The Senate confirmed the appointment of Secretary of Education Tiffany Sanderson recently.

 

Sec. Sanderson was appointed as interim Secretary in December by Gov. Kristi Noem and receive unanimous support to be permanently appointed to the position by the Senate Education and then full Senate.

 

Sanderson previously served as a senior policy advisor for Gov. Noem, which included work in K-12 education, higher education, and workforce development and prior to joining the Governor’s Office led South Dakota’s career and technical education system at the Department of Education.

 

“She’s an outstanding leader because she’s a good problem solver,” ASBSD Executive Director Wade Pogany testified during Sec. Sanderson’s appointment hearing in Senate Education. “She listens very carefully, and she asks tough questions then.”

 

“She’s intelligent. She’s motivated. She’s persistent.”

 

Sec. Sanderson received resounding praise from the different education groups during the committee hearing and committee members themselves showed strong support for her.

 

“I’ve gotten to know Tiffany over the years,” Sen. Troy Heinert said. “I have no doubts that she will lead this department with honor, with grace and with the students’ best interest in mind.”

 

For updates from the 2021 legislative session, check the ASBSD Blog and Bill Tracker page.