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expand the provision of online education through the South Dakota Virtual School.

HB1233 expands the South Dakota Virtual School by requiring it to offer online classes for kindergarten through eighth grade, high school core courses needed for opportunity scholarships, and at least forty additional high school electives. The bill also establishes new quality standards requiring the Department of Education to review and approve all online classes before the Virtual School uses them, ensuring they meet state academic standards and are taught by certified or qualified instructors.

provide a voucher for students enrolled in certain grade levels at accredited nonpublic schools.

South Dakota will establish an education voucher program that allows parents to request state funding for their children attending accredited private schools, with the voucher amount limited to either the school's tuition or the state's per-student funding amount, whichever is lower. Starting in the 2023-24 school year, the program covers kindergarten through third grade, expanding to include grades K-7 in 2024-25 and all grades K-12 by 2025-26. The Department of Education will distribute voucher payments directly to the private schools and manage a prorated refund system if students withdraw mid-year.

change provisions regarding the appointment of legislators to represent South Dakota in the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement.

SB147 changes how South Dakota appoints legislators to represent the state in the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement by modifying the rules in state law about these appointments. The exact nature of the change is not fully visible in the provided text excerpt, but the bill makes significant revisions to the appointment process outlined in South Dakota Codified Law §24-11-13.

revise the eligibility of alternative instruction students for participation in school district activities.

This bill expands eligibility for students receiving alternative instruction (homeschooled or other non-traditional education) to participate in school district activities like sports and fine arts, but only through the school district where they live. Alternative instruction students must provide proof of age and follow the same rules as enrolled students, though they cannot participate through open enrollment in a different district.

create the jail improvement and construction fund for the improvement and construction of jails, to make an appropriation therefor, and to declare an emergency.

SB155 creates a new state fund specifically for counties to use when building or improving jails. The bill provides state money for these jail projects and declares the funding need urgent enough to take effect immediately rather than waiting for the standard July 1st effective date.