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suspend the required reduction in state aid resulting from school district general fund cash balances.

This bill pauses a rule that automatically reduces state funding to school districts based on how much money they have saved in their general fund accounts. Instead of cutting aid to districts with cash reserves, the state will temporarily continue providing the full amount of aid it would normally give.

make an appropriation to enhance education in South Dakota and to declare an emergency.

This bill appropriates $1 from the state general fund to enhance education across South Dakota and declares the measure an emergency so it takes effect immediately upon passage. Any unused funds must be returned according to state procedures by June 30, 2025.

make an appropriation for the development of a K-12 civics and history curriculum and to declare an emergency.

South Dakota will provide funding to develop a new K-12 civics and history curriculum for public schools. The bill amends state education law to establish this curriculum development program and declares it an emergency measure to expedite implementation.

make an appropriation for updating the educator certification system within the Department of Education and to declare an emergency.

HB 1280 appropriates state funding to the Department of Education to upgrade and modernize its educator certification system. The bill also declares the funding request an emergency measure, allowing the money to be released and spent immediately rather than waiting for the normal budget process.

revise certain state aid to education definitions for the 2021-2022 school year.

HB1082 modifies how South Dakota counts student enrollment for calculating state education funding during the 2021-2022 school year. The bill clarifies that students in the custody of state agencies (like the Department of Social Services or Department of Corrections) can be counted in a school district's fall enrollment when they attend that district's public schools. This change affects how much state aid school districts receive based on their student populations.

make an appropriation to update the South Dakota virtual school website, registration, and reporting system and to declare an emergency.

South Dakota is appropriating money to update the state virtual school's website, registration system, and reporting tools to improve how the program operates. The bill makes changes to the laws governing the virtual school program to support this modernization effort. The legislature is also declaring this an emergency measure, allowing it to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the standard effective date.

revise property tax levies for school districts and to revise the state aid to general and special education formulas.

South Dakota school districts' property tax levies are being reduced starting in 2022: the general fund levy drops from $6.68 to $5.25 per $1,000 of property value, the agricultural property levy decreases from $1.44 to $0.41 per $1,000, and the owner-occupied home levy falls from $3.23 to $0.15 per $1,000. This bill also revises how state funding supports general and special education to account for the lower local tax revenue.

authorize the transfer of wind energy tax revenue from a school district general fund.

This bill allows school districts to transfer wind energy tax revenue from their general fund to capital improvement accounts (capital outlay, bond redemption, and capital projects funds), which was previously prohibited. The change creates an exception to the existing rule that blocks most general fund transfers to these accounts, but only for revenue specifically generated from wind energy taxes.

appropriate money for the ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive departments of the state, the current expenses of state institutions, interest on the public debt, and for common schools.

SB195 sets the state budget for fiscal year 2021, allocating funding across state government departments including the legislature, courts, and executive agencies, as well as public schools and state institutions. The bill specifies spending amounts for various programs, such as $12.3 million for Juvenile Community Corrections and $76.4 million for Developmental Disabilities services, along with the number of employees each department can hire. This is the annual appropriations bill that determines how much money each part of state government receives to operate.

provide for the creation and funding of Oceti Sakowin community-based schools.

This bill creates a new type of school in South Dakota called an "Oceti Sakowin community-based school" that teaches Native American history and culture alongside regular academics. Nonprofit organizations can apply to local school districts to sponsor these schools, and their applications must include details about their mission, leadership structure, budget, and how they'll measure success. The bill establishes the legal framework and requirements for these culturally-focused schools to operate within South Dakota's education system.

appropriate money for the ordinary expenses of the legislative, judicial, and executive departments of the state, the expenses of state institutions, interest on the public debt, and for common schools.

SB 194 is the state budget bill that appropriates money to fund the ordinary operations of South Dakota's legislature, courts, executive branch agencies, and public schools, as well as interest payments on the state's debt. The bill makes adjustments to how the state budgets and spends these funds by modifying sections related to budget procedures and appropriations authority.

remove certain eligibility requirements for the partners in education tax credit program.

SB175 eliminates certain eligibility requirements that businesses had to meet to participate in South Dakota's Partners in Education tax credit program. By repealing the specific restrictions in state law, the bill makes it easier for more businesses to qualify for this tax credit when they contribute to education initiatives.

authorize the designation of Purple Star schools.

South Dakota schools can now earn a "Purple Star" designation if they meet requirements to support military-connected students, including appointing a military liaison, providing relevant information on their website, and offering transition programs and staff training. This new designation recognizes schools that go above and beyond in welcoming and supporting students with military family backgrounds as they enroll and adjust to a new school community.

require schools to provide instruction on South Dakota's tribal history, culture, and government.

Starting July 1, 2021, all accredited schools in South Dakota must teach students about tribal history, culture, and government using materials developed by the Department of Education. Schools can adapt this content to fit their local region or blend it into existing classes, and are encouraged to work with nearby Indian tribes to improve the curriculum and create cultural exchange programs.

allow for the consideration of certain instruction to count towards the minimum number of hours required in a school term during a declared state of emergency.

During a declared state of emergency, South Dakota schools can now count certain types of instruction toward the minimum number of instructional hours required in a school term, rather than requiring all instruction to occur in traditional classroom settings. This gives schools flexibility to use alternative instruction methods (such as remote or hybrid learning) while still meeting state requirements for school terms during emergencies. The change recognizes that emergencies may make it impossible to hold a full traditional school calendar while still ensuring students receive adequate instruction.

To encourage the Executive Board of the Legislature to create an interim legislative study on mental health education in this state.

House Concurrent Resolution 6015 asks the Executive Board of the Legislature to conduct a study on how mental health education is currently taught and delivered in South Dakota schools and programs. This resolution doesn't change any existing laws but instead directs legislative leadership to investigate the state of mental health education and likely recommend improvements.