Business and Education Leaders Unite in Support of SB 157 (02.27.2007)

PIERRE - Following testimony delivered Monday by South Dakota's business leaders, the South Dakota Alliance for Education is asking members of the South Dakota House of Representatives to support a measure that will deliver much-needed funding to South Dakota's public schools.

In a letter delivered Tuesday to every member of the House of Representatives, the Alliance urged support for SB 157, legislation that provides an additional $7.2 million in permanent, ongoing education funding. The bill has already passed the South Dakota Senate by an overwhelming margin.

Wayne Lueders, executive director of Associated School Boards of South Dakota, said the letter is intended to carry the business community's support for public education to House members that didn't get a chance to hear the testimony.

"Our state's most influential business leaders took time away from running multi-million dollar enterprises to tell House members how important education is to economic development and to the state of South Dakota," Lueders said. "We wanted every member of the House to have the benefits of their wisdom."

The letter points out the impressive list of South Dakota businesses that offered their steadfast support for SB 157 during House State Affairs Committee testimony, including: Avera-McKennan, Sanford Health, Citibank, Raven Industries, CorTrust Bank, Western Surety, Ramkota, Vistacom, Parker Transfer and Storage, The South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and The Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce.

Recognizing the key role education plays in South Dakota's economic development, business leaders from across South Dakota came forward in support of necessary increases in education funding that will maintain South Dakota's quality education system.

The letter calls the $7.2 million provided by SB 157 a way to honor the commitment the Legislature made to schools last year. At the end of last legislative session, lawmakers passed $6.5 million in one-time money for South Dakota schools. "Passing SB 157 simply honors a prior commitment, and solidifies that commitment into the future," the letter said.

The South Dakota Alliance for Education is a coalition of advocacy groups representing school board members, school administrators, teachers and school districts of all sizes. The membership includes Associated School Boards of South Dakota, School Administrators of South Dakota, the South Dakota Education Association, ESD+6 Schools, the Mid-sized schools coalition and the South Dakota Coalition of Schools.

PTA to partner with South Dakota Alliance for Education (10.27.06)

The South Dakota Parent Teacher Association will partner with six other education groups to advocate for increased fudning for public education, the PTA Board of Directors decided at their recent state board meeting in Pierre.

"The PTA is excited to work with other members of the Alliance for Education," said Aberdeen resident Bobbie Wirth, who serves as the state PTA president. "Our members, the parents of South Dakota's public school children have an important and influential stake in education in South Dakota. We hope to be a part of the solution to South Dakota's funding challenges," Wirth added.

The South Dakota Alliance for Education is an umbrealla advocacy group representing South Dakota's school board members, administrators and teachers. Last January, the Alliance released a research-based study that found South Dakota's public education system is inadequately funded.

Dr. Wayne Lueders, executive director of the Associated School Boards of South Dakota, worked with the PTA to build the relationship. In discussions with PTA directors, Lueders stressed that sharing information and encouraging involvement would help advance adequate funding.

"We've made the case that funding is inadequate, and public perception is turning," Lueders told the group, citing the recent Argus Leader-KELO poll that indicated 55 percent of those polled believe education is inadequately funded. "Now, we just need to create the urgency to fix the problem. Parents can play a critical role in that process," Lueders said.

Last year, the Alliance worked with lawmakers to introduce legislation that would have provided $102 million ot public education without raising taxes or creating any new tax. The bill, which used growth in state government over the next five years to create an ongoing funding source, failed during the legislative process.

The Alliance for Education remains committed to finding a long-term legislative resolution to school funding challenges, and Wirth believes state government officials will benefit from hearing more from parents.

"When a parent contacts a legislator or speaks up at a cracker barrel, they speak from a different perspective," Wirth said. "We talk about our children, and our children's education. It's more personal, and our lawmakers need to hear that message."

District-by-district adequacy numbers now available (04.03.06)

Download the district-by-district breakdown of adequacy figures. The excel file contains separate sheets for the professional judgement and successful school district models.

Download a copy of the final adequacy study

The final adequacy study is now available for download... click here.