Department of Education outlines FY2026 budget, highlights literacy grant and teacher-recruitment efforts

The South Dakota Department of Education on Monday presented its governor—s FY2026 budget recommendation and a package of initiatives focused on literacy, teacher recruitment and retention, social studies implementation and student engagement.

Secretary of Education Joseph Graves told the Joint Committee on Appropriations the total recommended DOE budget is about $1.013 billion, most of which passes through to districts; the agency—s operating budget is roughly $47 million.

Graves highlighted the department—s statewide literacy work grounded in the Science of Reading (SOR). "Literacy is the foundation for all learning," Secretary Graves said, describing SOR as a five-part approach that emphasizes phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. The department said a federal award totaling roughly $54 million will support local district implementation; DOE requested about $13.275 million in federal authority for year two of that grant and noted the state previously provided $6 million to support teacher training.

The presentation covered several other priorities: a request for a 1.25% inflationary increase to K-12 state aid and several…