House approves bill to require South Dakota Indian studies for all certified educators

PIERRE — The South Dakota House voted to pass House Bill 1002, which amends state law to require that all certified educators complete a course in South Dakota Indian studies and moves that requirement from administrative rules into statute.

Representative De Groot, the bill’s sponsor, said the change amends South Dakota Codified Law 13-1-48 by replacing language that applied to "any teacher" with language covering "all certified educators," which will include administrators. "This is an easy, short cleanup bill and I'm asking for your favorable consideration," De Groot said.

Supporters said the bill closes a compliance gap by catching certified staff who trained out of state and ensuring the state’s Indian-studies standard applies uniformly. Representative Emmering argued the requirement respects the history and communities of the state, noting "the land that we are on is home of the Oceti Sakowin," and said the course helps educators understand local Native American communities.

Opponents raised concerns about the bill’s breadth and potential burden on school systems. Representative Manhart asked, "What defines an educator?" and said changing the phrase to "all certified educators" could be vague and expand obligations beyond classroom teachers. Several members noted existing teacher shortages and questioned whether the requirement — which Representative De Groot said would be borne by the person taking the course — would discourage applicants. Representative Malawi (Root) objected to codifying what had been an administrative rule into statute, saying departments should follow law rather than using rules as a backdoor to change policy.

Representative De Groot said the course historically was required of teachers and that administrators who previously took it under older rules already meet the requirement; the change is intended to ensure incoming or out-of-state certified educators complete the state-specific course.

After debate, the House passed House Bill 1002 on final passage. The clerk reported 54 ayes, 12 nays and 3 excused.

The bill text makes the change to South Dakota Codified Law 13-1-48 and does not specify funding to cover course costs for districts or employers; Representative De Groot said individuals bear responsibility for taking the course. Implementation details, including who pays for coursework or whether districts will adopt reimbursement policies, were not specified during floor remarks.