South Dakota
Noem’s attempt to 'prioritize education' gets failing grade • South Dakota Searchlight
Soon Gov. Kristi Noem could be installed as the next Secretary of Homeland Security. In one of her last official acts as governor, Noem managed to instill some uncertainty in South Dakota’s public education system.
During her budget speech, Noem claimed she wanted to continue to “prioritize education.” Notice that she didn’t say “prioritize public education.” In what was likely her final budget address to the Legislature, Noem proposed an ongoing $4 million expenditure to help families pay for private school tuition and other forms of alternative instruction.
Her largesse toward families seeking to pay for a private school education came during a budget address in which she:
- Offered a paltry 1.25% funding increase for the “big three” of health care, public education and state employee salaries.
- Unveiled $71.9 million in budget reductions and discretionary changes.
- Included in the budget cuts a $2 million reduction for the Board of Regents and a $3.6 million cut for South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
Noem proposed that the state would pay about $3,000 per student annually for private school tuition or alternative instruction. Private schools, homeschoolers and other forms of alternative instruction operate under a different set of rules. It’s a veritable wild west of schools that can be unaccredited or accredited by someone other than the state. In other words, good luck figuring out how your tax dollars are being spent.
It’s probably possible to figure out how much money the state of South Dakota has invested in public education since statehood. Instead of doing the math, let’s just assume it totals in the billions of dollars. It seems at cross purposes for the state to make that kind of long-term investment in public education only to turn around and start funding its competitors.
Instead of tackling the bigger issues in public education, Noem has revved up the Legislature for a fight over an idea that’s trendy in conservative circles. It’s also an idea that the state can’t afford. Any state budget that proposes tens of millions in cuts isn’t likely to have a spare $4 million. If there is $4 million extra in the state budget, it should be funneled into teacher salaries.
Through neglect and short-sightedness lawmakers and the governor have let teachers’s salaries sink back near the bottom of the barrel nationally. Noem’s proposed 1.25% increase in education funding certainly isn’t going to do much to get South Dakota’s national teacher salary ranking out of the basement.
With its low teacher salary ranking, South Dakota’s universities find themselves training the next generation of teachers for the surrounding states that make a greater attempt to pay teachers what they are worth. When qualified teachers become harder to attract because of South Dakota’s low salaries, school districts will be forced to cut their offerings, hamstringing the very education that Noem says she has gone to such great lengths to “prioritize.”
The last time South Dakota made any progress in this area was in 2016 when Gov. Dennis Daugaard led an effort to raise the state sales tax by half a percent with some of the funds dedicated to raising teachers’ salaries. Since then, lawmakers have cut the state sales tax and mandated a $45,000 minimum salary for public school teachers without offering any extra funding to help schools reach that goal.
Given the state of the budget Noem proposed, lawmakers would do well to put their efforts into protecting public education and finding a funding source that could ensure that the state’s teacher salaries are no longer a national embarrassment.
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The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 21, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from April 21 drawing
01-36-43-56-58, Mega Ball: 07
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 21 drawing
01-04-40-47-58, Bonus: 04
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Clear Lake businessman Tim Begalka is running for re-election to the South Dakota Senate for District 4. Begalka served two terms in the State House and two terms in the Senate.
He and his wife Rhonda live in Clear Lake. Their have three adult children also live in the state.
Begalka has owned Sodak Gardens, a local greenhouse and nursery, for the past 30 years. The business was started by his late father Leon Begalka in 1954. Begalka is a graduate of Clear Lake High School and South Dakota State University, and is a fifth generation Deuel County resident.
While in the legislature, Begalka served on the agriculture, education and commerce committees and was vice-chairman of the Judiciary Committee. In his release he said he has always looked out for the “little guy,” whether that be an individual, family, township, small-town, farm, business or school. He is a defender of property rights, the 2nd amendment and the right to life, he said in a release.
“While in Pierre, I frequently witnessed the bigger businesses, schools, and government entities try to take advantage of the little guys,” Begalka said in a release. “The big guys already have more money, power, numbers, and lobbyists. The little guys need a Senator with a backbone to stand up for them. That’s what I promise to continue to do, represent the citizens of District 4.”
He has never lost an election, and his winning philosophy, he said, is “Always tell the truth, and try to be nice to everyone”.
Begalka will be on the ballot for the June 2 Republican Primary. In order to vote in that primary, you need to be a registered Republican in District 4 by May 18th. District 4 includes all of Deuel, Grant, and Hamlin Counties, greater Codington, southeastern Roberts, and all of Clark County except the southwest corner.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 20, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from April 20 drawing
09-17-36-47-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from April 20 drawing
05-07-31-41-43, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 20 drawing
19-37-40-41-53, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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