HB 1326 allocates state funding for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to cover ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches, state institutions, public debt interest, and common schools. The bill establishes budget limits for various state agencies and departments, including the Governor's office, economic development initiatives, housing authority, and science and technology programs. Key provisions include reducing $20 million in federal grant authority for expiring Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act broadband grants while maintaining funding for other economic development services. The legislation sets expenditure caps for each budget unit and allows agencies to use base funds to supplement line item changes, with conditions effective through June 30, 2027.
This bill is a legislative commemoration honoring the life and legacy of Elizabeth Cook-Lynn, a scholar and advocate of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe. It formally recognizes her contributions to Native American studies, her academic work at Eastern Washington University and Arizona State University, and her advocacy for Indigenous sovereignty and land rights. The resolution expresses gratitude from the South Dakota Legislature for her achievements and enduring impact on Indigenous education and scholarship.
This bill is a legislative commemoration that formally recognizes Generations Indigenous Ways, a nonprofit organization on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The resolution highlights the organization's work in blending Lakota cultural knowledge with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education to empower Native youth. It acknowledges the group's programs, which include science camps, afterschool activities, and food sovereignty initiatives that foster cultural pride and community wellbeing. The bill does not change laws or allocate funding but serves to honor the organization's contributions to education and cultural preservation.
SB 218 establishes a legal framework for charter schools in South Dakota. It defines charter schools as public schools operating under contracts with school districts or the state education department, granting them exemptions from most state education laws while requiring compliance with civil rights, health/safety rules, and standardized testing. The bill mandates annual performance reporting to the state, outlines application requirements for nonprofit organizers (including community support and financial plans), and specifies that charter schools must serve grades K-12 nonsectarianly without religious instruction. This directly affects school districts (as authorizing entities), nonprofit organizers seeking to open charter schools, and students enrolled in these schools.
HB 1282 allows South Dakota school districts to admit children younger than five to kindergarten under specific conditions. It requires districts to adopt policies admitting children who will turn five between September 1 and December 1 of the school year and who demonstrate readiness for kindergarten through cognitive and social assessments. Parents may transfer their child to another district if their home district does not adopt such a policy. The bill directly affects young children, their families, and school districts by creating a structured pathway for early kindergarten enrollment.
HB 1290 amends South Dakota's education funding law by updating how school districts calculate their fall enrollment for state aid. It specifies that nonresident students in state care (e.g., foster care) must be included in enrollment counts, while students in residential treatment facilities must be excluded. The bill also revises the formula for determining the "teacher ratio factor," setting fixed ratios (12 for districts under 200 students, 15 for districts over 600 students) or a calculation-based ratio for medium-sized districts. These changes directly affect all public school districts in South Dakota receiving state aid for general education.
HB 1306 allows South Dakota residents to make charitable contributions to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) that provide funds for eligible students. Eligible students must be South Dakota residents under 19, from households earning no more than 300% of the area median income, and not enrolled full-time in public school. Scholarships can cover tuition at private schools or microschools, educational materials, technology, transportation to school, and college entrance exams, but cannot exceed 82.5% of the state’s per-student funding level. SGOs must register with the Education Department, spend no more than 10% of contributions on administration, and submit annual financial reports detailing scholarship distribution.
HB 1325 prohibits South Dakota's public universities (controlled by the Board of Regents) from requiring students to live in on-campus housing or buy meal plans after their first year of enrollment. This directly affects undergraduate students at institutions like the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University. The bill removes mandatory requirements for housing and meal plans beyond a student's initial academic year. It does not change first-year housing or meal plan policies but gives returning students the choice to live off-campus or arrange their own meals. The law takes effect upon enactment.
SB 242 appropriates $2.5 million from the general fund to the South Dakota Department of Education for grants to "sparse school districts" (as defined in state law). The funds are distributed based on each district's 2026 fall enrollment, with grants used for facility improvements, educational technology, or instructional materials. Districts must use the funds by June 30, 2027, or the unspent money reverts to the state treasury. This bill directly affects rural or low-enrollment school districts eligible under state definitions.
SB 225 directs that 4% of the interest earnings from South Dakota's unclaimed property trust fund (without touching the principal) be distributed annually to school districts starting in fiscal year 2026. The funds will be apportioned to school districts based on their student enrollment, following the existing method used for other school funding. This adds a new source of revenue for school districts through the trust fund's interest, calculated using the fund's market value as of December 31 each year. The bill modifies existing statutes to implement this distribution, ensuring the funds are added to the general fund before being allocated to schools under current apportionment rules.
