South Dakota

State lawmakers reject expansion of free school meals in South Dakota

Published

2 years ago

January 22, 2024

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State lawmakers reject expansion of free school meals in South Dakota

PIERRE — Lawmakers narrowly rejected

a bill

Monday that would have given more low-income students free school meals.

The state House Education Committee voted 8-7 to defeat the legislation.

“These are South Dakota’s most vulnerable families and kids,” Rep. Kadyn Wittman, D-Sioux Falls, told the committee. She said 7,580 South Dakota children would have been helped by the legislation.

The bill would have prohibited charging students who qualify for

federal reduced-price meals

. Those students’ parents or guardians make as little as $25,636 to $36,482 annually. Children of parents making less already qualify for free meals.

The bill also would have required school districts to ensure parents or legal guardians of eligible students complete and submit a federal school meal application annually. Proponents said doing so would ensure children eligible for federal programs are benefitting from them.

The state Department of Education would have been responsible for reimbursing school districts for the cost of providing the additional meals. The annual cost would have been about $579,000, according to the state Legislative Research Council.

The bill’s proponents described that as a price worth paying.

“It’s our responsibility as leaders and human beings to ensure that no child in South Dakota has to learn on an empty stomach,” testified Jesse Severson, with Hungry Hearts, a nonprofit helping low-income families.

Gay Anderson, the child nutrition coordinator for the Sioux Falls School District, and Krista Leischner, the student nutrition manager for Rapid City Area Schools, also testified in favor of the bill.

“Food insecurity is a reality in our state,” Leischner told the committee. “Food insecurity is not something students should experience in school walls. While I do not see this bill as ‘the’ answer, I do see this bill as a step in the right direction.”

Governor Kristi Noem’s Bureau of Finance and Management Commissioner Jim Terwilliger testified that “the goals of this bill are well-intentioned” but “there is no free lunch, meaning someone still has to pay.”

Terwilliger said the school lunch programs are “already heavily subsidized by the federal government.” He said the bill takes a burden currently being lifted by nonprofits and philanthropists and puts it on the shoulders of state taxpayers. Across the state, private efforts have helped cover unpaid school lunch bills; for example, 1,800 students’ lunch debts in the Sioux Falls School District were paid off by donations.

Terwilliger said the bill’s proponents would continue to push for more free meals if the bill passed.

“I believe this would just be the first step,” he said. “And more steps would be coming in the future.”

Wittman countered, saying that “if we want South Dakota to pull ahead in terms of test scores, lowering absenteeism, having better health outcomes for our kids, I can’t think of a better investment.”

Rep. Phil Jensen, R-Rapid City, motioned to defeat the bill. He said it’s the responsibility of the church to care for the needy, not the government.

“We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and by doing so, we can meet the needs of this effort,” Jensen said. “I think if anybody wanted to donate money, they could donate money to this cause. And as a Republican, I believe in less government and less intrusion in our lives. Nowhere in the constitution or state constitution does it say anything about feeding school children.”

Retired educator Rep. Roger DeGroot, R-Brookings, said his fellow lawmakers on the committee were losing sight of the point of the bill.

“Somehow we got involved in all kinds of different rabbit holes,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the responsibility of somebody running a public school program to run around and work with churches to raise money.”

Rep. Tim Reisch, R-Howard, expressed fiscal concerns.

“I don’t think it’s the state’s obligation to shore up something when the federal government already has a program in place,” he said.

Reisch said the federal debt is a “bigger burden to the youth of this nation than, probably, shortcomings in meal programs.”

Wittman said she does not plan any attempts to revive the bill this legislative session.

— This story can be found on South Dakota Searchlight’s website. South Dakota Searchlight provides free news and commentary on critical issues facing the state.

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 5, 2026

Published

45 minutes ago

March 6, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 5 drawing

17-20-23-30-33, Bonus: 05

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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South Dakota

DOE selects nine school districts for 2026 South Dakota Perkins Reserve grant

Published

13 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

DOE selects nine school districts for 2026 South Dakota Perkins Reserve grant

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Nine school districts have been selected as recipients of the 2026 Perkins Reserve Grant by the South Dakota Department of Education.

The grant provides major equipment upgrades for Career and Technical Education programs, helping to equip students with the skills and experiences needed for post-secondary education and the workforce.

“CTE programs are constantly evolving to match the pace of workforce needs,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Joseph Graves.

“The South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant aids schools in equipping students with current technologies, resources, and tools, offering students a realistic, hands-on learning experience that will strengthen their marketability to colleges or employers once they leave the K-12 education system.”

The following school districts have been named as the 2026 recipients:

Aberdeen School District:
- Awarded $30,233 for new precision machine equipment for the manufacturing program.
De Smet School District:
- Awarded $15,898 for modernizing metal fabrication within agriculture programs.
Lake Preston School District:
- Awarded $43,160 for expansion of program offers in multiple career clusters to strengthen industrial alignment.
McLaughlin School District:
- Awarded $11,997 to purchase equipment to offer a new culinary arts program.
Menno School District:
- Awarded $32,844 to purchase small engines and attend professional development opportunities to enhance the agricultural mechanics program.
Mitchell School District:
- Awarded $38,663 for the modernization of the automotive technology lab.
Timber Lake School District:
- Awarded $42,400 for the expansion of agriculture course offerings to strengthen industry alignment.
Wakpala School District:
- Awarded $40,145 to purchase a skid steer simulator to enhance the agriculture and construction program.
Wolsey-Wessington School District:
- Awarded $26,201 to purchase industry-aligned equipment to enhance the agriculture and construction program.

You can learn more about the South Dakota Perkins Reserve Grant at doe.sd.gov.

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for March 4, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 4 drawing

07-14-42-47-56, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from March 4 drawing

33-38-39-47-51, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Dakota Cash numbers from March 4 drawing

02-18-22-30-32

Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 4 drawing

12-13-36-39-58, Bonus: 03

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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