by Tyler Pickner

Director of Communications

It’s been a very interesting legislative session, thus far, and is likely to only get more so as we head into the last four weeks with the legislators actively at the Capitol.

Every legislative session is interesting – some more so than others – but how does the 2025 session compare from a Billtracker perspective, which is ASBSD’s online legislative tracking tool, to other years dating back to its start in 2014.

Click here to view the 2025 Billtracker page.

Let’s start by looking at 2025 Billtracker where ASBSD is following 91 total pieces of legislation – the most since 2020 – and within that total, we are:

• Supporting 8 pieces of legislation, including 4 commemorations, which are not debated in committee or on the floor, and 4 bills. Since 2014, ASBSD has never been stuck on single digit supports for legislation.
• On the other side, we’re opposing 44 proposals, all of them bills and all of them based on our legislative platform, which our member boards approved at Delegate Assembly last November. ASBSD has never opposed more than 27 bills in a single legislative session.
• That leaves us with 39 pieces of legislation we are monitoring.
• ASBSD has a support or oppose position on 57 percent of the total bills we are following this session, which is keeping us pretty busy as that’s the second highest position percentage since 2014.

So, how does this compare on Billtracker to previous sessions and what does it mean?

As stated earlier, the 91 pieces of legislation we’re following this year is the most in five years and an increase of 25 bills from last year’s total. However, this year’s total is right in the middle of the pack compared to previous years and ASBSD has three years of tracking more than 100 bills.

The number of bills we’re supporting at 8 is considerably lower than normal. The next lowest total of bills ASBSD supported is 11 in 2022 and then 14 in 2016. Last year, we were supporting 18 pieces of legislation and eclipsed 20 supports in multiple other years.

When it comes to opposing bills…we’ve never seen anything like our current total of 44. It’s 12 more bills than our next closest year of 32 in 2022 and more than double last year’s total of 21.

What does this all mean?

It means it’s been a challenging legislative session. There’s a larger group of legislators who don’t support public education as fervently as there has been compared to years prior. We’re seeing more bills that chipping away at our public education system or, frankly, looking to dismantle it.

But, it’s not all bad because together we’re still advocating for public education and that work has resulted in the defeat of some of the bills bad for education – including multiple attempts at implementing school vouchers – and together we’ll look to beat the rest while passing the ones that are good for our public schools.

Thank you for your advocacy efforts, support of ASBSD and continued dedication to the students, staff members and communities served by public education.

Recognize the dedicated individuals in your communities who devote their time and energy to serving on your locally elected school board during the 2025 South Dakota School Board Recognition Week.

“South Dakota school board members work tirelessly for their students, staff and communities and we’re asking everyone to take time later this month to acknowledge them for their efforts,” ASBSD Executive Director Heath Larson said.

South Dakota School Board Recognition Week is set for February 17-21, which may take place after some districts are scheduled to hold their monthly meeting, but we encourage your district to recognize school board members at your February school board meeting.

“South Dakota School Board Recognition Week is an opportunity to say thank you to your board members for their commitment to your public school,” Larson said.

ASBSD has provided a certificate recognizing each school board collectively for South Dakota School Board Recognition Week, but additional documents helping your district celebrate the week can be downloaded from ASBSD’s Documents page under the “Event Documents” header.

If you have any questions, please contact Director of Communications Tyler Pickner at tpickner@asbsd.org.

Thank you for your support in making South Dakota School Board Recognition Week a success.

We have outstanding educational leaders in South Dakota.

Please join the South Dakota School Superintendent Association in celebrating our public school superintendents by submitting nominations for the following awards:

Outstanding Superintendent of the Year

The SDSSA Executive Board honors an “Outstanding Superintendent of the Year” Award to honor a superintendent who has made significant contributions to Leadership for Learning, Communication, Professionalism, and Community Involvement.

Download the nomination form here.

Community Leader of the Year

The SDSSA Executive Board has instituted a “Community Leader” Award to honor a superintendent who has made an investment in his/her community above and beyond the scope of the school district’s responsibilities.

Download the nomination form here.

Innovator of the Year

The SDSSA Executive Board has instituted an “Innovator of the Year” Award to honor a superintendent who has exhibited exemplary leadership ability in creating new programs or concepts that have a positive impact on staff development, recruitment, or retention, or creating new programming that directly impacts student learning, student achievement, or student educational experiences.

Download the nomination form here.

Rookie of the Year

The SDSSA Executive Board has instituted a “Rookie of the Year” Award to honor a superintendent in their first three years in the profession who has exhibited exemplary leadership ability in making a difference in their school district through new programs or concepts that have a positive impact on the dynamics of the district.

Download the nomination form here.

Distinguished Service Award

The SDSSA Executive Committee has instituted a Distinguished Service Award to honor retired or retiring superintendents who have exhibited exemplary leadership ability and have enhanced the school's superintendency in South Dakota.

Download the nomination form here.

All individuals nominated for Outstanding Superintendent will be automatically nominated for Community Leader and Innovator of the Year. Individuals may submit specific nominations for Innovator and Community Leader of the Year.

Please complete the components associated with the nomination. All nominations should include the basic data and overview sheet.

Nominations are due by March 28.

The 2025 election cycle for the ASBSD Board of Directors has begun and school board members from your district can run for election in the region and enrollment category in which your district is in.

Those region and enrollment categories include:

• Southeast region with enrollment 700-1,399
• Beresford, Canton, Dakota Valley, Dell Rapids, Flandreau, Lennox, Madison Central, Tri-Valley, Vermillion, Wagner Community, West Central
• Western region with enrollment 265 & Under
• Bison, Edgemont, Elk Mountain, Faith, Harding County, Lemmon, Newell, Oelrichs

Eligible board members interested in running for a four-year term on the Board of Directors must download and complete the Announcement of Candidacy form, which you can download by CLICKING HERE, and return it to ASBSD by Thursday, February 20, 2025.

Send completed forms to ASBSD Executive Secretary Katie Mitchell-Boe by email to katie@asbsd.org, by fax to 605-773-2501 or by mail to ASBSD at P.O. Box 1059, Pierre SD, 57501.

Only one school board member per district may sit on the ASBSD Board of Directors.

If you have questions, please contact Director of Communications Tyler Pickner at tpickner@asbsd.org or at 605-773-8382.

Legislative Cracker Barrels in your area offer access to your local legislators, as well as the chance to hear their answers on a variety of legislative topics.

Below you will find a list of dates and locations of legislative cracker barrels being held throughout South Dakota that have been posted thus far.

Please send any dates and locations of legislative cracker barrels in your area that are not listed below to Tyler at tpickner@asbsd.org and we will add them to the list, which is still being and will be updated throughout session.

Aberdeen:

In the Kessler’s Champions Club in the Barnett Center on the NSU campus from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

• Saturday, February 22

Brookings:

In the City/County Government Center beginning at 9 a.m.

• Saturday, February 22

Deadwood:

In the Deadwood Gulch Resort in the Creek Side Convention Center beginning at 10 a.m.

• Saturday, March 1

Gettysburg:

In the Gettysburg Mini Mall beginning at 2:30 p.m.

• To be Determined

Hot Springs:

In the American Legion Building from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

• Saturday, February 15

Huron:

At City Hall from 9 to 10 a.m.

• Saturday, February 22
• Saturday, March 8

Milbank:

At the Grant County 4-H Fairground from 1 to 3 p.m.

• Saturday, February 15

Miller:

At the School Theater beginning at 2 p.m.

• Monday, February 17

Piedmont:

Piedmont Valley American Legion Post from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

• Saturday, February 15

Rapid City:

In the Event Center at the Western Dakota Tech Event Center from 9 to 11 a.m.

• Saturday, February 15
• Saturday, March 8

Redfield:

At the C&NW Historic Railroad Depot beginning at 1 p.m.

• Monday, February 17

Salem:

In the Performing Arts Center at the McCook Central School from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

• Monday, February 17

Selby:

At the Selby Community Center beginning at 10:30 a.m.

• Saturday, February 22

Sioux Falls:

At HUB Auditorium on the Southeast Technical College campus beginning at 10 a.m.

• Saturday, February 22

Spearfish:

At the Career and Technology Education Center 10 a.m.

• Saturday, February 15

Sturgis:

At the Erskine Building from 9 to 11 a.m.

• Saturday, March 1

Vermillion:

At City Hall from 9 to 11 a.m.

• Saturday, February 15
• Saturday, March 1

Watertown:

At the Codington County Extension Complex beginning at 8 a.m.

• Saturday, February 15

Yankton:

In the City Commission Room at the CMTEA building beginning at 10 a.m.

• Saturday, February 22
• Saturday, March 15