>> THIS IS A PRODUCTION OF SOUTH DAKOTA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

♪ >> GOOD EVENING.

AND WELCOME TO "SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS."

I'M JACKIE HENDRY.

THERE ARE NO SLOW NEWS DAYS DURING THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND WE HAVE PLENTY WE'RE FOLLOWING TONIGHT.

LATER THIS HOUR, WE'LL UPDATE YOU ON TWO VOTER APPROVED MARIAN WAS MEASURES IN THE STATE.

AND GOVERNOR KRISTI NOEM'S REPORT THAT STATE REVENUES ARE EVEN HIGHER THAN EXPECTED.

PLUS, SDPB'S LEE STRUBINGER TALKS BILLS IMPACTING THE STATE'S TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IN THIS WEEK'S "PIERRE TO PEER."

AND SETH TUPPER EXPLAINS WHY SOME MEAT PROCESSORS CAN ONLY SELL THEIR PRODUCTS IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

BUT FIRST, HERE'S TONIGHT'S MAIN FOCUS: OCETI SAKOWIN MEANS "SEVEN COUNCIL FIRES."

IT REFERS TO THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE OF THIS REGION CONNECTED BY THREE LANGUAGE DIALECTS: THE LAKOTA, DAKOTA, AND NAKOTA.

TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS.

THAT'S THE NAME GIVEN TO A BROAD SET OF EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM AND COURSE WORK ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE OCETI SAKOWIN PEOPLE.

THEY WERE DEVELOPED MORE THAN TEN YEARS AGO THROUGH ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND NATIVE AMERICAN ELDERS AND SCHOLARS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

ONE OF THOSE SCHOLARS IS DR. CRAIG HOWE, AN ENROLLED CITIZEN OF THE OGLALA SIOUX TRIBE.

WHO SAID THIS: "THE HOPE IS THAT CITIZENS WHO ARE WELL EDUCATED ABOUT THE OCETI SAKOWIN HISTORY AND CULTURE WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS IN THE ARENA OF INDIAN ISSUES AND TO GET ALONG BETTER WITH ONE ANOTHER."

NOW THAT THERE ARE EDUCATION STANDARDS TO HELP TEACHERS FOCUS ON INDIGENOUS HISTORY, IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW CONSISTENTLY THEY'RE USED.

LAST WEEK, A BILL TO CREATE FOUR SCHOOLS CENTERED ON THE OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS FAILED IN THE SENATE.

BUT BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THAT, LET'S START WITH A LITTLE HISTORY.

IN 2007, THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED THE INDIAN EDUCATION ACT.

THAT'S WHEN WORK STARTED TO CREATE CLASSROOM CURRICULUM ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF NATIVE TRIBES IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

THAT WORK WENT TO A GROUP OF EDUCATORS, CULTURAL EXPERTS, AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STAFF.

JOE MORAN IS THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

HE SAYS THAT FIRST GROUP HAD TO OUTLINE WHAT SUBJECTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE OCETI SAKOWIN.

>> THAT STARTED THROUGH A TWO-YEAR PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THE CORE CONCEPTS OF THE ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS, FOLLOWED IN 2010 THROUGH 2012, WE UNDERWENT THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS THEMSELVES.

>> THERE ARE SEVEN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS.

THEY INCLUDE TOPICS LIKE THE LAND AND LANGUAGES ALONG WITH TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY AND WAYS OF LIFE.

THE BOARD OF EDUCATION STANDARDS FIRST APPROVED THE OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS IN 2012.

MORAN EXPLAINS THE CURRICULUM IS REVIEWED ON A SEVEN-YEAR CYCLE LIKE MOST OTHER STATE STANDARDS.

THE LATEST VERSION WAS APPROVED IN 2018.

APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION STANDARDS MEANS THE CURRICULUM IS REQUIRED IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

DESPITE THAT, THE DEPARTMENT OF ED DOESN'T KNOW HOW BROADLY THE MATERIAL IS USED IN SCHOOL.

>> WE ARE WORKING AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AT SCALE WHAT EXACTLY IS HAPPENING IN TERMS OF THE CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT THE OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS.

WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE AN EXACT METRIC ON THAT.

>> THAT'S LED TO CONFUSION.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE SHAWN BORDEAUX IS SPONSORING A BILL THIS YEAR TO REQUIRE INSTRUCTION ON TRIBAL HISTORY, CULTURE, AND GOVERNMENT, MUCH LIKE THE 2007 INDIAN EDUCATION ACT.

IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME BORDEAUX HAS BROUGHT SUCH A BILL.

HE TOLD SDPB HE WANTS CLARITY SURROUNDING THESE STANDARDS.

>> I HAD BROUGHT A BILL SOME TIME AGO, AND THEY SAID THIS ISN'T NECESSARY, AND BY THE YEAR 2020, THEY'LL BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED.

THEN I HAVE TEACHERS IN MY SCHOOLS SAYING IT'S NOT BEING DONE AND THAT NOW IT'S BACK TO BEING AN OPTION.

SO SOME CHANGE WAS MADE, AND I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHO OR WHERE.

>> BORDEAUX THINKS SOME OF THE COMPLICATION COMES FROM A RECENT CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL.

THE OFFICE OF INDIAN EDUCATION IS NO LONGER UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

GOVERNOR KRISTI NOEM MOVED INDIAN EDUCATION INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRIBAL RELATIONS IN 2019.

BUT JOE MORAN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAYS CLEARLY: THE OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS ARE REQUIRED IN SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOLS.

>> ANY SET OF STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE POSTED OFFICIALLY HAVE GONE THROUGH THE REVIEW PROCESS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION STANDARDS.

AND THEY DO SET IN CODIFIED LAW THE REQUIREMENT OF THOSE STANDARDS WITHIN THE SCHOOL.

>> MORAN SAYS THE CHALLENGE ISN'T ABOUT HOW OR WHETHER TO TEACH THE STANDARDS ON INDIGENOUS CULTURE AND HERITAGE.

IT'S HOW TO ASSESS STUDENT LEARNING.

>> THERE IS DIFFICULTIES AROUND MEASURING THAT WHEN YOU GET INTO DISCUSSIONS AROUND ASSESSMENTS AND SUCH, ESPECIALLY WITH SOMETHING SUCH AS NATIVE OR INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.

VERY, VERY DIFFICULT MEASUREMENT AND SOMETHING THAT WE AIM TO WORK WITH OUR TRIBAL PARTNERS AND UNDERSTANDING HOW WE GET THERE.

>> ANOTHER CHALLENGE IS MAKING THE MATERIAL ACCESSIBLE TO CLASSROOM TEACHERS.

THIS MONTH, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND OTHER PARTNERS BEGAN POSTING LINKS TO RESOURCES FOR EACH OF THE TOPICS AND THEMES.

>> THIS EFFORT'S REALLY A STARTING PLACE FOR US.

IF WE WANT TO BUILD AROUND THESE STANDARDS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHERS HAVE EASY ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS.

>> THAT'S NOT THE ONLY CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

GOVERNOR NOEM ALSO WANTS TO OVERHAUL HOW SCHOOLS TEACH CIVICS AND HISTORY.

SHE'S ASKED FOR $900,000 TO DEVELOP NEW MATERIALS.

MORAN HOPES THE OCETI SAKOWIN STANDARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THAT CONVERSATION.

>> THIS IS SOUTH DAKOTA HISTORY.

THIS IS PART OF WHO WE ARE.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO GET A PIECE OF THESE STANDARDS AND FOR INSTRUCTORS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH GRABBING THEM AND HAVING SOME VALUABLE RESOURCES AROUND THEM WHERE THEY CAN ENGAGE WITH THE CONCEPTS.

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WILL CONTINUE TO RELEASE OCETI SAKOWIN RESOURCE LINKS THROUGH THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

>> YOU CAN FIND THOSE LINKS UNDER THE RESOURCE TAB ON THE OFFICE OF INDIAN EDUCATION WEBSITE.

YOU CAN ALSO WATCH REPRESENTATIVE SHAWN BORDEAUX'S FULL CONVERSATION WITH SDPB'S LORI WALSH AT SDPB.ORG/NEWS.

THE PATCHY USE OF THE OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS IS JUST PART OF THE REASON PROPONENTS SUPPORTED SENATE BILL 68.

THE BILL WOULD HAVE ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOLS CENTERED ON THAT CURRICULUM, BUT IT FAILED IN THE SENATE LAST WEEK.

SUPPORTERS SAY A MORE CULTURALLY RELEVANT EDUCATION WOULD IMPROVE GRADUATION RATES FOR THE STATE'S NATIVE STUDENTS.

HERE'S A LOOK AT STATEWIDE DATA FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, ON-TIME HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES FOR WHITE STUDENTS HAVE REMAINED STEADY AT ABOUT 90%.

THE SAME RATE FOR NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS HAS STAYED IN THE LOW TO MID-50S.

THOSE WHO OPPOSED SENATE BILL 68 AGREE THOSE NUMBERS AREN'T ACCEPTABLE.

BUT THEY WORRIED COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOLS WOULD CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS THAN THEY'D SOLVE.

DR. LORI SIMON IS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SHE TESTIFIED AGAINST THIS BILL IN COMMITTEE, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER STATEWIDE EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS.

I TALKED WITH HER YESTERDAY ABOUT HER QUALMS WITH THE BILL, AND WHAT HER DISTRICT IS DOING INSTEAD.

DR. SIMON, THANKS FOR TAKING TIME FOR US TODAY.

WELCOME TO "SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS."

>> THANK YOU, GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> SO WE'RE DISCUSSING THE OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL STANDARDS.

BEFORE WE GET TO KIND OF THE CRUX OF THAT ISSUE, WHICH IS HOW WE BETTER SERVE NATIVE STUDENTS IN SOUTH DAKOTA, I WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT SEEMED TO REALLY BE THE KEY OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL WHICH RELATED TO FUNDING AND CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THIS BILL MIGHT DIVERT FUNDS AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

CAN YOU WALK VIEWERS THROUGH SOME OF THAT CONCERN?

>> YES, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW POINTS ON THIS TOPIC.

FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE FOR OUR NATIVE STUDENTS AND THAT'S NOT JUST US HERE IN RAPID CITY.

THAT'S EVERYWHERE.

HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, HAVING BEEN A PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION LEADER FOR A GREAT DEAL OF MY CAREER, FIRST OF ALL, JUST AT ITS FOUNDATION AND ITS CORE, I HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUE WITH A CHARTER SCHOOL BEING INTRODUCED IN OUR STATE, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE ALREADY UNDERFUND PUBLIC EDUCATION.

AND SO TO SET US UP FOR A SITUATION THAT DIVIDES SCARCE RESOURCES ALREADY IS CERTAINLY CONCERNING.

BEYOND THAT, THOUGH, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS BILL, WE JUST FOUND THAT THERE WERE FAR MORE QUESTIONS THAN WE HAD ANSWERS TO.

QUESTIONS RELATED TO GOVERNANCE AND LOGISTICALS AND FINANCIAL AND LIABILITY ISSUES.

THAT WE JUST FOUND VERY, VERY CONCERNING.

AND AS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I HAVE A DUTY AND OBLIGATION TO PROTECT OUR DISTRICT WHEN -- WHEN WE ARE ENCOUNTERED WITH LEGISLATION THAT WE JUST HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT.

AND SO THAT REALLY WAS WHAT LED US TO TESTIFY IN OPPOSITION OF THE BILL.

>> THESE SCHOOLS WOULD HAVE -- THE IDEA WAS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN CENTERED ON OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS.

THE RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS ACTUALLY REPRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NOW WELL YOU'RE IMPLEMENTING THE ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS.

EXPLAIN TO VIEWERS SOME OF THE WAYS THAT YOUR DISTRICT IS INCORPORATING THESE STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM.

>> YEAH, SO AS PART OF OUR TITLE VI INDIAN EDUCATION GRANT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO LEAD TEACHERS THAT ACTUALLY GO OUT TO SCHOOL AND DO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS TO HELP EMBED THE OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS INTO OUR CURRICULUM.

AND WE HAVE DONE, I THINK, SOME REALLY TREMENDOUS WORK IN THIS AREA OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS OF THIS FOUR-YEAR GRANT.

AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

AND IT'S REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHARE THE EXTENSIVE BANK OF LESSONS NOW THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED.

THROUGH THIS WORK.

AND SERVE REALLY AS A MENTOR FOR OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WANT TO DO MORE IN THIS AREA WITHIN THEIR OWN SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING AS WE CONTINUE TO SCALE UP OUR WORK IN EVERY SCHOOL IN OUR DISTRICT.

>> DO YOU FIND THAT PROJECTS THAT MAYBE ORIGINATE OR ARE REALLY BOOSTED BY GRANT FUNDING ARE STILL SUSTAINABLE WHEN A GRANT PERIOD ENDS?

>> WELL, OUR TITLE VI GRANT IS AN ONGOING FEDERAL GRANT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALLOCATED EVERY SCHOOL YEAR ON A PER PUPIL BASIS.

AND SO IT'S NOT LIKE A SHORT-TERM GRANT THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO RECEIVE EVERY YEAR, UNLESS FOR SOME REASON, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IT WOULD GO AWAY, BUT I THINK THAT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE WORKING ON BUILDING CAPACITY.

AND SO ONCE WE TAKE OUR WORK TO SCALE AND REALLY HAVE BUILT THAT CAPACITY ACROSS OUR SYSTEM, THEN REALLY OUR TEACHERS AND OUR SCHOOLS SHOULD BE ABLE TO CARRY ON THAT WORK.

>> I'M GLAD YOU EXPLAINED THAT BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE HEAR GRANT, THEY ASSUME IT'S A SHORT-TERM KIND OF AWARD BASIS.

BUT THIS IS A FEDERAL LEVEL SITUATION THAT'S ONGOING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

>> YES.

>> ANOTHER POINT YOU RAISED IN COMMITTEE TESTIMONY AND THAT HAS CONTINUED TO RECEIVE ATTENTION NOW IS THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT YOU CALLED A MAGNET SCHOOL, AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THESE COMMUNITY-BASED OR CHARTER SCHOOLS.

WALK US THROUGH, WHAT'S A MAGNET SCHOOL?

>> YEAH, SO A MAGNET SCHOOL IS A SCHOOL WITHIN A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT HAS A SPECIAL FOCUS.

SOMETIMES IT'S LANGUAGE IMMERSION.

SOMETIMES IT'S S.T.E.M.

OR S.T.E.A.M.

IT CAN TAKE ANY VARIETY OF SPECIAL FOCUS AREAS OCTOBER AREAS ON.AND IT'S A SCHOOL THATT HAVE AN ATTENDANCE AREA LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL TYPICALLY WITHIN AN AREA DOES.

IT DRAWS FROM ACROSS THE ATTENDANCE RA AREAS OF THE ENTIE DISTRICT.

AND TYPICALLY IF THERE'S SENATOR DEMAND THAN THERE ARE SEATS IN THE SCHOOL, YOU ENROLL THROUGH A LOTTERY PROCESS.

I'VE WORKED PREVIOUSLY IN THE TWIN CITIES, AND IN TWO DISTRICTS, THAT HAD SEVERAL MAGNET SCHOOLS, AND MY LAST DISTRICT, WE HAD TWO OF THEM.

WE HAD A LONG-STANDING, VERY POPULAR AND HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL SPANISH IMMERSION SCHOOL.

AND THEN WHEN I WAS THERE, I LED A TASK FORCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A S.T.E.A.M.

SCHOOL CALLED THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARTS THAT ALSO HAS -- WENT ON TO BE A VERY HIGH ACHIEVING SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL.

AND SO I THINK THAT THAT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK ON HERE WITHIN OUR RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOLS.

AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I JUST LAST NIGHT HAD SOME CONVERSATION AT OUR TITLE VI P.A.C.

MEETING ABOUT, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF CONVENING AN INDIGENOUS EDUCATION TASK FORCE OF SOME DISTRICT STAFF AND THEN OF INDIGENOUS PARENTS AND STAFF AND STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ELDERS.

AND SO CERTAINLY THIS IS A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION THAT WE ARE GOING TO EXPLORE FURTHER.

BUT I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT, THROUGH REALLY GOOD COLLABORATION, COULD ACHIEVE THE SAME GOALS THE SPONSORS OF SENATE BILL 68 WERE HOPING TO ACHIEVE.

WITHOUT ALL OF THE LOGISTICAL AND FINANCIAL AND GOVERNANCE ISSUES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY.

>> WHAT WOULD A TYPICAL TIMELINE LOOK LIKE FOR AN EFFORT LIKE THAT?

>> YOU KNOW, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING THROUGH AND DISCUSSING AS A TASK FORCE.

LOOKING BACK IN MY PREVIOUS DISTRICT, IT WAS ONE YEAR TO LEAD A TASK FORCE, AND REALLY THE SELECTION OF GOING FORWARD WITH THAT S.T.E.A.M.

SCHOOL, AND THEN ANOTHER YEAR OF HIRING AND TRAINING STAFF, GETTING THE BUILDING READY, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT I THINK IF WE DO THIS RIGHT, WE CAN PROBABLY SPEED UP THAT PROCESS, BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT TYPE OF MAGNET SCHOOL IT'S GOING TO BE, AND IF WE BEGIN SOME OF THE PRE-WORK THIS YEAR WITH THE INDIGENOUS EDUCATION TASK FORCE, PERHAPS WE CAN LOOK AT AN OPENING THAT WOULD BE PERHAPS MAYBE JUST ONE AND A HALF SCHOOL YEARS AWAY INSTEAD OF TWO FULL SCHOOL YEARS, PLUS THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

>> IS A MAGNET SCHOOL IN THE RAPID CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE OCETI SAKOWIN UNDERSTANDINGS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS FOR SURE GOING TO HAPPEN, OR IS THAT DEPENDENT ON THE RESULTS OF THE TASK FORCE?

>> WELL, CERTAINLY, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON THE RESULTS OF THE TASK FORCE.

BUT AT LAST NIGHT'S MEETING, AND FROM PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

AND I -- I LOOK AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY PARTNER CLOSELY WITH OUR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY AND LEARN FROM THEM.

AND HOPEFULLY TOGETHER, WE CAN PUT A GREAT CONCEPT TOGETHER FOR A SCHOOL THAT WILL BENEFIT OUR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS IN YEARS TO COME AND REALLY WITH THAT GOAL OF INCREASING, IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR OUR NATIVE STUDENTS BY HAVING THEM BE IN A SCHOOL THAT'S FOCUSING ON THEIR CULTURAL AND THEIR IDENTITY, AND THEIR CORE VALUES THAT -- THAT THEY COME FROM.

WITHIN THEIR CULTURE.

>> HOW ATTAINABLE WOULD A MAGNET SCHOOL LIKE THAT BE IN MAYBE A DISTRICT THAT'S SMALLER THAN THE RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT?

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, I -- I THINK WHENEVER YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER DISTRICT, AND A LARGER STUDENT BASE TO DRAW FROM, CERTAINLY IT PROBABLY IS EASIER TO ATTAIN, BUT, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY I'VE SEEN IN SOME SMALLER DISTRICTS WHERE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE AS WELL.

BUT, AGAIN, IT'S -- WHEN YOU'VE GOT A LARGER STUDENT POPULATION, I THINK PARENTS VALUE THAT CHOICE, AND CERTAINLY THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE.

>> AS WE CLOSE OUT OUR TIME, WHAT ARE SOME THOUGHTS YOU WANT TO LEAVE OUR VIEWERS WITH OF WAYS THAT YOUR DISTRICT IS ALREADY COMMITTED AND WILL COMMIT TO CONTINUING TO SERVE NATIVE STUDENTS?

>> YES, WELL, THANK YOU.

I DO THINK BEING VERY COLLABORATIVE THROUGH THIS INDIGENOUS EDUCATION TASK FORCE IS A VERY POSITIVE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

WE'VE OUTLAID I THINK SOME GOOD GOALS IN TERMS OF AREAS THAT WE THINK, RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE VERY HELPFUL IN IMPROVING EDUCATION AND OUTCOMES FOR OUR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS.

AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THIS WORK TOGETHER WITH THEM AND IN THE COMING MONTHS.

AND CERTAINLY MORE TO COME ON THAT TOPIC AS THAT WORK CONVENES AND PROGRESSES.

>> MY GUEST HAS BEEN DR. LORI SIMON, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOLS.

DR. SIMON, THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

>> NOW, THIS ISN'T THE FIRST YEAR AN OCETI SAKOWIN COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOL BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED.

A SIMILAR BILL RECEIVED UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FROM THE SENATE LAST YEAR.

IT WAS THEN DEFEATED IN A HOUSE COMMITTEE.

WE WELCOME NOW TWO GUESTS WHO HAVE BEEN BEHIND THIS EFFORT TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THEIR WORK ON THIS ISSUE AND WHAT COMES NEXT.

FIRST, SARAH PIERCE DIRECTS THE SOUTH DAKOTA EDUCATION EQUITY COALITION, WHICH HAS BEEN A LEADING PROPONENT OF THIS BILL.

SHE'S WORKED IN TITLE VI PROGRAMS IN THE RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOLS AND OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SHE ALSO HAS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATION.

SARAH PIERCE, WELCOME TO "SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS."

THANKS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT.

>> ALSO JOINING US, SENATE MINORITY LEADER TROY HEINERT.

HE SERVES DISTRICT 26, WHICH INCLUDES MUCH OF THE ROSEBUD RESERVATION.

HE'S BEEN THE PRIME SPONSOR OF BOTH OF THE OCETI SAKOWIN COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOL BILLS.

AND HE'S FRESH IN SIOUX FALLS FOR THE RODEO.

SENATOR HEINERT, THANKS FOR TAKING TIME TO JOIN US TONIGHT.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, JACKIE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE.

>> SARAH, I THINK I'M GOING TO STARTED WITH YOU.

WE JUST HEARD DR. SIMON TALKING ABOUT ALL THE REASONS WHY A CHARTER SCHOOL MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST APPROACH.

TALK TO US ABOUT WHY SPECIFICALLY A COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOL WAS THE APPROACH TAKEN FOR THIS LEGISLATION?

>> WELL, THANK YOU.

THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST SENTIMENTS THAT I WANTED TO TOUCH ON BASED ON HER FEEDBACK WAS THE FACT THAT SHE STARTED BY STATING THAT AS THE CEO OF A LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT'S HER DUTY TO PROTECT HER DISTRICT.

ONE OF THE FIRST MEANS OF PROTECTION FOR OUR DISTRICT WHEN IT COMES TO ASSESSING STUDENT DISPARITIES IN DATA, WHEN WE HAVE AN ENTIRE DEMOGRAPHIC OF STUDENTS WHO ARE HISTORICALLY AND CONTINUOUSLY FAILING WITHIN A SYSTEM, IT'S NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC.

SO PART OF THE REASON FOR THE BILL OR ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL REASONS IS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE FALLING BEHIND BASED ON SOUTH DAKOTA STATE ACHIEVEMENT DATA.

AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO COMPOUNDED EFFECTS ON IDENTITY, SPECIFICALLY LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.

INEQUITIES THAT WE WANT TO ADDRESS.

AND THOSE SEEM TO BE THE FOUNDATIONAL ASPECTS COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT WE WANT MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN DESIGNING SCHOOLS THAT YIELD OUTCOMES THAT WE KNOW ARE MOST SUCCESSFUL FOR OUR STUDENTS.

>> I HAVE TO IMAGINE THERE'S BEEN EXISTING EFFORTS TO WORK WITH DISTRICTS LIKE THE RAPID CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT PREVIOUS TO THIS AND LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND I GUESS ADVOCACY HAS GONE PREVIOUS TO THESE COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOL BILLS?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MANY OF THE PR PROPONENT IS HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING DILIGENTLY WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES FOR GENERATIONS.

IN FACT, OUR GENERATION OF ADVOCATES DOESN'T START THIS YEAR.

WE'RE IN FACT STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF PREDECESSORS WHO HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR US TO DO THIS.

SO I THINK THIS COMES AFTER LONG-STANDING CONVERSATIONS HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS AND PREVIOUS EFFORTS JUST HAVEN'T YIELDED THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES WE LIKE TO SEE.

IN RAPID CITY, FOR INSTANCE, WE JUST WANT EQUITABLE ACCESS TO LANGUAGE AND CULTURE, AND THEN HAVE OUR STUDENTS BE ABLE TO FEEL UNAPOLOGETICALLY INDIGENOUS?

APOLOGETICALLY INDIGENOUS IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL SPACES.

THE OUTREACH HAS BEEN GROUNDED IN THE FACT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DEMONSTRATE OUR ABILITY TO UTILIZE OUR OWN GENIUS TO CREATE EDUCATION SYSTEMS THAT WILL BE UNIQUELY DESIGNED TO MEET THE UNIQUE CULTURAL AND ACADEMIC NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

>> SENATOR HEINERT, TO BRING YOU INTO THE CONVERSATION, YOU'RE A DEMOCRATIC SENATOR IN A REPUBLICAN SUPERMAJORITY "STATEHOUSE."

AND I THINK PEOPLE, WHEN THEY WATCH THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND SCHOOL CHOICE AND CHARTER SCHOOL ISSUES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE NATION, THAT'S SEEN AS A WIDELY SUPPORTED ISSUE IN -- FOR REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS.

WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE A BILL LIKE THIS HASN'T QUITE GOTTEN THE SAME SUPPORT FROM YOUR REPUBLICAN AND OTHER COLLEAGUES?

>> WELL, I THINK PART OF IT IS JUST THEM NOT BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE PROVEN -- WE'VE PROVEN THE DATA.

WE'VE BEEN TRYING THIS FOR A LONG TIME.

AND LIKE SARAH SAID, THERE'S BEEN MANY PEOPLE BEFORE US THAT HAVE WORKED ON THIS.

AND IT'S JUST A NEW CONCEPT.

AND IT'S NOT ABOUT -- IT'S A NEW DESIGN.

A COMPLETE REDESIGN OF HOW WE DO SCHOOL.

AND FOR SOME PEOPLE, THAT'S HARD TO WRAP THEIR HEAD AROUND.

>> HMM.

I THINK WE HEARD JOE MORAN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAY THAT'S PART OF THEIR CHALLENGE AND EVEN TRACKING HOW THESE STANDARDS ARE BEING USED, IS NOT BEING SURE QUITE HOW TO, I GUESS, TEST OR ASSESS FOR CERTAIN QUALITIES IN THIS EDUCATION.

SENATOR HEINERT, CAN YOU TALK TO US JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, IN YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE AS AN EDUCATOR IN TODD COUNTY, SOME OF THE WAYS THAT YOU SEE A COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOL LIKE THIS AS BEING NECESSARY FOR SOUTH DAKOTA STUDENTS?

>> SURE.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS ABOUT RELEVANCE.

WE HAVE TO GIVE OUR -- THE ABILITY FOR TEACHERS TO KNOW THEIR AUDIENCE AND TEACH THEM IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE.

WE HAVE UNIQUE CULTURAL VIEWS.

A LOT OF OUR KIDS COME FROM HOMES THAT ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO FIND THEIR CULTURE AFTER, YOU KNOW, THE BOARDING SCHOOL ERAS.

AND THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE NATIVE.

THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS IT.

AND SO THEY GET INVOLVED WITH OTHER THINGS.

AND PRETTY SOON, THEY GET INTO, YOU KNOW, LATER YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT'S NOT MAKING SENSE TO THEM.

IT DOESN'T SPEAK TO THEM.

AND SO THEY JUST LEAVE.

AND SADLY, THEY GET INVOLVED IN, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE BAD FOR THEM.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE JUST LOSE FAR TOO MANY KIDS.

>> SARAH, I KNOW YOU'RE ALSO A PARENT ON TOP OF ALL OF YOUR OTHER EXPERIENCES IN EDUCATION.

I -- IN MEETINGS AND THINGS THAT I'VE LISTENED TO, I'VE HEARD THE OTHER PARENTS TALK ABOUT HOW THEIR CHILDREN FEEL THAT THEY BASICALLY HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR IADDITIONAL IN ATY AT THE DOOR WHEN THEY GO INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

FOR AUDIENCES WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THAT FEELING OR WHAT THAT MEANS, CAN YOU MAYBE GIVE US A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR STUDENTS?

>> YEAH, I WAS JUST IN FACT HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SOME COLLEAGUES ABOUT THIS VERY TOPIC TODAY.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT, THROUGH THE LENS OF A TRADITIONAL DAY, IF YOU LEAVE THE SAFETY AND COMFORT OF YOUR HOME, WHERE YOU HAVE AN UNAPOLOGETIC SENSE OF BEING, YOU ENTER THE WORKFORCE OR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR STUDENTS, WHERE YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY SUPPOSED TO CHECK ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR CULTURAL IDENTITY AT THE DOOR.

BECAUSE IN CARRYING TOO MUCH, YOU'LL HAVE TO OVEREXPLAIN OR MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR THINGS.

AT THE END OF A LONG HARD DAY, AFTER DEALING WITH A SERIES OF MAYBE MACRO OR MICRO AGGRESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE DAY, MOST OF THE TIME UNBEKNOWNST TO PEERS, YOU ENTER BACK INTO THE SAFETY AND CONFINES OF THAT SAFE SPACE AT HOME.

FOR NON-INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND CHECK YOUR STATUS AS AN EMPLOYEE OR STUDENT AT THE DOOR.

BUT FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, THE PROBLEM OF BEING INDIGENOUS FOLLOWS YOU BACK INTO THE COMFORT AND SPACE OF YOUR HOME.

AND YOU'RE FORCED TO COMBAT THOSE SOCIAL INEQUITIES IN THE HOUSE AS WELL AS OUTSIDE.

FOR STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, YOU WALK INTO A CLASSROOM AND YOU CAN LOOK AROUND THE CLASSROOM.

YOU CAN -- UNLESS YOU'RE ON A RESERVATION, YOU'LL PROBABLY GUARANTEE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SEE SOMEONE LOOK LIKE YOU.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WITH SOMEONE IN A TEXTBOOK OR A STORY IN WHICH YOUR PEOPLE ARE RELATED TO YOU IN A VERY PROTAGONISTIC WAY.

INSTEAD YOU'LL SEE THEM VERY ANTAGONISTICALLY VIEWED AND PICTURED AND YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO SEE ELEMENTS OF YOUR CULTURE BEING LIMITED TO NOVEMBER, TO NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTHS OR ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITIES OR HOMOGENOUSLY LUMPED INTO A LARGE UMBRELLA OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND CULTURE.

AND THAT'S JUST A VERY SMALL, SMALL GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE ON ANY GIVEN DAY.

>> SO WHAT I HEAR FROM THAT, ON TOP OF BEING IT IMPORTANT TO HELP REFLECT FOR NATIVE KIDS TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES, IT SOUNDS TO ME AS A WHITE PERSON THAT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR ME TOO TO SEE SOME MORE OF THESE OCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS IN MY EDUCATION, TO RECOGNIZE MY NEIGHBORS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

WHAT ARE -- DO YOU SEE A PUSH FOR THESE GUIDELINES AND CURRICULUM TO BE USED IN, SAY, THE RAPID CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OUTSIDE OF NATIVE PARENTS?

ARE YOU SEEING KIND OF OTHER ALLIED PARENTS WANTING THIS FOR THEIR OWN KIDS TOO?

>> 110%.

I THINK THAT ANY SOUTH DAKOTAN WHO RESIDES IN THE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES OF SOUTH DAKOTA HAS AN INHERENT RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THE ORIGINS OF THIS LAND THAT CAME TO BE THE GREAT STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

I THINK IN UNDERSTANDING THAT, WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR INHERENT CONNECTION TO THIS SPACE, OUR INHERENT CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY, AND THEN BETTER HELP OUR CHILDREN COEXIST IN THIS SPACE.

BUT THE CONTINUOUS ERASURE OF A NARRATIVE IS ONLY PERPETUATING THE LONG-STANDING PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE SEEN STEM FROM HISTORICAL TRAUMA POST-WESTWARD EXPANSION, ESSENTIALLY.

SO I THINK WE ALL HAVE A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN THAT.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S AT THE HEART OF THE ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS ARE.

WE ARE ALL RELATED AND THAT'S WHAT IT DOES.

>> SENATOR HEINERT, WE HEARD FROM REPRESENTATIVE SHAWN BORDEAUX EARLIER IN THE PROGRAM.

I KNOW YOU BOTH HAVE SERVED ON THE INTERIM STATE TRIBAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE.

REPRESENTATIVE BORDEAUX SEEMED TO THINK THAT PART OF THE CONFUSION ABOUT HOW MUCH THESE ECOCETI SAKOWIN ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS ARE USED ACROSS THE STATE IS PARTLY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN MOVED OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

DO YOU AGREE?

DO YOU HAVE A SENSE THAT THAT MOVE HAS BEEN A DETRIMENT TO SOME OF THESE EDUCATION INITIATIVES?

>> YEAH, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH REPRESENTATIVE BORDEAUX.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NATIVE EDUCATION, AND IT'S NOT EVEN IN THE RIGHT BUILDING.

NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHETHER IT'S A SCHOOL ON THE RESERVATION OR A SCHOOL LIKE RAPID CITY, THEY STILL NEED TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE WE'RE REALLY MISSING TAKING THAT PERSON OUT OF THAT BUILDING, THEY CAN'T WALK DOWN THE HALL AND SAY, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE DATA FOR THIS SCHOOL.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A MISTAKE TO MOVE THAT -- TO MAKE THAT MOVE.

AND I WISH THEY'D MOVE IT BACK.

>> SENATOR, WE HEARD FROM DR. SIMON EARLIER IN THE PROGRAM.

IN MANY WAYS ADMIT IT HELPS TO BE A LARGER SCHOOL DISTRICT IF YOU'RE GOING TO ATTEMPT SOMETHING LIKE A MAGNET SCHOOL WITHIN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU ABOUT POSSIBILITIES FOR SOME SMALLER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, LIKE PERHAPS TODD COUNTY, IF THEY WERE TO ATTEMPT SOMETHING LIKE A MAGNET SCHOOL?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK TODD COUNTY IS IN A PERFECT SPOT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THEY HAVE COMMITTED PARENTS.

YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE.

I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S PROBABLY EASIER IN A SMALL SCHOOL.

THAN IT IS A LARGER SCHOOL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I APPLAUD RAPID CITY FOR TALKING ABOUT IT NOW.

BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THIS IS A NEW PROBLEM IN RAPID CITY.

YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M WILLING TO WORK WITH THEM.

AND HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ON THAT BOARD.

AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS THAT LIVE OUT IN THE HILLS.

YOU KNOW, I HOPE THEY TAKE IT SERIOUS.

BUT REALLY, THEY JUST NEED TO -- WHEN THEY'RE PRESENTED WITH A PLAN, YOU KNOW, WE NEED , NOT HOUSE MORE OBSTACLES.

>> YEAH, SARAH, I KNOW YOU WERE RECENTLY AT THE RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOL BOARD MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK.

I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS MORE THAN AN HOUR OF PUBLIC COMMENT FROM PARENTS AND OTHERS WHO WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE DISTRICT'S STANCE ON SENATE BILL 68.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT MONDAY NIGHT'S MEETING AND ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FORWARD MOTION ON A MAGNET SCHOOL?

>> WELL, IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE, WE HAD 21 PARENTS, AT LEAST 21 PARENTS SHOW UP TO PROVIDE VERBAL TESTIMONY.

WE'VE HAD A HANDFUL OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORTERS THERE TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT AND STAND IN SOLIDARITY.

AND THEN WE HAD EVEN MORE THAN THAT WHO VOICED THEIR SOLIDARITY IN OTHER METHODS.

I THINK THE UNIQUE ASPECT IS, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ADVOCACY EFFORTS OVER THE PAST EVEN THREE YEARS IN RAPID CITY, IT'S NOT -- THE FACT THAT PROGRESS HASN'T BEEN MADE AS FAR AS CULTURAL PROFICIENCY IS CONCERNED HASN'T BEEN DUE TO A LOLACK OF PARENTAL ADVOCACY.

IN FACT, THAT'S BEEN THE CONTRARY.

I THINK THE SYSTEMIC OBSTACLES THAT SENATOR HEINERT OUTLINED ACTUALLY OUTWEIGH ANY OTHER CHALLENGE WE'VE HAD IN CREATING THESE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.

I THINK FOR THE FIRST TIME WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE OF AN INTEREST IN CREATING THOSE SYSTEMIC WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN START DOING THIS.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE ED EQUITY COALITION AND OUR ROLE IN PRESENTING SENATE BILL 68, WE -- MOST OF OUR COALITION MEMBERS ARE ALSO A PART OF THIS NEWLY CREATED TASK FORCE DESIGNED TO HELP PROMOTE THIS.

SO IT'S NOT A MATTER OF EITHER/OR, BUT BOTH.

WE ARE GOING TO STAND HERE AS PARENTAL ADVOCATES, SUPPORT THE CREATION OF THE MAGNET SCHOOL, DO OUR PART AS A COMMUNITY.

BUT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BRING L NEXT YEAR.

BECAUSE I THINK ONE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AS A CONTRAST TO A SCHOOL DESIGNED MAGNET SCHOOL IS THE COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOL ACTUALLY CAPTURES THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE NEEDS AS IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMUNITY.

FOR A LONG TIME, WESTERN EDUCATION HAS BEEN A COMPULSORY IMPOSITION ON OUR PEOPLE AND A COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOL WILL LET US RECLAIM WHAT HAS BEEN LOST DUE TO THE SYSTEMIZED WAY OF EDUCATION AND BE ABLE TO ALLOW US TO TAP INTO WHAT SOVEREIGN EDUCATION MEANS TO OUR PEOPLE AND HOW WE CAN ACHIEVE PROSPERITY THROUGH EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS.

>> IN OUR LAST COUPLE MINUTES, SENATOR HEINERT, THINKING ABOUT THE -- IN 2020, WITH COVID-19, AND HOW DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED TRIBAL COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN AND THE LOSS OF SO MANY ELDERS WHO ARE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE BEARERS, PUT AN EFFORT LIKE THIS INTO THAT CONTEXT FOR US.

HOW HAS THE IMPACT OF COVID IMPACTED YOUR WORK ON THIS ISSUE?

>> YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY WHEN I'M HOME, I HEAR OF ANOTHER ELDER WHO PASSED AWAY.

AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY TOOK WITH THEM JUST BREAKING MY HEART, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CARRY THAT ON TO THESE NEXT GENERATIONS.

AND THAT'S REALLY MY -- MY GOAL IN BRINGING, YOU KNOW, THIS BILL.

WE HAVE TO GET WHAT IS IN OUR DNA, WHAT OUR ELDERS KNOW AND CAN TEACH OUR KIDS, WE HAVE TO GET THAT INSTILLED INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE IT WON'T BE LONG, AND IT'LL BE LOST.

AND OUR LANGUAGE WILL BE LOST.

AND WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR LANGUAGE, YOU LOSE YOUR CULTURE.

>> SARAH, IN OUR FINAL MOMENTS, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS TO ADD TO THAT?

>> I WOULD JUST ECHO SENATOR HEINERT'S SENTIMENTS AND REINFORCE THAT THAT THE URGENCY OF INDIGENOUS EDUCATION COULDN'T BE MORE URGENT THAN IT IS TODAY.

I MEAN IN LIGHT OF THE ALREADY ENDANGERED SPEAKERS THAT WE'RE LOSING ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, COUPLED WITH THE INCREASING GRADUATION RATES, COUPLED WITH THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS THAT WE KNOW HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF INCREASING STUDENT GRADUATION RATES AND SUCH, I THINK THE HOPE AND PROSPERITY OF OUR FUTURE AS SOUTH DAKOTANS RELIES ALMOST ENTIRELY ON INVESTING IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT'S WHAT THE HEART AND SOUL OF OUR BILL IS ABOUT AND THAT'S WHAT THE HEART AND SOUL OF PARENTAL ADVOCACY FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENT EDUCATION IS ALL ABOUT.

>> WELL, MY GUESTS TONIGHT HAVE BEEN SENATE MINORITY LEADER TROY HEINERT WHO SPONSORED SENATE BILL 68.

SENATOR, THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.

>> THANK YOU, JACKIE.

>> AND SARAH PIERCE, LEAD OF THE SOUTH DAKOTA EDUCATION EQUITY COALITION.

SARAH, THANKS TO YOU AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> AGAIN, SENATE BILL O 68, A BILL TO CREATE FOUR OCETI SAKOWIN COMMUNITY-BASED SCHOOLS FAILED ON SENATE FLOOR LAST WEEK WITH A 12 TO 20 VOTE.

YOU CAN FIND OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF THIS BILL ONLINE AT SDPB.ORG/STATEHOUSE.

>> SOUTH DAKOTA LAWMAKERS HAVE RECEIVED LOCAL AND NATIONAL SCRUTINY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS DUE TO PROPOSED POLICIES THAT TARGET THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY.

RECENTLY, A BILL BARRING TRANSGENDER PEOPLE FROM AMENDING THE SEX DESIGNATION ON THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE FAILED IN A SENATE COMMITTEE.

IN THIS WEEK'S "PIERRE TO PEER," SDPB'S LEE STRUBINGER TALKS WITH THE FOUNDER OF THE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT, AN ORGANIZATION WORKING TO SUPPORT TRANSGENDER SOUTH DAKOTANS AND TO EDUCATE LAWMAKERS ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE TRANS.

♪ >> SITTING HERE WITH SUSAN WILLIAMS.

SHE'S THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT.

SUSAN, THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON "PIERRE TO PEER."

COULD YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT?

AND WHAT IT DOES?

AND HOW IT GOT STARTED.

>> WELL, I HAVE A TRANSGENDER SON, AND WHEN WE FIGURED ALL OF THOSE THINGS OUT, WE LOOKED AROUND FOR SUPPORT IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

AND JUST DIDN'T REALLY FIND MUCH AVAILABLE AS FAR AS RESOURCES OR SUPPORT GROUPS.

AND SO I STARTED KIND OF AN INFORMAL SUPPORT GROUP IN MY BASEMENT.

WE HAD, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE PEOPLE JOIN US.

AND THEN A COUPLE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, THERE WERE 50 PEOPLE COMING.

SO IT WAS DEFINITELY A NEED THAT WAS BEING FILLED.

ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, I DECIDED TO FORM A NON-PROFIT, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE FEASIBLE FOR FAMILIES TO FIND US AND TO GAIN VOLUNTEERS AS WELL.

THE MISSION OF THE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT IS TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER TRANSGENDER YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHILE ALSO EDUCATING THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY AND GENDER EXPRESSION.

SO THE NON-PROFIT, WE RUN SUPPORT GROUPS.

WE GIVE WELCOME PACKS TO THOSE WHO ARE NEEDING HELP.

WE HAVE A GREAT PROGRAM WHERE EACH FAMILY THAT REACHES OUT TO US OR EACH TRANS PERSON THAT REACHES OUT TO US GETS A $75 WELCOME KIT, FULL OF RESOURCES AND BOOKS TO READ AND ALSO REFERRALS TO PEOPLE IN THE STATE THAT CAN HELP THEM WITH THEIR JOURNEY.

>> CAN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOUSE BILL 1076?

IT FAILED IN A SENATE COMMITTEE.

IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY PREVENT TRANSGENDER PEOPLE FROM UPDATING THE GENDER MARKER ON THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT COMPELLED YOU TO COME OUT AND TESTIFY AGAINST THAT BILL?

>> FOR SURE.

SO IN THE CASE OF MY SON, HAVING AN ACCURATE BIRTH CERTIFICATE WOULD HELP HIM TO BE ABLE TO GET A JOB.

AND BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR COLLEGE.

SO HAVING THE GENDER MARKER CHANGED ON -- OR AMENDED, EXCUSE ME, ON THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE, WOULD BE VERY VITAL FOR HIS SUCCESS FOR THE FUTURE.

AND WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN SOUTH DAKOTA WHO HAVE ALREADY MADE THIS AMENDMENT WITH NO PROBLEM.

AND SO I THOUGHT THE BILL WAS, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY DISCRIMINATORY AND ALSO JUST -- IT WAS JUST A BAD BILL.

>> SO HOUSE BILL 1076, THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE BILL, WAS DEFEATED BY A SENATE COMMITTEE.

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN THAT BILL WAS STRUCK DOWN?

>> WHEN H.B.-1076 WAS STRUCK DOWN, WE WERE ALL ELATED.

BECAUSE WE HAD WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

WE HAD HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE REACH OUT FROM AROUND THE STATE TO THEIR SENATORS, TO DEFEAT THIS BILL.

AND WE REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY LISTENED TO US.

WE ALSO HAD 15 PEOPLE THAT WERE READY TO TESTIFY.

AND SEVERAL OF THEM GOT A CHANCE IN THE 30 MINUTES THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE TO TESTIFY.

SO WE WERE REALLY THRILLED WITH THE OUTCOME.

>> YEAH, IT WAS A 6-0 REJECTION OF THE BILL.

WHAT KIND OF MESSAGE DO YOU THINK THAT SENDS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT AND OTHER TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE?

>> SO I THINK THAT THE MESSAGE CAME ACROSS LOUD AND CLEAR THAT THE SENATORS FEEL LIKE THIS KIND OF A BILL COULD HARM TRANSGENDER SOUTH DAKOTANS.

AND THAT THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.

THEY'RE HERE TO BRING GOOD BILLS AND THEY'RE HERE TO PASS LAWS THAT WILL PROTECT PEOPLE.

SO I FEEL LIKE THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD OUTCOME.

FOR OUR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE WORRIED ABOUT BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF THIS BILL.

I ALSO HOPE THAT IT SETS A PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE BILLS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THOUGHT OF TO HARM TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY MAY THINK TWICE AND SAY, WOW, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE NOT WANTING DISCRIMINATORY LEGISLATION IN OUR STATE.

MAYBE I WON'T BRING IT.

>> THAT WAS ONE OF TWO BILLS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD AFFECT THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE OTHER ONE?

SPONSORS OF THAT BILL SAY THAT IT WOULD PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS.

>> THIS IS HOUSE BILL 1217.

IT'S AIMED AT PREVENTING TRANSGENDER GIRLS FROM PLAYING HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE SPORTS.

SO IN THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS, WE'VE HAD SEVEN ANTI--TRANS SPORTS BILLS BROUGHT.

SO THIS IS NOTHING NEW.

AT THIS POINT, THE SOUTH DAKOTA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS THAT TRANS TRANS GIRLD TRANS BOYS ARE ALLOWED TO PLAY SCHOOL SPORTS AND SPORTS IN SCHOOLS IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

AND SO THIS BILL IS REALLY AIMED AT DISCRIMINATION, FOR SURE.

AND AT THIS POINT, WE DO HAVE ZERO GIRLS, ZERO TRANSGENDER GIRLS PLAYING HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS IN OUR STATE.

SO IT REALLY -- IT'S REALLY UNNEEDED.

AND UNCALLED FOR.

>> WHAT DO YOU HEAR FROM THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY ABOUT THE MESSAGE THAT THESE BILLS SEND?

>> YEAH, SO EVERY YEAR, DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSION, TRANSGENDER SOUTH DAKOTANS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE UNWELCOME IN THEIR OWN STATE.

IT'S VERY DEPRESSING.

IT'S VERY HARD TO HEAR THAT LEGISLATORS ARE TRYING TO DICTATE THEIR LIVES.

WITHOUT TALKING TO THEM.

WITHOUT HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE.

SO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO AS THE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT IS TO CONNECT LEGISLATORS WITH TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS SO THAT THEY CAN DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS AND ACTUALLY GET TO KNOW SOMEBODY WHO IS BEING AFFECTED BY THESE BILLS.

>> ONE LAST QUESTION IF THAT'S OKAY.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

ONE THING THAT I NOTICED, AND WHEN YOU WERE DESCRIBING THE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT, WAS THAT YOU EDUCATE SOUTH DAKOTA COMMUNITIES ON GENDER IDENTITY.

WHAT IS MAYBE ONE OR TWO THINGS THAT MAYBE SOUTH DAKOTANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY AND EXPRESSION?

>> SO SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR SOUTH DAKOTANS TO KNOW ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY IS THAT OUR GENDER IDENTITY IS WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE.

IN OUR HEARTS AND IN OUR BRAINS.

WHO ARE WE AS A PERSON?

HOW DO WE FEEL?

NOT NECESSARILY OUR ASSIGNED GENDER AT BIRTH.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH OUR GENITALS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S BASICALLY HOW WE FEEL AND WHO WE PRESENT OURSELVES TO BE.

SO GENDER IDENTITY IS DIFFERENT THAN SEX.

WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS SEX, THAT WOULD BE WHAT YOU ARE ASSIGNED AT BIRTH.

GENDER IDENTITY IS HOW YOU FEEL.

>> GREAT.

SUSAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME ON "PIERRE TO PEER."

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> IT'S GREAT TO HANG OUT.

THANK YOU.

>> THANKS, LEE.

OTHER STATEHOUSE NEWS WE'RE FOLLOWING THIS WEEK.

A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE HAS RULED A VOTER-APPROVED MEASURE TO LEGALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED AMENDMENT "A" LAST FALL.

SUPPORTERS PLAN TO APPEAL THE DECISION.

MEANWHILE, LAWMAKERS ARE WORKING ON A SEPARATE INITIATIVE RELATED TO MEDICINAL MARIJUANA.

GOVERNOR NOEM'S OFFICE SAYS THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TIME.

HOUSE LAWMAKERS INTRODUCED LEGISLATION TO PUSH BACK THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE AND SET UP A TASK FORCE TO STUDY MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

KEN PETERSON IS THE MAJORITY LEADER IN THE HOUSE.

HE SAYS IT'S THEIR INTENTION TO HONOR THE WILL OF THE VOTERS.

>> SO AS WE'RE HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE AGENCIES THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF IMPLEMENTING THIS.

IT TAKES TIME.

YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER STATES, IT'S TAKEN 18 MONTHS UP TO FOUR YEARS TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

AND SO IT'S NO DIFFERENT IN SOUTH DAKOTA.

AND WITH THE PENDING LITIGATION OUT THERE ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT A AS WELL, THAT'S ALSO ANOTHER FACTOR IN THAT.

BUT THE MAIN REASON IS IT TAKES TIME AND THEY NEED TIME.

WE NEED A SAFE AND WORKABLE PROGRAM SET UP FOR THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

>> PROPONENTS OF THE MEASURE SAY ANY DELAY GOES AGAINST THE WILL OF THE VOTERS WHO SUPPORTED A JULY 1ST START DATE.

THEY ALSO HOPE POTENTIAL CANNABIS PATIENTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE TASK FORCE.

IN A SPECIAL ADDRESS TO LAWMAKERS THIS WEEK, GOVERNOR KRISTI NOEM ANNOUNCED THE STATE COULD HAVE $125 MILLION IN EXTRA ONE-TIME MONEY.

THAT'S ON TOP OF NEARLY $225 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN PROJECTED.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS THE STATE IS IN A HISTORIC POSITION BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE CALLS A PRINCIPLED APPROACH OVER THE LAST YEAR.

IT'S A REFERENCE TO NOEM'S DECISION TO KEEP THE STATE OPEN WHILE OTHERS WERE SHUTTING DOWN DUE TO COVID-19.

>> I BELIEVE IT WAS OUR COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES THAT PUT US IN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN TODAY.

IT WAS OUR RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE.

IT WAS OUR COMMON SENSE, CONSERVATIVE VALUES AND THE PRINCIPLES THAT WE HOLD DEAR IN AMERICA.

AND IN SHORT, IT WAS OUR TRUST.

AND OUR RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND THOSE THAT WE SERVE.

SO GOING FORWARD, WE SHOULD TRUST THIS MODEL AND CONTINUE TO STAY TRUE TO WHAT WE BELIEVE IN.

>> NOEM NEVER IMPOSED STATEWIDE STAY-AT-HOME RESTRICTIONS DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SENT THE STATE ABOUT $5 BILLION IN STIMULUS MONEY IN THE PAST YEAR, SOME OF WHICH REMAINS UNSPENT.

STATE SENATOR REYNOLD MESSABA SERVES ON THE JOINT APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE.

HE SAYS MUCH OF THE $1.25 BILLION IN CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS WERE RECODED AS STATE GENERAL FUNDS.

HE SAYS THAT THE MAIN SOURCE OF THE SURPLUS.

LAWMAKERS WILL START CREATING THE STATE BUDGET IN THE COMING DAYS.

AND AT LEAST FIVE STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 IN THE PAST WEEK.

LAST SUNDAY, REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE AARON AILWARD WAS DIAGNOSED.

SINCE THEN REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE TAM AREA SAINT JOHN, CHRIS KARR, HAVE ALSO TESTED POSITIVE.

REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE TOM PISCHKE IS NOW PARTICIPATING REMOTELY, BUT HAS NOT CONFIRMED WHY.

CALLING ON THE CHAMBER TO ADOPT STRICTER COVID-19 PROTOCOLS.

MASKS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED IN THE HOUSE CHAMBER AND REQUIRED IN THE SENATE.

EACH WEEK DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE EXAMINE THE BACKSTORY BEHIND CURRENT ISSUES TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, "WHY IS THAT?"

THIS WEEK, SDPB'S SETH TUPPER EXPLAINS WHY SOME MEAT PROCESSORS CAN ONLY SELL THEIR PRODUCTS IN SOUTH DAKOTA AND WHAT ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE DOING ABOUT IT.

>> SENATOR MIKE ROUNDS SAYS THERE'S A PROBLEM IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY.

>> TODAY IF YOU HAD MEAT OR POULTRY PROCESSED AT A SOUTH DAKOTA INSPECTED FACILITY IN HUDSON, SOUTH DAKOTA, YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SELL IT ACROSS THE BORDER JUST A FEW MILES AWAY AT IOWA, BUT YOU COULD SELL IT SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES AWAY IN LEMMON, SOUTH DAKOTAS.

>> HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STATE AND FEDERAL INSPECTIONS.

FEDERALLY INSPECTED MEAT PROCESSERS CAN SELL THEIR PRODUCTS ACROSS STATE LINES.

STATE INSPECTED PROCESSERS CAN ONLY DO THAT WITH SPECIAL PERMISSION.

THAT BECAME A PROBLEM EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC.

SLOW-DOWNS AT PACKING PLANTS MADE MEAT SCARCE IN GROCERY STORES.

CONSUMERS TURNED TO SMALL PROCESSERS LIKE LOCAL LOCKERS.

BUT IN SOUTH DAKOTA, THEY COULDN'T SHIP MEAT OUT OF STATE.

ROUNDS WANTS TO EXPAND THE MARKET FOR SMALL PROCESSERS.

>> IT IS TIME TO END THIS ARBITRARY REGULATION RESTRICTING THE SALE OF THESE PRODUCTS TO WITHIN STATE LINES AND ALLOW FACILITIES INSPECTED BY STATE MEAT INSPECTION PROGRAMS TO INCREASE PRODUCTION AND SELL THEIR PRODUCT NATIONWIDE.

>> THE CONSOLIDATION OF MEAT INSPECTION HAPPENED MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE VETERINARIAN DUSTIN ODE COVEIN SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD GOOD REASONS FOR TAKING OVER INTERSTATE MEAT INSPECTIONS IN THE EARLY 1900S.

>> CERTAINLY AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD SOME BAD DUDES IN PACKERTOWN THERE IN CHICAGO, AND THEY WERE NOT -- I MEAN, YOU HAD COMPANY GUYS THAT ARE SUPPOSEDLY DOING THE INSPECTION, BUT THEY WERE REWORKING STUFF IN THE BASEMENT AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

ALL THAT STUFF, YOU KNOW?

AND SO FROM THERE THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, STATE INSPECTIONS, CITY INSPECTIONS, YOU GU GUYS NT DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS ALL UNDER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

>> UP TON SIN CLAIRE'S 1906 NOVEL "THE JUNGLE" WAS THE CATALYST.

THE BOCK EXPOSED SHOCKINGLY UNSANITARY CONCLUSIONS IN PACKING PLANTS.

WITH THE FEDERAL MEAT INSPECTION ACT.

IT REQUIRED FEDERAL INSPECTION OF ALL MEAT PROCESSING PLANTS, SHIPPING PRODUCTS ACROSS STATE LINES.

THAT SYSTEM IS STILL IN PLACE TODAY.

ABOUT 30 STATES HAVE CREATED MEAT INSPECTION PROGRAMS FOR SMALL PROCESSERS.

FOR DECADES, THOSE STATE INSPECTED PROCESSERS COULD NOT SHIP THEIR PRODUCTS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

CONGRESS OPENED THE DOOR TO INTERSTATE SALES OF STATE INSPECTED MEAT IN 2008.

THAT YEAR'S FARM BILL CREATED THE COOPERATIVE INTERSTATE SHIPMENT PROGRAM KNOWN AS C.I.S.

STATE AS THAT APPLIED TO THE PROGRAM HAVE TO PROVE THEIR INSPECTIONS ARE AS GOOD AS FEDERAL INSPECTIONS.

THEN THOSE PROCESSERS HAVE A NATIONAL MARKET FOR THEIR PRODUCT.

SOUTH DAKOTA INITIALLY AVOIDED JOINING THE PROGRAM.

STATE VETERINARIAN SAYS THE PROGRAM DOES NOT TRULY RECOGNIZE THE VALIDITY OF STATE INSPECTIONS.

STATE INSPECTORS HAVE TO UNDERGO EXTRA TRAINING, EVEN THOUGH THE STATE HAS ALREADY TRAINED THEM.

AND THE STATE PAYS 40% OF THE PROGRAM COSTS EVEN THOUGH IT'S A FEDERAL STAMP, NOT A STATE STAMP, THAT GOES ON THE INSPECTED PRODUCT.

ODEKOVIN SAYS THE FEDERAL FOOD AND SAFETY INSPECTION SERVICE RUNS THE PROGRAM.

>> AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY TELLING THAT THAT LEGISLATION WENT THROUGH IN 2008.

F.S.I.S.

IMPLEMENTED RULES GOVERNING THE C.I.S.

PROGRAM IN 2011.

AND HERE WE ARE NEARLY TEN YEARS LATER, AND WE JUST GOT THE SEVENTH STATE TO PARTICIPATE.

>> THE PROGRAM HAS SINCE GROWN TO EIGHT STATES.

AND SOUTH DAKOTA COULD BECOME THE NINTH.

THE STATE HAS APPLIED TO THE PROGRAM AND COULD BE ACCEPTED BY NEXT FALL.

GOVERNOR NOEM ALLUDED TO THE APPLICATION IN HER BUDGET ADDRESS.

>> AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH USDA RIGHT NOW TO GIVE OUR FARMERS AND OUR RANCHERS ANOTHER OPTION TO BE ABLE TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS ACROSS STATE LINES.

THESE EFFORTS COULD DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE SOUTH DAKOTA'S MEAT PROCESSING OPTIONS IN THE COMING MONTHS.

>> THE PANDEMIC MOTIVATED THIS EFFORTS TO EXPAND THE MARKET FOR SOUTH DAKOTA MEAT.

EARLY LAST YEAR, MANY CONSUMERS TURNED TO LOCAL LOCKERS WHEN GROCERS SAW MEAT SHORTAGES AND THOSE LOCKERS WERE OVERWHELMED.

JOE SHERMAN OWNS TICK TICK'S COUNTRY BUTCHER SHOP IN I REASON.

LAST SUMMER, HE SAID HIS OPERATION COULDN'T KEEP UP.

>> I GOT PEOPLE CALLING TO BOOK STUFF TO BUTCHER CUSTOM.

I'M SO FAR BEHIND I'M NOT EVEN BOOKING STUFF RIGHT NOW.

SO THEN THEY MAYBE WANT TO BUY SOME MEAT OVER THE COUNTER, RETAIL AND A LOT OF THAT STUFF I'M OUT OF BECAUSE OF THE HIGH PRICES AND I'M HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE ORDERING STUFF BECAUSE THE DISTRIBUTORS ARE OUT.

>> SOME LOCKERS GOT CALLS FROM PEOPLE IN OTHER STATES.

BUT EVEN IF THEY HAD MEAT TO SELL, THE STATE INSPECTED LOCKERS COULDN'T SHIP IT ACROSS STATE LINES.

THE STATE'S APPLICATION TO THE COOPERATIVE INTERSTATE SHIPMENT PROGRAM COULD FIX THAT.

GOVERNOR NOEM IS ALSO ADDRESSING THE CAPACITY PROBLEM WITH A GRANT PROGRAM FOR SMALL MEAT PROCESSERS.

>> THIS PROGRAM IS FOR THE SMALL PROCESSERS THAT OUR LOCAL PRODUCERS RELY ON.

THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, PROCESSERS CAN APPLY FOR A GRANT TO PAY FOR FACILITY UPGRADES.

LIKE NEW FREEZERS.

OR PROCESSING EQUIPMENT.

WE'LL MAKE FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS TO MANAGE INCREASED CAPACITY.

OR WORK TO EXPAND THEIR OPERATIONS.

>> THE STATE'S CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES ARE TAKING ACTION TOO.

SENATOR MIKE ROUNDS HAS A BILL THAT WOULD LEGALIZE SALES OF STATE INSPECTED MEAT AROUND THE COUNTRY WITHOUT THE NEED FOR THE COOPERATIVE INTERSTATE SHIPMENT PROGRAM.

CONGRESSMAN DUSTY JOHNSON HAS A SIMILAR BUT MORE NARROWLY FOCUSED BILL.

THROUGH E-COMMERCE ONLY WITH A CAP ON THE QUANTITY OF EACH SALE.

FOR SOUTH DAKOTA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, I'M SETH TUPPER.

>> YOU CAN FIND THAT STORY AND ALL OF OUR ONGOING LEGISLATIVE COVERAGE ONLINE: SDPB.ORG/STATEHOUSE.

THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TIME FOR TONIGHT.

DON'T FORGET, IF THERE'S A QUESTION YOU WANT ANSWERED ON "SOUTH DAKOTA FOCUS," SEND US AN EMAIL, OR FIND ME ON TWITTER: @JACKIEHENDRYSD.

AND JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT'S NEXT FOR RECREATIONAL AND MEDICINAL MARIJUANA IN THE STATE.

UNTIL THEN, I'M JACKIE HENDRY.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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