Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Dual Credit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate approves change to state subsidy for high school dual‑credit program, shifting costs to students
Summary
The Senate voted to change the state's share of high-school dual‑credit tuition from roughly two-thirds to a 50/50 split with students, freeing about $956,000 in ongoing funds, supporters said.
The South Dakota Senate on March 6 approved House Bill 10-40, a measure that reduces the state's subsidy for a subsidized high-school dual‑credit program and shifts a larger share of per-credit cost to students.
Senator Carr, speaking for the bill, said the state had initially paid two-thirds of the $157.12 per credit rate to help the program launch and that the program is now established. "With the current budget situation, we're looking at, what this bill does ... is moving that share to a fiftyfifty proposition," Carr said. He said the change would free about $956,000 in ongoing general funds for other priorities.
Opponents, including Senator Roll and others who described personal experience with the program, said increasing student costs could disproportionately affect low‑income families and reduce access. "This is a tax increase on families that have kids that are going to higher education," Roll said, warning that for some families the additional cost would prompt them to decline participation.
Supporters in the chamber, including members who benefitted from the program, emphasized it would remain available and that the split change would preserve the program while helping the budget. Senator Voigt called it "a win win" for motivated students and for schools that lack in‑house advanced courses.
Senate debate focused on the program's effectiveness, equity concerns for low‑income students, and broader budget tradeoffs. The roll call recorded 23 ayes and 11 nays with one excused; the bill passed and was declared adopted.
The bill changes the state share of the per‑credit cost from the larger subsidy to a 50 percent subsidy matched by students; the exact student charge per credit will be calculated under the program's existing processes. The Senate record shows appropriators argued the ongoing savings were needed to fund other priorities such as teacher pay, Medicaid providers and other state services.
Senate action on House Bill 10-40 was a final passage vote of a bill previously placed on the day's calendar.
