[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",6478262,"mediaKeyId","5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51","parentId",5709319,"title","Board members return from conference with AI, early‑childhood and voucher takeaways; trustees discuss updating AI/cell‑phone policy","audioSeconds",774,"startMs",2725000,"endMs",3499000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51&start=2725&end=3499","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51/thumbnail_2725000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6478262/South-Dakota/Board-members-return-from-conference-with-AI-earlychildhood-and-voucher-takeaways-trustees-discuss-updating-AIcellphone-policy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478262-12ca87c7161d367f94a12a77c9d25427/orig.mp4?Expires=1772866961&Signature=aeKsWlk~9~ahJm4w9rj74qv3n9357c85wiiD6LsDFlHQhJBIg6LY4EgQ1dc6ssisyKSafsE56X2CRiNEq9ZGSo4IwgnUQrK1oBYqCjQ7HhMEuLr2S2NdeN3VeQxVTF9BuKcKNtIEX7915YjtfomNmmS8PK7kzG4AUocb8BaPEfw-wGKwEc3GNiBn897xnVFR~ROMZGhzIkGejvyzztEVjuvCErhChSE3yeRPq6LKZmWv7bHrADi-NF59ucPI8SzLPRUmhzEvZCAlrrN8UhqQxDdu9QCoGiygzBfziCitDNnc4HXexM1FQ6rr8SU-ZmRULTs6Xu9h1xauOVkkL0eN0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rapid City Area Schools","date","2025-09-03T08:11:43.19Z","article","Several members of the Rapid City Area School District 51‑4 Board of Education summarized sessions they attended at a recent Associated School Boards of South Dakota conference and discussed next steps on district AI and cell‑phone guidance.

Board member Jamie Clapham said AI sessions raised concerns and opportunities: one presenter showed students are using AI “companions” as informal therapists and warned chatbots may assert credentials they do not have; another session demonstrated AI tools that can reduce special‑education paperwork and save teachers hours each week. “Fifty percent of students are using some sort of AI character or tool,” Clapham said, adding the district should focus both on information literacy and on ways AI can reduce teacher workload.

Board member Katie Urban summarized a keynote that criticized voucher programs and highlighted mixed academic evidence; she said vouchers tend to benefit wealthier families and draw public funds away from public schools. New board member Angela Rafferty and others said conference sessions were useful, particularly for new trustees.

Policy discussion and direction: Board members debated whether to update district AI policy now or first expand information literacy training. Trustee Jamie Clapham and others advocated more staff and board education before making binding policy changes; Christine Stephenson asked whether the board should direct regular policy updates in light of rapid AI change. Board members also discussed recent state‑level interest in cell‑phone rules: one trustee said the legislature “passed a law encouraging districts to come up with a cell phone policy” (board member described as summary; specific statute not cited in the meeting).

Superintendent Thompson was asked to form a district committee—including administrators, teachers and parents—to review the handbook procedures in use this year, study classroom practices and return to the board with recommendations and a timeline. The board agreed to place cell‑phone discussion on the upcoming retreat agenda and extended the retreat end time to allow additional discussion.

No formal policy was adopted at the meeting; trustees requested staff‑led research and recommended that any policy development include teacher and administrator input.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","September 2, 2025 Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Trustees reported sessions they attended at an Associated School Boards conference and debated how to respond to classroom artificial intelligence and cell‑phone use as the district considers updated guidance.","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":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6478267,"Board hears updates on Grandview, Stevens and Rapid Valley facilities projects; Rapid Valley design may near $15M",146,5740000,5886000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51&start=5740&end=5886","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51/thumbnail_5740000.jpg","/articles/6478267/South-Dakota/Board-hears-updates-on-Grandview-Stevens-and-Rapid-Valley-facilities-projects-Rapid-Valley-design-may-near-15M","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478267-0fd32510a9c9b36159ea4f8489f1c86e/orig.mp4?Expires=1772866961&Signature=bnjvDbTU87ywTkGfU2DHt19Ni4RLTdCSmlp3t~7u0hKkCtb5SBFBDzTsnNlwZpyMy3eV2ezFi-28NjReLg2MWzRNi4nkyPlSuO8sJ9YU1UUg1LJ8TTHs1TDR6ZUTCM0d2yfkWQFQ~zT5Xoqu7IHNieIA5L9u05kkVDogcJ-QhNst5Gev~fORnya1yOwAi2A-SfBv8J2ILG1oVW-j0SA6xreGWOO56cKVaoymJl22kBsrA~AcMSSlSweG4rs2HX~SWj0J1HcpQUZQqa3W8ExQXZIEw4ixzZAsNP~i0-V0U4ERo9108vEgQfG4ZRPy5F-6kcV6HzKOI5Q-GpJHb9nQAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Board members on the Rapid City Area School District 51‑4 Board of Education reported progress on several facilities projects and flagged a possible cost increase for the Rapid Valley expansion.

Facilities committee member Missus Irvin said the district solicited contractor proposals for a Grandview HVAC upgrade that will add air conditioning and that construction is likely next year. Irvin also said Stevens High School will receive several upgrades including a new orchestra room, added storage for fine arts, an upgraded freshman lunch area and air‑handling unit replacements in older sections of the building; construction there is planned to begin next summer.

Rapid Valley: design work is advancing and has attracted contractor interest, committee members said, but trustees cautioned the district may face higher costs than first estimated. Board member Miss Urban noted the Rapid Valley project could increase to about $15,000,000 “we don't know that for sure,” and said sprinkler work and HVAC upgrades are among items driving cost increases; the board expects more firm numbers as final designs are completed.

Board process and next steps: committee members said multiple contractors toured sites and that formal bids/proposals will follow design finalization. Board members emphasized balancing scope with cost, noting “it’s hard to not want to do everything when you are tearing up a building.” Staff said project carryovers and budget timing will be addressed in the capital outlay follow‑up and that a future contract award timeline will be provided.

No formal votes on design approvals or contracts were taken at this meeting; board members asked staff to return with updated cost estimates and schedules.","Board members on the Rapid City Area School District 51‑4 Board of Education reported progress on several facilities projects and flagged a possible cost increase for the Rapid Valley expansion.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6478271,"District finance director: FY2025 revenues, expenditures and cash positions reviewed; board hears state‑aid and capital outlay explanations",147,3754000,3901000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51&start=3754&end=3901","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51/thumbnail_3754000.jpg","/articles/6478271/South-Dakota/District-finance-director-FY2025-revenues-expenditures-and-cash-positions-reviewed-board-hears-stateaid-and-capital-outlay-explanations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478271-9da044cda37a04b3707b2e9a75dd02cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1772866961&Signature=T9ZTSAn~3gyjwJcBHhsddBGL7JDMlOdGLB5H6-0uV7crs~yVZ5nDyvUTGRbQgfkKV-9y5k5qj-TeelT8sFNEErgvuHgct~q0tMSVhKUmD8DMs5apeQGAoVL7M~~jdCMY5yl13RoYAQ1qO1ICPMHY4pjfP-kvdtiS9t5S~WgfLFev86uS9MDyqdR3HH3tlYERGk2kbRCYrehZmS0KIt3x5cF8lLFZUPS7dUwxS8gtbejvtjeTqX1pxMi1vhIo3IMBSZyGKtYu-fyDm5qmbt8CMzBN9iZkrI8BKbtMW1idbsdJYW-1Z4BUn2Fq-23cAk3p9ashDkEI8WCnONyN4QWiWA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief financial officer presented a fiscal‑year 2025 review to the Rapid City Area School District 51‑4 Board of Education describing revenue and expenditure results, fund cash positions and long‑term debt.

The district budgeted roughly $218 million in revenue and reported receiving about $207.6 million, with total expenditures of about $193 million, the CFO said. On the general fund, the district budgeted $110.4 million and spent about $105.8 million (around 96%), leaving an unexpended balance that, when federal grant spending is backed out, becomes roughly $553,000 against a $96.1 million true general fund spend.

On the revenue side, the CFO said property tax receipts and miscellaneous county “in lieu” or TIF receipts were stronger than projected (property tax about 105% of projection; county/TIF receipts materially over a conservative budget figure), while state aid was approximately 97% of projection and lower than earlier years — a trend the CFO attributed to enrollment declines discussed in the superintendent’s presentation.

Capital outlay results: the district budgeted $47.99 million for capital outlay and spent about $31.2 million (65%). The CFO explained much of the capital outlay variance reflects timing and carryover—projects in progress, construction schedules and a prior certificate issuance for South Middle School that was mechanically recorded in prior budgets and then adjusted. The CFO noted a one‑time sale of surplus property also increased capital fund receipts this year by about $5.2 million.

Cash and debt: year‑end cash across major funds remains healthy, the CFO said—general fund cash about $22.6 million and capital outlay cash moving down from prior peaks as major projects conclude. The district has outstanding long‑term debt of roughly $42.25 million with several older instruments amortizing down rapidly over the next decade; certain no‑interest sinking‑fund bonds (QZAB/QSCAB) are scheduled for large principal payouts in 2029 under their terms.

Board follow‑up: Board members asked for clarification on rules about transfers between general fund and capital outlay; the CFO said general fund money can be used to supplement capital outlay but the reverse is more restricted. Board members also asked whether lower spending in capital outlay represented savings; the CFO said much of the underspend is carryover and earmarked for projects that remain active. The board did not vote on budget changes at the meeting but asked staff to provide follow‑up detail on specific carryovers and planned amendments.","Chief finance officer presented the fiscal year 2025 closeout: district budgeted $218 million in revenue and spent about $193 million; general fund and capital outlay balances, TIF and surplus property receipts, and debt amortization were discussed.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6478276,"Rapid City Area Schools report 267‑student drop; district highlights attendance work and outreach",165,686000,851000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51&start=686&end=851","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51/thumbnail_686000.jpg","/articles/6478276/South-Dakota/Rapid-City-Area-Schools-report-267student-drop-district-highlights-attendance-work-and-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478276-83ab61326b6ec017f5a8eb9c37895a4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1772866961&Signature=Cq4aVFeXAEECkbJLdkSNchkLsgsGRwiNKbeRCiD1xuWTefU1ahP3Vw7LT467sZ6EqpFLMXugUbfcaJyt0hVcNk1hg2~0xX5K4JyaGRwx9FFzFbK~C6m7xHOx6OQfSd5yQv5vSHTHoIapXJJ7JTn0mOtNVNIEWqu12-oZLQr0-LtO24hdEDO2jotQtwbd1gdPh4tF1leNbDcmM6ne42gRhwvOXS45LJRW-cG6ToOYGdCuoT36-r5UB-uct4chiK~NC7dmA6X4u~jwMoRA-jyEOGbvKZfyADPUV8X2QbXZG~xNHy0Qswd5MgC9zB9Rqc3qjIpkStvmVcaW0ES3j2T8MA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Kit Thompson told the Rapid City Area School District 51‑4 Board of Education that district enrollment has decreased by 267 students from the same time last year and said the district is focusing on attendance as an early intervention to improve outcomes.

The enrollment and attendance presentation showed some schools gained students, Thompson said, but the districtwide snapshot “has decreased by 267 students.” She told the board the district’s overall attendance rate for the reporting period is 92.87%, 0.27 percentage points below the same time last year, and emphasized research linking attendance to reading proficiency and graduation: “a student who can't read on grade level by third grade is four times less likely to graduate by age 19.”

Why it matters: Board members and administrators framed falling enrollment as both an operational and revenue issue. Board member Christine Stephenson called the 267‑student decline “staggering” and asked the board to make enrollment an explicit strategic goal. Board member Walt Swan pressed staff on whether the district is able to track where students go after they leave the district; Thompson and other staff said state data on homeschoolers and some private school movements are limited and that the district can track students only when records requests are received.

Thompson and Assistant/Deputy leaders stressed attendance’s instructional importance. Thompson highlighted that all elementary schools reported attendance above 90% in the snapshot, while North Middle School, Central High School and alternative programs were below 90%, and warned that without intervention small declines can compound across grades and years. “If a student misses two days a month, that means they'll miss 20 days of school in a year,” Thompson said, listing the instructional hours lost in core subjects.

Board reaction and next steps: Several board members asked for more granular data. Stephenson and others asked for classroom‑ and grade‑level trend analysis—e.g., whether cohort dropouts begin after particular grades—and proposed adding enrollment to the board retreat agenda. Thompson said the district has convened a district attendance committee and will continue policy review and targeted supports; board members Angela Rafferty and Donna Moore reported attending the committee meeting the same day.

Thompson and board members also discussed the budget implications: Chief financial staff noted state aid has declined over multi‑year trends tied to enrollment changes and that year‑to‑year budgeting is structured around an enrollment estimate. The board asked staff to return with updated visuals for the official count date and to continue work on early‑grade supports and community outreach planned through Attendance Awareness Month events.

The board did not adopt a new enrollment policy at the meeting; members directed staff to continue data collection, the attendance committee work and to bring recommended metrics and potential strategic goals to the retreat.","Superintendent Kit Thompson told the board the district is down 267 students year over year and flagged attendance—districtwide rate 92.87%—as a key driver of long‑term outcomes; board members asked for better tracking of where students go and for enrollment to be a strategic goal.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6478257,"Votes at a glance: board approves agenda, agreements and consent items",5017,666000,5683000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51&start=666&end=5683","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5709319-09d647b4ece14e9bd0f086a995adff51/thumbnail_666000.jpg","/articles/6478257/South-Dakota/Votes-at-a-glance-board-approves-agenda-agreements-and-consent-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6478257-cfcd05237594b1f8a0f3d3a55a49f090/orig.mp4?Expires=1772866961&Signature=DAzLYake7dhdM-r-feDYNmU1nA3Bq3M1JaRbU6tEuzqVYjGoNAgAOj52-7HCD0vff5KHhfM44ZXFeH5tcpEYpzmZntVeAt3EK~L3ZEE9xLbEFeaApDcA~5SoGKKk5LjaEoGV6RooMKAB331KdV9s1Tjl4rQlQS5qozRQm~SGQeSQ9UIBiY3awF3baQBN1vnrhdY6YalNfHlGnksvuFtoVaoZ3QzzxHuKCnbh3hcGJeS7ef2e2Vzq6U2lB6Byr2f2WMzTUlK9NKB9UyV4j3DbhQqxdruvn1hCv6XvLAmNNEjlqPMq6jV2fI8eUY8oEZnpn1Ftv-ZsCyb7gowmt~s-EA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rapid City Area School District 51‑4 Board of Education took several routine procedural votes during the meeting.

• The board voted to approve the proposed meeting agenda as amended. The motion was moved and seconded; the board voice vote was recorded as “Aye” and the chair stated the motion carries.

• The board voted to approve proposed agreements (specific agreements not described in the transcript). The motion was moved, seconded, and approved by voice vote.

• The board voted to approve the consent agenda. The motion was moved, seconded, and approved by voice vote.

• The board voted to adjourn the meeting. The motion was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

The transcript does not list mover/seconder names tied to each procedural motion or a roll‑call vote tally; all three approvals were recorded by voice as carried.","During the regular meeting the Rapid City Area School District 51‑4 board approved the meeting agenda, several proposed agreements and the consent agenda; no roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board members return from conference with AI, early‑childhood and voucher takeaways; trustees discuss updating AI/cell‑phone policy

Board hears updates on Grandview, Stevens and Rapid Valley facilities projects; Rapid Valley design may near $15M

District finance director: FY2025 revenues, expenditures and cash positions reviewed; board hears state‑aid and capital outlay explanations

Rapid City Area Schools report 267‑student drop; district highlights attendance work and outreach

Votes at a glance: board approves agenda, agreements and consent items