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Board of Technical Education seeks equipment funding, warns of M&R cut impacts and outlines enrollment goals
Summary
Board and technical college presidents presented FY2026 requests including a 1.25% per-student allocation increase, concern over a proposed cut to maintenance-and-repair funding, one-time equipment funding bill (HB1114) and a separate bill (HB1110) to buy a health-simulation center.
The South Dakota Board of Technical Education and leaders from the state—s four technical colleges presented requested FY2026 appropriations and system priorities, telling the Joint Committee on Appropriations they want to grow graduate output and maintain campuses and equipment.
Nick Wendel, executive director of the Board of Technical Education, said the technical college system produced 2,464 graduates in academic year 2023-24 and reported a full-time-equivalent (FTE) head count of 5,758. "We have a goal to produce more than 3,000 graduates per year by the end of the decade," Wendel said, adding that 2023 cohort placement outcomes exceeded 99 percent for employment, continuing education or military service within six months of graduation.
Wendel asked the committee to approve a 1.25% inflationary increase to the…
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