Huron School District faces $763K funding freeze from US Department of Education

The Huron School District Board of Education held a regular meeting on July 15, 2025, addressing significant issues affecting the district's funding and policy updates.

The meeting commenced with a critical report from Dr. Steinhoff regarding the recent freezing of Title II-A, III, I-C, and IV funds by the U.S. Department of Education. This freeze, which took effect on July 1, has resulted in a total of $763,057 being withheld from the district. Dr. Steinhoff expressed his concerns about the abrupt notification received on June 30, which left the district with little time to adjust its budget and uphold contracts for the upcoming school year. He noted that similar funding freezes have occurred in other states, with some funds being released within weeks, while others took months.

Dr. Steinhoff has reached out to South Dakota Secretary of Education, Dr. Graves, and local congressional representatives, including Senators Rounds and Thune and Representative Johnson, to voice his frustrations and seek assistance in resolving the funding issue. He emphasized the negative impact this freeze has on the district's ability to plan effectively for the future and described the situation as detrimental to public education, urging that the focus should remain on the students' best interests.

Following this discussion, the board moved on to old business, where several policies were presented for their first reading. These included policies related to library materials, such as the opt-out form, reconsideration requests, and permissions for middle school students to access high school library resources. The board confirmed that there were no changes to these policies since their introduction and noted that they would be revisited for a second reading and potential approval at the next meeting.

In summary, the meeting highlighted urgent funding challenges facing the Huron School District and initiated discussions on important library policies, setting the stage for future decisions that will impact both the administration and students.