This division is responsible for education leadership at the state level. The Division of the Secretary directs the department's strategic planning, communications efforts and legislative action. The Professional Practices Commissions fall under this area as well.

- Dr. Ben Jones - Secretary of Education
- Mary Stadick Smith - Deputy Secretary
- Mary Giddings, Secretary
- Ferne Haddock - Legal Assistant
-Joe Moran - Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives
- Kodi Odean-Carlin - Information Officer
- Ruth Raveling - Information Specialist
- Holly Robling - Executive Assistant
- Diane B. Roy – General Counsel
- Amanda LaCroix – Assistant General Counsel

This division oversees school and district accreditation, educator certification, teacher quality and data management.

For questions relating to certification, e-mail: certification@state.sd.us
For questions relating to accreditation, email: doeaccred@state.sd.us
For questions relating to the personnel record form, email: prf@state.sd.us

- Jacquie Larson - Division Director
- Chauntel Bolte - Senior Secretary

ACCREDITATION
- Kathy Riedy - Administrator
- Deedra Gesinger - Program Specialist
- Carol Uecker - Program Specialist


CERTIFICATION AND TEACHER QUALITY
- Carla Leingang - Administrator
- Deedra Gesinger - Program Specialist
- Jessica Hahn - Program Specialist
- Julie McCord - Program Specialist
- Jantina Nelson-Stastny - Management Analyst

DATA MANAGEMENT
- Judy Merriman - Administrator
- Clive Bremser - Management Analyst
- Angie Bren - Management Analyst
- Randy Hanson - Management Analyst
- Teri Jung - Management Analyst
- Jennifer Rattling Leaf - Policy/Data Analyst

Project AWARE
-Teresa Rowland - Coordinator

This division is charged with providing supports for students’ preparations for postsecondary education and the workforce. Services are connected to approved Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs, work-based learning, school counseling, SDMyLife, Job’s for America’s Graduates and the federal Perkins grant.

- Laura Scheibe - Director
- Amy Miller – Assistant Director
- Kim Roth - CTE Grants and Data Specialist
- Beth Schneider - JAG-SD State Director
- Kim Van Den Hemel - Senior Secretary


SECONDARY CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION
- Jane Gubrud – Career Development Specialist
- Andrea Diehm – School Counseling and Career Development Specialist
- Michelle Nelson – Career Development Specialist
- Amber Rost – Career Development Specialist
- Kara Schweitzer – Career Development Specialist
- Jamie Boettcher - Career Development Specialist
- Megan Tatum – Career Development Specialist

This division includes such federal programs as Title, Child and Adult Nutrition Services and afterschool programs (21st Century Community Learning Centers). It encompasses Special Education Programs and the state's Birth to Three Program as well. The state Head Start liaison is also housed within this division.

Title Programs - (605) 773-6400
Child and Adult Nutrition Services – (605) 773-3413
21st Century Community Learning Centers – (605) 773-3261
Special Education/Early Intervention – (605) 773-3678

Ann Larsen - Division Director


Title and Accountability Programs
- Shannon Malone - Title Programs Administrator
- Jordan Varilek - Assistant Administrator
- Julie Elrod - Title I Secretary
- Vera Tipton - School Improvement Grant (SIG) Title I Program Specialist
- Betsy Chapman - Title I Program, Data Verification
- Laura Johnson-Frame - McKinney-Vento, Neglected & Delinquent Coordinator, Title I Program Specialist
- Jenifer Palmer - Title I Part C (Migrant Program) Coordinator Title I Program Specialist
- Yutzil Becker - ELL Program/Title III WIDA Assessment Coordinator
- Dawn Smith - Family Engagement, Title I Program Specialist
- Dorothy Aguilera Black-Bear - Accountability Program Specialist
- Vacant - Accountability Program Specialist

21st Century Community Learning Centers
- Alan Haarstad - 21st CCLC
- Jane Cronin - 21st CCLC


Child & Adult Nutrition Services
DOE.schoollunch@state.sd.us
DOE.icanhelp@state.sd.us

- Cheriee Watterson - Director
- Darcy Beougher - Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) & School Food Distribution Program Specialist
- Brigitta Bly - Summer Food Service Program Specialist
- Katie Dryden - Child and Adult Nutrition Programs Specialist
- Quanna Keyser - Procurement, Food Service Management Company Contracts
- Mikayla Hardy - School Nutrition Program, Child and Adult Nutrition Program, and Summer Food Service Program Specialist
- Beth Henrichsen - School Nutrition Programs Specialist
- Rob Ingalls - Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program (FFVP)/School Nutrition Programs Specialist
- Andrea Krueger - School Nutrition Programs Specialist
- Christina Lusk - The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Specialist
- Courtney Martin - Child and Adult Nutrition Secretary
- Pam McCown - Assistant Director, Community Nutrition Programs
- Andrea Theilen - School Nutrition Program Specialist
- Kristi Thompson - iCAN and Food Distribution Program Assistant


SPECIAL EDUCATION
- Linda Turner - Director
- Wendy Trujillo - Assistant Director
- Lindsey Bomesberger - Secretary
- Jessica Ahlers - Special Education Program Specialist
- Rebecca Cain - Special Education Program Specialist
- Angel Corrales - Part B Data Manager
- Brandi Gerry - Special Education Program Specialist
- Melissa Flor - Special Education Program Specialist
- Beth Schiltz - Special Education Program Specialist
- Debra Willert - Special Education Program Specialist


EARLY LEARNING
- Sarah Carter - Director
- Crystal Goeden - Birth to Three Specialist
- Steve Livermont - Part C Data Manager
- Vicki Linn - Birth to Three Specialist
- Janet Penticoff – Birth to Three Billing
- Jodi Berscheid - Head Start State Collaboration Director

This division oversees funding provided to schools and other recipients, including state aid, federal grants and contracts. The division is responsible for collecting a variety of data, including data related to teacher compensation and school finance.

- Cody Stoeser - Director
- Lisa Rae - Deputy Director
- Debra Collins - Secretary
- Michelle Kronberg - Contract and Budget Analyst
- Olivia Waggoner - Contract Manager
- Jerika Mennenger - Fiscal Monitoring Specialist


ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL REPORTING
- Dawson Huber - Accountant Team Leader
- Corey Bowman - Accountant
- Michelle Rose - Accountant
- Bethany Langenbau - Accountant
- Ian Farnsworth – Accountant
- Bill Squires - Accountant Assistant


GRANTS MANAGEMENT
- Rob Huffman - Administrator
- Mark Gageby - Management Analyst
- Kristina Healey - Program Specialist
- Tacy Kennison - Program Specialist
- Jackie Mattheis – Program Specialist
- Janet Penticoff - Policy/Data Analyst
- Robyn Seibel - Program Specialist


STATE AID AND SCHOOL FINANCE
- Susan Woodmansey - Administrator
- Bobbi Leiferman - Management Analyst

This division oversees academic content standards, instruction, assessment and teacher recognition. In addition, this division provides services and supports to districts and schools to support learning and achievement for all students.

- Vacant - Director
- Vacant - Secretary

Standards, Learning and Leadership
- Stephanie Hansen - Office Director
- Teresa Berndt - Reading Specialist
- Jennifer Fowler - Science Specialist
- Stephanie Higdon - Math Specialist
- Melinda Johnson - Social Studies Specialist
- Kelly Royer - Program Specialist
- Gwen Taylor - Program Specialist

SD-STARS
- Sara Kock - Administrator
- Kim Carlson - LDS Program Specialist II
- Brad Steckelberg - Program Analyst

ASSESSMENT
- Matt Gill - Administrator
- Christina Booth - Program Specialist
- Amanda Thronson - Program Specialist
- Jennifer Tschetter- Program Specialist

The State Library is responsible for developing public and school library services, providing collections to expand local resources, serving special needs populations (including textbooks for visually impaired students), and providing library services to state government.

View State Library staff directory.