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Leadership
Your Governor:
Kristi Noem (R) (50)
First term began in 2019 (two-term limit). Re-elected in 2022.
Governor Kristi Noem has not fulfilled her vow upon taking office to “protect the rights of parents to choose the educational path that’s best for their child, whether it’s homeschooling, public schooling or a private education.” It’s time for Ms. Noem to step up and champion innovation and opportunity in the final two years of her second term.
STATE LEGISLATURE:
Two modest bills were introduced early last year to expand the virtual school program housed in the State Department of Education and create a voucher for students at certain grade levels access to nonpublic schools. These efforts were immediately attacked as threats to the public school system by both Democrats and rural Republicans who feared the costs associated with funding.
Constitutional Issues
South Dakota has a Blaine Amendment, and the South Dakota Supreme Court has interpreted it restrictively. "That Court has explicitly rejected the distinction between aiding students and aiding the schools they choose to attend." (Institute for Justice)
Transparency
School report cards can be found under the “A-Z” tab or under the “Quick Links” section of South Dakota's Department of Education homepage. Report cards are comprehensive, providing information on student performance, college and career readiness, educator qualifications, and school safety, among other things. Further, the state provides an overall district/school score, giving parents a complete and accessible picture of their school's strength and challenges that need to be addressed.
School Board elections in South Dakota occur separately from the general election cycle, often resulting in reduced parental influence and a diminished ability to make their voices heard due to lower voter turnout.