Department of Education

Chapter 24:28 (Educator Certification)

The effect and purpose of the rules will be to update the state certification process for educators to: streamline the certification process; eliminate unnecessary barriers to the certification process; and ensure educators meet the minimum content and pedagogical knowledge requirements expected of them prior to being certified. The reason for adopting the proposed rules is to create a state certification system for educators that more closely aligns with the realities of education in South Dakota and to improve outdated procedures and requirements. For the last two years, the Department of Education has been leading work groups through a comprehensive study of the current certification system and has identified areas in which conflicting rules and outdated requirements have created inefficiencies and unnecessary barriers both for candidates seeking to teach in the state and for schools desiring to hire educators. When adopted, these rules will ensure that applicants meet state requirements for the courses they teach or the leadership positions they hold, but will eliminate many of the inefficiencies and barriers identified by the workgroups.

New content is added below as the draft rules move through the rule-making process.

Important Dates
Public Hearing:
Comment Deadline:
Interim Rules Committee Hearing:
Filed-Secretary of State:
Rule Effective:

03/20/2017
03/17/2017
05/01/2017
06/12/2017
07/02/2017

Agency Contact: Hailey Spaid mail to: DOEAdminRules@state.sd.us