The Senate Education Committee voted Thursday to repeal the bill. This measure would allow homeschooling students to participate in school activities only through their Homeschool District or Homeschool Attendant Center, based on where they live, rather than through open enrollment with the school district. bottom.
The introduction of Senate Bill 57 this year follows the passage of Senate Bill 177 in 2021, which expanded access to district activities for alternative instruction or homeschooled students.
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Legislators said on Thursday that Sen. Ryan Maher, a supporter of the bill, Republican Sen. , and the South Dakota Education Association.
Maher said Bison and Buffalo’s local school boards will determine if homeschooled students can participate in local districts or participate in activities if they do not live within district boundaries. He said he had raised the question of whether the district would be open to admission for the purpose. .
What ended up happening was that there were two conflicting notes or opinions about what to do in those cases, Maher said of SB 177.
SASD’s Rob Monson said, for example, that Parkston’s son could not drive ten miles (10 miles) from his school district just to play sports elsewhere, and that his son He said it was unfair for a homeschooler to drive a car when he couldn’t.
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Also, at the last regular school board meeting, the Sioux Falls School District and board showed their support for the bill. This is to clarify that alternative education students may only participate in activities at their home attendance center. The district’s endorsement was opposed by local parents affiliated with local chapters of Moms for Liberty during the public comment period for the rally.
Opponents of the bill include parents of several homeschooled students, two homeschooled children, a member of the Bison Board of Education, the principal of James Valley Christian School, a lobbyist for the South Dakota Catholic Conference, and Women of Concern for America. , which included families of alternate leadership. Family Heritage Alliance Action, and Secretary of Education Joe Graves.
Graves said the DOE opposed the bill because one of the goals of education is to maximize opportunities for students and the bill would be an obstacle for some students.
Ultimately, Dell Rapids Republican Senator Tom Pischke moved to move the bill to the 41st legislative day, effectively destroying it. His motion was supported by Senator Sean Bordeaux, a Democrat from the Mission.
A vote to overthrow the bill was passed 5 to 2.