10/05/12S.D. Official Touts Education Proposal
Aberdeen American News (SD) (10/05/12) Bahr, JeffSouth Dakota Education Secretary Melody Schopp says that voters will get a say in education reform on Nov. 6 when they decide whether Referred Law 16 should be implemented. The law will enable local school districts to create their own programs to reward teachers, though schools can opt out of the merit-based program; but the program will provide annual state-funded merit bonuses to a district's full-time certified teachers. The law would provide $15 million every year to teachers and teaching students, and create a scholarship program for college juniors and seniors to pay for their education should they teach in a high-need field for five years. Additionally, a state-funded annual bonus program would be created for math and science teachers, and a uniform statewide evaluation system for teachers and principals. Schopp says that local school districts will ensure that they have "buy-in from the entire staff." She says that the state is taking the time to create a strong incentive pay system, as educators begin to create the evaluation system. She indicates that the idea of the new system is to reward teachers that go above and beyond to provide leadership and mentoring.
