direct the amendment of the Administrative Rules of South Dakota regarding the coursework required for high school graduation.
HB 1078 requires South Dakota's Board of Education to amend administrative rules by September 2026 to update high school graduation coursework requirements. The bill mandates specific credit counts: 4 units of language arts (including writing, speech, and American literature), 3 social studies units (U.S. history and government), 3 math units (including Algebra I), 3 science units (including biology), plus required courses in personal finance, fine arts, physical education, health, and electives. It allows substitutions for one science credit using approved advanced computer science or agriculture science courses (but not for biology), and permits up to one fine arts credit through extracurricular activities with documented alignment to state standards. This directly affects all South Dakota public high school students and school districts implementing graduation standards.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Jan 2026
House Passage
Jan 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 16, 2026
Last action Jan 26, 2026
Floor votes · House Jan 23, 2026
How they voted
33–31
Passed · 6 other
Total votes 70
Jan 23, 2026
D
Democratic5
100% Nay
R
Republican65
50% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
7
Key actions
4
Committee
1
Jan 26, 2026
Lower · Passed
House of Representatives Reconsidered , Passed, YEAS 33, NAYS 34 H.J. 133
lower
Jan 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Intent to reconsider , Passed, H.J. 128
lower
Jan 22, 2026
Lower · Passed
House of Representatives Deferred to another day , Passed, H.J. 115
lower
Jan 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
Education Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 12, NAYS 3 H.J. 1
lower
Jan 16, 2026
Introduced
First read in House and referred to House Education H.J. 42
lower
17 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Aaron Aylward
RRepublican
P
Brandei Schaefbauer
RRepublican
P
Carl Perry
RRepublican
P
Dylan Jordan
RRepublican
P
Heather Baxter
RRepublican
P
Jana Hunt
RRepublican
P
John Hughes
RRepublican
P
John Sjaarda
RRepublican
P
Josephine Garcia
RRepublican
P
Kaley Nolz
RRepublican
P
Lauren Nelson
RRepublican
P
MyKala Voita
RRepublican
P
Phil Jensen
RRepublican
P
Spencer Gosch
RRepublican
P
Tom Pischke
RRepublican
P
Tony Kayser
RRepublican
P
Travis Ismay
RRepublican
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