Latest news with #HouseBill1020
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rival SD school choice bills both fail in Education Committee
Lobbyists, members of the public and lawmakers crowd the South Dakota House Education Committee room ahead of a Jan. 29, 2025, hearing on a bill to create an education savings account program in the state. (Josh Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) Lawmakers in the House Education Committee shot down former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem's proposed $4 million education savings account program and a similar, competing proposal Wednesday morning at the Capitol in Pierre. Procedural maneuvers could still be used to bring the bills to the House floor, but the committee votes were an early setback for an idea proposed by Noem and supported by her successor, Gov. Larry Rhoden, after she departed to become secretary of the federal Department of Homeland Security. The committee voted 9-6 against the governor-supported House Bill 1020, despite the bill having the majority leaders of both legislative chambers as prime sponsors. The bill would provide up to $3,000 per student to help cover private school tuition, homeschooling or other alternative-instruction costs. Lawmakers and people who testified against the bill included public education stalwarts, who argued that the program would lack oversight and divert funds from public schools, and school choice advocates, who said the program would be too limited. A competing school choice bill that would create a similar program with a higher price tag and less oversight was also shot down with an 8-7 vote. The bill, HB 1009, was introduced by Rep. Dylan Jordan, R-Clear Lake, and is estimated to cost up to $142 million by the Legislative Research Council. Reps. Jordan and Phil Jensen, R-Rapid City, both supported Jordan's bill but opposed the governor's bill. Rep. Travis Ismay, R-Newell, was the only other committee member to switch his vote — supporting the governor's bill but opposing Jordan's bill — while all other committee members either supported both bills or opposed both bills. Anthony Mirzayants, representing the Texas-based student activist group Young Americans for Liberty, told lawmakers the bill supported by the governor isn't 'a real school choice bill.' He compared it to South Dakota's Partners in Education scholarship program. That program gives insurance companies up to $5 million in tax credits annually in exchange for their contributions to scholarships for private-school students. Other opponents of HB 1020 included representatives of public education organizations, teachers, school board members and superintendents, disability advocates, the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce, the South Dakota Retailers Association and the Great Plains Tribal Education Directors. Opponents were concerned with the impact the programs would have on public school funding and a lack of accountability, standards and transparency. They brought up similar concerns in HB 1009's committee hearing last week. 'Public education funding should reflect a shared responsibility. Instead, public funds would be drained from public and tribal schools, leaving fewer resources and opportunities for all students,' said Roquel Gorneau, representing the Great Plains Tribal Education Directors. 'This bill does not strengthen education. It weakens it, forcing public schools to do more with less.' Several supporters of HB 1020 (the governor's bill) included private school administrators who said the program would make alternatives to public education more accessible to students and could lead to better teacher pay within their schools. Supporters also included alternative instruction advocates and alternative school founders. The bill, introduced by House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach, R-Spearfish, was amended during the hearing to clarify that students who use education savings accounts would not be classified as alternative instruction students. Odenbach proposed the amendment to appease the homeschool advocacy group Families for Alternative Instruction Rights in South Dakota, which feared that not separating education savings account students from alternative instruction students would open the door to regulation of alternative instruction. The organization switched its stance on the bill from opposed to neutral because of the amendment, based on a memo sent to lawmakers last week. The amendment means that if the bill is revived and becomes law, families opting for homeschooling, microschools or other alternative settings would have to choose whether they want to be ESA families eligible for the state financial assistance or alternative instruction students ineligible for the money. Both South Dakota Department of Education Secretary Joseph Graves and Governor's Office Policy Adviser Sarah Hitchcock told lawmakers the program would improve education in the state by increasing competition among schools. 'We can't force our students to wait until we have perfect funding,' Hitchcock told the committee. Supporters of the legislation could seek approval from one-third of the House of Representatives to force the committee to send the bills to the floor. Support from a majority of the chamber's 70 members would then be needed to add the bills to the House calendar for debate and a vote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New poll finds many SD voters oppose education savings accounts
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The topic of education savings accounts or school vouchers is top of mind for many lawmakers and voters in South Dakota this legislative session. Monday, the South Dakota Public Schools Coalition released the findings of a statewide poll. The results are in and according to a survey commissioned by the South Dakota Education Association, many voters in the state oppose the implementation of education savings accounts, also known as school voucher programs. Tribes issuing free ID cards amid ICE raids '58, almost 60, percent are opposed to using tax dollars to send to private schools,' Sandra Waltman, Director of Public Affairs for the SD Education Association, said. 'So that, we think, is a clear majority of the citizens of South Dakota. The voters of South Dakota are not in support of this plan.' The survey found that 57% of voters believe South Dakota public schools do not receive enough funding. 'We hope lawmakers see this poll and realize what voters really want them to focus on is making sure our public schools are funded,' Waltman said. House Bill 1020, which would allocate $4 million for students to attend private or home schools, was introduced to legislators earlier this month. It is currently waiting to be read by the House Education Committee. 'This is going to be a debate throughout the legislative session and we would encourage everybody to talk to their lawmakers about why their local public schools are important to their communities,' Waltman said. The poll was conducted by American Viewpoint between January 13 and January 15, 2025, with a sample of 500 general election voters. We reached out to Representative Scott Odenbach, the prime sponsor of HB 1020 to get his thoughts on the poll's findings — he pointed us in the direction of a different poll that found many voters did support school vouchers. That survey was conducted in November 2023. Odenbach's full statement is below: 'There are a variety of polls out there regarding support for school choice in South Dakota. I'm not surprised this coalition came up with one that gave the result they seek. I am curious how much taxpayer money they ended up spending on this push poll. I would encourage you to investigate that, as well as the taxpayer money they spend lobbying. As I shared with you earlier today, other polls have shown around 50% of the voters support school choice, and support rises to around 65% among registered Republicans. School choice is an issue whose time has come, and I will continue to support these needed changes to the way we educate our kids. We must fund students, not systems and allow parents to decide which education environment is best for their children. Property tax payers should also understand that the majority of their taxes go to fund the local schools and so if we ever want meaningful property tax relief we must address the ever-growing spending and force the public schools to innovate and decentralize. HB1020 and education savings accounts start us down that path.' Rep. Scott Odenbach (R) Lawrence County In a follow-up statement, Odenbach said HB 1020 is also supported by Gov. Larry Rhoden and the SD Department of Education as well as the majority leaders for both the House and Senate, the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tempore. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
