A child of compulsory school age who has successfully completed the first eight grades is excused from compulsory school attendance under § 13-27-1 if: (1) The child or the parents of the child are members of a recognized church or religious denomination that objects to the regular public high school education; and (2) The recognized church or religious denomination either individually or in cooperation with another recognized church or religious denomin...

South Dakota’s multi-stage licensing process allows teens to gradually gain exposure to complex driving situations, easing them into driving over an extended period of time. The instruction and restricted minor permit stages are key steps.

All applications for excuse from school attendance shall be on a standard form acknowledged before a notary or two witnesses. The form shall be provided by the secretary of the Department of Education. If the application is granted, a certificate of excuse also provided by the secretary of the Department of Education shall be issued by the president of the school board having jurisdiction over the district in which the child has school residence. The certificate of excuse shall be for a period n...

This form is provided by the South Dakota Department of Education. Parents/guardians who currently provide alternative instruction pursuant to SDCL 13-27-3 are required to file an Application for Public School Exemption Certificate annually. Beginning with the 2005-2006 school year, the exemption applications will no longer be mailed out to parents/guardians. Therefore, the application must be obtained here, from the local school district, or directly from the Department of Education. The comple...

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is one of the nation's newest national park areas. It was created to illustrate the history and significance of the Cold War, the arms race, and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development.

Take a free tour of the most modern jewelry manufacturing company in the midwest. Mt. Rushmore Black Hills Gold is South Dakota's official state jewelry. What makes this jewelry so unique is the yellow gold grapes with leaf designs in shades of pink and green gold. The inspiration for the Black Hills Gold design dates back to the Black Hills gold rush of 1876 when a legendary French goldsmith named Henri LeBeau ventured to the Black Hills of South Dakota to seek his fortune in gold. After almost...

The Home School Legal Defense Association provides a brief summary of the homeschooling laws in South Dakota. Includes a link to a legal analysis of laws relating to homeschooling in South Dakota.

An interpretation of the homeschooling laws by the South Dakota Department of Education.

A child shall be excused from school attendance, pursuant to § 13-27-2, because the child is otherwise provided with alternative instruction for an equivalent period of time, as in the public schools, in the basic skills of language arts and mathematics. The parent or guardian of the child shall identify in the application the place where the child will be instructed and any individual who will instruct the child. The individuals are not required to be certified. The secretary of the Department ...

Located in southwestern South Dakota, Badlands National Park consists of 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest, protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. The Badlands Wilderness Area covers 64,000 acres and is the site of the reintroduction of the black-footed ferret, the most endangered land mammal in North America. The Stronghold Unit is co-managed with the Oglala Sioux Tribe and includes sites of 1890s Ghost Dances. Established as Badl...

A permanent record of all certificates of excuse shall be kept in some safe place as determined by the school board. Any certificate of excuse of a pupil receiving alternative instruction pursuant to § 13-27-3 shall be kept confidential after approval of the school board pursuant to § 13- 27-2. Copies of any certificate of excuse shall be forwarded to the secretary of the Department of Education. Copies of any certificates of excuse shall also be forwarded to the place where the child is instruc...

This is the official internet presence for the South Dakota Department of Education. Discover resources and services designed to assist families with children.

Each truancy officer shall make and file truancy complaints, and any teacher, school officer, or any citizen may make and file a truancy complaint, before a circuit court judge, against any person having control of a child of compulsory school age who is not attending school or whose attendance is irregular. The complaint shall state the name of the parent, guardian, or person responsible for the control of the child. The complaint shall be verified by oath upon belief of the complainant.

At the Bramble Park Zoo, located in Watertown, experience over 500 mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and invertebrates representing 130 varieties from around the world and those native to South Dakota.

Any copy of any certified birth certificate provided pursuant to § 13-27-3.1 shall be maintained by the public or nonpublic school or alternative instruction program and shall be a part of the child's permanent cumulative school record.