[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6523831,"mediaKeyId","5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd","parentId",5023954,"title","Board action roundup: agenda, contracts, employment and consent items approved","audioSeconds",4283,"startMs",347000,"endMs",4630000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd&start=347&end=4630","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd/thumbnail_347000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6523831/South-Dakota/Board-action-roundup-agenda-contracts-employment-and-consent-items-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523831-fdf2c524b505e54dcb5d49698f0da3a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1773558379&Signature=Oy0jXXiOIoMRd3OC2SRhwYzlxqMF2kBPInag3usEFA1AIbEvCTze4JOPCJ-q17IkxFFLYunXVEcGSDjYKgNtBVkKQWaL-LQ2Oko0RfnnFrwh29dmOnjMR4X86TijsIAotRPXtNl4K5NDO5oRN471f80uaX4mIqFTXQEE27kWF8siCfKDjZeP~O6W7Db2Jl30yzfon2gcg2tMCSl5R0DTYli9PUWl2JLRhv7TPmvZWTJgmdhzDUI1HDYiJ2IbAZY-vjnRTgE-u8XIuRV5f4rR57UvEx6UPyDM94QirwV2HOFG8TNZ8IXvELTJonWLzakt8TndulJa-jmqnJxnred42w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rapid City Area Schools","date","2025-06-18T13:15:59Z","article","The Rapid City Area School District Board of Education approved a series of routine and consent items during the meeting. Key actions included:

• Approval of the meeting agenda as amended (voice vote).

• Approval of the first reading of the BED board meetings and procedures (voice vote).

• Approval of the Vector Solutions contract renewal for 2025-26 (voice vote).

• Approval of the consent agenda, except for items pulled for separate consideration.

• Approval of employment recommendations. The board took a roll-call vote on employment recommendations in which three members voted yes and one member recused themselves from the vote; the motion carried by majority of those voting.

• Approval of Rapid City Area Schools policies, procedures and exhibits second reading (roll-call vote: Troy Carr — yes; Jamie Clapham — yes; Michael Birkland — no; Katie Urban — yes).

• Motion to enter executive session under SDCL 1-25-2 (moved and seconded; voice vote in favor).

Several consent items were pulled by board members for separate discussion and review; the board handled those pulled items later in the agenda or scheduled them for further consideration. No detailed roll-call tallies were recorded for items decided by voice vote.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","June 17, 2025 Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Rapid City Area School District board approved multiple agenda and consent items, including the meeting agenda, a contract renewal, and employment recommendations; several items were pulled for discussion and one vote was recorded by roll call.","taxTitle","Rapid City Area School District 51-4, School Districts, South Dakota","taxId",12939,"location","South Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":46,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6523836,"Board approves second reading of district policies; one member records a dissent",230,4400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd&start=4400&end=4630","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd/thumbnail_4400000.jpg","/articles/6523836/South-Dakota/Board-approves-second-reading-of-district-policies-one-member-records-a-dissent","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523836-2961357c4cd0a1ca37fad1a4202b255f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773558379&Signature=WNtBNGOpix7O~V2y~qoFQwPqYljBbeBqsWEztDa15n3frJho8M3G-s7qrXkduUzikktXf4VDqCLlzQsGBQnSqhctEQ17CCTZqDsWSvn-RA98Z6~rU8a0BkcZTwOncMvhRCv21EzHV-1eqt5~m7znry26c5DZupMr33RnSX2TVjsz8VvVUPrQWEjh2HDQ4BuYb7uoCYccI9Mp4ztYmWqOBi10WuXs5GeY4YA~m~XtvVnuds3cFjktQ~Y4-QEVMxO4FJ~h4kYdaD1AiKxaHgJ0yVYFvhuX8rZWZ7412lBUutBFFTXRZEp0c8lOjtlulgMTMswb0ShlUqmSUTpmY3sc~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rapid City Area School District board approved the second reading of a set of district policies, procedures and exhibits after a roll-call vote at the meeting.

Board president Troy Carr called for a roll-call vote on the package. The recorded vote was: Troy Carr — yes; Jamie Clapham — yes; Michael Birkland — no; Katie Urban — yes. The motion passed.

Before the vote, one board member said she would abstain from parts of the packet that remove protections for a particular protected class and expressed concern about removing local control over related issues; the member characterized the changes as matters she could not support. Another board member offered remarks urging colleagues to \"vote your conscience.\" The district indicated these changes were tied to state or federal funding requirements, information the board discussed during the meeting.

The approved second-reading items move the policies forward under the district's revision process. Specific policy identifiers were part of the packet presented to the board at the meeting; board members requested continued attention to how those changes are communicated to staff and the public.

","The Rapid City Area School District board approved the second reading of a package of policies, procedures and exhibits after discussion and at least one publicly stated objection by a board member about removing certain protections from policy language.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6523840,"External audit issues unmodified opinion; auditors note two material weaknesses in internal control",337,2818000,3155000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd&start=2818&end=3155","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd/thumbnail_2818000.jpg","/articles/6523840/South-Dakota/External-audit-issues-unmodified-opinion-auditors-note-two-material-weaknesses-in-internal-control","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523840-9dcef1177e599d1355fc7a351f6768fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1773558379&Signature=Ov0vBKeebWOM6tIlrSArQ5oMBBlpqbbVX7My5dJdbthKV3IVlYvw8gxtc8febDRVK~EjMoHZh7V8a~lIDIiNSsxvipEJYqOt2epwAmswsGLe5cQ6xVZ3DUAdgaw-tg4EJNTeflZLgNn5DELiNHxQ669VtP6QfKkWiJrCR6fZO9bHIQ6Ucm2SKi6QNUYng~ZdPe7BWS6hRdvmL1QYAKT-heSX6swsxRUYHPLzKMqaANSeMaN5fYdeXUFUC2N6ENNwG4W~PBqr3IL~Hb6aJL3o-gUbblCaTVq30XgeOsWy8tm6lU3-63Ck2Wgq~A0ilXFaoaB-SSh4Zh1sXekztKZugQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Devin Paff, partner at KC Peterson LTD, presented the district's fiscal-year 2024 audit results to the Rapid City Area School District board, saying auditors issued an unmodified (clean) opinion on the financial statements.

Paff said the audit identified 26 proposed adjustments across several areas and two material weaknesses tied to internal controls over account reconciliations and the drafting of financial statements. He said the district had been behind on filing certain federal reporting requirements for prior years but that the 2025 audit schedule is back on track and he expected the late-filing finding to resolve.

The auditors performed a single audit over federal programs, testing four programs and auditing roughly $28 million of the district's federal funds. Paff said the single-audit testing produced unmodified opinions with no material weaknesses.

Paff reviewed financial metrics: the district reported roughly $181 million in total revenue and $151 million in total expenses for the audit year; by the auditor's measure, the district's current-year position was about 120% of revenues versus expenses. Unassigned general-fund balance was about $15.8 million, or roughly 15.4% of general-fund revenues. Enrollment for the district was reported at 12,433.

Board members thanked the audit team and district business office staff for bringing audits back on schedule following turnover in the business office. The auditors and staff described the situation as improving and said they expect smoother audits going forward.

","Independent auditors issued an unmodified opinion on the district's 2024 financial statements, reported 26 proposed audit adjustments and two material weaknesses related to account reconciliations and drafting financial statements; single-audit testing of federal programs found no material weaknesses.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6523846,"CFO proposes building-and-land fund, pledges 25% of capital outlay revenue to facilities",768,2675000,3443000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd&start=2675&end=3443","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd/thumbnail_2675000.jpg","/articles/6523846/South-Dakota/CFO-proposes-building-and-land-fund-pledges-25-of-capital-outlay-revenue-to-facilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523846-efa0e92a16e3923760d2f68da9d43222/orig.mp4?Expires=1773558379&Signature=IAu8pG5hQ6bzlHzX~N5mJpFgooJU~jh0S3iHRopudxGxJtdJGuK3T1~MsABejjEci9CMg6i5BtDznuqx4SwbT12Mw03tsdvBqPkcxlPDnARWkg3jqL4HwyMSGXRF1HtoTRZ63UTHRfv~eDH9eCWch71F5tHC7rIjXu~DwaZTlcLBKYJkD25pl2CsNwqQLIjPPI9HVYB-ONHhux-Ep16cM6GzxKDe0~g5LGkEr~iiAWF3opkmX13~JA7LPCiy1K1ORVkyxtf3Qckc6PDuMj~j2qRFmb~VjDOwqOVFHo0yAmbVbb2x48RzkLS4LVGqq53eK6Wy1nMC39LWn8Ic9YLwPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief Financial Officer Koi Sassy presented the Rapid City Area School District board with a proposed long-range approach to capital outlay budgeting intended to align facility spending with the district's strategic and master plans.

Sassy said finance and facilities committee discussions led to three recommended guidelines for fiscal year 2026 budgeting: dedicate 25% of ongoing capital outlay revenue annually to direct facility projects; earmark approximately 35% of capital outlay revenue capacity for future debt service; and pledge any annual capital outlay surplus (beyond a 25% cash-reserve target) to a new building-and-land fund.

Under the draft plan presented at the meeting, the district's projected FY26 capital outlay revenue would allow roughly $8 million to flow into direct facility projects and an estimated $7 million into the proposed building-and-land fund, Sassy said. He noted an asterisk: the surplus projection is atypical and shaped by cyclical capital revenues and lower-than-normal requests in the projected year.

Sassy said proceeds from property sales or other \"extraneous funding\" could be injected into the building-and-land fund when appropriate. He also said that, depending on the scope and timing of the Rapid Valley expansion project, the building-and-land fund surplus could cover an estimated 60% to 70% of that project's cash needs without tapping existing reserves.

Board members asked clarifying questions. One asked whether proceeds from land sales would automatically go to the building-and-land fund; Sassy said that was the likely treatment but that policy language should make the process explicit. Another board member asked about the Blackhawk HVAC project cost; Sassy said it was approximately $3.2 million.

Sassy emphasized that the proposal is intended to move the district away from short-term, piecemeal capital decisions and toward a predictable, multi-year funding strategy that safeguards assets and prepares for future debt service needs.

No final board vote on the proposal took place at the meeting; Sassy presented the draft to the board for review and invited further feedback.

","Rapid City Area School District finance staff recommended creating a dedicated building-and-land subfund and directing 25% of ongoing capital outlay revenue to direct facility projects, with roughly 35% capacity earmarked for future debt service.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6523851,"Parent urges Rapid City schools to fix inconsistency in acceleration policy percentiles",209,1891000,2100000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd&start=1891&end=2100","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5023954-e903dd6111ea194213b61c9f8e0774fd/thumbnail_1891000.jpg","/articles/6523851/South-Dakota/Parent-urges-Rapid-City-schools-to-fix-inconsistency-in-acceleration-policy-percentiles","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523851-23a4098f245c2bdfefdb3823cbafe084/orig.mp4?Expires=1773558379&Signature=BDksnZOsVP6mzTQ51KNSjMkGTtU-GXlyqYPph--dEiJDvvcfyvoGiDUnd-1SFDykVXswbXFYUIaAQjpIfpgEyJxp52hA4IH2P6mD9TCQdr72~miWXLQblrlZ~Ocm9qxB8Qa5pHc2oduIyQLpVWlN8XZ7h1Gr9heQIGGKeE4el04Psm7Hun9Us-WKVltLA7aYVcCR23BjeE5k3fMKtpEl8ljTw2Bfve11Q5iFyciCLm3jyB~nWsze6gQOTTHoc2T6tLQXX2y57cWRoC4RAiL5Pux0OCYsoQ4o-qp-bADmw7miJ~YN5LJpoV1ikjgKhQK1-sLAounQG~YgV4yUF24bRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Zara Maddox, a statistician, former teacher and parent, told the Rapid City Area School District board during public comment that newly adopted acceleration procedures contradict the district's acceleration policy and create barriers for students who could benefit from grade acceleration.

Maddox said the district policy (district code IGBB) uses the 90th percentile at a student's current grade as the eligibility cutoff, which would make roughly 620 of the district's about 12,400 students eligible to apply. She said sections 5 and 6 of the acceleration procedure (district code IGBBP), however, require a student to meet the 90th percentile of the grade they would enter after skipping a grade. That, she said, is approximately equivalent to the 99.6th percentile of the student's current grade and would reduce eligibility at a typical middle school of 500 students to about two students.

\"Instead of guardrails, sections 5 and 6 are barriers for kids who might benefit from acceleration,\" Maddox told the board. She asked the board to update IGBBP so the test-score cutoffs align with IGBB and to change the test-score references to the current grade rather than the grade being entered.

Board members responded that they appreciated the research Maddox brought forward and said they would investigate the discrepancy. Board member Michael Birkland said he would \"work for that\" and called the proposed mismatch \"a little much.\" Vice President Jamie Clapham said the comment offered an opportunity for leadership and review, and asked staff to dig into the concern.

District staff present during the discussion explained that the higher requirement in the procedure stemmed from a desire to assure preparedness when a student skipped an entire academic year. A staff member noted that some students who scored at high percentiles on content tests did not demonstrate all course skills on subsequent exams.

No formal action or policy change was taken at the meeting; board members directed staff to review the policy and procedures and report back.

The exchange took place during public comment and board response; it was not part of the consent agenda or a formal vote.

Looking ahead, the board said staff would revisit the wording in district code IGBBP to confirm intent and alignment with IGBB and report findings at a future meeting.

","A parent and statistician told the Rapid City Area School District board that new acceleration procedures use a higher percentile cutoff than the district policy, creating unintended barriers for middle schoolers seeking to skip a grade.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board action roundup: agenda, contracts, employment and consent items approved

Board approves second reading of district policies; one member records a dissent

External audit issues unmodified opinion; auditors note two material weaknesses in internal control

CFO proposes building-and-land fund, pledges 25% of capital outlay revenue to facilities

Parent urges Rapid City schools to fix inconsistency in acceleration policy percentiles