February22

Inquiry and reports timeline adjustment bill advances

It took three votes for a bill adjusting the timelines schools have to provide information to parents to get out of committee.   After two votes – to defeat and then pass – deadlocked at 7-7, House Education committee members sent House Bill 1218, which requires responses and reporting regarding student, testing, evaluation and observation,

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February22

Bill circumventing counselor confidentiality continues on in session

The confidentiality students share with counselors is in danger as committee members passed a bill removing the right.   House Bill 1167, which circumvents the confidentiality between student and counselor, passed the House Education committee on an 8-6 vote. The bill would require a counselor to share any disclosure a student makes in a session

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February21

Bill reimbursing schools for Sentinel training to Senate

A bill reimbursing schools for training costs related to the Sentinel program crossed the Capitol hall.   House Bill 1152, which provides financial assistance for school sentinel training, passed the House of Representatives on a 45-25 vote last week.   HB 1152 would provide a $1,500 reimbursement – paid by the S.D. Department of Education – to school districts

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February21

Kindergarten enrollment eligibility bill on to Senate

A bill pushing back the enrollment eligibility date for kindergarten reached the halfway point in the legislature.   On a 62-7 vote, Representatives passed House Bill 1174, which changes the kindergarten enrollment eligibility date.   Starting in 2021, HB 1174 would move the cutoff date for kindergarten enrollment from September 1 to August 1 thus requiring

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February20

Open enrollment prohibition bill prohibited from advancing

The open enrollment process in school districts will remain the same next year after the defeat of a bill placing a specific prohibition on the option.   Representatives voted 17-52 to defeat House Bill 1173, which prohibits a school board from denying an application for open enrollment from certain students. ASBSD opposes the bill.  

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February19

State aid increase in play after revenue figures higher than December’s numbers

The chances of schools seeing an increase in state aid were buoyed by last week’s adopted revenue projections.   Members of the Joint Appropriations committee adopted revenue projections for Fiscal Year 2021 $19 million higher than what was projected by Gov. Kristi Noem during her budget address in December, which did not include a proposed

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February17

Opt-out referral bill defeated on House floor

A proposal to remove the permanence of specific opt-outs found its way out of committee, but floundered when it reached the floor.   House Bill 1159, which allows for referral of opt-outs approved prior to 2002, passed the House Taxation committee on a 9-3 vote, but failed on the House floor on a vote of

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February16

Teacher certification bill bound for Gov’s desk

Former teachers looking to return to the profession may have a more fluid process to do so as a bill streamlining their route continued on in the legislative process.   On a 6-1 vote, Senate Education committee members passed House Bill 1032, which revises BOE authority related to certification rules, and that was followed by a

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February15

Wind energy exclusion bill exits session

Legislators had other plans for an other revenue equalization exclusion.   Senators defeated Senate Bill 111, which excludes certain wind energy tax revenue from the state aid formula, on a 12-22 vote on Tuesday (2/11).   SB 111 would have excluded wind energy from the current other revenue equalization process by going through an eight year

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February14

Kindergarten eligibility enrollment date adjustment advances

The latest kindergarten admissions related bill advanced out of committee.   House Bill 1174, which changes the kindergarten enrollment eligibility date, passed out of the House Education committee on a 13-1 vote on Wednesday (2/12).   HB 1174 would move the cutoff date for kindergarten enrollment from September 1 to August 1 thus requiring any

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