Members of the House Education Committee support a bill that prohibits minor boundary changes for one year, and establishes the school district boundary task force. Representative Herman Otten says it’s a process that keeps getting worked on every year. He says it’s time to address the issue.
“These issues, in my particular neck of the woods, is not slowing down,” Otten says. “As the city of Sioux Falls continues to grow and expand out into these outlying districts, we’re getting more and more border disputes. It’s harmful to the districts, it’s harmful to the students, it’s harmful to the people buying these houses in there, and we just think it’s time to stand back and look at the situation and see if we can find a better process.”
Senate Bill 134 establishes a nine member task force to examine existing boundaries and recommend possible changes. It will also recommend a process for addressing minor boundary changes in the future. The measure was amended to say that the Department of Education will fund the study. Senate Bill 134 passed through committee with a vote of 14 to zero.