An ideological shift to the right in the South Dakota Republican majority could mean changes and reform to state education.
During the annual budget address, Gov. Kristi Noem announced intentions to pursue education savings accounts—or school vouchers—for lower income students. While Noem is likely headed for Washington DC, the idea will likely still have traction.
The Republican majority in the state legislature has shifted—and with it more momentum to adopt a school voucher program of some kind.
Scott Odenbach is the incoming House Majority Leader. He’s been a proponent of changing the state’s education model, he says, to make it more efficient and tailormade for each student’s unique needs.
“Now we need to look at what is the best way to provide overall educational services to everybody to continue doing that? Public education means educating the public. How should we do that? That is the question,” Odenbach said.
Odenbach said there are ways to allocate state dollars for education through mechanisms that pay for certain approved curriculum.
Just under 30 percent of state general fund dollars go to local governments and schools. The rest of the funding comes from the federal government and property taxes.
Property tax relief will also be a major topic during the 2025 legislative session.
Odenbach said education funding and property taxes are bound up together.
“There needs to be property tax relief, but it comes back to the spending. I don’t know that we can just raise a different tax to come up with a number. If we’re going to get at the spending, people are going to need to temper their expectations about what government should do in their lives," Odenbach said. "There’s no other way. There’s no simple answer. It’s math.”
In an editorial letter late last year, five of the major education groups that lobby in the state capitol are expressing strong concern and opposition to the introduction of school voucher programs in the state.
They argue lawmakers should focus on strengthening public education, instead of building another education system.
Hear SDPB's full interview with Rep. Odenbach by clicking 'play' below. The Republican from Spearfish also talks about carbon pipelines, eminent domain and the proposed men's prison facility near Sioux Falls.
Lawmakers gavel in for the 10-week session on Tuesday.
