Associated School Boards of South Dakota | 2021 Legislative Session

December09: Proposed state aid increase above inflationary requirement

South Dakota’s public school districts are in line to receive a state aid increase above inflation for the 2021-22 school year. At her budget address on Tuesday (12/8), Gov. Kristi Noem proposed a 2.4 percent increase in state aid, which is above the 1.5 percent inflation level required to be provided in state law,

December08: Delegates approve resolutions and standing positions for 2021

Nearly 90 Delegates took part in the first-ever online Delegate Assembly last month. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 ASBSD Delegate Assembly took place on the Zoom online platform where 87 delegates approved 39 legislative resolutions and 12 standing positions, which set the Association’s legislative platform for the 2021 legislative session that begins

December06: ASBSD Board meets online prior to Delegate Assembly

The final meeting of 2020 for the ASBSD Board of Directors was held online last month. Directors met prior to the 2020 Delegate Assembly, which you can read about here, and approved the legislative priorities to be presented and voted upon by Delegates. The five resolutions approved by the Board as advocacy priorities

December03: Sanderson appointed Sec. of Education

Recently, Tiffany Sanderson was appointed as Secretary of Education by Gov. Kristi Noem. The Governor’s appointment of Sanderson is effective December 9, 2020. Sanderson, who currently serves a senior policy advisor for Gov. Noem, will succeed Dr. Ben Jones, who has been named the new executive director of the South Dakota State Historical Society.

December02: Schedule a FREE school security assessment

The South Dakota School Safety Program is offering schools a free School Infrastructure Survey and Assessment. This program is housed under the South Dakota Department of Public Safety. The ideal time for completing a School Infrastructure Survey and Assessment is prior to a critical incident, not in response to a critical incident. Information collected

October20: 2020 ASBSD Delegate Assembly to be held virtually

As your district’s appointed delegate for ASBSD’s Delegate Assembly, you have an important role for your district and for your state school board Association as you will vote on the legislative direction of ASBSD for the 2021 legislative session. This year, we’re asking all appointed delegates join us on the online webinar Zoom platform

October20: Appoint your district’s Delegate, ASBSD’s Delegate Assembly moved online

ASBSD’s Delegate Assembly is the time to establish your state school board association’s legislative direction and share your district’s view on key legislative topics. Appointed delegates will vote on ASBSD’s resolutions and standing positions, which set the legislative path for the 2021 legislative session. Please submit your appointed delegate’s name and information by Tuesday,

October19: 2020 ASBSD Delegate Assembly Member Resolution-Standing Position Information

ASBSD’s resolutions and standing positions dictate the legislative direction of the association. They are an extremely valuable reference for our legislative advocating efforts and, as we’ve seen in past legislative sessions, are the guides for ASBSD to follow when controversial legislative issues, which our member schools do not hold a consensus opinion on, are introduced.

September28: School board topics, talk and trainings scheduled this Fall

ASBSD is bringing more school board topics, talk and training to you this Fall. Beginning in October we will be hosting two webinar series – one focused on advocacy and another on school board topics – for board members and administrators to enhance their knowledge of and gather new information on each topic.

September28: CRF payments made to schools

The first of two Coronavirus Relief Fund, or CRF, payments was made to districts the previous week, so long as the S.D. Department of Education received a signed grant Memorandum of Understanding from the district. The initial payment is $500 per student based on the district’s 2019 fall enrollment and the second payment will