Associated School Boards of South Dakota

December05: Policy Alert: Five Important Legal Related Policies

Five important sample policies related to the legal system in some manner received rewrites or updates to its language. The amended policies include: JEA: Compulsory Attendance Ages, which aligns language in the policy with state statute, references to alternative instruction and removes reference to the School-Based program, as it is referenced in other sample

December04: Delegates approve legislative platform after great discussion at Assembly

Board members representing their districts at the 2022 Delegate Assembly engaged in a robust discussion on the proposed legislative platform of ASBSD. Delegates in attendance approved 44 legislative resolutions, which are pointed legislative policy positions, and 12 standing positions, which are broad statements on legislative policy, that compromise ASBSD’s legislative platform for the 2023

December04: Policy Alert: Student Organizations policy rewritten

ASBSD’s sample policy IGDA: Student Organizations received a full edit. “This is a full policy rewrite,” ASBSD Director of Policy & Legal Services Jessica Filler said. “We recommend school districts who adopted the previous version of sample policy IGDA: Student Organizations consider these changes as soon as they can.” In addition, IGDA-R(1): Student

December04: LAN needs A LOT of supportive advocacy voices this session

South Dakota’s public education system needs supportive voices. Many voices. Our advocacy efforts must be united, informed and ready as the 2023 legislative session is likely to bring legislation with potentially long-reaching harmful effects to public schools, especially to funding. “Vouchers, tax cuts, uncertain state aid increases, and that’s just the funding side,”

December03: ASBSD gavel passed, legis. priorities and enrollment categories approved by board

ASBSD’s gavel was officially passed at the most recent Board of Directors meeting, where members also approved proposed legislative priorities for Delegate Assembly and new enrollment categories for Association regions. ASBSD President Lisa Snedeker of Woonsocket was officially passed the gavel from Past President Eric Stroeder of Mobridge-Pollock at the board’s November board meeting.

December03: Important legal topics affecting schools on schedule for ASBSD/COSA School Law webinars

Eight important school law related topics will be covered as part of the 2022-23 ASBSD/COSA School Law webinar series. Listen to school law experts on legal topics affecting school districts, get your questions answered AND have access to the webinar recording presentation throughout the 2023 Fiscal Year for $25 per individual webinar or for

December02: Policy Alert: Vaping references added to sample policies

References to vaping marked the changes in two sample policies. Sample policies AEA: Tobacco and Vaping Free Schools and JFC: Student Conduct received edits by the ASBSD policy team. “Changes made to sample policy AEA: Tobacco and Vaping Free Schools included a prohibition for vaping, as well as the prohibition of distribution or

December01: Policy Alert: Multiple policies receive revisions

Updated terminology was incorporated into multiple sample policies ranging from school board legal status to students in foster care and a few other topics in between. BB: School Board Legal Status Changed reference for Vocational Education to Technical Education DBDA: General Fund Balance Changes the term LEP to the updated term English Learner (EL)

November30: Meet with your legislators and ask them the important questions

School Board Members and Administrators, please meet with your legislators before the 2023 legislative session begins in January. Click here to see what legislators represent your district and click here to view legislator contact information. “We need our school leaders to meet with their legislators before session begins,” ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany

November24: Safe2Say South Dakota reporting platform active

An anonymous tip platform for students, staff and communities to report concerning or threatening behaviors is now active. The South Dakota School Safety Program launched Safe2Say South Dakota, a 24/7 reporting platform available through the free Safe2Say South Dakota App (available through Apple or Google Play), at https://safe2say.sd.gov/ or at the toll-free telephone number,