At a recent Board of Education Standards meeting in Sioux Falls, educators voiced strong opposition to proposed changes to South Dakota’s math standards, calling them overly simplified and lacking clarity. Most of the 44 public comments submitted ahead of the meeting were critical of the revisions.
The updated proposal, developed by a statewide advisory group and reviewed by a 20-member committee, aims to make the standards more concise. Education Secretary Joe Graves defended the changes, saying the current standards are difficult for parents and elementary teachers to understand and contribute to stagnant student performance as math proficiency has hovered at 44% since the pandemic.
However, higher-level math educators argued the revisions strip away essential detail.
The proposed standards draw from other states and the Archimedes framework, promoted by the National Association of Scholars as “depoliticized.” Critics point to Hillsdale College’s involvement, which also influenced South Dakota’s controversial social studies standards adopted in 2023.
The board also discussed updates to health education standards. Advocacy groups proposed adding caregiver education and human trafficking awareness. Graves advised against expanding the curriculum, but some board members expressed support for broader recommendations.
The next public hearing is scheduled for February 23 in Pierre.
Comments