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increase thresholds for the value of and eligibility for the partners in education scholarship.

SB84 increases income eligibility thresholds for the Partners in Education scholarship program, allowing more low-income students to qualify and remain eligible for longer periods. Students can now initially qualify if their household income is at or below 200% of the free or reduced-price lunch income standard, and after an initial eligibility period, they stay eligible if income remains below 250% of that standard (up from previous thresholds).

establish parameters for the reimbursement of school districts that provide free or reduced-price meals to students.

This bill prohibits South Dakota school districts from charging students who qualify for reduced-price meals under federal lunch and breakfast programs—they can only charge full-price and free-meal students. The state department of education will now calculate and reimburse school districts annually for the cost of providing these reduced-price meals to eligible students, offsetting the revenue districts lose by not charging these students.

authorize the provision of charitable contributions to a scholarship granting organization.

South Dakota's new scholarship program allows individuals and businesses to make charitable contributions to scholarship granting organizations that provide grants to low-income K-12 students who attend microschools (small, tuition-based alternative educational providers) instead of public school districts. The bill defines "eligible students" as those under 19 from households earning no more than 300% of the area median income, establishes the rules for microschools and scholarship organizations, and creates a framework for these contributions to support private educational alternatives.

update the reference to the Internal Revenue Code to reflect current federal law for the administration of higher education savings plans.

South Dakota's higher education savings plan law references federal tax rules under the Internal Revenue Code to determine how these accounts operate. This bill updates that reference to align with current federal law, ensuring the state's savings plan regulations stay consistent with the latest federal tax requirements for education accounts.

amend the process by which moneys are distributed from the employer's investment in South Dakota's future fund.

This bill expands how money from South Dakota's employer investment fund can be used by allowing grants for research, economic development, scholarships, workforce training, and infrastructure projects. The bill changes the process for distributing these funds and adds new rules about which organizations and programs can receive the money, including public schools, universities, apprenticeship programs, and technical education providers.

amend the process by which moneys are distributed from the employer's investment in South Dakota's future fund.

South Dakota's "Employer's Investment in South Dakota's Future Fund" will now have a clearer process for how money gets distributed, with the Governor's Office of Economic Development handling awards for research and economic development projects. The bill specifically defines which projects qualify for funding, including research for key industries, scholarships for career-focused programs at state colleges and technical schools, workforce training, and economic infrastructure development.

prohibit the Board of Regents and institutions under its control from requiring certain students to reside in on-campus housing or purchase meal plans.

South Dakota public universities can no longer require students to live in on-campus housing or buy meal plans after their first year of attendance. This new rule applies to all institutions under the Board of Regents' control, giving upper-level students the freedom to find housing and food options off-campus if they choose.