In a measure opposed by the state’s largest business group, county commissioners and every group related to public education, as well as the state of South Dakota, the apparent villain of the 2025 legislative session, State Senator John “California” Carley is back at it with yet another attack on South Dakota’s system of public education. This time, he has a plan to directly take $20 million from local schools, diverting those funds instead to private religious academies and homeschools.
According to the Argus Leader:
Carley said a fiscal note he saw for the bill, which hasn’t yet been published publicly online, estimates it will reduce public education funding by $14 million to $21 million.
and..
He received support for SB 190 from lobbyists with Families for Alternative Instruction Rights in South Dakota, South Dakota Citizens for Liberty, Americans for Prosperity and a homeschool parent from Chancellor.
and..
SB 190 faced opposition from lobbyists with the Department of Revenue, Sioux Falls School District, Large School Group, South Dakota Retailers, Association of County Commissioners, School Administrators of South Dakota, United School Association, Associated School Boards and South Dakota Education Association.
They largely argued that SB 190 would take money directly from school district budgets, has no mechanism to keep districts “whole,” doesn’t require that students are educated or hold their educators accountable. They also argued South Dakota already has school choice — between public, open enrollment, private and alternative education — and already has a school choice finance option with the South Dakota Partners in Education tax credit program.
“What this does is it allows me as a citizen to take 80% of what I pay, and leave folks going to the public school system holding the bag,” Sioux Falls School District lobbyist Sam Nelson said.
I don’t seem to recall Senator Carley campaigning last year on his desire to spend his legislative effort into turning public schools into religious institutions, and failing that, stripping $20 million from public education in South Dakota.
The attacks on South Dakota’s system of public education this year are truly unprecedented. This isn’t a simple debate over whether we can afford give teachers a raise that keeps pace with inflation and health insurance costs. This is a legislative body where there are far too many who only see a pot of money which is supposed to be dedicated for the education of our kids that they believe they can just wholesale strip-mine for their special interests.
Make sure you communicate with your State Senators, and kindly request they not strip over $20 million from our local schools to send to private religious academies with Senate Bill 190.
Private Religious Academies????
Whooaaa !!
I can see it now, “Private Religious Academies “ will begin to pop up in strip malls like video lottery lounges.
Teacher accreditation?
We don’t need no stinkin’ teacher accreditation.
Everything is going according to plan. Thank you again to one of our favorite legislators Senator “California” Carley!
This will fit in nicely with plans of opening Hellions Academies and Hellion Academy of Independent Learning or HAIL across South Dakota. We even have nice uniform T-Shirts for the students to wear with our focus on high academic achievement.
https://thesatanictemple.com/products/after-school-satan-helion-logo-t-shirt?_pos=5&_sid=5d8a38a06&_ss=r&variant=41395787595910
Don’t forget the Prime on the House side-Rep. Heather Baxter.
She’s priming a couple of the crazy Carley bills..
I thought Gov Noem’s proposal was $4 mil and low income families only? I don’t think this bill matches her intent. Maybe Governor Rhoden is moving the goal post or maybe the sponsors of the bill are lost?
South Dakotans are reaping what they sowed.
Mr. Carley, who is from California, can only toss the screwball. He needs some good old fashioned South Dakota Common Sense Conservatism.
The idea that we’re going to use taxpayer dollars for private schools or home schoolers is absurd. I’m all for school choice. And we have some outstanding choices in South Dakota. But if you want to send your kid to private school or home school, you need to be on your own. Public schools certainly have challenges and they aren’t right for every kid, but as a government they need to be our priority for funding. Beyond that, parents and students can choose. And private schools can and do educate kids who can’t pay all the time.