The South Dakota legislature’s long-term study of the funding facets of K-12 education continues next week.
Members of the Legislative Planning Committee – charged with completing a long-term study of K-12 education and its funding components – convene for the third meeting in the study on Monday, Sept. 8 at 10 a.m. in the Capitol.
To listen to the committee’s hearing, click here and then on the SDPB logo which appears in the far right column.
ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany, SASD Executive Director Rob Monson and Mitch Richter of the South Dakota United School Association are scheduled to present on the state’s teacher shortage and possible solutions.
“We’re starting the solutions conversation now with legislators with the hopes that it will be the genesis in finding a fix to the teacher shortage crisis,” Pogany said.
At the committee’s meeting in July, a group of superintendents from districts across the state shared their concerns about the teacher shortage crisis, pointing out how districts are losing teachers to other professions at a troubling rate and are struggling to simply attract qualified candidates to apply for open positions.
A study conducted by SASD in May found that over 30 percent of the more than 800 open teaching positions had not been filled by May 28. Traditionally, South Dakota schools have most of their teaching positions filled by the end of May.
In addition to the discussion on the teacher shortage, the committee will hear a presentation on school district reserves and school district budgeting from South Dakota Auditor General Martin Guindon and Pierre School District Business Manager Darla Mayer.
Rep. Dan Dryden is also scheduled to present on the potential impact of legislation he introduced during the 2014 legislative session that called for the equalization of other revenue for school districts. Both bills introduced by Rep. Dryden during the 2014 legislative session were defeated.
For updates from the study, check the ASBSD Blog and follow ASBSD on Twitter @asbsd_org.