What is Accountability for Teacher Compensation?
Following the passage of HB 1182, SB 131, and SB 133 in 2016, accountabilities were created to ensure funds are distributed by the district to the employees that the Legislature intends the money to go towards. The accountability thresholds have varied from year to year depending on legislative action.
Since 2016 school districts that receive state aid to education were required to report its average teacher compensation to the School Finance Accountability Board. After demonstrating that 85 percent of the initial increase was targeted to teacher salaries, school districts were SIMPLY required to maintain an average teacher compensation level at or above their FY 2017 benchmark to avoid penalties. If a district fell below 2017- it risked losing a portion of its state aid funding. It should be noted that “teacher compensation” for accountability purposes is the total salaries and benefits the teachers in a district receive.
The accountability for FY19-FY24 is established by Statute 13-13-73.6. The average total compensation for districts cannot fall below the average total compensation in FY2017. For information on district accountability targets, visit: https://doe.sd.gov/legislature/documents/2023/22-TeacherComp.xlsx
For additional information on the law established in 2016, and how that law has impacted the district funding formula, reserve fund balances, pension levy, capital outlay flexibility, and local effort revenues, visit: https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/13-13-73.6
SDEA VESi Online Course Offerings
Three Online Graduate Courses. Up to nine credits for $275 TOTAL!
South Dakota Education Association (SDEA) has partnered with Augustana University and VESi to offer members a yearly subscription to online graduate courses for $275 per year. You can enroll in one course per term or two courses during the summer (if you skip fall or spring), for a total of 3 courses per year.
