. Laura Hubbel, R-Sioux Falls, objected to the bill’s composition, arguing that it dealt with more than one subject – a tactic specifically prohibited by the South Dakota Constitution.

Rep. Bernie Hunhoff, D-Yankton, had the sharpest criticism for the bill, saying it was misguided for trying to fix problems that don’t exist in South Dakota. He also said lawmakers supporting the bill hadn’t learned their lesson that top-down education reform is destined for failure.

“The Pierre bureaucrats want to take over our schools,” Rep. Hunhoff said.

The measure has changed significantly since it was first released in late January.

The bill now contains two provisions that may result in additional investments in K-12 education, but that will only happen if the state has the financial resources and if future lawmakers vote to fund the program – two variables that are far from certain, despite Gov. Daugaard’s pledge to include funding in future budget recommendations.

The bill promises to devote $10 million toward alternative teacher compensation. Schools can choose to participate in a statewide merit pay program, or can allocate the equivalent of $1,000 per teacher via a “local teacher reward plan,” which can be based on boosting achievement, teacher leadership or hiring teachers in tough-to-fill positions. The measure also includes $2,500 bonuses for effective math and science teachers, and will create a scholarship program to motivate individuals to teach in high-need areas.

The bill will grant local school boards the authority to offer continuing contract and due process rights, effective in the 2016-17 school year. Once implemented, teachers who don’t have continuing contract will only earn it if school boards choose to offer the protection.

One portion of the measure – a mandated staff evaluation system – remains unchanged from the original plan proposed by Gov. Daugaard. Beginning in the 2014-15 school year, all schools will have to use a statewide evaluation system and evaluation instrument, and state law will dictate how often both teachers and principals must be evaluated. For teachers, half the evaluation must be based on quantitative measures of student performance, a significant and potentially costly change from current law that requires teacher evaluation.

The bill’s evaluation components were a major sticking point for school board members. ASBSD supported the measure during a House Education Committee hearing, but expressed reservations about the evaluation components, including the cost of student testing that would be required. ASBSD became an opponent of the legislation later in the session, after it became clear that the unfunded staff evaluation mandates were not going to be altered.

Voting YES (36)

Boomgarden, Brunner, Carson, Conzet, Cronin, Dryden, Gosch, Greenfield, Haggar, Hansen, Hickey, Hoffman, Hunt, Jensen, Kirkeby, Kopp, Lust, Magstadt, Miller, Novstrup, Olson, Perry, Rozum, Schaefer, Scott, Sly, Solum, Steele, Turbiville, Vanneman, Vener, White, Wick, Willadsen, Rausch

Voting NO (33)

Blake, Bolin, Deelstra, Dennert, Elliot, Fargen, Feickert, Feinstein, Gibson, Hawley, Hubbel, Hunhoff, Iron Could, Jones, Killer, Kirschmann, Kloucek, Liss, Lucas, Moser, Munsterman, Nelson, Romkema, Russel, Schrempp, Sigestead, Street, Stricherz, Tornow, Tulson, Van Gerpen, Wink, Wismer

Excused

Abdallah

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, Teacher Quality ,

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Senators approve $70 in one-time per-student funding
Posted Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Members of the South Dakota Senate voted late Tuesday to send $8.6 million in one-time money to K-12 schools in the current budget year.

The action came during floor debate on HB 1137, a bill that makes adjustments to the current year budget. Bolstered by recent revenue projections that show the state will have $10 million more to spend before June 30, Senators voted to send $70 per-student to schools before the end of FY12. The additional aid is delivered outside the formula, and will not trigger a local property tax match.

The measure also includes more than $12 million to fund a one-time, 5 percent bonus to state employees and enough money to give similar raises to workers in community health centers. The bill also contains funds to help ensure Ellsworth Air Force Base survives the next round of military base closures.

The bill will be considered by the House of Representatives tomorrow, on the same day the body is scheduled to consider the controversial HB 1234.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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Senate passes HB 1234, sets up action in the House
Posted Monday, February 27, 2012

The South Dakota Senate voted 22-12 Monday to send a controversial education reform plan back to the House of Representatives.

Lawmakers debated HB 1234 for more than 90 minutes, spending most of that time dismissing a series of amendments, including a proposal to scrap the plan and send it into a summer study. Before taking the final vote, Senators stripped the measure of language that would have required a two-thirds majority for passage and added a sixth advisory task force to study education reform and report back to the Legislature. The major components of the bill remain unchanged.

Senate Education Chair Mark Johnston, R-Sioux Falls, asked lawmakers to endorse the plan. He said the bill was changed significantly in response to stakeholder input, and the measure will rely on groups of education professionals to determine how the components will be implemented. Most importantly, he said, the bill provides schools with additional money that can be used to better compensate teachers.

Sen. Jason Frerichs, D-Wilmot, challenged the notion that the legislation provides schools with any additional resources. He also questioned whether lawmakers would want to “own” the measure if they voted to endorse it, arguing that none of his constituents have asked him to support the measure.

The bill now returns to the House, where legislators will determine to accept the changes made in the Senate, to push the bill into a conference committee or to reject the plan altogether.

ASBSD opposes the legislation.

VOTING FOR: Brown; Fryslie; Gray; Hansen (Tom); Haverly; Heineman; Holien; Johnston; Juhnke; Kraus; Krebs; Lederman; Maher; Nelson (Tom); Novstrup (Al); Olson (Russell); Peters; Rampelberg; Rave; Rhoden; Tieszen; Vehle

VOTING AGAINST: Adelstein; Begalka; Bradford; Buhl; Cutler; Frerichs; Hunhoff (Jean); Nygaard; Putnam; Schlekeway; Sutton; Tidemann

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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House passes change in electric cooperative taxation
Posted Monday, February 27, 2012

South Dakota needs to slow the growth of taxes paid by the state’s electric cooperatives, lawmakers said Friday. The South Dakota House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted to change the way power cooperatives are taxed, shifting from a gross receipts tax to a charge per unit of power sold.

Senate Bill 123 affects revenue received by schools outside of the state’s education funding formula. As approved, the measure would allow tax revenue collected from cooperatives to grow at about 4 percent per year, down from the 10 percent annual increases allowed by current law. Backers argue the change benefits consumers and will allow the cooperatives to compete on a level playing field with investor-owned utilities.

The bill now moves to back to the Senate, where lawmakers must vote on changes made in the House. The proposal was altered last week to include a provision that cooperative lobbyists said would hold schools harmless from the change while providing a one-year boost to schools as the state shifts to the new taxation policy.

ASBSD opposes the legislation, and is unable to obtain the information necessary to validate the impact of the policy.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, Taxation,

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House reverses on one-time training funds
Posted Monday, February 27, 2012

The South Dakota Department of Education will have $8.4 million to develop a three-year training program to help schools implement Common Core academic standards and a new state mandated teacher evaluation instrument.

Lawmakers resumed debate Friday on SB 192, opting to reverse an amendment added a day prior that would direct the training money to schools on a per-student basis. The change would have meant an extra $65 per-student for next year, but legislators said Friday that the money is best spent on a state-led training effort.

Rep. Dean Wink, R-Howes, told House members that restoring the training program is the most efficient way to help schools implement the new state mandates, and asked lawmakers to “relieve the burden that [schools] would have to bear.”

Legislators restored the training program on a 41-27 vote, then overwhelmingly passed SB 192.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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House moves to give schools additional $65 per student
Posted Friday, February 24, 2012

Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s proposal to fund training to implement two new state reforms hit a stumbling block Thursday on the floor of the South Dakota House of Representatives.

During debate on SB 192, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers voted to direct to schools $8.4 million that the governor pledged to help administrators and teachers incorporate Common Core standards and new state mandated teacher and principal evaluation systems. As amended, the plan would deliver approximately $65 per-student in one-time money for next year.

Rep. Paul Dennert, D-Columbia, asked lawmakers to approve the change. He told legislators that schools need additional per-student funding, and SB 192 was the only opportunity lawmakers have had to support additional funding for schools. He isn’t against funding the training programs, he said, but he also thinks schools need additional per-student funding.

Rep. Jim Bolin, R-Canton, joined in support of the change, but for different reasons. He told legislators that the bill would de-fund the state’s efforts to implement common core standards, a policy he doesn’t believe is worth pursuing – a point he also made during a committee hearing on the measure, where the amendment to convert the training money to per-student aid narrowly failed.

As amended, SB 192 offers approximately $96 per-student in one-time funding for next year, nearly equal to the one-time allocation that schools are receiving in the current year. The governor’s proposal to increase ongoing funding by 2.3 percent remains alive, but legislators won’t vote on that plan until they consider one of several other legislative proposals.

The measure, which housed one-time funding for several areas of state government, was stalled after the amendment was added. It’s uncertain whether the change will stand.

Rep. Dennert told lawmakers Thursday that he wouldn’t have offered the amendment if he had assurances that schools would get additional per-student funding through another bill.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Pogany: HB 1234 is too much, too quick and too risky
Posted Thursday, February 23, 2012

The state school board association on Thursday voiced opposition to a controversial education reform bill that has dominated legislative debates since being announced Jan. 10.

ASBSD Executive Director Dr. Wade Pogany told members of Senate Education that HB 1234 has not changed enough to satisfy the state’s school board members. School boards aren’t convinced the plan will work, he said. Pogany recognized that the bill has changed, but commented that a second major rewrite illustrates that the bill isn’t ready to become law.

“We need to continue the debate, continue the conversation, but not in the frame that it is in now,” Pogany said. “This is too much, too quick and too risky.”

At the start of the public hearing, Sen. Deb Peters, R-Hartford, pitched a sweeping amendment to HB 1234, a second rewrite that she said was reflective of educator input. The committee added three amendments after taking public comment, and the bill looks significantly different than the version passed that passed the House two weeks ago.

The amended version creates a Critical Teaching Needs Scholarship, which offers two years of college tuition reimbursement for new public school teachers who choose to work in critical need teaching areas for five years. The South Dakota Board of Education will define critical areas of need, and a separate advisory board will award up to 100 scholarships per year beginning in the 2013-14 school year.

Lawmakers also added back a provision to provide rewards for current math and science teachers, a provision that was jettisoned in the House. In the latest version, math and science teachers will receive a $2,500 bonus if they earn at least a proficient rating on a new state-mandated teacher evaluation system. The component will become effective in the 2014-15 school year.

A controversial plan to eliminate continuing contract was also pared back, and the law now makes it clear that local school boards will have the option of offering continuing contract and due process rights. The language will become effective for the 2016-17 school year, following the implementation of a new statewide teacher evaluation system.

Members of Senate Education also endorsed minor changes to parts of the bill that introduce alternative teacher compensation mechanisms. School districts can either choose to participate in a statewide merit pay program or create a “local teacher reward program” to distribute $1,000 per teacher based on local needs. Districts can reward teachers for improving student achievement or for taking on additional leadership responsibilities, or to help recruit teachers in areas of critical need. Local plans must be approved by an oversight board. If the district’s application is denied, the school board can choose not to take the funds or adopt one of several model reward plans developed by a state work group. This provision will become effective in the 2014-15 school year.

Representatives of the Brookings, Harrisburg, Irene-Wakonda and Sioux Falls school districts also testified in opposition to the bill. Diana Miller and Mitch Richter, lobbyists representing schools of various sizes, and representatives of the Mitchell School District testified in favor. Lobbyists representing farmers and business interests also supported the plan.

Committee members rejected an amendment to put the issue into 10-month study, then passed the bill on a 5-2 vote. The bill now moves to the Senate floor.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, State Aid,

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Lawmakers kill plan to change small school adjustment funding
Posted Thursday, February 23, 2012

Members of House Appropriations on Wednesday tuned away a proposal to change the amount of revenue school districts receive for open-enrolled students, narrowly defeating Senate Bill 85 on a 5-4 vote.

Sen. Larry Tiedemann, R-Brookings, pitched the measure as a correction to the state aid formula, acknowledging that the measure would shift existing funds and “some [schools] are going to get more money, there’s some that will lose money.” Adoption of the small school factor was a political issue used in 1995 to garner support for revamping the formula, he said, arguing that it’s time to revisit the issue.

Supporters of the measure offered slight changes to the plan Wednesday. As originally drafted, schools would only receive small school adjustment funding for students who reside within the district. Under the amended version, schools would only lose funding if the student open-enrolled from a school that didn’t qualify for the small school adjustment.

Rep. Dan Dryden, R-Rapid City, said lawmakers should view the change as a move toward formula fairness. He said students shouldn’t be worth additional funding if they choose to enroll from a large district to smaller district.

Several superintendents from the state’s smaller schools lined up in opposition to the measure, telling lawmakers how the proposal would impact their districts.

Wolsey Wessington Superintendent James Cutshaw testified against the change, arguing the plan would cost his district more than $65,000. He told lawmakers that the district doesn’t advertise or recruit, but parents enroll their children in Wolsey-Wessington seeking better opportunities for their children.

“We teach, and we teach well. And we’ve got a good school district,” said Cutshaw. “Please don’t hurt the little schools because we’re doing a good job.”

According to Cutshaw, most students that open-enroll to Wolsey-Wessington are struggling academically and many come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Those students are more costly to educate, he said, and the district has developed special programs to give the students the special attention they deserve.

Lawmakers narrowly defeated the bill, arguing that the policy would lead to hardship for the state’s smallest schools.

“We’ve got a broken formula, and we’re fighting over crumbs,” said Rep. Susan Wismer, D-Britton. She expressed frustration that the state’s school finance policy appears aimed at starving small schools out of existence, a trend she said is demonstrated by bills like Senate Bill 85.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, School Choice,

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House panel endorses one-time money for K-12 education
Posted Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Members of the House Appropriations Committee approved legislation Wednesday that will provide schools with one-time money next year and fund a three-year training effort to help schools implement two new state-mandated education reforms.

The action came during a public hearing on SB 192, a measure that includes a host of one-time appropriations recommended last December during Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s budget address. The plan delivers $31 in one-time per-student funding to K-12 schools and also includes additional one-time allocations for Medicaid providers and the state’s public universities.

The proposal won unanimous approval from lawmakers, but only after the committee narrowly rejected an amendment to turn over to K-12 schools the $8.4 million set aside to fund the implementation of Common Core academic standards and new staff evaluation mandates. Rep. Jim Bolin, R-Canton, asked lawmakers to approve the change, arguing that the training funds would be better spent if the state simply provided schools with the additional funding.

The amendment drew opposition from Jason Dilges, the state’s top budget official, who told lawmakers that the state could more efficiently deliver the training. Education Secretary Dr. Melody Schopp also asked committee members to reject the amendment. She said the training initiative was requested by school superintendents who told her the state needed to show leadership as the two programs were being implemented.

The amendment failed by a single vote.

The proposal now moves to the House floor. ASBSD supports the legislation.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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House panel advances changes to electric cooperative taxation
Posted Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Lawmakers endorsed Wednesday a proposal to change the way South Dakota taxes electric cooperatives, a change that opponents argue will reduce funding for the state’s public schools.

After rejecting a hold-harmless amendment offered by education advocates, members of the House State Affairs committee changed the bill slightly and voted 10-1 to send SB 123 to the House floor for further consideration.

Proponents of the measure, including the electric cooperatives, told lawmakers that existing state policy has resulted in an annual 10 percent tax increase on every South Dakotan. Electric cooperatives currently pay a 2 percent gross receipts tax on the power sold to consumers. Under the measure, cooperatives will be taxed at a fixed rate per kilowatt hour sold; a change that the bill’s backers said would stabilize growth to about 4 percent per year.

For schools, the shift in taxation means a decrease in future district revenue, but the immediate impact on school funding has been difficult to determine. Education groups, including ASBSD, asked lawmakers to change the bill to include protections preventing school district revenue from decreasing. Lawmakers didn’t act on the amendment, and instead added REA-backed language that the bill’s supporters said “certainly holds [schools] harmless” and gives schools a “bonus” in the first year.

Lawmakers expressed frustration about the lack of information detailing the financial impact of the proposed law. Lawmakers repeatedly requested comparisons of how the change would affect public schools, but were told by the bill’s supporters that information has been shared only with local schools across the state.

During time reserved for committee comments, Rep. David Lust, R-Rapid City, said it was disappointing that no one was willing to share how the proposed law would impact schools across the state. He also criticized what he said was a “flurry” of last-minute amendments, arguing that both sides could have worked together to arrive at compromise.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, Taxation,

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Senate passes fee authority
Posted Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Moments ago, the South Dakota Senate approved HB 1195 on a 25-6 vote. The bill will grant school boards the authority to charge fees to financially support voluntary academic programs, including driver education, pre-kindergarten and summer school programs. The margin was sufficient to clear the two-thirds majority needed to pass the bill with the emergency clause, meaning it will take effect once the governor signs the bill.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, School Choice,

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Here we go again: Down to the wire on school funding
Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012

There’s been plenty of talk about K-12 education this session, but critical discussions on per-student funding are just beginning to heat up.

The discussion will begin in earnest next week, as lawmakers receive the much-anticipated updated state revenue estimates, which will heavily influence whether lawmakers are able to provide additional per-student funding though the state aid formula. South Dakota public schools are still struggling to cope with a historic $52 million cut, and any funding provided this year will only work to lessen a second round of budget cuts that will likely be necessary as schools work to patch budget gaps.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard has proposed a 0.8 percent increase in per-student funding for next year, which includes $31 in one-time funding for FY13. As of this week, the governor’s proposal remains the only concrete option on the table, but it’s not the only option.

Prior to the critical crossover deadline, lawmakers passed several bills that have the potential to deliver additional funding, including HB 1136 and SB 138 – two bills that technically appropriate $1 to increase public school funding. A third bill, SB 139, also contains a $1 appropriation, but that bill is targeted to establish an ongoing grant for the Teach for America program, an initiative tied to a national program that provides teachers for hard-to-staff schools.

Two additional bills – SB 49 and HB 1093 – will also play into school funding decisions. The measures adjust property tax levies for the school district general fund, which typically move downward as property values increase. That issue has become more complicated in recent years, as agricultural assessments have changed, economic conditions have depressed valuations and lawmakers shifted more of the responsibility of the general state aid formula to local property tax payers.

It’s become common practice that school funding decisions are made on the final days of session, often in conference committee’s in the very last days of session. This year appears to be no different.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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House approves changes to sparsity funding
Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012

The South Dakota House of Representatives on Tuesday approved minor changes to the formula that delivers additional funding to districts serving sparsely populated areas. Lawmakers unanimously endorsed HB 1199, a measure that proponents argued would stabilize the sparsity funding formula.

During committee testimony, Rep. Dean Wink, R-Howes, the bill’s prime sponsor, said the measure will alleviate a “double hit” that isolated schools absorbed when the Legislature broadened state law to allow more schools to access funding allocated for sparse schools. The same year, lawmakers also capped the total appropriation for the categorical aid, meaning all qualifying schools received less.

Under HB 1199, schools can receive up to $110,000 in sparsity aid next year, but appropriators are now required to fund the formula in its entirety. According to stats from the South Dakota Department of Education, the most any school will receive in the current year is $105,000.

Officials representing three sparse schools testified in favor of the measure in committee, telling lawmakers that the state’s most rural schools need the additional resources to maintain quality public schools.

The proposal now moves to the Senate.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Senate kills SB 124
Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Members of the Senate voted 23-11 to table SB 124, a measure that education advocates were hoping would provide additional per-student funding above the governor's recommended 2.3 percent increase.

Sen. Larry Rhoden, R-Union Center, offered few thoughts prior to action on the bill.

"The number we carried forward this year was erroneous," Rhoden said. "Sometime, somewhere, in some session or committee, that error is going thave to be corrected."

Prior to the motion that effectively killed the bill, Sen. Russ Olson, R-Madison, said the bill wasn't needed because there are other bills alive that will serve the same purpose.

ASBSD supported the bill.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Senate approves change to small school funding
Posted Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The South Dakota Senate approved Wednesday a change in the state’s school funding formula that will provide schools with small school adjustment funding only for those students who reside within the boundaries of the district.

Sen. Mark Johnston, R-Sioux Falls, asked lawmakers to support SB 85, arguing that the measure bolstered fairness of the school funding formula. He said current law encourages schools to recruit across boundary lines – a practice he called upsetting.

Opponents of the measure, including Sen. Tim Begalka, R-Clear Lake, urged defeat of the plan they argued was an attack on small schools.

“This pits schools against schools,” he said. “This is a direct affront at small schools and the small school factor.”

The measure passed on a 20-14 vote, and now heads to the House. ASBSD is monitoring the legislation.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding, School Choice,

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House passes amended Investing in Teaching Initiative
Posted Monday, February 13, 2012

The South Dakota House of Representatives approved Monday an amended version of HB 1234 on a 41-28 vote. As passed, the measure would eliminate continuing contract for new teachers beginning next year, mandate more regular and rigorous staff evaluation and enact two alternative teacher compensation programs in the coming years.

The bill was not changed dramatically on the House Floor, although several lawmakers suggested that the measure will undergo significant revision as it enters the South Dakota Senate.

Stay tuned to Open Forum for more information.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, Teacher Quality,

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Panel endorses one-time funding for schools
Posted Friday, February 10, 2012

Members of Senate Appropriations unanimously endorsed a plan to provide one-time funding for the state’s public schools, sending the measure on to the full Senate for consideration.

The bill, filed as SB 192, represents the commitments Gov. Dennis Daugaard made in his budget address, including a $31 one-time per-student allocation for next school year and an $8.4 million, multi-year training program that will help defray the cost of implementing Common Core academic standards and new educator evaluation initiatives.

ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany testified in support of the bill. He walked appropriators through Costly Cuts, a publication detailing the impact recent cuts have had on the state’s public schools. He told lawmakers cuts have been implemented, school staff have been eliminated and schools are relying heavily on local property tax payers to stay afloat.

“There no doubt in my mind that schools are, and will continue to be, in a financial crisis,” Pogany said. “The hole is very deep, and school boards just need the flexibility to dig out of that hole.”

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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Gov. Daugaard committs to consistent education funding
Posted Thursday, February 9, 2012

Expect light posting this afternoon, but Open Forum scribes felt this quote from HB 1234 testimony is valuable in the context of the K-12 policy discussions this year.

Tony Venhuizen, a senior staff member in the Daugaard Administration, on the governor's commitment to funding the formula and the teacher compensation reforms proposed this session:

"This program, once it’s fully in place, as proposed by the governor would cost $15 million a year. I believe it will still cost roughly that amount. The new math and science bonus introduced ramps up over several years. He is committed to funding the school funding formula every year. He did that this year at 2.3 percent, which is the statutory amount. That money is not this money. That money continues to go to the districts with no strings for them to use for their operations. This bill does not expend any funds this year, it is not an appropriations bill. It starts a program next year, and the following year. And the governor has given his very strongest commitment to include the money in his budget each year to make this program work. Now, of course, it’s the Legislature who has the power of the purse, and so, I can’t make a commitment on your behalf. But I can say that the governor will fund this program every year that he has the power to do so. "

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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ASBSD testifies in support of amended Investing in Teachers Initiative
Posted Wednesday, February 8, 2012

School boards will have greater flexibility to recruit, retain and reward teachers if lawmakers adopt a significantly amended version of Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s Investing in Teachers Initiative, ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany said Wednesday.

Pogany testified in support of the sweeping education reform proposal. Changes to the bill will give school boards more options to design compensation initiatives that reflect local needs, a provision Pogany said will address concerns raised by school boards across the state.

During his testimony, Pogany voiced concerns about a state-mandated teacher evaluation system, a component that remains in the bill. He said he was encouraged that Education Secretary Melody Schopp is working to develop ways to help local school boards implement the “off-grade” testing necessary to evaluate every teacher based on student test scores.

Stay tuned to Open Forum for more updates.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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Governor's plan to get initial hearing Wednesday
Posted Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s proposed Investing in Teachers Initiative will get an initial public hearing Wednesday.

House Education Chair Rep. Tom Brunner, R-Nisland, announced Monday that the bill would be brought for consideration during the committee’s next regularly scheduled meeting, which begins tomorrow at 7:45 am. He also suggested he may have to convene a special meeting later Wednesday, possibly stretching the hearing into the afternoon.

ASBSD has prepared a detailed issue brief that explains the proposed law, which is available at: http://www.asbsd.org/page174.aspx.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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Legislators nix plan to set K-12 funding goal
Posted Tuesday, February 7, 2012

South Dakota doesn’t need to establish a goal to guide education funding decisions, members of the House State Affairs Committee said Monday.

The decision came following public testimony on HB 1110, a bill that requires the state to work toward elevating public school funding to the surrounding state average. Rep. Bernie Hunhoff, D-Yankton, pitched the plan as a way for legislators to make sure the state’s education system can compete with neighboring states. The goal wouldn’t be binding, Rep. Hunhoff said, but it would give something the state “to shoot for.”

Tami Darnall, a representative from the South Dakota Department of Education, testified in opposition to the bill. She called the plan “unrealistic” and estimated the bill would cost the state more than $200 million. She told lawmakers that it’s important to set goals, but suggested that legislators should focus on setting goals for student achievement, not education funding.

“More funding has not been proven to come out in student achievement,” Darnall said, pointing out that South Dakota outperforms other states that provide less funding for public schools.

Rep. Chuck Turbiville, R-Spearfish, voted to kill the measure. He said lawmakers set a goal each session to provide schools with as much as the state can afford.

The measure failed on a 9-2 vote.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Lawmakers kill temporary summer sales tax increase
Posted Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Legislators turned away on Monday a plan to raise taxes to support the state’s public schools, arguing that the bill wasn’t needed because voters will get a chance to increase funding for education next November.

The action came during a public hearing on SB 120, a bill that would increase taxes during summer months for the next three years. The proposed law directs $30 million directly to South Dakota’s public schools, but the tax would expire in 2015.

Sen. Stan Adelstein, R-Rapid City, brought the legislation to correct what he said was a “very serious situation” occurring following recent cuts in state aid to education. He detailed education cuts that are being considered in Rapid City, saying essential services are going to be eliminated.

“I know we desperately need this $30 million,” Sen. Adelstein said.

Jim Terwilliger, a representative of the South Dakota Bureau of Finance and Management, testified in opposition to the bill. He said there’s never a good time to raise taxes, adding that the temporary tax will negate the progress made to eliminate the state’s structural deficit.

During committee action, lawmakers said a pending vote on a ballot initiative would answer the question of whether citizens want to increase funding to schools.

“If people don’t pass it, well then that sends a message that we don’t need it,” said Sen. Eldon Nygaard, R-Vermillion.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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Weighted funding for limited-English students gets consideration
Posted Tuesday, February 7, 2012

School districts struggling to educate students with limited English skills may get financial relief if the state has money available, members of the House Education Committee decided Monday. The comments came during public testimony on HB 1152, a measure that would add a “Limited English proficient adjustment” to the state’s funding formula.

Legislators acknowledged that additional funding is needed to address the growing number of English-language learners, but they weren’t convinced money should come through the state’s education funding formula. The committee voted to send the bill to the House Appropriations Committee, a move they said would give lawmakers more time to determine whether funding is available.

“I think there is a real need here,” said House Education Chair Tom Brunner, R-Nisland. “The conversation certainly needs to be kept alive.”

Huron School Superintendent Terry Nebelsick and Business Manager Kelly Christopherson testified in support of the bill. Nebelsick outlined how the district has worked to accommodate the influx of English-language learners, including changes made to instructional programs, facilities and transportation services. The district is dedicating more than $400,000 in general fund revenue in addition to expenses from the capital outlay fund, Christopher noted.

Tami Darnall, a representative of the Department of Education, testified in opposition to the bill. She said that Huron is unique, and that not every district needs additional resources to educate limited-English students. According to Darnall, the funding formula already takes into account that some students are more costly to educate because it is based on average per-student expenditures. She also cautioned lawmakers against adding the provision because there would be no way to hold the schools accountable for how the money is spent.

ASBSD supports the bill.

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Issue brief explains governor's proposed reforms
Posted Friday, February 3, 2012

In response to the governor’s proposed Investing in Teaching Initiative, your school board association has prepared a new issue brief titled “Teacher Quality, Teacher Compensation and HB1234.”

The document provides a section-by-section analysis of the bill, presents a concise overview of related research and summarizes related reform efforts that have existed or are underway in South Dakota. The issue brief is publicly available on our website at: http://www.asbsd.org/page174.aspx.

The governor’s proposal will have a dramatic impact on local schools and on the authority of local school boards to effectively and efficiently govern public school systems. We strongly encourage everyone to review this issue brief, and you are free to share it with anyone – including legislators – that you believe would benefit from a more thorough review of the issues.

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Bill would reverse property tax shift, add base funding
Posted Thursday, February 2, 2012

The state collected a $12 million windfall because changes to the state aid formula weren’t implemented as the Legislature intended, members of the Senate State Affairs Committee learned Wednesday.

Sen. Larry Rhoden, R-Union Center, used a public hearing on Senate Bill 124 to explain circumstances surrounding last year’s cuts to the per-student allocation. In order to reduce Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s proposed 10 percent cut, Rhoden said lawmakers agreed to keep local property taxes level while cutting only the state’s share of the per-student allocation – a move that Rhoden argues should have resulted in a 6.6 percent ongoing cut to the per-student allocation.

During final-hour negotiations last year, lawmakers cut a deal with the executive branch to reduce ongoing per-student funding by 8.6 percent, allowing the state to realize a one-time savings of $12 million. To make up the difference, legislators provided schools with $97 in one-time money.

Rhoden said lawmakers only agreed to the proposal because they expected state officials to make the one-time allocation permanent before applying the annual inflationary increase in the next budget year. According to Rhoden, per-student increases should have been applied to a base number of $4,494.28. Instead, the governor’s proposed budget used a base number of $4,389.95.

“With the way this law was applied, there was roughly a $24 million savings by the property tax not being lowered,” Rhoden explained. “The way this has played out, education funding is only getting half that money. The other half is going on the state’s general fund bottom line.”

To ensure the law was implemented as intended, Sen. Rhoden said that lawmakers should use the higher per-student allocation as “a starting point” for education funding discussions this session. Applying the legally required 2.3 percent inflationary increase to the higher base number lifts the per-student allocation to $4,597.65 for FY13, approximately $106 higher than Gov. Daugaard has proposed.

Jason Dilges, the state’s chief budget officer, testified against the measure and pushed back against the notion that state officials didn’t properly apply the law. He said lawmakers shouldn’t be surprised by how the law was implemented and denied that the state received any benefits from the change. He cautioned lawmakers against adopting the bill because it would cost the state more than $15 million this year.

During time reserved for proponent rebuttal, Sen. Rhoden held strong to his contention that the law was incorrectly applied, telling state officials to examine public testimony from last year to better understand what lawmakers expected to occur.

“Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, they’re not entitled to their own facts,” said Rhoden. “You’re using the wrong PSA number with the adjusted Cutler-Gabriel percentage.”

Members of the committee endorsed the measure, but hedged on the notion that the measure would result in more funding for K-12 next year. ASBSD supports the bill.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, State Aid,

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House overwhelmingly approves fee authority measure
Posted Thursday, February 2, 2012

Parents should have the option to offset the costs of academic programs that aren’t required by state law, members of the South Dakota House of Representatives decided Wednesday.

Lawmakers voted 55-12 to approve HB 1195, an ASBSD-backed bill intended to clarify that school boards have the authority to charge for voluntary pre-kindergarten and driver education programs. The measure garnered enough support to pass with an emergency clause attached, which means the law takes effect once the governor signs the bill.

Floor debate focused mostly on a proposed amendment, offered by Rep. Roger Hunt, R-Brandon, to strike language allowing schools to charge for voluntary pre-k programs. Rep. Hunt pitched the amendment to correct what he said was overly broad language allowing schools to collect fees for providing “early childhood services.” He argued that the definition would open the door to charging for non-educational services and force private daycare providers out of business.

Rep. Nick Moser, R-Yankton, urged lawmakers to resist Rep. Hunt’s amendment, telling legislators that daycare providers in his community don’t oppose the measure and aren’t fearful of competition. He said pre-k programs are often funded through public-private partnerships that seek to provide services that aren’t otherwise available in communities.

The amendment garnered 26 votes, 10 tallies shy of the majority support necessary to change the bill. After his amendment was defeated, Rep. Hunt asked lawmakers to support the bill in its original form. He expressed disappointment the amendment failed, but said passage of the bill would help young people across South Dakota.

The measure now moves to the Senate.

VOTE TALLY FOR HB 1195

VOTING YES

Abdallah, Blake, Bolin, Boomgarden, Brunner, Carson, Conzet, Cronin, Deelstra, Dennert, Dryden, Fargen, Feinstein, Gibson, Greenfield, Haggar, Hawley, Hickey, Hoffman, Hunhoff (Bernie), Hunt, Iron Cloud III, Jones, Killer, Kirkeby, Kirschman, Kloucek, Lucas, Lust, Magstadt, Miller, Moser, Nelson (Stace), Novstrup (David), Perry, Romkema, Rozum, Schaefer, Schrempp, Scott, Sigdestad, Sly, Solum, Steele, Street, Stricherz, Turbiville, Van Gerpen, Vanneman, White, Wick, Wink, Wismer, Rausch

VOTING NO

Feickert, Gosch, Hansen (Jon), Hubbel, Jensen, Kopp, Liss, Russell, Tornow, Venner, Verchio, Willadsen

EXCUSED

Elliott, Munsterman, Olson (Betty)

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, School Choice,

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Senate endorses plan to cut “millions” from public schools
Posted Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The South Dakota Senate approved changes Tuesday to how electric cooperatives are taxed, a move that opponents argue will cut millions from public schools.

Currently, electric cooperatives pay a 2 percent gross receipts tax on the power sold to consumers. Under the measure, power providers will be taxed at a fixed rate per kilowatt hour sold.

Sen. Larry Rhoden, R-Union Center, asked lawmakers to support the change, arguing that it represents a necessary adjustment to existing tax laws. He said existing tax policy is no longer fair to electric cooperatives and consumers. According to Rhoden, the current gross receipts tax amounts to a 10 percent annual tax increase, adding later that the measure would reduce growth to approximately 4 percent.

For schools, the change means a drop in gross receipts revenue, funding that is delivered outside the state aid funding formula. While exact data detailing how the change will impact schools is difficult to determine and has not yet been made available, the change will limit the growth of gross receipts taxes.

Sen. Corey Brown, R-Gettysburg, spoke against the bill, saying he couldn’t justify voting to limit funding for public schools at a time when the state’s education funding formula doesn’t provide stable funding.

“This particular piece of legislation has the ability to take potentially millions of dollars and re-direct them away from our public schools,” he said. “At the end of the day, I think I’ve got to fall out on the side of students on this one.”

The measure passed on a 25-9 vote, enough to clear the two-thirds threshold required to change state tax policy. The bill now moves on to the House of Representatives. ASBSD opposes the legislation.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding,

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Pre-K opponents attempting to limit parental choice
Posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012

A plan to allow schools to charge fees for voluntary pre-k and driver education courses encountered resistance Monday from opponents of early learning programs.

During public testimony on HB 1195, Rep. Roger Hunt, R-Brandon, raised questions about whether schools should be allowed to charge for services that don’t have clearly defined standards. His comments came during time reserved for committee questions.

“We would be authorizing schools to charge for services that, as a legislative body, we do not know what they are going to provide,” Rep. Hunt said. He added that legislators have spent a lot of time outlining public school curriculum, and passing HB 1195 would go against that practice.

ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany, who led testimony in support of the plan, responded to Rep. Hunt by stressing that program is voluntary, and that parents have a choice to enroll their children in the program.

To avert what he called a “slippery slope” toward the establishment of pre-kindergarten standards, Rep. Hunt moved an amendment to strike provisions that would allow schools to charge for voluntary pre-k programs. The amendment failed, but garnered support from six lawmakers.

The committee added language, called an emergency clause, to make the bill effective as soon as the governor signs the bill. In order to pass with an emergency clause, the bill needs a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.

After changing the bill, lawmakers endorsed the measure on a 9-5 vote.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, School Choice,

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Sparsity bill referred to Appropriations
Posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Senate Appropriations Committee is best positioned to consider changes to the state’s sparsity funding formula, lawmakers decided Tuesday.

Members of Senate Education voted unanimously to send SB 165 to the Legislature’s budget-building committee. The bill lowers the maximum distribution any one district can receive to $110,000, down from $123,750. According to data from the South Dakota Department of Education, the most any one district will receive in 2013 is $105,000.

A second measure, HB 1199, strikes a state law that requires the state to pro-rate available funds if the legislature doesn’t appropriate enough money to fully fund the formula. Taken together, the measures would eliminate the need to pro-rate available appropriations, but still preserve the amount schools currently receive.

ASBSD will continue to monitor both bills.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Public school accountability and SB 25
Posted Friday, January 27, 2012

A new ASBSD issue brief outlines ways in which South Dakota’s new accountability system may impact local school boards. The brief, titled Public School Accountability and SB 25, is available on ASBSD.org.

The document briefly explains public school accountability laws, then dives into the language of Senate Bill 25. The majority of the document focuses on education policy that would be enacted through the South Dakota Board of Education’s sweeping regulatory authority to design, implement and enforce measures of school performance.

The issue brief echoes testimony ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany recently delivered during the Senate Education Committee’s public hearing on SB 25, including an overview of possible unfunded mandates contained in the education department’s plan to implement new accountability laws.

To access the issue brief, click here.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Dems counter Daugaard’s education proposal
Posted Thursday, January 26, 2012

Democratic legislators rolled out a package of bills Thursday that they characterized as an alternative to Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s recently released Investing in Teaching Initiative. The minority party’s plan revolves around two legislative proposals that would increase the state’s financial commitment to K-12 public schools.

House Bill 1110 will increase per-student funding to keep pace with neighboring states. According the measure, state per-student funding would have to reach the surrounding state average by 2016. The plan relies on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, and sets the goal at $10,212 per-student for 2012. The figure would have to be updated annually.

“Before we can compete globally, we have to at least compete within the region,” said House Minority Leader Bernie Hunhoff, D-Yankton, adding later that he hopes the proposal garners serious consideration from lawmakers.

A second plank of the proposal calls for redefining a state law that governs annual increases in per-student funding. The concept, found in HB 1226, would require per-student funding to grow at the same rate as state general fund revenue.

Rep. Larry Lucas, D-Mission, said the measure would give school districts hope for the future and make it possible to restore recent cuts.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Republicans stress governor’s plan is “starting point”
Posted Thursday, January 26, 2012

Republican lawmakers used their weekly press briefing to reiterate the goals of Governor Dennis Daugaard’s new Investing in Teaching Initiative and drive home the point that legislators are open to changing the plan.

Rep. Jacqueline Sly, R-Rapid City, told reporters that Republicans want to work with Democratic legislators to establish education policy that benefits children. She also stressed that lawmakers are considering changes to the governor’s proposal.

“I know that everyone does not agree with everything that’s been proposed in the Investing in Teachers Initiative, but it is a starting point,” said Rep. Sly. “Where it leads us is a story yet to unfold.”

Sen. Phyllis Heineman, R-Sioux Falls, credited the governor for focusing on quality teaching and improving student achievement. She called the need to improve public education “a national imperative” and said lawmakers will consider suggestions that conform to the governor’s overall objective.

“As a Legislature, we have many more ideas we’re looking at,” she said.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Two measures target sparsity funding
Posted Thursday, January 26, 2012

A pair of legislative proposals are aimed at altering the formula that delivers additional funding to school districts serving sparsely populated areas.

House Bill 1199 will scrap a recently adopted state law that requires the state to pro-rate payments if lawmakers don’t appropriate enough money to fully fund the sparsity formula. In practical effect, it would ensure districts receive the full allocation, up to the $123,750 maximum threshold established in law.

The measure is sponsored by Rep. Dean Wink, R-Howes, and Sen. Larry Rhoden, R-Union Center. ASBSD supports the bill.

A separate proposed law, SB 165, will lower the maximum distribution through the sparsity formula. If adopted, qualifying districts will receive up to $110,000 per year. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Kent Juhnke, R-Vivian, and Rep. Tom Brunner, R-Nisland. ASBSD opposes the legislation.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Bill filed to give one-time money to K-12 schools
Posted Thursday, January 26, 2012

Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s proposal to distribute one-time funding to K-12 schools has been introduced in the South Dakota Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 192, contains $4 million in one-time per-student funding, which amounts to approximately $31 per-student. The measure also includes $8.4 million for a state-led training initiative to implement common core academic standards and new, rigorous teaching standards. Both components were announced last December, during the governor’s budget address.

Combined with the legally required inflationary increase, per-student funding will increase $34.70 next year, a jump of 0.8 percent.

ASBSD supports the legislation.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Bill would add $15 million in per-student funding
Posted Thursday, January 26, 2012

Per-student funding would increase by 5 percent next year and 4 percent in FY14, according to a proposed law filed in the House of Representatives.

The bill, HB 1239, sets the per-student allocation at $4,608.82 for FY13, approximately $118 more than the 2.3 percent increase proposed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard. The increase amounts to approximately $15 million in additional formula funding, the same amount the governor has proposed to spend on his new Investing in Teaching Initiative. The legislation also sets the per-student allocation for the 2013-14 school year, promising a 5 percent increase and lifting the per-student allocation to $4,788.59.

Sen. Jason Frerichs, D-Wilmot, and Rep. Paul Dennert, D-Columbia, are sponsoring the legislation.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Governor's bill filed as HB 1234
Posted Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Legislation providing the details of Gov. Daugaard's proposed "Investing in Teaching" initiative has been introduced as House Bill 1234.

ASBSD will have further analysis of the bill shortly, and it will be loaded into the ASBSD Bill Tracker as soon as possible. To follow the dozens of bills that have been added to our watch list, visit www.asbsd.org/billtracker.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, Teacher Quality,

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Bill would send $900 thousand to parents of homeschool children
Posted Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Parents who opt to homeschool their children would be eligible for a $275 grant from the South Dakota Department of Education, according to legislation filed today in the state House of Representatives.

The measure, filed as HB 1215, appropriates $907,500 to create the 2012 South Dakota Alternative Instruction Funding Grant Program. To be eligible for the grant, a parent must have provided their school-age child alternative instruction for the 2011-12 school year. The proposal is only established for one year, and any unspent funds will revert to the state at the end of the 2013 fiscal year.

Rep. Brian Liss, R-Sioux Falls, and Sen. Hal Wick, R-Sioux Falls, are prime sponsors of the legislation.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Education Funding, School Choice,

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House Ed to consider voluntary fees bill Wednesday
Posted Monday, January 23, 2012

An ASBSD-backed proposal to grant schools the authority to collect fees for voluntary pre-k and driver education programs will meet its first test Wednesday in the House Education Committee.

The measure, filed publicly today as HB 1195, makes clear that schools can provide the voluntary services on a fee-for-participation basis. State auditors and the Department of Education last year took a position that schools lack permission to charge, and the decision was backed by an informal interpretation issued by a member of the Attorney General’s office.

Clarifying the law is important to South Dakota school board members, who voted last November to elevate the issue to an advocacy priority. The bill’s sponsors include Rep. Jacqueline Sly, R-Rapid City, and Sen. Corey Brown, R-Gettysburg.

The House Education Committee meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:45 am.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, Pre-K, Education Funding,

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Bill adds weighted funding for English language-learners
Posted Monday, January 23, 2012

A group of South Dakota lawmakers are pushing to give school districts additional per-student funding to help educate students who are learning English as a second language.

Under HB 1152, South Dakota’s funding formula would contain a new “limited English proficient” (LEP) adjustment, which deliver schools 20 percent more per-student funding for each student with limited English language skills. Based on the current per-student allocation of $4389.95, the new adjustment would generate an additional $877 for each eligible student enrolled in a district.

If approved, the weighted LEP adjustment would grow at the same rate as the per-student allocation. The state’s funding formula currently delivers weighted funding for each student enrolled in school districts with enrollments below 600, but that amount is fixed and does not increase.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Peggy Gibson, D-Huron, and Sen. Bruce Rampelberg, R-Rapid City.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Proposal would boost school aid to surrounding state average
Posted Monday, January 23, 2012

A proposed law will require South Dakota to base education funding on the average per-student education expenditures of surrounding states.

House Bill 1110 would mandate per-student funding to meet or exceed the regional average by Jan 1, 2016. According to the law, the goal for 2012 would be $10,212 per-student, which is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s survey of local governments. The proposal requires the goal to be updated annually, with the arrival of new Census Bureau statistics.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Bernie Hunhoff, D-Yankton. House Education Chair Tom Brunner, R-Nisland, is listed as a co-sponsor.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, State Aid, Education Funding,

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Pogany to lawmakers: Schools are still in a funding crisis
Posted Thursday, January 19, 2012

The state’s public schools are still reeling from recent cuts to state aid to education and South Dakota school board members continue to be concerned about being asked to do more with less, ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany said Wednesday.

Pogany’s comments came during a briefing before the Senate Education Committee. The 20-minute presentation provided a brief overview of the association’s purpose, but focused largely on reinforcing the impact of recent state aid cuts. Pogany also outlined ASBSD’s advocacy goals, which were established in November by the ASBSD Delegate Assembly.

To detail the impact of last year’s $52 million cut to public school funding, Pogany walked lawmakers through Costly Cuts: A Survey of South Dakota Schools. The report, released by ASBSD last November, showed that schools slashed local budgets by more than $38 million and eliminated more than 465 full time positions. Pogany also stressed that local school boards aren’t done adjusting budgets to make up for the loss in state aid.

“The uncertainty is not over,” Pogany said. “Please understand: [schools] are still in a funding crisis.”

As school boards have reduced spending – cuts Pogany said were “in many cases, pretty extreme” – they have had to rely more on reserves and local property tax dollars to fund basic education programs. Having to use temporary financial fixes to patch budgets, combined with the looming threat of reductions in federal education spending, is troubling to schools that are “already as lean as they can possibly be,” Pogany said.

“[Schools] are in an extremely deep hole,” Pogany told legislators, adding that districts will be hard-pressed to fund existing reform initiatives, including the conversion to new learning standards and a more rigorous staff evaluation system. Pogany credited Gov. Daugaard for recommending the legally required per-student student increase and for committing funding to help implement the new Common Core Academic Standards and Charlotte Danielson teaching framework.

“[School districts] can get the job done if they have the resources to carry it out,” Pogany said, later adding that ASBSD will continue to ask lawmakers to provide the regulatory flexibility necessary to implement new state mandates at the local level.

During committee questions, Sen. Bruce Rampelberg, R-Rapid City, questioned Pogany about the association’s position on the governor’s Investing in Teachers Initiative, which he called a “challenge to districts.”

Pogany responded by saying the association needed time to go through the complex proposal, which has yet to be filed in bill form, but that ASBSD would evaluate the plan based on whether school boards were provided both the flexibility and financial resources to implement reform.

Categories:2012 Legislative Session, ASBSD, Education Funding, State Aid,

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Exclusive Video: Education community helps gather 34,000 signatures
Posted Thursday, November 3, 2011

ASBSD was on hand as officials from Moving South Dakota Forward submitted nearly 34,000 signatures in support of a ballot measure to dedicated new sales tax revenue to K-12 education and Medicaid.

Moving South Dakota Forward submits 33,850 petitions from Associated School Boards of SD on Vimeo.

Categories:Education Funding, Moving South Dakota Forward,

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This day in history: 33,850 signatures filed
Posted Tuesday, November 1, 2011

A plan to reverse recent cuts to K-12 education has cleared another hurdle.

Moving South Dakota Forward submitted today to the Secretary of State nearly 34,000 signatures in support of a ballot measure that would dedicate new sales tax revenue to K-12 public education and Medicaid. The total is more than twice the signatures necessary to qualify the measure for the 2012 ballot.

Representatives from local school boards will meet at the ASBSD Delegate Assembly on Nov. 18 to consider whether ASBSD will support the ballot initiative. The ASBSD Board of Directors voted unanimously to recommend support, but the membership has the final say.

Read more about the filing from the Argus Leader, and full Moving South Dakota Forward Press Release is below.

Dave Hewett, Bryce Healy and Andy Wiese, three organizers of the Moving South Dakota Forward initiative, carry boxes of petitions into the state capitol on Tuesday Morning.

MOVING SOUTH DAKOTA FORWARD SUBMITS OVER 33,850 PETITION SIGNATURES

Overwhelming Response from South Dakotans Interested in Properly Funding Education and Health Care

Sioux Falls – Earlier today, Moving South Dakota Forward submitted to the Secretary of State over 33,850 petition signatures, more than twice the number of signatures necessary, in order to place a measure to fund K-12 public education and Medicaid on the ballot for the November 2012 general election. Moving South Dakota Forward is a broad-based coalition concerned about the level of support for education and health care funding in South Dakota

The measure would create an additional dedicated funding source for K-12 public education and Medicaid by adding one penny to the state sales tax. "The overwhelming response from across the state shows that South Dakotans want to have a voice in the future of education and health care funding. We expected the initiated measure to be well-received, but even we did not expect over 33,850 signers. Doubling the necessary signatures in less than two months' time is truly historic," said Dave Hewett, president and CEO of the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations.

"The sheer number of signatures we were able to collect illustrates how concerned South Dakotans are about the level of funding for education and health care in our state. We had a large network of individuals engaged in this effort and the response they encountered was just incredible. Nearly 500 South Dakotans circulated petitions in this effort and we collected signatures from every county," added Bryce Healy, Executive Director of the South Dakota Education Association.

"The petition process was just the first step to ensuring quality educational opportunities and health care service in South Dakota," said Hewett."We look forward to having a serious conversation about the funding of these essential programs over the next year. We built an organization during the last two months that puts us in a strong position for the educational campaign ahead and sends a message that these two critical programs that provide basic, essential services are important to the citizens of South Dakota. We look forward to engaging everyone—whether or not they signed the petition—in the conversation moving forward."

Over the coming weeks, the Secretary of State's office will confirm that Moving South Dakota Forward submitted the 15,855 valid signatures necessary to place the initiated measure on the November 2012 ballot.

Categories:Education Funding, Moving South Dakota Forward,

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Education funding cuts create wide inflation, adequacy gaps
Posted Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Recent cuts to K-12 education have left the state’s public schools $54 million short of the level needed keep up with inflation, according to a new analysis from Associated School Boards of South Dakota.

The report, titled Where We Stand: The Past, Present and Future of Per-Student Funding in South Dakota, shows how the actual growth in per-student education funding compares to inflation over time. The study also examines the gap between actual and adequate per-student funding, providing estimates of the investment necessary to ensure schools can meet state-mandated student performance expectations. The full report can be found online at: http://www.asbsd.org/page174.aspx.

Historically, per-student funding tracked closely with the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, an inflationary measure built into South Dakota’s education funding formula to ensure education funding at least keeps pace with inflation. However, the recent 8.6 percent cut to the per-student allocation has created a $54 million inflation gap that now means schools have much less purchasing power compared to when the state’s funding formula was fully implemented in 1998.

“In actual dollars, we already knew the dramatic cuts put schools back about five years,” said ASBSD Executive Director Wayne Lueders. “But in terms of purchasing power, schools are now far behind where they were 15 years ago.”

The report also concludes that South Dakota is now $233 million short of providing adequate per-student funding. The calculation was based on the $133 million gap identified in 2006, when a coalition of education groups released a research study that estimated the cost of educating a student in South Dakota.

According to Lueders, the state’s recent budget woes have continued to focus on education funding as a political question, rather than basing funding on what schools actually need to be successful.

“South Dakota is asking schools and students to meet high standards and expectations, but our lawmakers have yet to assess whether schools are given the resources to succeed,” Lueders said. “We need to start looking at education funding based on student needs.”

The inflation and adequacy gaps are projected to grow over the next 10 years if lawmakers don’t act to correct the trend. Estimates show the inflation gap growing to $72 million by 2022. Without action, the adequacy gap will grow to $309 million over the next 10 years.

Lueders believes the new report gives context to the historic cuts to public school funding by showing the impact on future school budgets.

“We believe it’s important that the public understands that the recent cuts to K-12 education will have a lasting impact on our public schools,” Lueders said. “If our state doesn’t act with urgency, we are in for another decade of annual school district budget cuts.”

Categories:2011 Legislative Session, Education Funding, State Aid,

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Keeping a focus on kids
Posted Monday, April 4, 2011

KELO provides more reaction to the recent K-12 budget cuts, this time tapping school administrators from Eastern South Dakota. Make sure to check out the full video below.

Open Forum will take a brief moment to echo Yankton Superintendent Joe Gerstema, who calls for a focused conversation about the needs of South Dakota students.

Open Forum's policy wonks get frustrated at the lack of progress on meaningful school finance reform in South Dakota. Year-to-year, it's the same divisions and distractions that keep the eye off the prize. Once dollars get involved, it's hard - despite what they may say - for lawmakers to keep the needs of our students at the forefront. And we only say that because we're on to a little secret: K-12 in our state has to radically change to ensure we can prepare the next generation of students. Cuts to K-12 education don't help.

Change in the education sector is hard, mostly because it's almost always more expensive than what you're doing now. It's not expensive to write new, more rigorous standards. But implementing the tougher curriculum takes teacher training and new assessments - things that cost real money. And the stakes are higher in the public sector, because the public at large is not very keen on trial-and-error.

We talk a lot about efficiency in South Dakota, but we always stop short of defining it. What does an efficient school district look like? Does the district have a low cost per-student? The lowest tax levies? A low cost per-graduate? Or, is the most efficient district the one that exists in the high-poverty, depressed area that instills the value of education in a new generation of students?

We won't ever define efficiency. Someone will always believe that things can be done better for less resources. As long as we give into that mentality, we won't ever get into a real discussion about what matters.

It's time to shift to a discussion about effectiveness. Our students have to prepare to use technology that hasn't been invented yet; to solve problems that our generations will hand off.

Our educators are ready for the conversation.

Categories:Education Funding,

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Nation's top economist: Invest in education
Posted Tuesday, March 29, 2011

NSBA’s Boardbuzz has the scoop on a recent speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in which the nation’s top economic mind speaks about the need to invest in public education. See the full transcript here, and read the New York Times account, too.

Mr. Bernanke singles-out the return-on-investment of pre-k education as one example of cost effective public education strategies that have long-term financial benefits on our economy. Pre-k doubters still exist, particularly here in South Dakota, but it’s getting harder and harder to understand why given that the value of pre-k has cemented itself as a foregone conclusion.

But, don’t take Open Forum’s word for it – listen to the individual guiding the monetary policy of the world’s wealthiest country. From Mr. Bernanke's speech:

One critical means is by ensuring an adequate investment in human capital--that is, in the knowledge and skills of our people. No economy can succeed without a high-quality workforce, particularly in an age of globalization and technical change. Cost-effective K-12 and post-secondary schooling are crucial to building a better workforce, but they are only part of the story. Research increasingly has shown the benefits of early childhood education and efforts to promote the lifelong acquisition of skills for both individuals and the economy as a whole. The payoffs of early childhood programs can be especially high. For instance, preschool programs for disadvantaged children have been shown to increase high school graduation rates. Because high school graduates have higher earnings, pay more taxes, and are less likely to use public health programs, investing in such programs can pay off even from the narrow perspective of state budgets; of course, the returns to the overall econom