Members of the Minor Boundary Task Force met this month (November) for the fourth time to recommend proposed legislation, discuss additional proposals and review their final report.

 

Task Force members reviewed draft legislation and public comments received since their August meeting on the proposed legislation to change the process by which a school district minor boundary change may take place.

 

The Task Force passed a motion to recommend proposed legislation which would eliminate the current process that allows landowners to petition school boards for transferring their land into an adjoining school district.

 

The proposed legislation would continue to allow school boards to initiate a transfer of land from one school district to another, but would add the requirement that school boards had to agree to an exchange land of comparable value.

 

In addition, an amendment was added to clarify that school reorganization plans could still authorize minor boundary changes as part of a school reorganization.

 

 

Task Force members passed a motion to meet on December 8 to continue the discussion on possible legislation related to a school district from having an attendance center within the boundaries of another school district. ASBSD will provide updates on the December meeting.

 

Finally, the group reviewed a draft of the task force’s final report, which must be submitted to Gov. Dennis Daugaard and the Legislative Executive Board by December 1.

 

The report will be edited by the South Dakota Department of Education and submitted to task force members via email by the week of November 23, at which time members will vote via email whether or not to approve the language and recommendations within the report.

 

ASBSD will provide updates on the upcoming work of the Minor Boundary Change Task Force, as well as their final report, on the ASBSD Blog.