The discussion about the levels of school district general fund balances has subtly reemerged in the Capitol building during the home stretch of legislative session. During Friday’s Joint Appropriations committee hearing for Senate Bill 187 – the state’s general fund bill – Rep. Susan Wismer addressed the topic. “We are taking a snapshot […]
School district fund balances questioned Read More »
An amendment that would have provided schools with a 3.4 percent increase in state aid was killed by the Joint Appropriations committee on Friday. On a 14-4 vote, committee members defeated the proposed amendment to Senate Bill 187, which is the general fund bill. Appropriators are putting the finishing touches on the general fund
State aid increase amendment defeated Read More »
Two amendments introduced to the general fund bill that called for the per-student allocation to be set at $4,805 for the 2014-15 school year were defeated by the Joint Appropriations committee on Friday. Both amendments died on 14-4 votes, with one being tabled without discussion. Rep. Susan Wismer, who introduced one of the
Final plea for $4,805 falls Read More »
It was a bit anticlimactic in appropriations on Thursday, so far as school funding was concerned. Members of the Joint Appropriations committee met for a little over an hour and covered just over a 1/3 of the funding amendments submitted for Senate Bill 187, which is the general fund bill for Fiscal Year 2015.
School funding not discussed on day one of budget debate Read More »
It took a conference committee to bring both legislative chambers to a compromise on a bill intricately linked to providing school districts with the proposed three percent funding increase, but alas, it’s headed to Gov. Dennis Daugaard. Senate Bill 158 saw various iterations on its way through both the House and Senate, but a
Three percent support bills reach Gov. Read More »
A bill revising the number of school term hours for some elementary students is headed to Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s desk. Senators (35-0) and Representatives (69-0) concurred on an amended version of House Bill 1249. The bill includes the fourth and fifth grades in the 875-hours of classroom time already required for kindergarten through
Hours adjustment bill on its way to Gov. Read More »
The adage, “no bill is dead until session is over,” added another example on Tuesday. Just hours after voting (17-18) to kill House Bill 1164, which lowers the number of signatures needed to refer a school board’s start day decision, Senators approved intent to reconsider on the bill and passed an amended version of
Revamped referral bill referred to Gov Read More »
Members of the House of Representatives voted 48-20 to support a bill that would change the suspension provisions for students participating in extracurricular activities who have been convicted of a drug related offense. “We should be encouraging kids to participate (in extracurricular activities) rather than prohibiting them to do so,” Rep. Kris Langer said
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The bill providing the proposed three percent increase in state aid for schools is on its way to Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s desk. Members of the House passed Senate Bill 37, which sets the per-student allocation at $4,764, on a 65-2 vote. ASBSD supports the bill. SB 37 also establishes the property tax levies
Three percent bill sent to Gov. Read More »
House members voted overwhelmingly in support of two bills that pave the way for the proposed three percent funding increase in state aid for schools for next year. On a 63-6 vote, Representatives passed an amended version of Senate Bill 157, which provides an appropriation of $30 million spread over the next three years
Three percent support bills pass House Read More »
Associated School Boards of South Dakota is a private, non-profit organization representing more than 850 local school board members, the school districts they govern and the students they serve.