South Dakota's effort to explore alternatives to high school graduation passes first step

Morgan Matzen, Sioux Falls Argus Leader
·2 min read
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The House of Representatives education committee voted Wednesday to move forward with a resolution to form a multi-disciplinary task force to explore alternatives to keeping students 16 and older engaged in learning opportunities that lead to high school completion.

Rep. Fred Deutsch said currently students have two options, to either obtain a high school diploma or a GED, which he said are mechanisms that work for almost all students, but some students need a different mechanism.

The task force created by HCR 6001 could look into a third option or third possible pathway to high school completion that’s more vocationally-oriented and designed for disenfranchised students who don’t want to be in school, Deutsch said.

Roosevelt seniors graduate on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at the Sioux Falls Arena.
Roosevelt seniors graduate on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at the Sioux Falls Arena.

Access to certification programs, apprenticeships and work-study could benefit such students and provide more South Dakota youth the opportunity to become productive adults who contribute to their families, to work and to their communities, Deutsch said.

Both the South Dakota Education Association and the large schools group, two top education lobbying groups, testified in support of the resolution Wednesday.

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SDEA spokesperson Sandra Waltman said every student has potential, but some students don’t fit into a traditional classroom, so this resolution could come up with solutions for those students with potential and skills who can’t be reached in a current classroom.

Diana Miller, with the large school group, said any time there’s an opportunity to reach another branch of young students, people ought to try ways to do that in public education. Miller added this resolution “dovetails” some of the issues with juvenile justice that will come up this session.

The resolution will next need approval from the House, Senate Education committee, the Senate and then will have to be signed off on by Gov. Kristi Noem.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: How South Dakota is weighing alternatives to high school graduation