Answers to your questions on the many changes in homeschool laws this school year can be found in the S.D. Department of Education’s Alternative Instruction FAQ.
The multitude of changes came about following the passage of Senate Bill 177, which made significant changes to homeschool laws, and the FAQ was developed in partnership with DOE, ASBSD, School Administrators of South Dakota and the South Dakota High School Activities Association.
Download the South Dakota Alternative Instruction FAQ here.
The FAQ encompasses information from South Dakota codified laws, administrative rules, DOE program policies and SDHSAA policies, with specific sections including:
- Notification Process
- Educational Requirements
- Open Enrollment
- Assessment
- Special Education
- Dual Credit
- High School Equivalency Test
- Truancy
- Activities Participation
More information on homeschool and the updates made to the law, including links to the electronic and paper notification forms for parents/guardians to submit can be found here: https://doe.sd.gov/oatq/homeschooling.aspx.
Questions regarding Alternative Instruction/Home Schooling can be directed to DOE Program Specialist Carol Uecker at Carol.Uecker@state.sd.us or at 605-773-4771.
In addition, ASBSD updated multiple policies related to the student alternative instruction (homeschool) law. You can read a summary of those changes here: https://asbsd.org/index.php/pa-alternative-instruction/. For questions related to the policies, contact ASBSD Director of Policy & Legal Services Jessica Filler at jfiller@asbsd.org or at 605-773-2513.