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Get involved in the Backpack Bill 

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Sign up here for action alerts as this bill moves through the legislature

Contact your legislators

Your voice matters. It's important to reach out to legislators and encourage their support. It's particularly powerful to reach out to your representatives.

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Find your legislators

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Contact the South Dakota Senate Education Committee

Bolin, Jim (R); 

Curd, R. Blake (R); 

Heinert, Troy (D); 

Schoenfish, Kyle (R); 

Smith, V. J. (R); 

Steinhauer, Wayne (R); 

Tobin, Erin (R)

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Contact the South Dakota Senate and House of Representatives

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Contact the South Dakota House Education Committee

Bartels, Hugh (R); 

Davis, Sydney (R); 

Dennert, Drew (R); 

Deutsch, Fred (R); 

Greenfield, Lana (R); 

Healy, Erin (D); 

Jensen, Phil (R); 

Keintz, Jennifer (D); 

Marty, Sam (R); 

Miskimins, Paul (R); 

Mortenson, Will (R); 

Odenbach, Scott (R); 

Peterson, Sue (R); 

Soye, Bethany (R); 

Stevens, Mike (R)

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about the bill

The Backpack Bill empowers families to choose the educational option that best meets their needs. The Backpack Bill ties state resources to the student so that South Dakota funds students and teachers, instead of buildings and bureaucrats.

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faqs

The Backpack Bill is an innovative funding mechanism for students that will provide a state-funded Educational Savings Account (ESA) to every South Dakota K-12 student who opts into the program. The student may use these ESA funds for authorized educational expenses, including tuition at a private school of their choice or homeschooling expenses.

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Click below to find out more about the Backpack Bill, what it is, why it's needed, how much money follows the child, if there is an income threshold, how it works for homeschooling, private or public school, and what happens to local property tax.

myths

Every child is unique, and families should be empowered to choose the best educational setting to meet their child’s needs. At the same time, the Backpack Bill ensures that South Dakota maintains strong funding for community and public schools.

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Click below for more details on dispelling backpack bill myths with facts and examples of school choice success.

research and facts

The overwhelming weight of research demonstrates a positive effect from school choice programs. Click below for a summary of much of the research and links to some of the actual studies.

get involved

Interested in helping pass the Backpack Bill? Click below for more information

action alerts

Click here to receive action alerts as the Backpack Bill moves through the legislature, and ways you can help

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