Highlights & Insights
by Heath Larson
ASBSD Executive Director
I hope you enjoy this edition of the ASBSD Highlights & Insights newsletter containing a significant amount of information focused on the work being done across South Dakota for our students and schools as we advocate for public education.
As Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success.”
ASBSD Region Meetings: Over the past several weeks, we have traveled around the state to several schools for our region meetings with three more sessions by mid November. This has been an outstanding opportunity to visit about ASBSD and connect with our stakeholders on current topics facing public education.
ASBSD Director of Policy & Legal Services: I am pleased to announce that Naomi Cromwell will be the ASBSD Director of Policy & Legal Services beginning on November 1, 2024. Naomi has worked as an attorney with the Tieszen Law Office in Pierre since 2005 and served as counsel for the city of Fort Pierre, South Dakota Beef Industry Council, and the South Dakota Board of Examiners in Optometry. In addition, Naomi has served as the parliamentarian for the ASBSD Delegate Assembly. From 2000-2005, Naomi served as senior counsel for the state Division of Insurance. Welcome, Naomi!
ZOOM PRESENTATION ON VOUCHERS: November 17 @ 7:30 PM (Central Time)
ASBSD and SASD (School Administrators of South Dakota) have collaboratively worked to bring our memberships this learning opportunity. Please mark your calendars for the evening of Sunday, November 17, at 7:30 PM (Central Time) to participate in a presentation from Josh Cowen, a Michigan State professor, on the impact of vouchers. Vouchers, or a variety of other terms that are used interchangeably, boils down to the use of public funds for non-public students.
The presentation will be a short history of educational privatization, how school vouchers defund public schools and devastate student learning, and how billionaires have turned to culture wars to sell voucher schemes moving forward. Josh has authored: The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers which is now available if you are interested. Josh’s web page can be found here: https://www.josh-cowen.com/.
Zoom Link: Voucher Presentation by Josh Cowen
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88509906124?pwd=J954hip7BaTlPqqZAy4mw3PZpxQG3x.1
Thank you for your continued support and please remember to exercise your right to VOTE!
by Tyler Pickner
ASBSD Director of Communications
In August, the ASBSD Board of Directors voted to join the coalition in opposition of Initiated Measure 28, which proposes the elimination of sales tax on items for “human consumption” and is on the General Election ballot.
With Election Day less than two weeks away, ASBSD wanted to share more information and resources with you on the negative impacts to public school funding that would occur should IM 28 be approved.
The ASBSD Board made the decision to oppose the measure based on the significant negative impacts on public education funding the measure’s passage would surely result in with the estimated total reduction in state revenues between $133.6 and $646.2 million.
After hearing the estimate, Rep. Tony Venhuizen said, “If the people vote for this, they need to know that when we come during January, we are not going to be doing increases for anything. We’re going to make significant budget cuts.”
Click here to download the LRC Fiscal Note on IM 28.
Legislative House Majority Leader Rep. Will Mortenson and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Casey Crabtree wrote an editorial where they estimated if IM 28 passes it “would require the state to cut at least $176 Million.”
“So, if IM28 passes and the state has strong revenue growth, the minimum cut that South Dakotans should expect for schools and nursing homes would be about 5%. If revenues weaken, of course, the cuts could be larger,” the legislators wrote.
Click here to download the editorial.
ASBSD also drafted sample school board resolution opposing IM 28 for your school board’s consideration. Multiple local government bodies (school boards, municipalities, townships and counties) in South Dakota have passed resolutions opposing the measure.
Click here to download the sample school board resolution.
In addition, here are three additional resources with information on IM 28:
If you need any further information or have questions about IM 28, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
ASBSD’s 2024 Delegate Assembly is scheduled for Friday, November 22 in Fort Pierre at the Drifters Event Center beginning at 1 p.m. (Central) and EACH member district should appoint a board member to represent their school board and vote on positions that help set our legislative direction.
Click the links to review ASBSD’s proposed resolutions and standing positions for the 2025 legislative session.
Each resolution or standing position with a change has an explanation of the proposed change underneath it in red.
The Delegate appointment form is online and can be found by CLICKING THIS LINK and completing the information requested for the school board member your board has appointed. Or, if you’d prefer, you can forward your delegate’s name and contact information to tpickner@asbsd.org.
School boards appointing a board member as a Delegate will earn 25 ALL points!
Member districts can also submit a new or amended resolution or standing position, or suggest deletion of a resolution or standing position, by completing the 2024 ASBSD Delegate Assembly Member Resolution-Standing Position Form, which can be found by CLICKING HERE.
If you have questions about submitting a delegate or Delegate Assembly, please contact Director of Communications Tyler Pickner at tpickner@asbsd.org or at 605-773-8382 or at 605-881-3791.
by Tyler Pickner
ASBSD Director of Communications
Two legislative interim committees with potential ramifications on public schools wrapped up their studies without endorsing a bill draft that would directly affect public education.
The Study Committee on Property Tax Assessment Methodology was charged with examining the methodology by which assessments are made, but not proposing changes to property taxes.
“I hope that we’re following what we said we were going to do,” Rep. Larry Zikmund said during the committee’s final meeting. “Property taxes in this state are going bonkers and that’s what I thought this committee was about.”
Committee Chairman Rep. Drew Peterson followed up on Rep. Zikmund’s statement by noting the committee “talked extensively” in their previous three meetings their purpose was “to make sure it’s (assessment methodology) fair” and not focus on property tax system changes.
The Study Committee on Property Tax Assessment Methodology proposals focused on assessment matters, but the property tax cap or repeal discussion will be addressed during the 2025 legislative session.
In a report by South Dakota Searchlight following the final committee meeting, Rep. Trish Ladner “pledged to introduce legislation next session that she’s been working on for over a year.”
The Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Regulation of Internet Access by Minors also concluded their review without endorsing a proposal with a direct effect on public schools.
In the three previous meetings discussion there had been discussion around cell phone use in schools, bans and policy, but the committee learned public school districts have the issue well under control at the local level and did not move a related proposal forward.
“I think our educators for the most part are on top of it,” Rep. Mike Weisgram, the committee co-chair, said during a previous meeting.
ASBSD will continue to provide updates on these topics and more as the 2025 legislative session approaches.
The South Dakota Department of Education has extended funding for one more year of the Dakota Dreams Teacher Leadership Academy.
This FREE Academy is dedicated to helping experienced teachers develop their educational leadership skills and explore administrative roles and responsibilities in schools. Teachers who successfully complete the course will earn three graduate credits, which can be seamlessly applied toward an advanced degree in education.
Click this link: Teacher Leadership Academy video to learn more about the program from academy faculty and previous participants.
The Details of the program:
- Hone Leadership Skills and Explore New Roles
- Earn 3 Graduate Credits that can be seamlessly applied toward an Advanced Ed. Degree
- 60 Participants Will Be Accepted
- Applications close November 17, 2024
- Participants will meet over three 2-day sessions during the school year (dates and locations below).
Dates & Locations include:
- January 27-28, 2025 at USD in Sioux Falls with day one running from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and day two running from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- February 24-25, 2025 at NSU in Aberdeen with day one running from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and day two running from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- March 10-11, 2025 at BHSU in Rapid City with day one running from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and day two running from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
APPLY TODAY
Learn more about this great opportunity by clicking this link: Our Dakota Dreams and click here to: APPLY today!
Join new ASBSD Executive Director Heath Larson and fellow school leaders to discuss many public education topics on Wednesday this fall as part of the Learning with Larson meeting schedule.
Come have a meal and connect with fellow board members, superintendents, business managers and other school leaders to talk about ASBSD’s resolutions and standing positions, the 2025 legislative session, and how we can work together to advocate for public education.
In-person events will have a meal served prior to the meeting and a cost of $20 per registrant with the Zoom meeting on November 13th being free.
Please note the start time next to each event, which will be held on and at:
· Wednesday, October 30 in Brandon (301 S Splitrock Blvd) at 5:30 p.m. (Central)
· Wednesday, November 6 in Timber Lake (500 Main St.) at 6 p.m. (Mountain)
· Wednesday, November 13 on Zoom at 6:30 p.m. (Central)
To register for an event, click on the link above that corresponds with the meeting of your choice and follow these instructions (click link to open): ASBSD Event Registration Information for Individuals, to complete registration. There will be a $15 cancellation fee if registration is not cancelled more than 48 hours prior to the meeting.
Board members participating will earn 20 ALL points!
If you have questions about the meetings or need assistance with registration, please contact Director of Communication Tyler Pickner at tpickner@asbsd.org or at 605-881-3791 or 605-773-8382.
ASBSD and COSA’s school law webinar series has begun for 2024-25 with eight important school law related topics on the schedule.
As always with the ASBSD/COSA School Law webinar series if you can’t attend live, you can still get the information through the recorded version of the webinar! '
The 2024-25 webinar topics include:
- Recorded Webinar: Special Education & Student Discipline with Tyler Coverdale
- Tuesday, November 12 Subpoenas, Restraining Orders & Custody Issues with Rodney Freeman
- Tuesday, December 10 Student Threat Assessments with Sam Kerr & Rory King
- Tuesday, January 14 School Board Employee & Student Hearings - Process & Procedures with Gerry Kaufman
- Tuesday, February 11 Church & State Issues with Rory King
- Tuesday, March 11 ADA with Sara Hento
- Tuesday, April 8 Conflict of Interest with presenter to be determined
- Tuesday, May 13 Enrollment Issues with Tyler Coverdale
To register for a webinar, or ALL the webinars, click on the link above that corresponds with the webinar of your choice and follow these instructions (click link to open): ASBSD Event Registration Information for Individuals, to complete registration, which will cost $25 per webinar OR for $175 for the series.
Board members registering earn 20 ALL points per webinar for their board and participants will also earn 1 hour of continuing education units!
If you have questions about the seminar or webinar or need assistance registering, please contact Tyler at tpickner@asbsd.org or at 605-773-8382.
