Year
End Highlights
LEARNING.
Technology
standards on the way
A
group of 40
educators worked to develop K-12 educational technology
standards to help determine students’ technology
proficiency. The proposed standards are designed to be
integrated into the instruction of other content areas,
not as stand-alone items. The standards focus on a
technological way of thinking, rather than simply the
use of computers. The South Dakota Board of Education
approved the proposed standards at its July 2007
meeting. Under No Child Left Behind, students are
required to be technology literate by the end of 8th
grade.
Health/PE graduation
requirement. Two work groups created
standards related to the new graduation requirement for
health or physical education. The skills-based standards
aim to 1) teach students to make healthy choices and 2)
develop skills to keep them active for a lifetime. The
South Dakota Board of Education approved the standards
in July 2006. Coupled with efforts such as wellness
policies and school health teams, the standards provide
a basic framework for districts to develop their unique
approach to supporting student health.
Assessments provide real-time
feedback. The 2006-07 school year was the
first year of implementation for the new Achievement
Series. This Web-based assessment platform houses test
items aligned to the state’s content standards in math,
reading and science for grades 1-12. More than 1,000
tests are available. Teachers also can use the bank of
test items to develop their own formative assessments.
Teachers used this state-provided resource to assess the
progress of 8,000-some students during the 2006-07
school year.
End-of-course exams approved.
The South Dakota Board of Education approved a
change to the department’s waiver policy for allowing
students to earn high school credit for courses
completed before 9th grade. Under the new rule,
districts that apply for a waiver will be required to
administer an end-of-course exam to prove student
competency in the course. The exam must be approved by
the Department of Education, and students will be
required to score 85 percent in order to earn high
school credit. Students will be allowed to take the exam
twice. End-of-course exams are part of the 2010
Education Initiative.
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LEADERSHIP.
18 to graduate
Beginning July 1, 2009, students will
be required to stay in school until they reach the age
of 18. That is the effect of legislation promoted by the
Department of Education during the 2007 legislative
session.
The current dropout age of 16 was set
back in 1941, when World War II dominated the scene and
family farms served as the backbone of South Dakota’s
economy. Today’s world is a much different place. The
options for high school dropouts are limited. Young
people who drop out of high school today often struggle
to make ends meet financially. The new graduation
requirement sends a powerful message to students about
their value as members of our community. It sets higher
expectations and steers students down a course toward
higher lifetime earning potential. Ultimately, it’s the
right thing to do for kids.
Raising the compulsory attendance age is part of the
2010 Education Initiative.
Advocating for
American Indian youth. During the 2007
legislative session, the department advocated for an
Indian Education Act designed to formalize the state’s
commitment to the education of American Indian students.
The act passed overwhelmingly in both houses. Improving
educational outcomes for American Indian students is
part of the 2010 Education Initiative.
Focus on 21st century skills.
South Dakota became the 5th state to join the
Partnership for 21st Century Skills. This national
initiative builds upon core subjects and emphasizes the
teaching of skills necessary in the 21st century (eg.,
critical thinking, technology literacy, global
awareness). This emphasis dovetails with the 2010
Education Initiative and its focus on preparing students
for higher education and the workforce.
Studying state aid.
The State Aid Study Task Force completed its work in
December 2006. Legislators used the group’s extensive
study as a resource when debating funding issues during
the 2007 legislative session. The task force is part of
the 2010 Education Initiative.
Raising the bar on
accreditation. The department unrolled its
enhanced plan for accrediting South Dakota school
districts. In addition to its basic regulatory function,
the accreditation process now includes a performance
component. Districts must participate in an onsite visit
every five years and develop a school improvement plan.
Nearly 20 school districts participated in an onsite
review during the 2006-07 school year.
High school goes virtual.
In March 2007, the department launched the South Dakota
Virtual High School located at www.sdvhs.k12.sd.us.
SDVHS is a clearinghouse of distance learning courses
offered in South Dakota. The Department of Education
offers its stamp of approval by approving all SDVHS
providers and ensuring that all courses align with the
state’s content standards. Approximately 60 courses were
available at the launch. That number continues to grow.
Virtual High School is part of the 2010 Education
Initiative.
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SERVICE.
TCAP
targets teacher pay
A new program designed to help school
districts enhance local teacher salaries got the green
light from the 2007 Legislature. Part of the 2010
Education Initiative, the Teacher Compensation
Assistance Program also came with a commitment of $4
million from the state. The voluntary program asks
districts to develop a plan to enhance teacher salaries
based on district instructional goals, market
compensation or a combination of both. Participating
districts must commit $1 for every $4 the state
provides.
Following legislative approval, the Department of
Education worked quickly to develop rules for TCAP. The
online application was made available in May 2007, so
that districts could use their funds for approved
activities during the summer. The Teacher Compensation
Assistance Program was approved by the Legislature for
five years. Districts will make annual application for
TCAP funds in November.
NBC teachers earn more.
Seventeen South Dakota teachers earned National
Board Certification in 2006. That brings the total
number of NBC teachers employed in South Dakota to 56.
NBC teachers in South Dakota receive a $1,000 stipend
from their districts each year, along with a $1,000
stipend from the state each year, for five years after
becoming National Board Certified.
Grant allows districts to
experiment with performance pay. South Dakota
was awarded a $20.8 million Teacher Incentive Fund grant
from the U.S. Department of Education. The five-year
grant will allow districts to develop a
performance-based compensation system for principals and
teachers. Individual teachers could receive as much as
$3,750 annually, and principals could receive up to
$6,000 annually. Thirty high-need schools have signed on
to participate in this innovative program.
New teachers get support.
National estimates suggest that nearly 50 percent of
teachers leave the profession within the first five
years. In an effort to combat that loss, the South
Dakota Department of Education continues to run its
successful Governor’s New Teacher Academy. Each summer,
this event brings first- and second-year teachers
together for three days of sharing, learning and
support. The event is led by award-winning South Dakota
teachers.
Batesland teacher gets $25,000
surprise. In October 2006, Gov. Mike Rounds
and Education Secretary Rick Melmer made a surprise
visit to Batesland Elementary in the Shannon County
School District. The purpose of their visit: to present
5th grade teacher Connie Rous with a Milken Family
Foundation National Educator Award and $25,000 check!
Each year, at least one educator in South Dakota is
chosen to receive this prestigious honor. Winners are
chosen based on criteria such as effective instructional
practices and student learning results, long-range
potential for professional and policy leadership, and an
engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and
impacts students, colleagues and the community.
 2007
Teacher of the Year named.
Charlotte Mohling, Wessington
Springs School District, was named South Dakota’s
Teacher of the Year for 2007. Mohling is a family and
consumer sciences teacher. She was selected from among
seven regional finalists.
As South Dakota’s Teacher of the Year, Mohling
received a prize package that included the use of a car
for one year from Springs Auto Inc. in Wessington
Springs; a technology package from the SMARTer Kids
Foundation; and cash awards from the South Dakota
Community Foundation and Citibank.
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PROGRESS.
Changing the
face of high school
A national movement to infuse more
rigor and relevance into the high school experience has
taken root in South Dakota. Today’s graduates need a
special set of skills to thrive in our highly
competitive global economy. This skill set includes
critical thinking and problem solving skills,
communication skills, collaboration skills, social
responsibility, and technology literacy. Under the 2010
Education Initiative, school districts across South
Dakota have been implementing initiatives designed to
better prepare students to thrive in this 21st century
world.
Logged on
and plugged in! Twenty-one new school
districts were selected to participate in South Dakota’s
Classroom Connections. The project helps districts
purchase laptops for all students in grades 9-12. Use of
laptop technology is expected to enhance the students’
critical thinking, communication and research skills,
and technology literacy. The program also helps to
bridge the “digital divide” by providing access to
technology for all students, regardless of socioeconomic
status. South Dakota’s Classroom Connections project is
made possible, in part, by funding from Citibank.
Grants target career and tech
ed. In June 2007, the department announced
the recipients of $1.5 million in state grants for
career and technical education. Forty-three schools and
educational cooperatives were selected to receive funds.
The one-year grants will support 60 projects. Through
CTE, students learn about the strong connection between
high school, postsecondary education and the workplace.
What’s in your future?
Career planning was made easier when the department
provided districts with free access to Guidance Central.
This powerful, Web-based resource assists students with
identifying academic and career goals and planning their
high school experience accordingly. The department
trained approximately 450 educators to use this powerful
tool. Guidance Central was made available, in part, by
the support of the Education Assistance Corporation in
Aberdeen.
Districts pilot State Scholars
Program. In December 2006, South Dakota
received a $300,000 grant to assist four pilot districts
in helping students plan for life after high school.
Under the State Scholars program, students work closely
with their school counselor to develop a personal
learning plan that includes rigorous core courses and
courses within a specific career cluster. Each of the
four pilot districts focuses on a different career
cluster.
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