2007
  • Secretary's Column  
  • 2008 Legislature:
    Get the lowdown on what’s up
  • State aid for FY08:
    What’s your bottom line?
  • End-of-course assessments required in certain instances
  • Certificate expire in 2008? Renew now!
  • Federal Head Start reauthorized
  • State legislators to consider pre-K bill
  • Funds available for out-of-school programs
  • Hot Topic
  • Upcoming Events

Secretary's Column

Walking the talk

In South Dakota, we are fortunate to have good support of our educational programs. Each year, the legislature spends a majority of the session deciding how much money will be distributed to schools. However, as you survey the national landscape, the private sector is getting more involved in the funding of education programs. A recent report from American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research noted that about $2.5 billion a year is contributed to public education from the private sector. An estimated 4/5ths of school administrators said that they had received support from individual businesses – a greater proportion than was received from parent organizations, education foundations and local non-profits.

South Dakota enjoys strong support from our private sector as well. In this column, I am going to feature one business that has demonstrated a strong commitment to the public education system in our state. Over time, Citibank have shown that its leadership understands the need for public-private partnerships in education. When you examine the Citibank track record of support, you will arrive at a total of about $5.5 million contributed to South Dakota education. A large part of that is the $4.2 million that has essentially funded the first two years of the South Dakota Classroom Connections program. With that contribution, nearly 10,000 students have access to 21st century tools in their education program.

Citibank is also involved in many other projects that have had a very positive impact on schools in our state. Here are some examples of Citibank’s educational commitment.

  • Classroom Inc. is a program initiated by Citibank. This program is a computer simulation project that introduces secondary students to real work environments.

  • Teacher Scholarships – Citibank has offered more than 100 scholarships for junior education majors at our public, private and tribal universities who plan to teach in South Dakota. More than $350,000 has been donated to this scholarship program.

  • Teach for America – Citibank has been a primary sponsor for the TFA program that provides much needed classroom teachers in our schools in Indian Country.

  • Junior Achievement – Since 1981, nearly $200,000 has been donated to this important program in our state.

  • Department of Education – Citibank has been generous in its support of department programs such as the Summer Achiever’s program, SD Indian Education Summit, SD Teacher of the Year Awards, the annual Teacher Leadership Conference, and the Academic Excellence Recognition program that recognizes the top 1 percent of our high school seniors.

  • Mentoring – In addition to financial support, Citibank employees also give of their time. Citibank employees are paired with a student, and they meet for one hour per week during the school year. Each year, about 90 Citibank employees volunteer for this program in the Sioux Falls School District.

We appreciate the support of all private businesses in our state. We know that there are many others that contribute each year to local and state educational institutions. In this column, we salute Citibank for its support of education in South Dakota.

2008 Legislature:
Get the lowdown on what’s up

While Jan. 8 marks the kickoff of a new legislative session, many of the ensuing discussions will center on familiar topics. What’s in store for the 2008 session? Here’s the lowdown on a few items that will hit the docket.

  • School funding. As usual, school funding will be the topic of much debate. Gov. Mike Rounds proposed a 2.5 percent increase in per-pupil funding during his budget address in December. School districts and some legislators will likely push for more than that.
  • Pre-kindergarten. The Department of Education will introduce a bill that would give the South Dakota Board of Education authority to establish standards for pre-kindergarten programs. Currently, no quality-control mechanisms exist. The bill clearly states that pre-K programs are voluntary. A similar bill failed to make it out of the House Education Committee last year.
  • Laptops. The Governor has proposed spending $2.9 million to fund the third year of the South Dakota Classroom Connections initiative. In a recent department-sponsored survey, 40 districts expressed interest in participating in the next round of laptop funding!
  • Growing enrollment. Under current statute, the requirement to receive extra dollars for growing enrollment is set at 5 percent growth or 25 students. The department will introduce a bill that would change the requirement to 10 percent growth.
  • Interstate enrollment. This bill would give the Department of Education the ability to enter into open enrollment and/or tuition regulation agreements with any bordering state. Currently, South Dakota has statutes allowing for open enrollment agreements with North Dakota and Iowa, but those statutes do not allow for tuition regulation. The bill would pave the way for tuition regulation, and it would provide consistency when establishing agreements with other states.
  • Funding formula clean-up. The department will introduce several bills that seek to clean up pieces of the funding formula. One, for example, clarifies minimum district size and the effective date for a reorganization bill.
  • Consolidation incentives. This bill would change consolidation incentives so that newly reorganized districts receive incentive money only for those students that actually show up in their fall enrollment count – up to 400 students. It also increases the amount per student of the incentive.
  • Teacher Compensation Assistance Program. This bill would allow cooperatives and multi-districts to apply for TCAP funds for their teachers who teach in the public school system. It would require no additional funding.

To listen to an interview with Education Secretary Rick Melmer regarding his take on this year’s legislative session, click here.

State aid for FY08:
What’s your bottom line?

A statewide snapshot indicates that 151 of the state’s 165 public school districts should see positive increases in their state aid funding for fiscal year 2008. Only 14 districts will see fewer dollars per student through the funding formula. Click here for a district-by-district picture of how last year’s changes to the formula are impacting schools.

  • Two-year averaging for declining enrollment. One-hundred and five districts will benefit from the new two-year averaging provision for counting students. That’s a $3.8 million benefit statewide. The change was designed to soften the impact of declining enrollment – essentially allowing districts to count students that are no longer enrolled.

  • Growing enrollment. Twenty-six districts with growing enrollments this current school year will benefit from the new growing enrollment provision in the funding formula. Those districts will receive an additional $3.5 million.

  • No more ADM. The move to a fall enrollment count for state aid purposes, as opposed to average daily membership, will result in an additional $2.5 million for schools for FY 08. In the long run, this change is expected to benefit districts, since many of them have their highest enrollments in the fall.

  • Small school adjustment. One-hundred and twenty-four districts will receive more than the basic per-student allocation in FY 08, thanks to the small school adjustment. The change from small school factor to small school adjustment benefited some districts this year and hurt others. Last year’s law effectively limited the amount of small school adjustment a district can receive by freezing the dollar amount on which the adjustment is based.

  • TCAP makes an impact. Beyond the additional dollars in the formula, 151 school districts will receive a total of nearly $3.9 million through the Teacher Compensation Assistance Program this year. All districts were eligible to apply for the funds.

  • Assistance for sparse districts. Twenty-three districts will receive a total of nearly $2 million through a sparsity provision that provides additional dollars to districts that are geographically isolated. Sparsity dollars are outside of the formula.

End-of-course assessments required in certain instances

 The 2007-08 school year marks the first year that end-of-course assessments will be required for students taking high school credit prior to 9th grade and for those wishing to “test out” of a course. Districts that have received a waiver to offer either option have two choices when it comes to assessing: 1) They can use a state-created exam available online through the Achievement Series. 2) They can create their own exam, but it must be approved by the Department of Education.

“Any time you implement a new requirement it takes time to get everyone up to speed,” said Stephanie Weideman, the department’s director of curriculum, technology and assessment. “Certainly, it has taken us time to develop all of these new assessments, and we’ve got more work to do. The department will continue to work with districts on an individual basis as we iron out the details of this new requirement.”

Currently, state-created exams are available for 11 courses: Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geometry, Government, Physical Science, Physics, U.S. History, and World History. You can view a “blueprint” of the type and distribution of questions on those exams on a new Web page. The blueprints will give districts an idea of what is contained in the state-created exam. The tests themselves will be available online through the Achievement Series this spring, although districts will need special log-on information to access them.

For those districts that choose to develop their own tests, the new Web page offers a “Blueprint Alignment Form,” which districts should review carefully prior to creating their own exam. The Blueprint Alignment Form offers guidelines for aligning a district-developed test to state content standards and the state-developed test.

“The Blueprint Alignment Form does two important things,” Weideman said. “It shows districts what the state expects in order to get approval of their test. It also helps to ensure consistency across the state regarding the expectations for student learning in these topic areas.”

If a state-created assessment is not available in a particular area, districts may create their own test but still need approval from the department. If a Blueprint Alignment Form is not available for a particular area, districts may follow the “Generic Blueprint,” also available on the Web site.

For a look at the blueprints, go to http://doe.sd.gov/octa/assessment/EOC/index.asp. For more information about end-of-course assessments, contact Carla Leingang at the Department of Education, (605) 773-8196. carla.leingang@state.sd.us. 

Certificate expire in 2008? Renew now!

If your certificate expires in 2008, consider applying now to avoid the peak processing season this summer. By completing your renewal application early, you avoid the rush of last-minute applications prior to July 1 and ensure a quicker turn-around time.

The Department of Education encourages educators to apply through the online certification system if possible. The system is located at http://doe.sd.gov/oatq/teachercert/index.asp and is available 24/7. Please note that some individuals will be required to submit a paper application because of their certificate type. The system will notify you if your certificate fits this description.

By using the online certification system, applicants can check the status of both online and paper copy applications. Follow these simple steps to check the status of your application:

  1. Go to http://doe.sd.gov/oatq/teachercert/index.asp

  2. Select which application you want to check: Initial, Renewal, or Additional Authorization

  3. Select the Check Status button

  4. Enter your social security number and answer a security question. You will be able to view the status of your application, including any missing documents or pending actions.

If you have questions about the process, please e-mail us at certification@state.sd.us. 

Federal Head Start reauthorized
State legislators to consider pre-K bill

President George Bush signed the Head Start reauthorization bill on Dec. 12, 2007. At that time, funding had not been finalized.

One of the new pieces in the bill is a provision that the governor of each state create a state advisory council on early education and care. This group would be charged with assessing needs across programs that serve children from birth to school-age and identifying opportunities for collaboration among federal, state and local programs.

“Under the 2010 Education Initiative, South Dakota has established a Kids Cabinet, made up of state leaders whose agencies oversee services for children and youth,” explained Deb Barnett, deputy secretary of the South Dakota Department of Education. “This group, with the addition of representatives from local educational agencies, could easily fill that role. Of course, the final call is the Governor’s, but we do have a framework already in place.”

The reauthorized Head Start Act maintains Head Start Collaboration Offices in each state to assist programs with developing local partnerships, expanding services to children, coordinating training opportunities for Head Start staff, and aligning Head Start curricula and instruction with state early learning standards.

In South Dakota, the state Board of Education currently does not have authority to establish rules for pre-kindergarten programs. The Department of Education will introduce a bill during the 2008 legislative session, which proposes to give the board that authority. Such action would establish a quality-control mechanism and lay the groundwork for statewide coordination of services.

State leaders are looking at a pre-kindergarten model under the 2010 Education Initiative. According to Barnett, any state program would be completely voluntary, target at-risk youngsters, and would be open to all pre-K providers (public, private and parochial) who meet yet-to-be-developed state standards.

A pre-K pilot program – Starting Strong Sioux Falls – was launched this fall in Sioux Falls. A partnership of the Sioux Empire United Way, Forward Sioux Falls and the State of South Dakota, the program is serving 85 three-year-olds this year. Priority is given to youngsters considered at-risk.
 

Funds available for out-of-school programs

Applications for the 6th round of 21st Century Community Learning Center grants will be available online beginning Jan. 11. The deadline to apply is Feb. 28.

These grants are designed to strengthen after-school, Saturday and summer programs that support student learning and development and help students meet performance standards in core academic subjects such as reading and mathematics. The grants help organizations provide activities that complement or enrich regular academic programs for students attending high-poverty schools or schools identified for school improvement.

The grants will go to sponsors who submit plans for out-of-school-time programs designed to provide expanded student learning opportunities as outlined in Title IV, Part B. The South Dakota Department of Education will award approximately six grants. In order to qualify for the grants, the applicant must serve school districts in which 40 percent or more of the students qualify for free and reduced meals. The grants range from $50,000 to $150,000 per year for five years.

Authorized under Title IV, Part B, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the law’s specific purposes are to:

  1. Provide opportunities for academic enrichment, including tutorial services, to help students (particularly students in high-poverty areas) meet state and local student performance standards in core academic subjects such as reading and mathematics;
  2. Offer students a broad array of additional services, programs and activities such as youth development activities; drug and violence prevention programs; counseling programs; art, music and recreation programs; technology education programs and character education programs, designed to reinforce and complement participating students’ regular academic programs; and
  3. Offer literacy and related educational development opportunities to the families of students served by community learning centers.

Applications will be available Jan. 11 at http://doe.sd.gov/oess/21cent/appprocess.asp. Applicants must submit the original and four copies of the application. To be eligible for the grants, the applications must be received or postmarked by Feb. 22, 2008.

For more information, contact Sue Burgard, Department of Education, at (605) 773-5238 or sue.burgard@state.sd.us

Technology assessment coming

Under No Child Left Behind, students are required to be technology proficient by the end of 8th grade. During the 2007-08 school year, 10 South Dakota school districts are serving as pilot sites to implement the state’s new K-12 educational technology standards and to assess students’ technology literacy.

The Department of Education expects the K-12 technology standards to be implemented statewide in 2008-09. Feedback from the pilot districts will be influential in determining how, when and where a technology assessment will be administered in 2008-09.

Pilot districts include:

  • Beresford
  • Brookings
  • Faith
  • Harrisburg
  • Hill City
  • Hot Springs
  • Meade
  • Sanborn Central
  • Sioux Falls
  • West Central

To view South Dakota’s K-12 educational technology standards, visit http://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/NCLB/index.asp.  For more information about the technology assessment, contact Peg Henson at (605) 773-2489.

Hutterites embrace online learning
Chester leads the way

In a world driven by technology, an unlikely group has embraced the concept of online learning. Hutterite colonies across South Dakota have partnered with the Chester School District to provide a high-tech high school education to students who previously would not have achieved an education past 8th grade.

Chester Superintendent Mark Greguson, who spearheaded the effort, is thrilled to be a part of the process. “One of the biggest rewards personally, for me, is to see the smile on those kids’ faces when they realize they can take a class or they can go to school,” he said in an interview this fall. Greguson credits the Chester School Board, the school’s teachers, its students and Hutterite community leaders for the project’s success.

The Chester Cyber School got its start about five years ago when members of a Hutterite colony within the school district approached Greguson. “They came to us and said: ‘Mark, we realize we need more than an 8th grade education,’” he recalled. Traditionally, Hutterites have discontinued their formal education after 8th grade. Furthermore, their beliefs prohibit students from attending public schools. The biggest challenge was figuring out how to get around that obstacle. A cyber school became the logical answer. It allows students to take classes on their own time without ever leaving the colony.

Greguson knew early in the process that in order to make the cyber school work, he would need more than one colony to participate. The Chester Cyber School officially launched in 2005-06 with eight colonies, about 70 students, and some part-time teachers. The school offered just a handful of classes.

Not surprisingly, Greguson was nervous about the venture, but he credits his school board for its support. “Our school board gave me the chance, and believe me, when we set this up, it was an investment. We started with 72 students, and I think our school board thought we would have closer to 30. ... I know they were thinking this better work.” As that first year got under way, Greguson’s anxiety eased. “I could see that this was going to go great guns, and it has,” he said.

Now, three years into the venture, the Chester Cyber School has approximately 260 students, six full-time teachers, including a technology coordinator, and three part-time teachers. Even more impressive, they have 26 of the state’s 56 colonies participating.

Chester Cyber School students include both males and females. Many are typical high school-age students, but some are in their ‘20s and ‘30s. The school offers all the courses needed for high school graduation and will graduate its first class next year. The school district provides for the education of all students under age 21. State aid applies to these students as well. The Hutterite communities pay for the education of students age 21 and older.

Learning takes place in an Intranet environment – meaning it is a closed, or private, system. Students do not have access to the Internet. The school’s teachers also utilize the state’s WebCT product. Due to the online delivery, teachers need to be flexible, as their students often have jobs and other responsibilities throughout the day.

“I thought maybe at first we would have a hard time finding teachers interested in this (type of format), but there’s a lot of teachers that this is their niche and they love it,” Greguson explained. “The six teachers I have right now, I wouldn’t trade. They are very adept at what they are doing, and it has worked out great.”

Greguson also has positive things to say about the school’s students. “These students want to learn. They want to dig in and find out,” he said.

The excitement Greguson feels about this project is infectious. “This is the first time they’ve had a chance. We are allowing anybody who wants to get an education to get an education,” he said. And, after all, isn’t that what public education is all about?

To hear a conversation with Chester Superintendent Mark Greguson, visit http://doe.sd.gov/edcast and click on “Chester goes ‘cyber’ for Hutterites.”

Upcoming Events

For a more complete list of professional development opportunities, visit www.southdakotapd.com.

  • South Dakota Board of Education to meet January 15
  • Testing workshops for Dakota STEP-A, Dakota ELP
  • Child nutrition focus of DDN sessions

South Dakota Board of Education to meet

The South Dakota Board of Education will meet Jan. 15, 2008, in Pierre (Kneip Building, Conference Room 3). An agenda will be posted at http://doe.sd.gov/secretary/board/schedule.asp as soon as it is available.

Testing workshops for Dakota STEP-A, Dakota ELP

Two testing workshops will cover the in’s and out’s of administering the Dakota STEP-A and the Dakota ELP. The workshops will be held in conjunction with one another, so test coordinators can receive information on both assessments. The workshops are slated for several locations statewide. (See schedule below.) Content of both pieces will focus on test administration.

  • Jan. 14, 9 a.m.-noon, Best Western Ramkota, Rapid City
  • Jan. 15, 9 a.m.-noon, Cedar Shore Resort, Oacoma
  • Jan. 16, 9 a.m.-noon, Best Western Ramkota, Aberdeen
  • Jan. 17, 9 a.m.-noon, Best Western Ramkota, Sioux Falls

Registration is available online at http://www.doe.sd.gov/southdakotapd/. Questions can be directed to the Department of Education’s Special Education Programs at (605) 773-3678.

Child nutrition focus of DDN sessions

The Department of Education’s Child and Adult Nutrition Services will host “Child Nutrition Topics 2008” via the DDN beginning in January. Sessions will be held Jan. 30, Feb. 27, March 19 and April 30. Times are all 2-4 p.m. (Central Standard Time).

Sessions will target child nutrition program staff, school wellness committee members, teachers, administrators, school board members and parents. Topics include: changing meal patterns, social marketing to promote nutrition and physical activity, and evaluating school food.

DDN sites for these sessions are being determined. For more information, contact Amy Richards at (605) 773-4718 or amy.richards@state.sd.us.