The latest members of the state Board of Education standards were confirmed recently.

 

Phyllis Heineman’s and Julie Westra’s appointments to the South Dakota State Board of Education were approved unanimously by the Senate Education committee and on a 31-3 by the full Senate. In January, Gov. Kristi Noem appointed each individual to the state board.

 

Heineman served 16-years in the legislature, most recently in the Senate, serving in the body from 2011 to 2016. In 2016, Heineman was the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 159, which uses tax credits from the insurance company premium and annuity tax to fund private school scholarships, that narrowly passed the legislature.

 

She is also a former teacher and has served on the Sioux Falls Catholic School Board, the Dakotabilities board and Junior Achievement board.

 

S.D. Department of Education Secretary Ben Jones noted Heineman “has her hands in many aspects of education.”

 

Westra served three years on the Sioux Falls School Board and has also served on the South Dakota Professional Administrators Practices and Standards Commission. She owns and manages a real estate business in Sioux Falls.

 

“She (Westra) has great concern and care for the students of our state,” Governor’s Office Senior Policy Advisor Tiffany Sanderson said.

 

For updates on everything related to K-12 education, check the ASBSD Blog.