As Taxpayers Struggle, Legislators Continue to Support a $1.6 Billion/year Failure

Why aren't we working together toward a solution?

The numbers are staggering. We are burning through $1.6 billion for K-12 education each year and most of our kids are not at grade level in math and reading (and performance keeps dropping). In any other industry, that would be failure.

To make matters worse, 56% of our property taxes (collected by the counties) and about 29% of the state budget are going to support these failing K-12 schools (see page 9 for total state budget, note that the pie graph is not correct — school budget). Families, retirees, and veterans are feeling the squeeze and are crying out for help.

When things get this bad, regardless of what the lobbyists and the corporate welfare artists want, we have no choice but to change.

Strangely, many legislators (see the list below) appear to be working together to kill every K-12 education reform bill. And worst of all, they refuse to come up with any real alternatives that control costs and improve quality.

Is it because their corporate donors want to continue shifting the education costs (and childcare) for their foreign workers to the taxpayers? Is it because they haven’t reviewed the financial data? Are they so out of touch with their constituents that they don’t know that their constituents want to pay less money in taxes and the only way to get less taxes is to control education spending?

The results of the only education reform bill, HB1185, that made it to the House floor are included below. The rest of the bills were killed in the Education Committee. The votes on this bill give us a pretty good idea of who wants to continue spending $1.6 billion per year to support a failing model (increasing costs and dropping performance).

Maybe this list of legislators does not accurately reflect every legislator’s willingness to consider change. If not, it would be nice to hear suggestions on how we control costs and improve quality.

Some legislators put forth bills for education savings account systems to encourage competition and inspire better performance (HB1009 and HB1020 — both killed in the Education Committee). Other people have suggested reducing the age of compulsory education so children who prefer to follow a non-academic track can leave school earlier (age 14 or 16). Others suggest we make corporations cover the full educational cost for the children of foreign workers. And some have suggested we reduce the amount of money we spend on buildings and eliminate non-critical subjects. Another suggestion is to eliminate the vaccine pressure so less children have vaccine induced health issues. This way children would be better able to focus and learn.

What else should we consider? How are we going to get change before the tax load makes it impossible for our citizens?

These legislators appear to be IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING TO WASTE $1.6 BILLION PER YEAR on a failing education model.

Education Committee Members (responsible for killing or changing reform bills so they are ineffective)
Arlint, Amber.Arlint@sdlegislature.gov
DeGroot, Roger.DeGroot@sdlegislature.gov
Greenfield, Lana.Greenfield@sdlegislature.gov
Halverson, Jim.Halverson@sdlegislature.gov
Heermann, Mellissa.Heermann@sdlegislature.gov
Stevens, Mike.Stevens@sdlegislature.gov
Uhre-Balk, Nicole.Uhre-Balk@sdlegislature.gov

Legislative Body
Andera, Bobbi.Andera@sdlegislature.gov
Bathke, Jeff.Bathke@sdlegislature.gov
Bahmuller, Jessica.Bahmuller@sdlegislature.gov
Derby, Mike.Derby@sdlegislature.gov
Emery, Eric.Emery@sdlegislature.gov
Goodwin, Tim.Goodwin@sdlegislature.gov
Healy, Erin.Healy@sdlegislature.gov
Jamison, Greg.Jamison@sdlegislature.gov
Jorgenson, Terri.Jorgenson@sdlegislature.gov
Kassin, Chris.Kassin@sdlegislature.gov
Kohlbeck (Jack), Jack.Kolbeck@sdlegislature.gov
Kull, David.Kull@sdlegislature.gov
Ladner, Trish.Ladner@sdlegislature.gov
Massie, Curt.Massie@sdlegislature.gov
Moore, Scott.Moore@sdlegislature.gov
Mortenson, Will.Mortenson@sdlegislature.gov
Muckey, Erik.Muckey@sdlegislature.gov
Nolz, Kaley.Nolz@sdlegislature.gov
Peterson (Drew), Drew.Peterson@sdlegislature.gov
Pourier, Peri.Pourier@sdlegislature.gov
Rehfelt, Taylor.Rehfeldt@sdlegislature.gov
Reimer, Rebecca.Reimer@sdlegislature.gov
Reisch, Tim.Reisch@sdlegislature.gov
Roby, Matt.Roby@sdlegislature.gov
Roe, Kent.Roe@sdlegislature.gov
Shorma, William.Shorma@sdlegislature.gov
Van Diepen, Kevin.VanDiepen@sdlegislature.gov
Vasgaard, Richard.Vasgaard@sdlegislature.gov
Walberg, Tim.Walburg@sdlegislature.gov
Weems, Keri.Weems@SDLegislature.gov
Weisgram, Mike.Weisgram@sdlegislature.gov
Whittman, Kadyn.Wittman@sdlegislature.gov