South Dakota lawmakers will consider a bill (SB 100) to spending $15 million to establish the Stronger Families Scholarship to improve educational outcomes and stability for children in foster care.
Prime sponsor Senator Al Novstrup of Aberdeen says kids in foster care face disparate educational outcomes compared to their peers. He says the three-year pilot program would provide up to $4,000 to eligible youth in foster care to reimburse families for the costs of tutoring or teaching services, curriculum, online learning programs, private school tuition, standardized achievement tests, certain transportation expenses and technology used for educational purposes.
These additional resources help create positive relationships with adults who can provide support to a child and serve as a protector against the negative outcomes we see too often among foster children.
Governor Kristi Noem supports the bill saying foster children go through difficult events that often interrupt their ability to achieve a high-quality education. She says creating the Stronger Families Scholarship will equip these children with access to consistent resources and relationships that are critical to healthy academic development.
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