An Act to make an appropriation for a student teacher stipend grant program.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of South Dakota:

Section 1. There is appropriated $500,000 from the general fund, to the Department of Education, for providing student teacher stipend grants to school districts and to department-accredited schools.

Section 2. The Department of Education shall annually provide grants for student teacher stipends in accordance with this Act, to school districts and to department-accredited schools, based on applications received from school districts and from department-accredited schools during the period beginning July first and ending August fifteenth.

Section 3. Grants provided in accordance with this Act may not exceed $5,000 per school district or department-accredited school and must be used to provide stipends to one or more student teachers placed in that school district or department-accredited school during the school year immediately following the application period defined in section 2 of this Act. To receive moneys through grants provided in accordance with this Act, an individual must hold either a Student Teacher Permit or an Advanced Student Teacher Permit from the Department of Education. The department may spend up to five percent of the appropriation in section 1 of this Act for costs incurred in administering the grants.

Section 4. The secretary of the Department of Education shall approve vouchers and the state auditor shall draw warrants to pay expenditures authorized in this Act.

Section 5. Any amounts appropriated in this Act not lawfully expended or obligated by June 30, 2027, shall revert in accordance with the procedures prescribed in chapter 4-8.

Section 6. This Act is effective beginning June 30, 2025.