SB 129, a bill to overturn the Common Core in South Dakota, will be heard in the Senate Ed Committee on February 13, 2014. We don’t so much need you to come to Pierre, as we need you to email and call the senators on the Senate Ed Committee. Please urge them to vote “YES” on SB 129. When you email them, please put “Vote YES on SB 129” in the subject line of your correspondence. Be sure to sign your email and put your address so they know we are South Dakotan’s contacting them.

Here is the list with links to email for the Senate Education Committee members.

Senate Education

         FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to supplant the Common Core State Standards.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:
Section 1. That chapter 13-3 be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as follows:

The South Dakota Board of Education shall promulgate rules pursuant to chapter 1-26 to implement academic content standards to prepare students for college and career readiness. The academic content standards shall meet benchmarks for admission to college, postsecondary technical education, or a career. The academic content standards in the benchmarks shall align with postsecondary educational expectations, entry into a career, or both. The academic content standards shall be used to supplant the Common Core State Standards and to the extent necessary to maintain eligibility to receive the flexibility waiver under 20U.S.C.§ 7861 as in effect January 1, 2014.
Section 2. That chapter 13-3 be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as follows:

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To determine the appropriate academic content standards that are in the best interests of the students, the South Dakota Board of Education shall:

(1)    Compare the academic content standards that the state used before the implementation of the Common Core State Standards with the Common Core State Standards;

(2)    Compare the academic content standards used in other states such as Indiana that have rejected the Common Core State Standards with the Common Core State Standards; and

(3)    Consider best practices in developing and adopting academic content standards seeking information from subject area teachers and subject area professors at the institutions under the control of the South Dakota Board of Regents.
Section 3. That chapter 13-3 be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as follows:

The secretary of the Department of Education shall evaluate the cost to the state associated with implementing the Smarter Balanced assessment by the schools in the state and in consultation with the Bureau of Finance and Management shall report to the Legislature the fiscal impact to the state if the South Dakota Board of Education fully implements the Common Core State Standards or discontinues the implementation of the Common Core State Standards.
Section 4. That chapter 13-3 be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as follows:

The South Dakota Board of Education or the secretary of the Department of Education may not enter into or renew an agreement with any organization, entity, group, or consortium that requires the state to cede any measure of autonomy or control of academic content standards and assessments including cut scores.