2024 South Dakota Legislature

Senate Bill 1

ENROLLED

An Act

ENTITLED An Act to expand eligibility for the reduced tuition benefit for certain school district and Head Start employees at Board of Regents institutions to school counselors.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:

Section 1. That   13-55-24 be AMENDED:

13-55-24. A teacher, vocational instructor, or school counselor, who meets the requirements of   13-55-27 and section 5 of this Act, and all of the requirements for admission, may attend and pursue any undergraduate or graduate course in any institution under the control and management of the Board of Regents upon the payment of fifty percent of tuition and one hundred percent of required fees. If the teacher, vocational instructor, or school counselor enrolls in a distance education course under the control and management of the Board of Regents or other course under the control and management of the Board of Regents that is not subsidized by the general fund, the teacher, instructor, or counselor is entitled to a benefit of fifty percent of the tuition to be paid to the institution by the Board of Regents based on the in-state resident tuition rate.

The Board of Regents shall maintain an annual record of the number of participants and the tuition dollar value of such participation.

Section 2. That   13-55-25 be AMENDED:

13-55-25. A teacher, vocational instructor, or school counselor is eligible for the reduced tuition amount provided for in   13-55-24 for a maximum of six credit hours per year.

Section 3. That   13-55-26 be AMENDED:

13-55-26. The right of any teacher, vocational instructor, or school counselor to participate in the reduced tuition program under    13-55-24 to 13-5-28, inclusive, is limited to the space available, as determined by the course instructor, in any course, after all of the full‑time or full tuition paying students have registered.

Section 4. That   13-55-27 be AMENDED:

13-55-27. To be eligible for the reduced tuition benefit under    13-55-24 to 13-55-28, inclusive, an individual must:

(1) Be a bona fide resident of the state;

(2) Be employed or contracted by a school district or Head Start program in this state as a:

(a) Teacher;

(b) Vocational instructor; or

(c) School counselor; and

(3) Be required by state law, administrative rules, or an employment contract to attend college:

(a) As a condition of employment;

(b) To maintain a certificate to teach; or

(c) To maintain certification as a school counselor.

To remain eligible, an individual must earn an average academic grade of 3.0 or better in any course the tuition benefit is used for.

Section 5. That chapter 13-55 be amended with a NEW SECTION:

To apply for the reduced tuition benefit, a teacher, vocational instructor, or school counselor shall:

(1) Submit an application, developed by the Board of Regents, to the institution at which the individual intends to register for the course; and

(2) Present certification, with the application, from the individual's employer that the individual meets the eligibility requirements of   13-55-27.

Section 6. That   13-55-28 be AMENDED:

13-55-28. No benefits may accrue under    13-55-24 to 13-55-27, inclusive, and section 5 of this Act, if a teacher, vocational instructor, or school counselor is entitled to other reduced tuition benefits by law.

An Act to expand eligibility for the reduced tuition benefit for certain school district and Head Start employees at Board of Regents institutions to school counselors.

I certify that the attached Act originated in the:

Senate as Bill No. 1

Secretary of the Senate

President of the Senate

Attest:

Secretary of the Senate

Speaker of the House

Attest:

Chief Clerk

Senate Bill No. 1

File No. ____

Chapter No. ______

Received at this Executive Office

this _____ day of _____________,

2024 at ____________M.

By

for the Governor

The attached Act is hereby

approved this ________ day of

______________, A.D., 2024

Governor

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA,

ss.

Office of the Secretary of State

Filed ____________, 2024

at _________ o'clock __M.