[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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],{"_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",6468442,"mediaKeyId","5782159-b1de71b85272da18c695a7c67872add4","parentId",5782159,"title","District leaders outline academic goals, literacy framework and assessment‑literacy plans","audioSeconds",784,"startMs",2101000,"endMs",2885000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782159-b1de71b85272da18c695a7c67872add4&start=2101&end=2885","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782159-b1de71b85272da18c695a7c67872add4/thumbnail_2101000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6468442/South-Dakota/District-leaders-outline-academic-goals-literacy-framework-and-assessmentliteracy-plans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6468442-12372f585aaec5917c3f9d3fbe16fe38/orig.mp4?Expires=1774930220&Signature=JFCa5FAFuhl8H4Xj0A4qlZ-3l3QJ-7K6UmNL-IpUD1prcRR86MTGKERNAI4rflTU161ls-J7YiZiSOQav5Me4awiG8m0B6UO4wB1bgkN0WdavnmbhehjdNoKcaSxsBVUmpAwkNEUyOjGr0QP-BSOgJ-uQzX9s9V-sRqB4Y9aST~bUfjLLGlh2IPZwgwsRuB35y3M4wj1cZokMpr7PXAWLlahJtzIyX~fhu9NnELBBuU5PaHdOGsLT0pW0YDBZHJqcyLy1gYv5tYVCjyu87MtfKrb5s0faIfxIj3fj0i7b0xgZHJOlOhq-RrHCHFrQKn2JIQ-PiwA6pXOh93MfXppRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tea Area","date","2025-09-16T11:59:38Z","article","Administrators and building principals described district and school‑level goals intended to accelerate student learning, strengthen professional learning communities and improve assessment literacy across the district.

Presenters described school‑level targets tied to NWEA percentile goals and South Dakota summative proficiency rates. Example targets cited: at Frontier, kindergarten fall/winter math goal benchmarks and overall NWEA/grade proficiency checks (district presenters gave grade‑by‑grade percent targets for reading and math); Legacy’s plan set K–2 NWEA percentile targets and summative proficiency goals for third through fifth grades; Venture and the middle school presented similar grade‑level targets and short‑cycle measures (quick checks and topic assessments) intended to produce consistent progress. Middle‑school presenters emphasized student goal setting after NWEA administrations and use of interim assessment blocks to familiarize students with state test formats.

District instructional leaders said they will continue to staff and rely on CSI coaches who attend PLCs and help teachers analyze dashboards and common assessment data. Building plans incorporate short‑cycle monitoring: teachers will use quick checks (target 4 out of 5) and topic assessments (target 80%+ accuracy) as leading indicators toward winter and spring summative goals. Several principals described using ESGI in early grades and UFLI in K–1 implementation; the high school described transition planning for the new ACT format and a national ACT training the district will host in October.

District leadership said it is developing a Tea Area literacy framework to support fidelity of the K–12 ELA curriculum the board recently approved for a seven‑year implementation window. Presenters emphasized that assessment literacy — ensuring teachers and students understand the purpose of assessments and how to use results to set actionable goals — will be a district priority, measured through observation and PLC artifacts.

Special education leadership described tiered supports and a \"side‑by‑side\" curriculum approach for students who are close to grade level to accelerate access to general curriculum; staff reported improved parent survey response rates for special education (increase from about 20% to about 39%) and a satisfaction rate near 95% on the survey results presented.

Administrators asked the board to note that goal setting, PDSA cycles and data dashboards are central to the district’s continuous improvement work and to upcoming professional development events.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education 2025-2026","oneSentenceSummary","Principals and district instructional leaders presented measurable NWEA and state assessment targets, PLC and coaching supports, and plans to develop a district literacy framework and increase assessment literacy as the district implements a new K–12 ELA curriculum.","taxTitle","Tea Area School District 41-5, School Districts, South Dakota","taxId",66010,"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},6468447,"Board hears construction progress at high school and updates on bus barn and middle‑school land purchase",327,1462000,1789000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782159-b1de71b85272da18c695a7c67872add4&start=1462&end=1789","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782159-b1de71b85272da18c695a7c67872add4/thumbnail_1462000.jpg","/articles/6468447/South-Dakota/Board-hears-construction-progress-at-high-school-and-updates-on-bus-barn-and-middleschool-land-purchase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6468447-28b3450f646c154af2cd77b8be4c8934/orig.mp4?Expires=1774930220&Signature=Dy-X3zJf4elA-tRZntrLEJDdHWPqDCf9UrjAaEdo7mCU5Is0K9dmY6L3FsiwfdWBrLbHhLkLNrsJvDt-2PL8wz6iJuknmK1Gyvv0D9NL2X4-v1WsVgHm0Fnm1F~WkVJ9y2LUtrLpnKZuW6~uYbTYSGKh5k~Le4GOwSzgM4Tf-5F7eIAv1lX-S-HQsvH586uQie95HFPkoNC464uoJgK3JNlliacquIH1Wa2dAIziyFfh68kqGiuKgyHeDuVa7aPRTTYG-hgu4m9ySjxcxzLPKN0YPF~zJFs9eJJrT5YfNkLM4z1YsCUMawKmqO-B1XMJeCIYxesk8mpKaKxnAg3Iyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Operations staff reported progress and remaining work on multiple district construction and grounds projects.

At the new high school, staff said most systems are operational: parking‑lot lighting is installed, the elevator is working, donor plaques and legacy walls are in place, carpet and flooring are complete, and band/vocal sound issues have been corrected. Staff said remaining punch‑list items include installation of the back stage curtain, completion of an archway trophy case, permanent mechanical‑room lighting, and HVAC control programming; the engineering firm IMAG was scheduled to return to commission the building and turn controls over to district staff. Staff said they hope to substantially complete outstanding items by the end of the month.

The operations report said the bus barn (operations shop) has doors and windows installed and mechanical rough‑ins completed; electricians and plumbers will finish final work after interior finishes and the concrete valley gutter are completed. Staff projected the bus barn could be substantially complete by early October.

A new bus drop‑off area at Frontier was used for the first time on the first day of school; landscaping and lighting work remain. Legacy Gym’s replacement AC unit arrived the day of the meeting and installation work was starting.

On the planned middle‑school site purchase, staff said they are awaiting city approval of a minor plat and completing a title search. Soil borings and a survey are scheduled once harvest (soybean) operations in the field are finished. Staff said roughly 10% of the parcel includes a low/wet area and that detention/runoff needs can likely be incorporated into the site plan.

Board members asked when punch‑list and closeout activities would be finished; operations staff projected completion timelines by the end of the month for the high‑school items and by early October for the bus‑barn work. Staff also noted continuing coordination with architects and engineers for training and system commissioning.","District operations staff updated trustees on high school punch‑list items, bus‑barn progress, Frontier bus drop use, Legacy Gym AC delivery, and a pending minor plat and title work for planned middle‑school property acquisition.",{"_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},6468452,"Tea Area board approves FY26 budget resolution, accepts annual report and several personnel and surplus items",379,901000,1280000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782159-b1de71b85272da18c695a7c67872add4&start=901&end=1280","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782159-b1de71b85272da18c695a7c67872add4/thumbnail_901000.jpg","/articles/6468452/South-Dakota/Tea-Area-board-approves-FY26-budget-resolution-accepts-annual-report-and-several-personnel-and-surplus-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6468452-c9d9e9e4a9d2b12338691f6ea47c6cc8/orig.mp4?Expires=1774930220&Signature=YcPYk0G01mHhA9973DxxrnVAC9J8BqDqHR7rvjqgs1QA57jqsOipQc8-d6K9j-xv8g8pv7OH4kESUOLxt1fQL7wNwxJuiSaGw-qIN-LvAxvNG-l2MtqgCADf-y4HfI4-J5ds340rq6Ria59gWgkzfMIpnAk1U6cpRDSifLiowfiYw4N7TZV9LMP~aeY7PwQeYHCZJeS0uFrdA9~65KrrxIcDqceMVTJraIPrLOphBmwRdltrUy48c3CPlaULNK6OvYB57HNR7N9Lkq8uI8YNCOi-pd9plbtlLL9iHt4F~DKjdE3OaB58dEyOYtvm~Owqv0Zcj-1mRvOPRpTsIEi8-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tea Area School District Board of Education approved the district’s final fiscal year 2026 budget resolution and took a series of routine approvals including the FY25 annual fiscal report, surplus property dispositions and multiple personnel actions, the business manager reported and the board voted.

Business staff told trustees the final FY26 budget reflects a smaller enrollment than expected. The district had budgeted growth of 25 students (from a base of 2,537), which would have reached 2,562; instead, staff reported enrollment at 2,543 (a net growth of six students relative to last year’s base). To address the revenue shortfall and insurance adjustments, the district plans to apply about $400,000 of fund balance in FY26. The business manager noted the district ended FY25 with an $800,000 increase in fund balance and said she was not concerned about the drawdown.

The board was also told the bond levy decreased by 24 cents this year and total valuation growth was reported at 8.96%. The district’s taxable valuation remains split roughly 75% Lincoln County and 25% Minnehaha County.

The board voted by roll call to adopt the budget resolution. Board members answering during the roll call included Johannessen (aye), Bennett (aye), Bridal (aye) and Meyer (aye). Several other routine motions (consent agenda approval, acceptance of the FY25 annual fiscal report submission to the South Dakota Department of Education, surplus declarations, and approvals of resignations and hires) were approved by voice votes; no opposition was recorded in the transcript.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to add executive session (personnel 1‑25‑2.1): passed (voice vote).
- Motion to approve amended agenda: passed (voice vote).
- Consent agenda (minutes, bills, financials): passed (voice vote).
- FY26 budget resolution (final adoption): passed (roll call; recorded ayes: Johannessen, Bennett, Bridal, Meyer).
- Acceptance/submission of FY25 annual fiscal report to the South Dakota Department of Education: passed (voice vote).
- Surplus property (choir robes, athletic complex lights, technology equipment): passed (voice vote).
- Resignations and new hires as presented: passed (voice vote).
- Administrative rule waivers for three long‑term substitutes (Tyler Schwartz — middle school science; John Neeson — high school math; Tom Walder — Connections Academy): each passed (voice vote).

Board members asked questions during the financial report about enrollment trends and said the business manager will report enrollment at upcoming superintendent meetings. The motion to adopt the budget resolution will be forwarded to county auditors as required by state procedure.","The board approved the district’s final FY26 budget resolution with a planned $400,000 draw from fund balance to cover lower‑than‑expected enrollment growth, accepted the FY25 annual fiscal report, and approved surplus and personnel items. Trustees conducted a roll call on the budget resolution.",{"_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},6468457,"Tea Area presents summer 'Ready to Start' and Frontier bridge programs; early assessments show strong gains",438,245000,683000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782159-b1de71b85272da18c695a7c67872add4&start=245&end=683","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782159-b1de71b85272da18c695a7c67872add4/thumbnail_245000.jpg","/articles/6468457/South-Dakota/Tea-Area-presents-summer-Ready-to-Start-and-Frontier-bridge-programs-early-assessments-show-strong-gains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6468457-0d30fa945d733dde7d293f1c0ba8540e/orig.mp4?Expires=1774930220&Signature=hx84GDY9rPKBdg3AZjGpN9iyxwjima76G7z0WRuGayFyKuWk2xAxO2kWdMo-HnSZ0IdUMho5iXEas~18Sg6bRh-off8OURQ4AhpmtaAne2ob-I0Dhl7T2E~7jujyyL54RCyJXAavdREgTptSTV-oF0HElZtxGHtYBHNOYFLMlzPjhyvcKoFAVXLRul4yF-q1UHSzi9zN06UWAanAL1FCR0cIfZjR~i45GRNR9VmcAdmWFr6zIGzG1sR0zS97wv~1A2sFj7tNng9j4eZv1iKon0ZH70Fbe14MkiWcQ7mwDRn9u3qF9JlsQ533gvFLUr25Ny5D~YPZG49L50pE7B66Zw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tea Area School District administrators and teachers reported that the district’s Ready to Start summer program and a new Frontier bridge program produced measurable gains in early literacy and numeracy, district staff said.

Administrators said Ready to Start enrolled 41 students this summer in three 15‑student classrooms and ran 20 four‑hour days (five weeks, Monday–Thursday). Staff presented pre/post classroom assessment data showing growth in early math and phonics skills: one‑to‑one counting rose from about 50% on the pretest to 100% on the posttest; writing numbers to 10 rose from roughly 3% to 83%; letter‑sound knowledge increased from about 30% to 83%; name‑writing rose from about 10% to 90%. District presenters also reported that fall NWEA checks found 69% of participating students at grade level in math and 83% at grade level in reading.

Frontier’s bridge program targeted students entering first grade. Teachers said 15 students participated (attrition from additional interest was blamed on summer busing issues). Teachers reported consonant sound skills rose near 100% and vowel‑sound accuracy climbed from about 66% to roughly 92%, and noted that access to the UFLI curriculum in summer allowed students to begin first grade with exposure to the same program used during the school year.

District presenters emphasized that both programs operate outside the regular operating budget. Ready to Start is funded through a United Way grant, and the Frontier bridge program is funded through Title I federal funds, presenters said. Staff said those grant sources covered teacher stipends, instructional materials and transportation.

District staff said there is no plan at this time to expand Ready to Start beyond three classrooms; expansion would be requested from United Way only after the district consistently fills existing classrooms. The bridge program’s presenters said they plan to continue the kindergarten→first‑grade model at Frontier next summer and hope to pilot a first→second‑grade bridge if Title I funding and transportation permit.

Presenters credited consistent staffing and ongoing data checks during the summer for the programs’ results and asked the board to note the programs’ reliance on outside grants rather than the district’s regular budget.","District staff reported outcomes from the Ready to Start kindergarten readiness program and a Frontier kindergarten→first-grade bridge program: both were grant-funded and produced measurable pre/post gains on classroom assessments and NWEA checks.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District leaders outline academic goals, literacy framework and assessment‑literacy plans

Board hears construction progress at high school and updates on bus barn and middle‑school land purchase

Tea Area board approves FY26 budget resolution, accepts annual report and several personnel and surplus items

Tea Area presents summer 'Ready to Start' and Frontier bridge programs; early assessments show strong gains