Associated School Boards of South Dakota | 2017 Legislative Session

January28: New scholarship program bill introduced, discussed in comm.

A new scholarship program using public dollars for private education has been introduced as a bill and more detail was provided on the aims of the program. Senate Bill 100, which creates a scholarship program utilizing public funds for private education and other services, was introduced in the third week of the 2023 legislative

January20: Funding increase for private school scholarship program advances

The inevitable increase in funding for the private school scholarship program has proceeded in the legislature. Senate Bill 71, which increases the private school scholarship fund total to $3.5 million form $2 million, passed the Senate Education committee on 5-1 vote and the Senate on a 27-5 vote. Implemented in 2016, the private

January15: Girls’ sports participation bill passes committee

A legislative committee advanced a bill banning the participation of anyone other than biological females in girls’ sports at the end of the first week of the 2022 legislative session. Senate Bill 46, which changes process of participation in girls’ sports, passed the Senate State Affairs committee on an 8-1 vote. SB 46

October25: Updates made to ASBSD Legislative Resolutions and Standing Positions

At their August meeting, members of the ASBSD Board of Directors approved changes to the Association’s legislative resolutions and standing positions recommended by the ASBSD Policy and Resolutions Committee. The resolutions and standing positions dictate the legislative direction of ASBSD and are voted on by member districts at Delegate Assembly. This year’s Delegate Assembly will be

September20: Youth Mental Health First Aid training available

Two state agencies are collaborating to provide FREE Youth Mental Health First Aid training. S.D. Department of Education and the Department of Social Services–Division of Behavioral Health, through the Project AWARE grant, are offering an eight-hour Youth Mental Health First Aid training program at no cost to adults who regularly interact with adolescents (teachers,

March31: Accountability board meets to review waiver processes

The group charged with reviewing and acting upon accountability waivers met for the first time in 2019. School Finance Accountability Board (SFAB) members convened on Monday (3/25) to review timelines for accountability waiver and update the teacher compensation accountability request for waiver form. Established in 2016 as part of the funding formula overall,

February22: Scientific info instruction bill sent away in House

A bill permitting untethered instruction was reined in by the legislature. House members defeated House Bill 1270, which protects teaching of certain scientific information, on a 21-46 vote. The bill had previously been passed by the House Education committee on an 8-6 vote. ASBSD opposed the bill. ASBSD Director of Policy and

November02: Get your delegate to the 2018 ASBSD Delegate Assembly

ASBSD’s Delegate Assembly is the time and place to establish your state school board association’s legislative direction and share your district’s view on key legislative topics. Delegates will vote on ASBSD’s resolutions and standing positions, which set the legislative path for the 2019 legislative session. This year’s Delegate Assembly is set for Friday, November 16

June21: Supreme Court sides with S.D. in online sales tax collection

South Dakota earned victory in the argument over online sales tax collection. In a 5-4 decision, members of the U.S. Supreme Court sided with South Dakota in its challenge that states can collect sales tax from online retailers. The high court’s decision comes two months after Attorney General Marty Jackley presented the state’s case

March19: SFAB reviews latest waiver process

The focus of the waiver process turns to general fund cash balance in 2018. Last year, members of the School Finance Accountability Board acted on teacher compensation waivers and at their first meeting of the year (3/12), the board took a look at the general fund cash balance waiver process. “I know that