Five members of the Senate Education Committee voted Tuesday morning to advance a bill that could make it easier for 16- and 17-year-olds to get out of high school sooner by being excused or withdrawing.
Sen. Michael Rohl, R-Aberdeen, introduced Senate Bill 71 that would let 17-year-olds withdraw from school if they have the written consent of a parent. SB 71 also would let 16-year-olds enrolled in a school-based or school-contracted high school equivalency test preparation program take the high school equivalency test to earn a GED diploma if the teenager has one of the following:
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The written consent of a parent, guardian or other custodian.
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Verification from a school administrator that they won’t graduate with their cohort because of a credit deficiency.
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Authorization from a court services officer.
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A court order requiring them to enter the program.
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Verification that they’re under the direction of the Department of Corrections.
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Verification that they’re enrolled in the Job Corps.
The bill states that any child at least 16 who completes the high school equivalency test preparation program may take the test after, and if they don’t complete the test, they shall re-enroll in their school district unless they’ve withdrawn.
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Rohl said he brought the bill after hearing from a superintendent in his district who said this was one of the most important topics affecting one of his schools.
He added that he views education as a three-legged race where one leg is the student, another is the parent and the third is the educator, and said sometimes the educator is left “hopping” by themselves.
Rohl said he’s always valued education as it’s an important foundation to building a life but “part of wanting to pursue education, is wanting to pursue education.” He said if a family is structured in a way that they don’t value education, or if a parent doesn’t think there’s value in it, it’s not right for the state to tell parents how to raise their kids or to chart a path for them.
The only other proponent was Don Haggar, a lobbyist for Americans for Prosperity, who said his organization is passionate about education, and that every child deserves an educational opportunity that fits them and their full potential. He said SB 71 brings parents into the picture for decision-making on that, who know if the classroom isn’t right for their child at that age.
Opponents included education lobbyists Sandra Waltman with the South Dakota Education Association, Sam Nelson for the Sioux Falls School District, and Heath Larson with Associated School Boards of South Dakota.
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Waltman said she fundamentally believes students need to stay in school until they graduate, and that dropouts are costly for society. She said SB 71 might help some students but she wanted to make sure those students have “keys to success.”
Nelson said he wanted the bill to clarify that school districts aren’t responsible for students in any way, shape or form going forward if they drop out of high school. Larson said there’s already GED waivers in statute for 16- and 17-year-olds.
Sens. Sam Marty, R-Prairie City, Lauren Nelson, R-Yankton, Sue Peterson, R-Sioux Falls, Kyle Schoenfish, R-Scotland, and Curt Voight, R-Rapid City voted in favor of SB 71, while Sens. Stephanie Sauder, R-Bryant, and Jamie Smith, D-Sioux Falls, voted against it.
Peterson said forcing students who aren’t going to graduate to sit in high school classes for another year or two isn’t helpful to them, their peers or their teachers. She said she liked that the bill provided alternatives for those students. Nelson also said this gives students who are ready to “get out into the world” or the workforce more options.
Smith said he voted against the bill because “every kid we can catch, we should,” meaning the state should work to get as many students to graduate high school as possible. He noted school districts can educate students until they’re 21.
“There are super seniors every year who finally figure out they need a degree,” Smith said. “Something clicks. Let’s not give up on them.”
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Committee OKs bill easing high school dropout for 16-, 17-year-olds