Out-of-state residents are still unable to qualify for the South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship. Under current law, only state residents are eligible to receive the scholarship if they meet certain Board of Regents requirements and ACT thresholds. House Bill 1078 expands eligible students to residents of states South Dakota has reciprocity with. Senator Alan Solano says he opposes expanding the program to non-South Dakotans.
“We may not be talking significant dollar amount as a result of this. But I also think that we’ve not increased, that I know of, the amount of that scholarship that we provide to our South Dakota students since its formation. I just have some heartburn, I guess, in opening up our scholarships to folks outside of the states, and granted they’re right on our borders, I would rather see this type money go back to the students of South Dakota,” Solano says.
But supporters of the measure say it’ll encourage out-of-state students to come to South Dakota institutions, which will make them more likely to stay in the state after graduation. The majority of the Senate disagrees and House Bill 1078 was voted down 14 to 21.