The Senate Education Committee refused to advance a bill forcing certain state Opportunity Scholarship winners to stay in South Dakota for five years after they graduate from college. The funds go to students who meet certain requirements and take a challenging high school curriculum. State Senator Jason Frerichs is a sponsor of the measure; he says he knows Department of Education leaders will show concern over many more students taking lower-level courses and leaving South Dakota for undergraduate work. Frerichs disagrees.
He testified, "Think about those students who are 24 and above and are leaving the state. We don’t have to look any further to figure out, maybe they’re going to an Ivy League school; maybe they’re going to one of the wonderful academy for military service or wherever they’re going to. "They’re not going to short-change themselves—and reduce their requirements, they’re gonna want as many as they can get, because more than likely, some of those out-of-state universities will have just as stringent requirements. So I think that’s a relatively shallow argument."
Opponents include State Education Secretary Melody Schopp. She says the current Opportunity Scholarship program is working without any changes. Committee members voted to move the bill to the 41 st Day.