Joint legislative committees overseeing education discussed Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) for K-12 and issues facing schools this year as a special legislative session looms.

 

Members of the House and Senate Education committees met jointly (9/16) to submit ideas to the Joint Appropriations Committee for review when they meet Wednesday, September 30.

 

Learn more about the distribution of CRF dollars here.

 

“It’s impossible to quantify what the next six months will look like,” ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany testified. “Undoubtedly, schools will spend more.”

 

Committee members agreed to recommend four ideas to the Joint Appropriations Committee for review, which include:

• Utilizing two-year enrollment averaging when appropriating state aid for school districts;
• Providing an additional $200 more per-student to school districts from the CARES Act funds;
• Appropriating funds to families choosing to utilize alternative education for students;
• Supporting education cooperatives with additional funding.

The committee failed to concur on two separate proposals to send to the Joint Appropriations Committee for review that specifically provided $500 – one per-student and one per-family – to families choosing alternative education methods.

 

Rep. Timothy Johns noted his concerns with the proposals related to how the dollars are distributed and monitored by the legislature.

 

The Joint Appropriations Committee will review recommendations from the Joint Education Committee and other legislative related committees ahead of a special legislative session called by Gov. Kristi Noem on Monday, October 5.

 

“South Dakota has used our federal CRF funds as intended to cover many costs related to COVID-19,” Gov. Noem said in a statement.

 

“We’re in tremendous shape in our fight against this virus. My team and I have spent many hours talking with numerous legislators, especially leadership, as well as the general public. I look forward to hearing from the entire legislature in its official capacity.”

 

ASBSD will monitor action by the Joint Appropriations Committee, any specific legislation introduced and actions during the special legislative session.

 

Updates will be provided via email and on the ASBSD blog.