Charter schools are public, tuition-free, and accountable for results, providing new ways to serve student needs and raise outcomes across public education. Add your email to learn more about the effort to bring public charter schools to South Dakota.
South Dakota families want more choices for how their children learn, and many are leaving the public system to find it. Charter schools offer innovative public school models that expand learning opportunities and improve student outcomes, especially for those who need a different learning environment to succeed.
School options in South Dakota should reflect the needs of individual communities. Charter schools will give communities the flexibility to open schools that serve local needs – whether that’s a school grounded in Native language and culture, a career and technical education program, or another community-driven model.
Research shows that students in both charter and traditional public schools perform better in communities where charter schools exist. Charter schools are public schools held accountable for their results, and that accountability helps raise expectations, encourage innovation, and improve student outcomes across all of public education.
The proposed charter law will give communities a new tool to serve unmet needs in public education.
Some students need a different learning environment to succeed. The South Dakota charter school bill gives priority approval to schools designed to serve students with the greatest needs, including Native students, students living in poverty, English language learners, and students receiving special education services. All charter schools will give enrollment preference to students at risk of academic failure.
School options in South Dakota should reflect the needs of individual communities. The South Dakota charter school bill guarantees that charter schools are community-driven from the start by requiring applicants to demonstrate meaningful community support and demand before approval.
Public charter schools complement the vital work of traditional public schools. They do this by addressing unmet needs through innovative learning models. The South Dakota charter school bill lawmakers are considering requires no new funding, since charter schools will receive the same per-pupil funding as traditional public schools based on student enrollment.
Public Charter schools must apply to be renewed every five years and they may be closed for underperformance. The rigorous application process requires detailed plans for academics, operations, and finances. Approved charter school applications will be given an initial performance contract for five years with an evaluation framework for numerous performance indicators, including student proficiency, student growth, and achievement gaps between student subgroups.
Tell your legislators you support bringing charter schools to South Dakota!
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