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State proposes halving subsidy for high‑school dual credit; educators warn of cost shift to students and districts
Summary
The Department of Education recommended reducing the state share of dual‑credit tuition from 67% to 50% to save about $1.15 million; school administrators and education groups urged the committee to oppose the reduction or consider unintended consequences on access, district budgets and workforce development. The committee deferred action.
The Department of Education presented House Bill 10‑40, which would reduce the state's subsidy for high‑school dual‑credit courses (college or technical‑school credit taken while in high school) from the current 67% to 50%, shifting more cost to students, parents or local districts. Secretary of Education Joseph Graves said the change would save approximately $1,151,285 in the next fiscal year.
Graves and his staff told the committee the dual‑credit program is widely used — about 5,739 students participated last year — and that the program has been an effective incentive for juniors and seniors to complete college‑level courses. The proposal would leave the program in place with a smaller state subsidy; Graves said the department does not expect the smaller subsidy to materially reduce participation.
Education stakeholders pushed back. Diana Miller, representing a coalition of school groups, said the program is one of the state’s most successful K‑12‑to‑postsecondary transitions and warned the change would shift costs to families or to districts that currently underwrite students’ shared portion. Rob Munson of School Administrators of South Dakota described the program as an economic development tool that fast‑tracks students into the workforce and cautioned that reduced state support could strain small districts that use dual‑credit to cover teacher shortages.
Committee members asked for more data on how many districts pay the student portion on behalf of pupils; the Department of Education said it does not collect that information. The committee deferred the bill for additional review.
