Changes to Existing Law

The South Dakota Board of Education Standards and the Department of Education shall work jointly with other state government agencies to ensure that children enter the K-12 elementary and secondary education system ready to learn. The board and the department shall work jointly work to develop standards and practices that ensure that, by the third grade, all children, to the best of their abilities, have learned fundamental reading, mathematics, language, science, and technology skills that form the foundation for further learning. The board and the department shall work together jointly to develop standards and practices that ensure that, by completion of the twelfth grade, all students, to the best of their abilities, have learned the educational and personal skills that will allow them to enter adulthood as responsible members of society. In addition to any other requirements imposed in accordance with this section, each student must, as a condition for high school graduation, successfully complete at least three units of social studies, including: (1) One unit of United States history; and (2) One unit of United States government. 19