1 min read

Democrats Press For Education, Teacher Pay As Priorities

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Democrats are urging Republican lawmakers and Gov. Dennis Daugaard to take on education funding and teacher pay as a key focus for the next legislative session.

Assistant House Minority Leader Julie Bartling pressed her colleagues on Friday to recognize the issues as necessities like the road and bridge funding hike lawmakers passed this session.

Bartling says other lawmakers seemed to like her message.

The state budget the Legislature passed on Friday for the upcoming budget year provides for a 2 percent increase in state aid for education, which is a bump above the statutory requirement to keep up with inflation.

GOP lawmakers point to an education task force Daugaard and Republicans unveiled in February to evaluate the issue ahead of next year’s session.