Simplified: Several South Dakota school officials are voicing their opposition to state legislative proposals to create programs to fund scholarships for kids to attend private schools or other alternative instruction like home-schooling or microschools.
Why it matters
- Lawmakers kicked off the 100th legislative session this week, and among the first bills filed was House Bill 1020 from Rep. Scott Odenbach (R-Spearfish). The bill would create "education savings accounts" (ESAs), to help families pay for non-public school options – much like vouchers used in other states. Gov. Kristi Noem proposed a $4 million fund to support this effort in next year's budget.
- A quick note: South Dakota Searchlight has some very good in-depth coverage on how these ESAs might work and how statewide education stakeholders feel about the proposal.
- Sioux Falls School Board members on Monday voiced their opposition to these ESAs or any voucher-like program. They cited concerns that they'll divert public money into private education and ultimately harm public schools, which serve 80% of South Dakota students.
- Board members largely agreed that school choice is important, as is a parent's right to choose how their kid is educated – just "not on the public's dime," as board member Gail Swenson put it. The board unanimously voted to pass a resolution opposing the vouchers.
"(Private schools) can pick and choose who they educate," board member Nan Kelly said. "Do we want ... an elitist society where some people get an education and some don't?"
Tell me more about the concerns
Board members also expressed concerns for kids in special education, from low-income families or in rural districts if tax dollars are diverted from public schools.
Dawn Marie Johnson, who herself graduated from a rural school district in the state, said vouchers and similar programs "threaten the future of public education in South Dakota."
Additionally, board member Marc Murren noted concerns that private schools and other alternative education systems aren't held accountable for student achievement in the same way public schools are.
"If we’re gonna spend tax dollars to support either private, parochial, vouchers, whatever, then there’s gotta be some accountability," Murren said. "It baffles me that we don’t ask people to show us or measure what’s going on."
So, is it just Sioux Falls folks opposing this?
Nope.
These concerns have been echoed (and in some cases initiated) by Associated School Board of South Dakota, a statewide education organization which has taken a firm anti-voucher stance both now and in years past.
Similar resolutions have come up in Mitchell, Yankton, Hartford and more.
Harrisburg Superintendent Tim Graf said he expects his school board will have similar opposition.
"As a state we are already spending $5 million on an insurance tax credit program to fund private school scholarships," Graf said. "When you add $4 million to it, a total of $9 million would be spent on voucher programs while our teacher pay continues to be near the very bottom."
What happens next?
HB 1020 has been referred to the House Education Committee but has not yet been scheduled for a hearing. You can monitor the bill's progress here.
Megan Raposa
