Voucher measure fails, but school officials put on defensive

Student proficiency ratings in reading, math questioned

Where other state education lobbies have failed, South Dakota’s have prevailed.

And they prevailed again Wednesday over a proposal that would have introduced taxpayer funded vouchers to South Dakota. Those vouchers would have enabled parents to receive money for accredited private schools equal to what the state pays for each student, which is expected to be about $7,000 next year.

But while the bill, sponsored by Rep. Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, failed 11-4 in the House Education Committee, there was a different feel to Wednesday’s defeat. As if momentum shifted.

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