A bill resetting the membership of a special education oversight board and establishing it in state statute is headed to the governor.

 

After unanimous votes by the House Education and full House, Senate Bill 1, which establishes the Extraordinary Cost Oversight Board in state statute and amends membership, headed to Gov. Kristi Noem for review and signature.

 

SB 1 originated from the legislative interim study on the Extraordinary Cost Fund due to rising number of students in and costs associated with special education. ASBSD supported the bill.

 

“There needs to be a definite connection between the legislature and special education,” ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany told committee members. “The cost of special education is growing.”

 

“This is an issue that’s probably going to become the next big thing.”

 

SB 1 establishes Extraordinary Cost Oversight board – the group which approves or denies requests to access Extraordinary Cost Fund dollars – in statute, repeals its status from administrative rule and amends membership to the seven-member ECO board to include one member of the legislature and six members – appointed by the Secretary of Education – from the following categories:

• The Department of Education;
• A district with an enrollment of 600 or more students;
• A district with an enrollment of between 200-599 students; and
• A district with an enrollment of 200 or fewer students.

“This board already exists, so we’re not creating a new board,” Rep. Jamie Smith told fellow Representatives, adding that a legislator on the ECO Board would be a “liaison between” the board and the legislature and would help “keep that line of communication open.”

 

ASBSD supports the bill.

 

For updates on this bill and other legislation, check the ASBSD Blog, Twitter feed, Facebook page and Bill Tracker.