Public education in South Dakota

in South Dakota

Fiscal Budgets South Dakota state budget and finances Tax policy in South Dakota Finance Financial regulation in South Dakota Pensions Public pensions in South Dakota Pension health in South Dakota Civil liberties Affirmative action in South Dakota Campaign finance requirements in South Dakota Campaign finance requirements for South Dakota ballot measures Nonprofit regulation in South Dakota Education Charter schools in South Dakota Higher education in South Dakota Public education in South Dakota School choice in South Dakota Elections Ballot access Ballot access requirements for political candidates in South Dakota Ballot access requirements for political parties in South Dakota Political parties in South Dakota Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in South Dakota Redistricting in South Dakota Voting in South Dakota Energy and Environment Energy policy in South Dakota Fracking in South Dakota Oil and gas extraction on federal land in South Dakota Endangered species in South Dakota Environmental policy in South Dakota Healthcare Healthcare policy in South Dakota Medicaid spending in South Dakota Effect of the Affordable Care Act in South Dakota Immigration Immigration in South Dakota

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K-12 education in South Dakota

Education facts

State superintendent: Tiffany Sanderson

Number of students: 130,471

Number of teachers: 9,334

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:14

Number of school districts: 185

Number of schools: 697

Graduation rate: 82.7%

Per-pupil spending: $8,470

See also

South Dakota Department of Education • List of school districts in South Dakota • South Dakota • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in South Dakota Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given are the most recent as of June 2015, with school years noted in the text or footnotes.

The South Dakota public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 South Dakota had 130,471 students enrolled in a total of 697 schools in 170 school districts. There were 9,334 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 14 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 313 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 295 students. On average South Dakota spent $8,470 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it 41st highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 82.7 percent in 2013.^[1][2][3]

Common Core[edit]

Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The South Dakota State Board of Education adopted the standards on November 29, 2010. Full implementation was scheduled to be achieved in the 2014-2015 academic year.^[4][5]

In February 2015 the South Dakota House of Representatives rejected an attempt to put a Common Core repeal bill on the legislative calendar. The House Education Committee voted twice previously to reject the repeal bill, but Rep. Daniel Kaiser (R) used a procedural maneuver known as a smoke-out to force the full House to vote on the bill's consideration. The vote was 39-31 against.^[6]

At least six universities in South Dakota were known to use Common Core test results when determining class placements for incoming students as of July 2015.^[7]

General information[edit]

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how South Dakota compared to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. The chart also displays that information at the national level. Compared to its neighboring states, South Dakota had the lowest spending per pupil, $8,470.

Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page.

Schools by type[edit]

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School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

See also: Number of schools by school type in the United States

Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.

The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in South Dakota and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.^[8]

In South Dakota, there were 651 regular schools as of 2013. Alternative schools were the second most prevalent type of school in the state, with 34 schools classified as such.

Demographics[edit]

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in South Dakota as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.^[9]

During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.

In South Dakota, the majority of students were white. White students totaled 101,242, which was about 77.6 percent of the student population in the state. There were 14,997 students who identified as American Indian/Alaska Native in South Dakota, accounting for 11.5 percent of the student population.

Enrollments by region type[edit]

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns, while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.^[10]

A plurality of students in South Dakota attended rural schools during the 2012-2013 school year. Approximately 28.9 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 71.1 percent who attended rural or town schools.

Academic performance[edit]

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores[edit]

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Montana, Nebraska, and North Dakota), South Dakota had the smallest share of fourth grade students that scored at or above proficient in both math and reading.^[11]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores[edit]

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for South Dakota and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[11][12][13]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[14]

South Dakota schools reported a graduation rate of 82.7 percent, lowest among its neighboring states.

In South Dakota, more students took the ACT than the SAT, earning an average ACT score of 21.9.

Dropout rate[edit]

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for South Dakota was lower than the national average at 2.6 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 3.1 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.^[15]

Educational choice options[edit]

See also: School choice in South Dakota

School choice options in South Dakota included inter-district and intra-district open enrollment policies and online learning programs. In addition, about 8.68 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 2.67 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.

Developments[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[16]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[17]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

South Dakota is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures[edit]

See also: South Dakota state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[18][19]

South Dakota spent approximately 14.1 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. The state school systems' revenue came primarily from local funds. South Dakota spent a lower percentage of its budget on public education than any of its neighboring states.

Revenue breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[19]

In South Dakota, the primary source of school system revenue was local funding during fiscal year 2013, at $712 million. South Dakota reported lower total public education revenue than any of its neighboring states.

Expenditure breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[20]

Public education expenditures in South Dakota totaled approximately $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2012. South Dakota reported lower total public education expenditures than all of its neighboring states except North Dakota.

Personnel salaries[edit]

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in South Dakota, the average salary decreased by 0.4 percent.^[22]

Organizations[edit]

State agencies[edit]

See also: South Dakota Department of Education

The mission statement of the South Dakota Department of Education reads:^[23]

The state's chief education official is the Secretary of Education. The Secretary of Education is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the governor, with the advice and consent of the state senate. Melody Schopp was appointed to the position in 2011.^[25][26]

The South Dakota Board of Education is composed of nine members, all of whom are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the state senate. Members serve four-year terms.^[27]

Unions[edit]

In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. South Dakota ranked 34th overall for union power and influence, or "weak," which was in the fourth of five tiers.^[28]

The main union related to the South Dakota school system is the South Dakota Education Association (SDEA), an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA). SDEA is the largest education association in the state.^[29] For the 2003 tax period SDEA had: $2.31 million in total revenue, $2.10 million in total expenses and $655,432 in total assets.^[30]

Taxpayer-funded lobbying[edit]

See also: South Dakota government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Associated School Boards of South Dakota.

Transparency[edit]

Open.SD.gov is South Dakota's transparency website. Information pertaining to contracts, revenues, expenditures, and more is accessible here.^[31]

Studies and reports[edit]

Quality Counts 2014[edit]

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

South Dakota received a score of 79.6, or a B- average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. Aside from the "chance for success" category, the state's highest score was in "standards, assessments and accountability" at 73.0, or a C average. The lowest score was in "the teaching profession" at 60.8, or a D- average. South Dakota had the lowest score for the "K-12 education" category when compared to neighboring states. The chart below displays the scores of South Dakota and its surrounding states.^[32]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

State Budget Solutions education study[edit]

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

School districts[edit]

See also: School board elections portal

District types[edit]

South Dakota contains multiple types of school districts. A public school district offers K-12 courses for students in a single city or county. Cooperative districts are typically multiple small districts combined into a single governing body to serve rural communities.^[33]

School board composition[edit]

South Dakota school board members are generally elected by residents of the school district, although some school board members are appointed to fill vacancies until the next election for the seat is held. South Dakota school board elections typically follow one of these two methods:^[34]

• At-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, regardless of geographic location.
• Trustee area at-large: All voters residing in the school district may vote for any candidates running, but candidates must reside in specific geographic areas within the school district.

School boards can consist of five, seven or nine members. Board members serve three-year terms with elections held each year at a time determined by local election officials.^[34]

Term limits[edit]

South Dakota does not impose statewide term limits on school board members. However, terms limits on school board members can still be imposed on the local level.^[34]

Elections[edit]

See also: South Dakota school board elections, 2021

No South Dakota school districts within Ballotpedia's coverage scope are holding school board elections in 2021.

Path to the ballot[edit]

To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate in South Dakota, a person must be:^[34]

• 18 years of age or older
• A resident of the school district at the time of the election
• An eligible voter of the district

Candidates must file nominating petitions with signatures from at least 20 voters in the district to the district's business office. The filing deadline for a school board election is at least 39 days prior to the election.^[34]

Campaign finance[edit]

State law requires candidates to file itemized accounts of campaign contributions to the South Dakota Secretary of State if contributions exceed $100. A candidate has to report contributions under $100 but does not need to provide an itemized list of contributions.^[35]

Recent legislation[edit]

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the South Dakota state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures[edit]

See also: Education on the ballot and List of South Dakota ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. South Dakota Abolish Regents' Board of Trustees (1896)
2. South Dakota Appointment of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Amendment E (1968)
3. South Dakota Definition of First Day of School, Initiative 3 (2006)
4. South Dakota Educational Fund Investments (1950)
5. South Dakota Educational Fund Investments (1952)
6. South Dakota Educational Fund Loans (1944)
7. South Dakota Educational Funds, Amendment C (1994)
8. South Dakota Educational and Charitable Institutions (1944)
9. South Dakota Fines and Interest Rates on School Land Sales, Amendment B (1982)
10. South Dakota Governance of Technical Education Institutes, Constitutional Amendment R (2016)
11. South Dakota Healthcare and Education Trust Funds, Amendment B (April 2001)
12. South Dakota Investment of Education Funds, Amendment A (1996)
13. South Dakota Investment of School Funds, Amendment E (2000)
14. South Dakota Investment of School Funds, Amendment G (1998)
15. South Dakota Investment of School Funds by Counties (1900)
16. South Dakota Investment of School Money (1904)
17. South Dakota Kids and Teachers First Transparency Act (2008)
18. South Dakota Loan of Nonsectarian Textbooks, Amendment C (1986)
19. South Dakota Lower Interest Rate on School Funds (1902)
20. South Dakota Northern Normal School Course of Study (1914)
21. South Dakota Reinvestment of School Funds, Amendment D (1968)
22. South Dakota School After Labor Day, Initiative 2 (1984)
23. South Dakota School District Debt Limit (1954)
24. South Dakota School District Indebtedness (1950)
25. South Dakota School District Reorganization, Referendum 2(1968)
26. South Dakota School Lands, Amendment H (1970)
27. South Dakota School Services for all Children, Amendment B (2004)
28. South Dakota State University Relocation (1922)
29. South Dakota Teachers' Colleges (1932)

In the news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms South Dakota education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also[edit]

• Historical public education information in South Dakota
• South Dakota state budget and finances
• South Dakota Department of Education
• List of school districts in South Dakota
• South Dakota
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links[edit]

• South Dakota Department of Education
• South Dakota Board of Education
• South Dakota Virtual School

Footnotes[edit]

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