State aid study task force to meet in September

State aid study task force to meet in September The first meeting of the State Aid Study Task Force has been set for Sept. 6-7 at the Ramkota in Pierre. The task force was formed in accordance with a new law that charges the South Dakota Department of Education with reviewing the current K-12 education funding formula.

�We are anxious to begin reviewing the funding formula and to talk about all of the issues related to school funding,� said Dr. Rick Melmer, secretary of the South Dakota Department of Education. �Our ultimate goal is to offer a long-term plan that ensures appropriate funding to schools and also ensures that our resources are being used as efficiently as possible.�

The State Aid Study Task Force is charged with advising the Department of Education as it conducts the review.

A list of task force members appears below.

Legislators: Sen. Julie Bartling, Burke; Sen. Eric Bogue, Faith; Rep. Tom Deadrick, Platte; Rep. Paul Dennert, Columbia; Rep. Clayton Halverson, Veblen; Rep. Phyllis Heineman, Sioux Falls; Sen. Dave Knudson, Sioux Falls; Rep. Ed McLaughlin, Rapid City; Sen. Ed Olson, Mitchell.

Superintendents: Julie Ertz, New Underwood; Tom Oster, Avon; John Pedersen, Pierre.

Business managers: Merna Bye, Corsica; Rick Hohn, Watertown; Anita Stugelmeyer, Lemmon.

School board members: LeRoy Helwig, Sisseton and Hank Kosters, Associated School Boards of South Dakota.

State board of education members: Jan Nicolay, Chester and Roger Porch, Philip.

Business leaders: Christine Hamilton, Kimball; Mike Huether, Sioux Falls; Al Kurtenbach, Brookings; Brad Wheeler, Lemmon.

State government: Dale Bertsch, Governor�s Office; Tamara Darnall, Bureau of Finance and Management; Jason Dilges, Bureau of Finance and Management; Stacy Krusemark, Office of Finance and Management, Department of Education; Rick Melmer, Secretary, Department of Education; Colleen Skinner, Department of Revenue and Regulation; Susan Woodmansey, Office of Finance and Management, Department of Education; Mark Zickrick, Legislative Research Council.