Education in South Dakota is drastically underfunded.  Because of this our students are not getting the best possible education and we have the lowest teacher wages in the nation.  Education must be looked at as an investment instead of an expense.  

If we want the economy of South Dakota to grow, we must give our young people the skills they need to compete in the 21st century.  The percentage of the state general fund invested in education has decreased from approximately 38% in 1995 to around 30% today.  This is unacceptable. 

For next year, schools are not being given an increase in funding as mandated by law.  In fact, on the same day the legislature cut $3.5 million from education funding they gave $17.5 million dollars to TransCanada in the form of a tax rebate. I don’t think anyone building a pipeline from Canada to Texas would go around South Dakota.  Why support them at the expense of our students?

It’s time for the legislature to make adequate funding of education a priority.  As a high school teacher and a coach, I work with young people every day and I see the pressures they are facing and I know we could do a better job with more funds.  That’s why it is imperative that we must reign in out of control state spending and reduce the size of state government so we can increase our investment in education without increasing the tax burden of South Dakotans.  It can be done, but not by maintaining the status quo.  It’s time to invest in the future of our young people and economic development by investing in education.