Highlights:
Noem Was The First Candidate Or Public Official In The County To Sign The “1776 Pledge To Save Our Schools.” According to a press release from Governor Kristi Noem, “Last year, Governor Noem became the first candidate or public official in the country to sign the ‘1776 Pledge to Save our Schools.’ At the time, she and Dr. Ben Carson co-wrote an article for Fox News outlining the Pledge and why it is important. ‘Since becoming the first office holder in the country to sign the ‘1776 Pledge,’ Governor Noem has followed through with action to promote a true and balanced telling of American history,’ said Adam Waldeck, President of 1776 Action. ‘These standards will set the bar for social studies education in this country. I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Noem to restore honest, patriotic education.’” [Governor Kristi Noem Press Release, 8/15/22]
Noem Advocated For “1776 Pledge To Save Our Schools” As Part Of A Conservative Drive To Emphasize The Qualities Of The Founders Of The United States In School Curriculum. According to the Associated Press, “Noem, who is seen as a potential 2024 White House contender, has also advocated for the ‘1776 Pledge to Save Our Schools’ as part of a conservative drive to emphasize the qualities of the founders of the United States. She has also tried to purge so-called critical race theory from the state’s public schools.” [Associated Press, 8/15/22]
Noem Said The 1776 Pledge Would Ensure “We Have the Facts In Our Classrooms, The True History Of The American Story.” According to Monday Morning with Mike Tanner via SoundCloud, “NOEM: Earlier this year, I was the first candidate in the country to sign the 1776 Pledge, which was something that was brought forward by Ben Carson and Newt Gingrich and myself that just said this would ensure that we believe in the 1776 Pledge that makes sure that we have the facts in our classrooms, the true history of the American story, and that our kids will not be taught to divide and to hate each other.” [Monday Morning with Mike Tanner via SoundCloud, 12/30/21]
The Pledge Credited And Echoed Trump’s 1776 Commission. According to Business Insider, “A group with ties to the Donald Trump allies Newt Gingrich and Ben Carson is ramping up pressure on politicians to support ‘patriotic education’ in schools, a goal the former president set for education before leaving office last year. More than 300 mostly state and local politicians have already signed the 1776 Action pledge, which calls for a restoration of ‘honest, patriotic education that cultivates in our children a profound love for our country.’ […] 1776 Action says it's fighting ‘anti-American indoctrination’ and credits Trump's efforts to create the so-called 1776 Commission, which produced a report just before President Joe Biden took office in 2021 and rescinded it.” [Business Insider, 1/5/22]
Trump’s 1776 Commission Released A Report Calling For A “Patriotic Education.” According to the New York Times, “The White House on Monday released the report of the presidential 1776 Commission, a sweeping attack on liberal thought and activism that calls for a ‘patriotic education,’ defends America’s founding against charges that it was tainted by slavery and likens progressivism to fascism.” [New York Times, 1/18/21]
Historians Largely Condemned The 1776 Pledge And Said It Was Filled With Errors. According to the Washington Post, “The report was intended to advance a version of U.S. history that would ‘restor[e] patriotic education’ in schools. Historians largely condemned it, saying it was filled with errors and partisan politics. ‘It’s a hack job. It’s not a work of history,’ American Historical Association executive director James Grossman told The Washington Post. ‘It’s a work of contentious politics designed to stoke culture wars.’” [Washington Post, 1/19/21]
University Of California At Davis History Professor Called The Report “Not Coherent” And “Historical Wackamole.” According to the Washington Post, “‘It’s very hard to find anything in here that stands as a historical claim, or as the work of a historian. Almost everything in it is wrong, just as a matter of fact,’ said Eric Rauchway, a history professor at the University of California at Davis. ‘I may sound a little incoherent when trying to speak of this, because the report itself is not coherent. It’s like historical wackamole.’” [Washington Post, 1/19/21]
Noem: “Critical Race Theory Is Racism.” According to Monday Morning with Mike Tanner via SoundCloud, “NOEM: Well, basically, critical race theory is racism. It’s divisive teachings that aren't true.” [Monday Morning with Mike Tanner via SoundCloud, 12/30/21]
Noem Introduced A Legislative Package That Would Ban CRT In K-12 Public Schools And Higher Education Training And Orientation. According to Fox News, “South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Wednesday filed an expansive legislative package targeting critical race theory (CRT) in classrooms. Critics of CRT, which is formally understood as an academic and legal analysis of race recognizing racism as a systemic problem affecting certain areas of society, argue that the movement is divisive in classrooms and separates children into groups of oppressors versus oppressed, privileged and underprivileged. Noem's bills would ban CRT in public K-12 schools, as well as the application of CRT in higher education training and orientation for students and staff.” [Fox News, 2/2/22]
Noem Said “Critical Race Theory Will Not Be Taught In Schools,” And That "Kids Can't Be Compelled To Participate In Riots." According to Fox News, “The legislative package ensures that ‘critical race theory will not be taught in [South Dakota] schools, that no one will be taught that someone is better or less than someone else based on their sex or their race, and also that kids can't be compelled to participate in riots or protests or lobbying on a specific agenda,’ the governor told Fox News Digital in an interview.” [Fox News, 2/2/22]
Noem Signed A Bill Preventing Public Universities And Colleges From Mandating Orientations And Trainings That Teach “Divisive Concepts.” According to KELO, “Universities and colleges under the control of the South Dakota Board of Regents will no longer be able to require students to attend orientations and training that are based on what Governor Kristi Noem defines as Critical Race Theory. HB 1012 was signed into law on Monday along with several other education bills. The bill was initially meant to ban divisive concepts from being taught in the classroom and no state money could be used for actions that would be prohibited by the passage of the bill. But the bill that was signed into law was heavily amended to only apply to orientation and training from colleges and universities. This law does not prohibit professors in higher education from teaching such concepts in academic instruction, answering questions about divisive concepts in orientation and training, nor does it violate the First Amendment or academic freedom and intellectual diversity. ‘No student or teacher should have to endorse Critical Race Theory in order to attend, graduate from, or teach at our public universities,’ said Governor Noem in a statement. ‘College should remain a place where freedom of thought and expression are encouraged, not stifled by political agendas.’” [KELO, 3/21/22]
Noem Promoted The “Divisive Concepts” Ban As A Repudiation Of Critical Race Theory. According to the Associated Press, “Noem has billed the proposal as a repudiation of so-called ‘critical race theory’ and a way to ensure ‘students are not taught that they are responsible for (the) different actions of our ancestors.’ The governor has vilified critical race theory in the last year, following a political rallying cry on the right against the academic framework, which centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions.” [Associated Press, 3/7/22]
The Final Legislation Language Did Not Make Any Mention Of Critical Race Theory. According to the Associated Press, “The bill’s actual text makes no mention of critical race theory. It lays out seven ‘divisive concepts’ and bans universities from making students or faculty members adhere to them or promoting them in required trainings.” [Associated Press, 3/21/22]
Top Education Officials In South Dakota Acknowledged That CRT Was Not Taught In Schools And The Language In The House Bill Was Amended To Not Refer To Critical Race Theory Specifically. According to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, “Top education officials in the state have said CRT largely isn't taught in K-12 or higher education in South Dakota. House Bill 1012, ‘to protect students and employees at institutions of higher education from divisive concepts,’ originally stated it would protect against critical race theory training and orientation. However, the title was amended, and the title and bill no longer refer to critical race theory anywhere in the text as amended.” [Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 2/15/22]
Noem Signed Executive Order 2022-02, Which Restricted The Teaching Of Critical Race Theory In K-12 Education In South Dakota. According to a press release from the governor of South Dakota, “Today, Governor Kristi Noem signed Executive Order 2022-02, which restricts the teaching of Critical Race Theory in K-12 education in South Dakota. ‘Political indoctrination has no place in our classrooms,’ said Governor Noem. ‘Our children will not be taught that they are racists or that they are victims, and they will not be compelled to feel responsible for the mistakes of their ancestors. We will guarantee that our students learn America’s true and honest history – that includes both our triumphs and our mistakes.’” [South Dakota Governor Press Release, 4/5/22]
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Leader Criticized Noem’s Executive Order Banning CRT, Saying Noem Was Behaving Like A Dictator. According to KELO, “Chairman Harold Frazier of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe issued a statement Thursday morning on Governor Kristi Noem’s executive order banning CRT in South Dakota K-12 classrooms. ‘The Governor of the state of South Dakota has made it clear that the United States is not responsible for any of its actions,’ Frazier’s statement began. ‘In true dictator fashion she is forbidding the educators of our children to hear, speak or discuss critical issues that would enable our future generations to solve the problems in which we have failed.’ Frazier did not mince words, condemning Noem’s order for ‘all the polished ugliness that it represents.’ […] Frazier then returned his criticism to Noem herself. ‘This may earn her the title of champion to those who believe that the people are not responsible for their nation but as we have seen on the other side of the world when the people can claim ignorance of their governments actions, the government can attack other countries and commit atrocities. We must be critical of our leadership and own our governments as that is the everyday work of democracy,’ he said.” [KELO, 4/7/22]
Noem Tweeted That Continuing Education Credits From “Equity Training” Would Not Be Approved By South Dakota Department Of Education. According to a tweet from Governor Kristi Noem’s official account, “Thanks to my Executive Order, @sddoe will not be approving the credits that this training claims to offer. Our teachers deserve training opportunities that will better educate our kids, not divisive concepts aimed at classroom indoctrination.” [Twitter, @govkristinoem, 4/28/22]
Noem’s Critical Race Theory Executive Order Would Prevent “Equity” Training From Awarding “Continuing Education Units” To Attendees. According to KOTA, “In a statement, Secretary of Education Tiffany Sanderson said that a training like this would not be eligible for CEUs, due to an executive order signed earlier this month by Governor Kristi Noem. ‘Our focus at the Department of Education is to help students succeed and to guarantee each student equal opportunities,’ said Sanderson. ‘Training like this one do not help achieve that, they divide students into groups instead of focusing on equal opportunity for every student. The Department of Education does not pre-approve training that claim to offer CEUs; but we do determine whether a training can be counted toward the CEUs that educators need to earn as part of the recertification process.’ Opponents of Noem’s executive order, and legislation passed during the 2022 session, argue that in part the efforts have created confusion for educators and school districts around what is considered ‘okay,’ and what is not.” [KOTA, 4/27/22]
A Majority Of Schools That Applied For Civics Grants In South Dakota Were Turned Down In Light Of Noem’s Executive Order. According to KELO, “State lawmakers from opposite sides of South Dakota’s battle over teaching divisive issues such as Critical Race Theory are raising questions about the Noem administration’s handling of a program intended for improving civics education in K-12 schools. A July 15 letter from the state Department of Education shows that a majority of the schools that applied for civics grants were turned down. Those decisions by reviewers from the department came after Governor Kristi Noem, a Republican, had called for more focus on civics education in her State of the State speech opening the 2021 legislative session.” [KELO, 7/20/22]
Noem’s State Education Secretary Said Existing Education Policies Were Largely In Line With Executive Order. According to KELO, “The department’s report from that review was submitted to the governor’s office by the July 1 deadline set in the order. KELOLAND News has requested a copy of the report. The governor’s legal counsel is deciding whether to release it. On July 18, state Education Secretary Tiffany Sanderson briefed the board about what was found in that review. ‘It really gave the department an opportunity to dig in deep as to what our roles and responsibilities are,’ Sanderson said. ‘Largely our existing policies, resources and material are in line with executive order 2022-02.” [KELO, 7/29/22]
The State Education Secretary Said The Review Of Education Policies Uncovered A Very Small Number Of Items That Were Out Of Alignment With The Ban On “Divisive Concepts.” According to KELO, “Out of the thousands of items that our staff reviewed there were a very small number of items that were out of alignment with the executive order, and we’re taking action to either modify or discontinue those as we need to,’ she [Sanderson] said. She continued, ‘There were several areas that were identified for processes that could be strengthened, to either ensure clarity in our own operations internally or consistency in vetting resources just for our programs and services. So we’re working over the coming months to pull together what those processes are for our own staff internally. ‘And,’ she went on, ‘then there were numerous other items unrelated to the executive order that were found to be outdated or no longer relevant, and so we’re making sure those no longer are in circulation and are archived appropriately. So our work in follow-up to the executive order will continue through October first.’” [KELO, 7/29/22]
South Dakota’s Department Of Education Only Found Two Violations Of Noem’s “Divisive Concepts” Executive Order In Thousands Of Reviewed Materials. According to KELO, “Of thousands of materials reviewed by the Department of Education, only two were found to be in violation of Governor Kristi Noem’s Critical Race Theory executive order. In April, Noem issued an executive order directing the Department of Education (DOE) to review content standards, policies, trainings and other materials for K-12 schools to weed out any ‘inherently divisive concepts.’ The order came months after a bill to ban ‘divisive concepts’ from K-12 education in South Dakota failed in the South Dakota legislature.” [KELO, 8/15/22]
The Report Highlighted One Instance Of “Potentially Problematic” Material In An Advanced Career And Technical Course That Was Not Currently Taught In South Dakota. According to KELO, “One of the materials deemed ‘potentially problematic’ was in the Introduction to Law and Public Safety II course, which is identified as an ‘advanced career and technical education course.’ The report highlights two passages in the section Level 4: Extended Thinking that ask students to: ‘Analyze differences in power and privilege related to people of culturally diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and practices.’ ‘Analyze issues of cultural assimilation and cultural preservation among ethnic and racial groups in South Dakota and the United States.’ That class is not currently being offered in the state at this time according to the report. Also noted is that the class is ‘not frequently’ taught at the K-12 level when it is offered.” [KELO, 8/15/22]
Noem Said The Report On Critical Race Theory In South Dakota Schools Showed The State Was “Proactively Removing” Critical Race Theory In The Schools. According to a tweet from Governor Kristi Noem’s official account, “We are proactively removing Critical Race Theory before it has any opportunity to take hold in our schools. Learn more here:” [Twitter, @govkristinoem, 8/15/22]
The South Dakota Department Of Education Announced The Formation Of A New 15-Member Committee To Review State Social Studies Standards In Light Of Noem’s Efforts To Eliminate Critical Race Theory. According to Dakota News Now, “The South Dakota Department of Education has announced the formation of a new 15-member committee to review the state’s social studies standards. The Social Studies Content Standards Commission will hold its first meeting on May 4, officials announced Friday. The social studies standards are reviewed every seven years in South Dakota. This year’s review is likely to garner greater scrutiny, however, in light of recent efforts spearheaded by Gov. Kristi Noem to eliminate Critical Race Theory from being taught in the state. While it is unclear if the theory, which analyzes history from the perspective of traditionally oppressed people, is being taught in any state classrooms, Noem and others have been vocal in their opposition against it. Department of Education officials say the new commission is comprised of 15 members, plus a facilitator who will help manage the preparation of the draft standards that will be put forth for public review. The purpose of the first meeting is to allow the commission to get organized and begin a review of the draft social studies content standards.” [Dakota News Now, 4/22/22]
Previous Social Studies Standards Workgroup Under Noem Had Left Out Indigenous History Education, Provoking Protests And Delays In Process. According to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, “A group of more than a dozen people is now tasked with reworking the social studies standards after last year’s standards process was delayed, then relaunched by Gov. Kristi Noem. Nearly four dozen people worked on the standards last year, since social studies standards were last adopted in 2015 and need to be reviewed every seven years. […] The workgroup presented its standards to the DOE by July 26, and the DOE then released its revised version of that recommendation to the public on Aug. 6. But the difference between the two documents showed the DOE’s version had removed more than a dozen references to the Oceti Sakowin. Days later, workgroup members called out those changes and said the workgroup didn’t agree with them. Those changes to the standards sparked an Oceti Sakowin March for Our Children in Pierre, where hundreds of marchers demanded Indigenous history education for all and called for Noem and other government officials to resign. Eventually, Noem asked to delay, then later relaunch the social studies standards process because of differences between the DOE and workgroup, and between Noem and a consultant the state hired to oversee the process.” [Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 4/22/22]
Noem Personally Played A Role In Selecting Members Of State’s New Social Studies Standards Revision Committee. According to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, “South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, and other top state officials, played a role in selecting, interviewing and vetting members of the state's next social studies standards revision committee. […] But now, multiple people, including lawmakers, former workgroup members and educators, are sharing concerns the governor's office is too involved in the process. Confirmed by the Department of Education, the news of Noem's involvement comes days after the DOE announced the new 15-member lineup of the standards commission Friday.” [Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 4/27/22]
Noem’s Spokesman And A DOE Spokeswoman Said The Governor’s Office Was Involved In Selecting The New Social Studies Standards Workgroup. According to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, “Asked if it's standard process for the governor's office to be involved in picking the workgroup, DOE spokeswoman Ruth Raveling did not answer directly but instead stated Gov. Noem and her office worked with the governor's appointed Secretary of Education, the governor's appointed State Historian, and the Department of Education, ‘as they do on so many important issues impacting the next generation.’ Noem's spokesman Ian Fury confirmed the governor's office reviewed workgroup applications and participated in phone interviews with candidates, but would not say who exactly was involved.” [Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 4/27/22]
A South Dakota Representative Noted It Was Uncommon For The Governor To Appoint Workgroup Members. According to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, “Rep. Erin Healy, a Sioux Falls Democrat who serves on the House education committee, noted it is uncommon for the governor to appoint workgroup members and it's usually done by the Secretary of Education. Healy said the makeup of the committee both puzzles and concerns her, and worries about partisanship, with no registered Democrats on the new workgroup.” [Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 4/27/22]
Only Five Of 15 Members Of New South Dakota Social Studies Standards Group Had Been Public School Teachers, Compared To 31 Of Original 44 Members. According to KELO, “Over the course of the past nine months, the subject of social studies education content standards has been a controversial one. The issues began in the summer of 2021 when the Department of Education (DOE) released a draft of South Dakota Social Studies standards, which differed greatly from the draft submitted by a workgroup made up of several members of South Dakota’s education and tribal communities. The DOE removed several mentions of Native American history and culture from the standards. This move, never fully explained by the DOE, resulted in backlash from the original workgroup and from South Dakota’s tribal communities, as well as calls for the resignation of Governor Kristi Noem, DOE Secretary Tiffany Sanderson, Secretary of Tribal Relations David Flute and Director of Indian Education Fred Osborn (a member of the original work group and of the newly announced commission). […] The original workgroup from 2021 was comprised of 44 members, as well as a facilitator and lead. Of those 44 members, 31 of them were educators certified by the DOE. Only eight of the members had never been certified, and six had expired certifications. […] Of the 15 members of the new group, only 5 — Finzen, Hiatt, Nielsen, Shuey and Walder — appear to be or have been public school teachers.” [KELO, 4/25/22]
More Than 200 People Applied To Be Part Of The New South Dakota Social Studies Content Standards Commission. According to KELO, “The South Dakota Department of Education (DOE) received more than 200 applications to be part of the new Social Studies Content Standards commission, according to an email from DEO information specialist Ruth Raveling. Raveling said that 203 applications were received in a process in which people filled out an online survey asking their experience, qualifications and interest in the work. The process of reviewing the applications, according to the email, was undertaken by staff from not just the DOE, but also the office of Governor Kristi Noem. Individual staff members were not identified in the email, though Noem’s Chief of Staff serves as the chair of the new commission.” [KELO, 4/26/22]
South Dakota Senate Minority Leader Criticized Noem’s Committee For Its Lack Of Native Representation. According to KELO, “In an email sent to KELOLAND News Thursday morning, Governor Noem’s communication director, Ian Fury, said that the three Native Americans selected is more than double the representation that Native Americans have in South Dakota’s population (9%). ‘Governor Noem recognized that Native American history and culture is an important part of South Dakota’s history, so she ensured that Native Americans were more than represented with seats at the table,’ Fury said. […] Senate Minority Leader Troy Heinert told KELOLAND News that the inclusion of only two South Dakota Native Americans with an understanding of Oceti Sakowin standards shows a lack of understanding by the governor about Native people in South Dakota. ‘The governor has stacked this committee in a way that is not representative of South Dakota,’ Heinert said. Heinert said he believes that the Noem administration does not think the Native experience has a place in education based on previous content standards. ‘I think it’s going to be another attempt by this administration to water down or dilute what it means to be Native in this state,’ Heinert said.” [KELO, 4/28/22]
The 15 Member Workgroup That Drafted New Social Studies Standards Was Facilitated By William Morrisey From Conservative Hillsdale College. According to the Associated Press, “The 15-member standards workgroup, selected partially by the governor, included Noem’s chief of staff, two Republican lawmakers and the director of the South Dakota Catholic Conference, but just three educators certified by the Department of Education. The group’s work was facilitated by William Morrisey, a former professor at Hillsdale College — a conservative institution in Michigan that has tried to remake education across the country.” [Associated Press, 8/15/22]
Hillsdale College Was Influential In Reshaping Florida Public Schools Standards Under Governor DeSantis. According to the Miami Herald, “‘Our speaker tonight is one of the most important people living,’ Larry P. Arnn said as he introduced DeSantis as the keynote speaker at the Hillsdale National Leadership Seminar on Feb. 23 in Naples. Arnn is the president of Hillsdale College, a politically influential private Christian college in southern Michigan. […] The introduction highlights the relationship between DeSantis and the conservative college, which 12 years ago set out to reshape public education through the growth of charter schools and in recent years has expanded its reach in Florida’s education system. The college’s influence has been seen in the state’s rejection of math textbooks over what DeSantis called ‘indoctrinating concepts,’ the state’s push to renew the importance of civics education in public schools, and the rapid growth of Hillsdale’s network of affiliated public charter schools in Florida. Hillsdale also has had sway over the Republican-led Legislature. In 2019, lawmakers approved a law that allowed the college and three other groups to help the state revise its civics standards. Three years later, those guidelines are part of a DeSantis-led civics initiative that has concerned several educators about an infusion of Christianity and conservative ideologies.” [Miami Herald, 7/1/22]
Noem Released New Draft Social Studies Standards For K-12 Students In South Dakota. According to a press release from Governor Kristi Noem, “Today, Governor Kristi Noem released draft social studies standards for K-12 students in South Dakota. ‘South Dakota’s children deserve the very best social studies education in the nation,’ said Governor Kristi Noem. ‘These standards raise the bar for the breadth and depth of civics and history education. They feature a true, honest, and balanced approach to American history that is not influenced by political agendas. And under these standards, our students will focus more on Native American history and culture than ever before.’” [Governor Kristi Noem Press Release, 8/15/22]
The New South Dakota Social Studies Standards Reflected The Idea That The United States Was An Exceptional Nation That Had Uniquely Advanced Rights For Everyone. According to the Associated Press, “The new 128-page document more than doubles the length of the proposed standards the Department of Education released last year. They would make the sprawling argument that the United States, though not without fault, is an exceptional nation that has uniquely advanced rights for every race and gender. They are also peppered with Christian history and explore the religion’s influence on the nation’s leading figures and on Western civilization.” [Associated Press, 8/15/22]
Noem Claimed New Social Studies Standards Were Free From “Political Agendas” And Increased Focus On Native American History. According to the Associated Press, “South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Monday released a revised proposal for social studies standards in public schools that lays out a mostly shining vision of American history, after an initial draft of the standards came under heavy criticism last year from conservatives and Native American educators. The Republican governor claimed the new proposed standards are free from ‘political agendas’ and include an increased focus on Native American history. But they received swift criticism from some educators as a thinly-veiled political document. They emphasize the qualities of America’s founders and mimic language Noem has used as she jumped on the conservative cause of weeding certain ‘divisive’ teachings on race from public schools.” [Associated Press, 8/15/22]
South Dakota Teachers And School Administrators Voiced Opposition To Noem’s Proposed New Social Studies Standards At Public Hearing. According to the Associated Press, “South Dakota teachers and school administrators overwhelmingly voiced opposition on Monday to Gov. Kristi Noem’s proposed standards for social studies in public schools, saying the proposal saddles them with expanding and unwieldy criteria to cover in classrooms but fails to teach students to think analytically about history. Educators, who say they were left out of the process of developing the standards, voiced their opposition as the state’s Board of Education Standards kicked off a series of public hearings Monday before deciding whether to adopt them. Their objections present a determined challenge to the Republican governor’s proposed standards, which could remake the state’s standards for history and civics by relying heavily on material from Hillsdale College, a private, conservative institution in Michigan.” [Associated Press, 9/19/22]
School Administrators And Teachers Urged The Board To Reject The New Social Studies Standards And Consider Ones Developed By The Commission Of Educators The Prior Year. According to the Associated Press, “At Monday’s hearing, teachers and school administrators, with few exceptions, urged the board to reject the standards and suggested it consider ones developed by a commission of 44 South Dakota educators last year. Last year’s commission, which was facilitated by the National Council for the Social Studies, began its work with the state’s established standards and built on them, notably to increase references to Native American history and culture.” [Associated Press, 9/19/22]
Eighty-Seven Percent Of People Who Submitted Written Comment Voiced Opposition To The New Social Studies Standards In South Dakota. According to the Associated Press, “Roughly 87% of people who have submitted hundreds of written comments to the Department of Education voiced opposition. Teachers and historians, including the American Historical Association, have excoriated the proposal as failing to teach students to inquire into history and think critically about it.” [Associated Press, 9/19/22]
Noem Applauded Passage Of Social Studies Standards Revisions From The Board Of Education Standards, Saying The Standards Provided An “Honest And Factual Classroom Teaching.” According to a press release from Governor Kristi Noem, “Today, Governor Kristi Noem applauded the passage of the social studies standards revisions by the Board of Education Standards: ‘Today is a wonderful day for the students in South Dakota. They are our future,’ said Governor Noem. ‘Now, they will be taught the best social studies education in the country, one that is a true accounting of our history. We want our children to have honest and factual classroom teaching so they can be engaged participants in our civil society for the rest of their lives.’” [Governor Kristi Noem Press Release, 4/17/23]
Two Men Whom Noem Had Recently Appointed To South Dakota Board Of Education Standards Made The Difference In The 5-2 Vote Allowing The Department Of Education To Move Forward With New Standards. According to KELO, “The two men the governor recently appointed to the South Dakota Board of Education Standards made the difference Monday on adopting new academic standards for social studies. The 5-2 vote allows the state Department of Education to move forward with replacing the 2015 standards. The governor last year decided against re-appointing the board’s president, retired teacher Jacqueline Sly of Rapid City, and replaced her with retired dentist Richard Meyer of Rapid City. This year, the governor decided against re-appointing the board’s vice president, Aberdeen superintendent Becky Guffin, and replaced her with retired businessman Steve Perkins of Sioux Falls.” [KELO, 4/17/23]
Some Opponents Of New Social Studies Standards Argued The Standards Overlooked The State’s Native American History. According to Dakota News Now, “Others also suggested that standards attempted to ‘whitewash history, effectively overlooking the state’s rich Native American history. This land is built and founded on not only the erasure, but the genocide of native people,’ said Honz Fuller, a high school student. ‘There may be a long road of reparations ahead of us to heal this deep wound, but we can start by adjusting the curriculum standards to be fair to native people.’” [Dakota News Now, 4/17/23]
Noem Said New Social Studies Standards Would Raise The Bar For “High-Quality Civic Education In America.” According to an op-ed in Fox News from Kristi Noem, “In South Dakota, we have just passed new social studies standards that raise the bar for high-quality civic education in America. They are clearly written, rich in context, address the full story of our nation’s past, and incorporate South Dakota topics throughout all grade levels. These standards have the largest emphasis on Native American history of any proposed standards to date, as well.” [Fox News Opinion, Kristi Noem, 4/21/23]
Noem Said The Social Studies Standards Would Integrate Civics Into All American History Classes At Every Grade Level In South Dakota. According to an op-ed in Fox News from Kristi Noem, “The standards also integrate civics into all American history classes at every grade level and creates ‘spiraled sequencing.’ This means that students will study world history four times and American history and civics five times over the course of their years of education. With each class, students will build upon what they have already learned, deepen their understanding, and acquire knowledge that will endure long after their high school graduation.” [Fox News Opinion, Kristi Noem, 4/21/23]
2014: Noem Voted To Cut Education Funding By $145 Billion Over 10 Years. In April 2014, Noem voted for House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2015 to 2024. According to the New York Times, “Mr. Ryan […] laid out a budget plan that cuts $5 trillion in spending over the next decade. […] Nor did Mr. Ryan shy away from hot-button issues. Education funding would be cut by $145 billion over 10 years.” The House adopted the budget resolution by a vote of 219 to 205, but the Senate did not. [House Vote 177, 4/10/14; New York Times, 4/1/14; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 96]
2012: Noem Voted Against The FY 2013 Democratic Budget, Which Allocated $80 Billion On Education Jobs, Including $30 Billion On Fixing Public Schools. In March 2012, Noem voted to oppose spending $80 billion on education jobs as part of the Democrats’ proposed budget resolution covering FY 2013 to 2022. According to Budget Committee Democrats, “The Democratic budget includes the President’s request for $80 billion for education jobs initiatives to promote jobs now while also creating an infrastructure that will help students learn and create a better future workforce.” The vote was on an amendment to the House budget resolution replacing the entire budget with the House Democrats’ proposed budget; the amendment failed by a vote of 163 to 252. [House Vote 150, 3/29/12; House Budget Committee Democrats, 3/28/12; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 1004; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 112]
The House Democrats Budget Spent $30 Billion On Fixing Public Schools. According to House Budget Committee Democrats, “$30 billion to rebuild and modernize at least 35,000 public schools, funding critical repairs and needed renovation projects that would put hundreds of thousands of Americans back to work while upgrading crumbling public elementary and secondary schools and community colleges.” [House Budget Committee Democrats, 3/28/12]
The House Democrats Budget Spent $25 Billion On Preventing Educator Layoffs And Rehiring Those Laid Off Due To Cutbacks. According to House Budget Committee Democrats, “$25 billion to help states and localities prevent hundreds of thousands of educator layoffs and to allow the rehiring of thousands more teachers and staff who were let go due to funding cutbacks.” [House Budget Committee Democrats, 3/28/12]
The House Democrats Budget Spent $8 Billion On Helping Community Colleges With Job Training Programs. According to House Budget Committee Democrats, “$8 billion for community colleges to partner with businesses to train 2 million workers in high growth industries with skills that will lead directly to jobs.” [House Budget Committee Democrats, 3/28/12]
2015: Noem Voted Against A Grant Program For “Early Childhood Education Scholarships, Professional Development And Licensing Credentials, Or Increased Compensation For Educators Who Have Attained Specific Qualifications.” In July 2015, Noem voted against an amendment creating a grant program for childhood education scholarships, professional development, and increased compensation for educators. According to Congressional Quarterly, the amendment would have, “create[d] a program under which the Education Department would provide grants for early childhood education scholarships, professional development and licensing credentials, or increased compensation for educators who have attained specific qualifications.” The underlying bill would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “reauthorize[d] the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and would make fundamental changes to many of its programs through Fiscal 2019.” The vote was on the amendment. The House rejected the amendment 205 to 224. [House Vote 417, 7/8/15; Congressional Quarterly, 7/8/15; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 64; Congressional Actions, H.R. 5]
2018: Noem Voted Against The $1.3 Trillion FY 2018 Omnibus Spending Deal. In March 2018, Noem voted against the FY 2018 Omnibus spending bill. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Combined, the spending measures would provide about $1.3 trillion in discretionary spending, with $1.2 trillion subject to discretionary spending caps, and $78.1 billion designated as Overseas Contingency Operations funds. The measure's spending levels are consistent with the increased defense and non-defense budget caps set by the two-year budget deal agreed to last month. That agreement increased the FY 2018 defense cap by $80 billion and the non-defense cap by $63 billion. Given that the previous caps were set to reduce overall discretionary spending by $5 billion, the net increase provided by the omnibus is $138 billion over the FY 2017 level.” The vote was on the motion to concur in the Senate Amendment with an Amendment. The House agreed to the motion, thereby passing the bill, by a vote of 256 to 167. The Senate later agreed to the legislation, sending it to the president, who signed it into law. [House Vote 127, 3/22/18; Congressional Quarterly, 3/22/18; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1625]
The Bill Appropriated $9.9 Billion For Head Start, Which Was $610 Million More Than FY 2017. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Within the total, it provides $9.9 billion for the Head Start program, which provides comprehensive early childhood services to children and families from before birth through age 5. The amount provided is $610 million more than FY 2017 and $695 million more than the request. Most other individual children and family services programs are funded at FY 2017 levels.” [Congressional Quarterly, 3/22/18]
2017: Noem Voted Against The FY 2018 Congressional Progressive Caucus’s Budget Resolution, Which Among Other Things, Increased Taxes On The Rich And Corporations And Called For Funding For Universal Pre-K. In October 2017, Noem voted against an FY 2018 CPC budget resolution. According to Congressional Quarterly, the resolution would “provide for $3.8 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018, not including off-budget accounts. It would raise overall spending by $3.5 trillion over 10 years and would increase revenues by $8.2 trillion over the same period through policies that would increase taxes for corporations and high-income individuals. It would repeal the Budget Control Act sequester and caps on discretionary spending, would modify the tax code by adding five higher marginal tax rates, would create a public insurance option to be sold within the current health insurance exchanges and would call for implementation of comprehensive immigration overhaul.” In additional, also according to Congressional Quarterly, “The Progressive Caucus’ budget plan calls for $562 billion in defense discretionary spending and $630 billion in nondefense discretionary spending during this fiscal year. It would also propose $2 trillion in infrastructure spending over 10 years — financed in part by a $10.25 per barrel tax on oil — a 3.5 percent increase for nondefense spending by 2022, and funding for universal pre-kindergarten.” The amendment was a substitute amendment for the GOP’s FY 2018 budget resolution in part designed to start the process for tax reform. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 108 to 314. [House Vote 553, 10/4/17; Congressional Quarterly, 10/4/17; Congressional Quarterly, 10/3/17; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 453; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 71]
2015: Noem Voted For An Amendment That Would Have Allowed States To Receive Education Funding As A Block Grant And Then Require Those States To Allocate An Equal Share Of Funding To Private Schools. In July 2015, Noem voted for an amendment that would allow states to receive federal education funds in the form of a block grant and thus must allocate an equal portion to private schools. According to Congressional Quarterly, the amendment would have, “allow[ed] states to receive federal education funds in the form of a block grant to be used for any education purpose under state law. States operating under a block grant must assess student achievement and must disseminate disaggregated student performance data. The amendment would also require that a state receiving federal education funds as a block grant must ensure that private schools receive an equitable portion of that funding.” The underlying bill would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “reauthorize[d] the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and would make fundamental changes to many of its programs through Fiscal 2019.” The vote was on the amendment. The House rejected the amendment 195 to 235. [House Vote 419, 7/8/15; Congressional Quarterly, 7/8/15; Congressional Quarterly, 7/8/15; Congressional Record, 7/8/15; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 639; Congressional Actions, H.R. 5]
2011: Noem Voted To Block Rules That Required For-Profit Colleges To Show That Their Graduates Had The Ability To Pay Back Student Loans Because They Were Gainfully Employed. In February 2011, Noem voted for an amendment that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “bar[red] the use of funds made available in the [underlying] bill to implement, administer or enforce an Education Department regulation or rule with respect to the definition or application of the term ‘gainful employment’ under the Higher Education Act.” According to the Washington Post, “Federal education officials are tightening oversight of the burgeoning for-profit higher-education sector with the release Thursday of a new regulation they say will require career preparatory programs to yield ‘gainful employment.’ […] The rule effectively would shut down for-profit programs that repeatedly fail to show, through certain measures, that graduates are earning enough to pay down the loans taken out to attend those programs.” The vote was on a proposed amendment to the House’s full-year continuing and defense appropriations legislation for fiscal year 2011. The House adopted the amendment by a vote of 289 to 136. The amended bill later passed the House, but the legislation died after the Senate failed to invoke cloture on it. [House Vote 92, 2/18/11; Congressional Quarterly, 2/18/11; Washington Post, 6/2/11; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 94; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
2017: GOP Tax Reform Bill Would Have Eliminated Tax Deductions For Teachers Spending Their Own Money On School Supplies. According to the Washington Post, “For now, teachers can get a small tax break — deducting up to $250 from their taxes — for what they spend on supplies. But under the GOP tax reform bill, that deduction would go away for teachers and other categories of workers, including certain state and local officials and performing artists. The proposal to eliminate that deduction and others is part of an effort to simplify the tax code, and proponents say that with an overall cut in tax rates, those who benefit from the deductions may still see their tax bills fall. But it is difficult to gauge how the plan will affect middle- and working-class families.” [Washington Post, 11/2/17]
Noem Argued Against An Amendment That Would Restore The Teacher Expense Deduction. According to the House Ways And Means Committee via YouTube, “NOEM: And I wanted to speak against this amendment because I believe the reforms that we have in our tax bill that we're debating here are not only better for students and for families, but they're also better for education and for teachers.” [House Ways And Means Committee via YouTube, 11/8/17]
Noem Argued That The $250 Tax Deduction For Teachers Was Being Misrepresented. According to the House Ways And Means Committee via YouTube, “NOEM: It was interesting, in South Dakota this week, we had a lobbying organization send out an email talking about how our tax plan was bad for their teachers because they would no longer be able to deduct $250 for their expenses that they spend in their classroom. And I'm so grateful for the teachers that we have in South Dakota. I've got several of them in my family, and I know how much they sacrifice for our students across the state. And, but what's interesting is that the deduction they were fighting for, the value of that was $37.50. That's the reality of the deduction that money that would save those teachers, if we kept that portion in the tax code by the time they were able to deduct that from their average teacher salary, what that teacher really would be saving would be about $37.50.” [House Ways And Means Committee via YouTube, 11/8/17]
Noem Was Speaking About The Doggett Amendment. According to the House Ways And Means Committee via YouTube,
[House Ways And Means Committee via YouTube, 11/8/17]
Doggett’s Amendment Would Have Restored The Teacher Expenses Deduction. According to a press release from Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), “Today, Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Tax Policy Subcommittee, introduced an amendment to restore critical education deductions – including the Student Loan Interest deduction, Teacher Expenses deduction, and Tuition and Fees deduction – that the Republican tax bill (H.R. 1) would eliminate.” [Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) Press Release, 11/8/17]
2017: Noem Voted For The House GOP’s 2017 Tax Reform Plan, Which Repealed The Tax Deduction For Teacher’s Non-Reimbursed Classroom Costs. In November 2017, Noem voted for reconciliation legislation which significantly altered the federal tax code. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The bill substantially restructures the U.S. tax code to simplify the code and reduce taxes on individuals, corporations and small businesses. For individuals, it consolidates the current seven tax brackets down to four and eliminates or restricts many tax credits and deductions, including by eliminating the deduction for state and local income taxes and limiting the deduction for property taxes to $10,000 and the interest deduction for a home mortgage to the first $500,000 worth of a loan. […] On the business side, it reduces the corporate tax from 35% to 20% and establishes a ‘territorial’ tax system that would exempt most income derived overseas from U.S. corporate taxation. It allows businesses to immediately expense 100% of the cost of assets acquired and placed into service, and for small businesses it raises the Section 179 expensing limit to $5 million for five years. It also establishes a 25% rate for a portion of pass-through business income that would otherwise have to be paid at the ordinary individual tax level, and for small businesses where an individual would receive less than $150,000 in pass-through income it taxes the first $75,000 of that income at a 9% rate.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 227 to 205. President Trump later signed an amended version of the bill into law. [House Vote 637, 11/16/17; Congressional Quarterly, 11/15/17; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
2012: Noem Voted To Cut Spending On Pell Grants, Making 1 Million Students Ineligible As Part Of The FY 2013 Ryan Budget. In March 2012, Noem voted to cut spending on Pell Grants, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2013 to 2022. According to the House Budget Committee, the budget “puts Pell on a sustainable path by limiting the growth of financial aid and focusing it on low income students who need it the most.” According to U.S. News and World Report, “Under the Ryan budget, more than 1 million students would no longer be eligible for Pell grants in the next decade, according to Education Trust, and those who did qualify would receive less aid.” The vote was on passage; the resolution passed by a vote of 228 to 191. The Senate later rejected a motion to proceed to consider the House-passed budget resolution. [House Vote 151, 3/16/12; House Budget Committee, 5/20/12; U.S. News and World Report, 9/5/12; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 112]
2011: Noem Voted For FY 2012 Ryan Budget, Which Cut Spending On Pell Grants To Pre-Stimulus Levels. In April 2011, Kristi Noem voted for cutting spending on Pell Grants, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2012 to 2021. According to the House Budget Committee, the budget would “Return Pell grants to their pre-stimulus levels to curb rising tuition inflation and make sure aid is targeted to the truly needy.” The vote was on passage; the resolution passed by a vote of 235 to 193. [House Vote 277, 4/15/11; House Budget Committee, 4/5/11; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 34]
2018: Noem Voted Against The $1.3 Trillion FY 2018 Omnibus Spending Deal. In March 2018, Kristi Noem voted against the FY 2018 Omnibus spending bill. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Combined, the spending measures would provide about $1.3 trillion in discretionary spending, with $1.2 trillion subject to discretionary spending caps, and $78.1 billion designated as Overseas Contingency Operations funds. The measure's spending levels are consistent with the increased defense and non-defense budget caps set by the two-year budget deal agreed to last month. That agreement increased the FY 2018 defense cap by $80 billion and the non-defense cap by $63 billion. Given that the previous caps were set to reduce overall discretionary spending by $5 billion, the net increase provided by the omnibus is $138 billion over the FY 2017 level.” The vote was on the motion to concur in the Senate Amendment with an Amendment. The House agreed to the motion, thereby passing the bill, by a vote of 256 to 167. The Senate later agreed to the legislation, sending it to the president, who signed it into law. [House Vote 127, 3/22/18; Congressional Quarterly, 3/22/18; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1625]
The Bill Provided $22.5 Billion In Pell Grant Funding And Increased The Reward To $6,095. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The agreement provides the requested $24.4 billion for student financial aid programs, primarily for Pell Grants. The total is $247 million more than FY 2017 levels and $1.5 billion more than requested. Specifically, it provides $22.5 billion in discretionary funding for Pell Grants, equal to FY 2017 but $43 million more than requested. The maximum Pell Grant is increased in FY 2018 to $6,095. The agreement also rescinds $2 billion from the Pell surplus of $8.5 billion.” [Congressional Quarterly, 3/22/18]
2015: Noem Voted For The FY 2016 Budget Resolution Which Suggests Freezing The Current Maximum Pell Grant Award For 10 Years And Eliminating Eligibility For Less Than Half Time Students. In March 2015, Noem voted for the FY 2016 budget resolution which calls for making numerous changes to the Pell Grant program. According to Congressional Quarterly, the resolution, “suggests a number of changes to the Pell Grant program, including freezing the current maximum award for 10 years, rolling back recent expansions of eligibility ‘to ensure aid is targeted to the truly needy,’ considering a maximum income cap, eliminating eligibility for less-than-half-time students, increasing the amount of time a student must attend class in order to withdraw without debt owed for back assistance and eliminating administrative fees paid to participating schools. It proposes to prohibit colleges from using a portion of federal aid for administrative purposes.” The vote was on the budget resolution. The House passed the resolution 228 to 199. The budget resolution died in the Senate, but a similar concurrent resolution did pass both Houses. [House Vote 142, 3/25/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/23/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 27]
2015: Noem Voted For A FY 2016 Budget Resolution Which Suggests Freezing The Current Maximum Pell Grant Award For 10 Years And Eliminating Eligibility For Less Than Half Time Students. In March 2015, Noem voted for a FY 2016 Budget Resolution which calls for making numerous changes to the Pell Grant program. According to Congressional Quarterly, the resolution, “suggests a number of changes to the Pell Grant program, including freezing the current maximum award for 10 years, rolling back recent expansions of eligibility ‘to ensure aid is targeted to the truly needy,’ considering a maximum income cap, eliminating eligibility for less-than-half-time students, increasing the amount of time a student must attend class in order to withdraw without debt owed for back assistance and eliminating administrative fees paid to participating schools. It proposes to prohibit colleges from using a portion of federal aid for administrative purposes.” The vote was on the adopting the substitute amendment. The House passed the amendment 219 to 208 and later passed the budget resolution. The budget resolution died in the Senate, but a similar concurrent resolution did pass both Houses. [House Vote 141, 3/25/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/23/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 86; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 27]
2014: Noem Voted To Freeze The Maximum Pell Grant Award At 2013-2014 Levels For The Next 10 Years. In April 2014, Kristi Noem voted for freezing the maximum Pell Grant award level for the next 10 years, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2015 to 2024. According to the House Budget Committee Fiscal Year 2015 “Path to Prosperity,” “Reforms are necessary to enable the [Pell Grant] program to continue helping low-income students gain access to higher education. The budget recommends the following: […] Adopt a sustainable maximum-award level. The Department of Education attributed 25 percent of recent program growth to the $619 increase in the maximum award done in the stimulus bill that took effect in the 2009-10 academic year. To get program costs back to a sustainable level, the budget recommends maintaining the maximum award for the 2013-2014 award year of $5,730 in each year of the budget window. This award would be fully funded through discretionary spending.” The House adopted the budget resolution by a vote of 219 to 205, but the Senate did not. [House Vote 177, 4/10/14; House Budget Committee, 4/1/14; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 96]
2013: Noem Voted For Freezing Pell Grants At 2012-2013 Levels For The Next 10 Years As Part Of The FY 2014 Ryan Budget. In March 2013, Kristi Noem voted for cutting spending on Pell Grants, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2014 to 2023. According to the House Budget Committee, “The Department of Education attributed 25 percent of recent program growth to the $619 increase in the maximum award enacted in the stimulus bill that took effect in the 2009–10 academic year. To get program costs back to a sustainable level, the budget recommends maintaining the maximum award for the 2012–2013 award year of $5,645 in each year of the budget window.” The resolution passed the House by a vote of 221 to 207, but died in the Senate. [House Vote 88, 3/21/13; House Budget Committee, 3/12/13]
2015: Noem Voted For The FY 2016 Conference Report Budget Resolution, Which Eliminated Guaranteed Funding For Pell Grants. In April 2015, Noem voted for the FY 2016 Conference Report budget resolution which, according to Congressional Quarterly, “reflects the current post-sequester caps on discretionary spending - $523 billion for defense and $493.5 billion for non-defense programs in fiscal 2016. Raising the caps would require a change in law.” According to the Washington Post, “Tucked into the spending plan is the elimination of guaranteed funding for Pell Grants, which provide money for the country's poorest students to attend college. Under the Republican plan, it would be up to Congress’ discretion to fund the program every year, leaving families vulnerable to future budget cuts.” The vote was on the Conference Report; the Conference Report passed by a vote of 226 to 197. The Senate also passed the budget resolution. [House Vote 183, 4/30/15; Congressional Quarterly, 5/5/15; Washington Post, 5/7/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]
2014: Noem Voted To Deny Pell Grants To Students Attending School Less Than Half-Time In Favor Of Students “With A Larger Commitment To Their Education,” As Part Of Rep. Paul Ryan’s Budget Proposal. In April 2014, Noem voted for House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2015 to 2024, which, according to the House Budget Committee’s Fiscal Year 2015 “Path to Prosperity,” “recommend[ed] […] [e]liminat[ing] eligibility for less-than-half-time students. Funding should be reserved for students with a larger commitment to their education.” The House adopted the budget resolution by a vote of 219 to 205. [House Vote 177, 4/10/14; House Budget Committee, 4/1/14; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 96]
2015: Noem Voted For The FY 2016 Conference Report Budget Resolution, Which Repealed The Expansion Of Income-Driven Repayment . In April 2015, Noem voted for the FY 2016 Conference Report budget resolution which, according to Congressional Quarterly, “reflects the current post-sequester caps on discretionary spending - $523 billion for defense and $493.5 billion for non-defense programs in fiscal 2016. Raising the caps would require a change in law.” According to the Washington Post, “There is no explicit language in the budget resolution calling for cuts to other higher education programs, but there is a broad reduction of mandatory spending that will impact such programs. And House Republicans have made it clear which ones they have in mind. During a budget markup in March, Republican Budget Committee Policy Director Jane Lee said the budget assumes savings from the end of the in-school interest subsidy on student loans, the repeal of the expansion of an income-driven repayment program and the elimination of public-sector loan forgiveness.” The vote was on the Conference Report; the Conference Report passed by a vote of 226 to 197. The Senate also passed the budget resolution. [House Vote 183, 4/30/15; Congressional Quarterly, 5/5/15; Washington Post, 5/7/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]
2015: Noem Voted For The FY 2016 Budget Resolution Which Recommends Repealing Mandatory Spending Provisions For The Income-Based Repayment Program’s 2010 Expansion And Eliminating The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. In March 2015, Kristi Noem voted for the FY 2016 budget resolution which calls for eliminating certain funding for the 2010 expansion of the Income-Based Repayment Program. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Other proposals recommended by the committee report include the following: […] Repeal certain mandatory education funding made available under the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2010 (including expansion of the Income-Based Repayment program), eliminate in-school interest subsidies for undergraduate students and terminate the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.” The vote was on the budget resolution. The House passed the resolution 228 to 199. The budget resolution died in the Senate, but a similar concurrent resolution did pass both Houses. [House Vote 142, 3/25/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/23/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 27]
2015: Noem Voted For A FY 2016 Budget Resolution Which Recommends Repealing Mandatory Spending Provisions For The Income-Based Repayment Program’s 2010 Expansion And Eliminated The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. In March 2015, Kristi Noem voted for a FY 2016 Budget Resolution which calls for eliminating certain funding for the 2010 expansion of the Income-Based Repayment Program. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Other proposals recommended by the committee report include the following: […] Repeal certain mandatory education funding made available under the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2010 (including expansion of the Income-Based Repayment program), eliminate in-school interest subsidies for undergraduate students and terminate the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.” The vote was on the adopting the substitute amendment. The House passed the amendment 219 to 208 and later passed the budget resolution. The budget resolution died in the Senate, but a similar concurrent resolution did pass both Houses. [House Vote 141, 3/25/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/23/15; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 86; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 27]
2017: Noem Voted For The House GOP FY 2018 Budget Resolution, Which Eliminated The Expanded Income-Based Repayment Program. In October 2017, Kristi Noem voted for the House GOP FY 2018 budget resolution. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Adoption of the concurrent resolution that would provide for $3.2 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018, not including off-budget accounts. It would assume $1.22 trillion in discretionary spending in fiscal 2018. It would assume the repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul law. It also would propose reducing spending on mandatory programs such as Medicare and Medicaid and changing programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (also known as food stamps). It would call for restructuring Medicare into a ‘premium support’ system beginning in 2024. I would also require the House Ways and Means Committee to report out legislation under the budget reconciliation process that would provide for a revenue-neutral, comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. tax code and would include instructions to 11 House committees to trigger the budget reconciliation process to cut mandatory spending. The concurrent resolution would assume that, over 10 years, base (non-Overseas Contingency Operations) discretionary defense spending would be increased by a total of $929 billion over the Budget Control Act caps and non-defense spending be reduced by $1.3 trillion.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the budget resolution by a vote of 219 to 206. A modified version was later agreed to by both the House and the Senate. [House Vote 557, 10/5/17; Congressional Quarterly, 10/5/17; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 71]
2013: Noem Voted For Increasing Student Loan Interest Rates From 3.4% To 6.8% As Part Of The FY 2014 Ryan Budget. In March 2013, Noem voted for increasing student loan interest rates from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2014 to 2023. According to Education Votes, “[T]he Ryan plan […] would allow student loan interest rates on new Stafford loans to double this July, from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent.” The resolution passed the House by a vote of 221 to 207, but died in the Senate. [House Vote 88, 3/21/13; Education Votes, 3/20/13; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 25]
2014: Noem Voted Against Refunding To Student Borrowers The Amount They Would Have Saved Had They Refinanced At 2013-2014 Rates. In July 2014, Noem effectively voted against an amendment that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would [have] establish[ed] a program to provide rebates to student loan borrowers equal to the amount they would save if the loan [had been] refinanced at the rates offered during the 2013-2014 academic year.” The underlying bill, according to a separate Congressional Quarterly article, “would authorize the Education Department to establish up to 30 competency-based education demonstration projects, which would allow students to earn credits for information mastered as opposed to instructional time. It would allow participating students to receive federal aid and allow the department to waive any Higher Education Act requirements that inhibit the operation of competency-based education programs.” The vote was on a motion to recommit the bill to the House Education and the Workforce Committee with instructions that it be reported back immediately with the specified amendment. The House rejected the motion by a vote of 194 to 221. [House Vote 440, 7/23/14; Congressional Quarterly, 7/23/14; Congressional Quarterly, 7/23/14; Congressional Actions, H.R. 3163]
2013: Noem Voted To Have The Interest Rate On A Federal Student Loan Change Each Year, Depending On Market Conditions. In May 2013, Kristi Noem voted for a bill that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would tie the interest rates for all federal student loans (except Perkins loans) issued on or after July 1, 2013, to 10-year Treasury notes — with rates for subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans to be set each year at the 10-year Treasury note plus 2.5% and rates for graduate and parent PLUS loans to be set at the 10-year note plus 4.5%. Overall interest rates would be capped at 8.5% and 10.5%, respectively. Under the House-passed bill, the interest rates on loans taken out by students each year would ‘float’ and be reset each subsequent year for the life of the loan to reflect any increases or decreases in rates.” The bill passed by a vote of 221 to 198. Another version of the bill was passed by the Senate and the House ultimately agreed to the Senate version. The bill was then sent to the president, who signed it into law. [House Vote 183, 5/23/13; Congressional Quarterly, 7/29/13; Public Law 113-28, 8/9/13; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1911]
2012: Noem Voted Against Preventing Interest Rates From Rising On Student Loans. In March 2012, Noem voted to oppose spending $6 billion preventing student loan rates from rising as part of the Democrats’ proposed budget resolution covering FY 2013 to 2022. According to Budget Committee Democrats, “Our budget reflects the President’s request for increased investment in education and includes his request for $6 billion to prevent the interest rate on subsidized student loans from doubling this July, an action that would increase debt for more than 7 million students.” The vote was on an amendment to the House budget resolution replacing the entire budget with the House Democrats’ proposed budget; the amendment failed by a vote of 163 to 252. [House Vote 150, 3/29/12; House Budget Committee Democrats, 3/28/12; Congressional Actions, H. Amdt. 1004; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 112]
2014: Noem Effectively Voted Against Allowing Borrowers To Refinance Their Outstanding Student Loans At Current Borrowing Rates. In September 2014, Noem effectively voted against an amendment that, according to the Congressional Record, would have added the first two sections of H.R. 4582, the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act, to the underlying bill funding the government through December 11, 2014. According to a press release from one of that bill’s sponsors, Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), “The Bank on Students Emergency Refinancing Act would allow student loan borrowers with public or private loans who borrowed before 2013 to refinance their loans to the lower market-based rates established for students last summer in the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013. Loans borrowed for undergraduate education would be refinanced to 3.86%; loans borrowed for graduate education would be refinanced to 5.41%; and loans borrowed by parents for their child’s education would be refinanced to 6.41%.” The proposed amendment would have sunset the student loan provisions on December 11, 2014. The vote was on a motion to recommit the bill and report it back with the specified amendment; the House rejected the motion by a vote of 199 to 228. [House Vote 508, 9/17/14; Congressional Record, 9/17/14; H.J.Res. 124, 9/17/14; Tierney press release, 5/6/14; Congressional Actions, H. J. Res. 124]
2017: Noem Voted For The House GOP’s 2017 Tax Reform Plan Which Repealed The Tax Deduction For Student Loan Interest. In November 2017, Noem voted for reconciliation legislation which significantly altered the federal tax code. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The bill substantially restructures the U.S. tax code to simplify the code and reduce taxes on individuals, corporations and small businesses. For individuals, it consolidates the current seven tax brackets down to four and eliminates or restricts many tax credits and deductions, including by eliminating the deduction for state and local income taxes and limiting the deduction for property taxes to $10,000 and the interest deduction for a home mortgage to the first $500,000 worth of a loan. […] On the business side, it reduces the corporate tax from 35% to 20% and establishes a ‘territorial’ tax system that would exempt most income derived overseas from U.S. corporate taxation. It allows businesses to immediately expense 100% of the cost of assets acquired and placed into service, and for small businesses it raises the Section 179 expensing limit to $5 million for five years. It also establishes a 25% rate for a portion of pass-through business income that would otherwise have to be paid at the ordinary individual tax level, and for small businesses where an individual would receive less than $150,000 in pass-through income it taxes the first $75,000 of that income at a 9% rate.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 227 to 205. President Trump later signed an amended version of the bill into law. [House Vote 637, 11/16/17; Congressional Quarterly, 11/15/17; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
2016: Noem Effectively Voted Against Debating A Bill Allowing Borrowers To Refinance Student Loans At Reduced Rates. In September 2016, Noem voted for a motion to order the previous question that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “(end[ed] debate and the possibility of amendment) on the rule (H Res 897) that would provide for additional House floor consideration of the bill (HR 5303) that would authorize 31 Army Corps of Engineers water resources projects, including navigation, flood control, environmental restoration and natural disaster damage projects, and would provide for House floor consideration of the bill (HR 6094) that would delay, by six months, implementation of a Labor Department overtime rules revision.” According to the House Democratic Leader, “The Democratic Previous Question would force a vote on H.R. 1434, the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act, which would allow millions of borrowers to refinance their existing student loans at lower interest rates, similar to those currently available to new borrowers.” The vote was on the motion to order the previous question. The House adopted the motion, thereby defeating the Democratic alternative, by a vote of 242 to 183. [House Vote 565, 9/28/16; Congressional Quarterly, 9/28/16; Democratic Leader, Accessed 11/7/17; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1434; Congressional Actions, H.R. 5303; Congressional Actions, H.R. 5325; Congressional Actions, H.R. 6094; Congressional Actions, H. Res. 897]
2016: Noem Effectively Voted Against Debating A Bill Allowing Borrowers To Refinance Student Loans At Reduced Rates. In September 2016, Noem voted for a motion to order the previous question that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “(end[ed] debate and the possibility of amendment) on the rule (H Res 858) that would provide for House floor consideration of the bill (HR 3590) that would lower the threshold at which individuals may deduct unreimbursed medical expenses from their income as set by the 2010 health care law.” According to the House Democratic Leader, “The Democratic Previous Question would force a vote on the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act that would allow millions of borrowers to refinance their existing student loans at lower interest rates, similar to those currently available to new borrowers.” The vote was on the motion to order the previous question. The House adopted the motion, thereby defeating the Democratic alternative, by a vote of 237 to 171. [House Vote 500, 9/13/16; Congressional Quarterly, 9/13/16; Democratic Leader, Accessed 11/7/17; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1434; Congressional Actions, H.R. 3590; Congressional Actions, H. Res. 858]
2014: Noem Voted To Eliminate Interest-Subsidized Federal Loans For Undergraduate Students As Part Of Rep. Paul Ryan’s Budget Proposal. In April 2014, Kristi Noem voted to eliminate federal in-school interest subsidies for undergraduate student loans, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2015 to 2024. According to the House Budget Committee Fiscal Year 2015 “Path to Prosperity”: “Accept the Fiscal Commission’s Proposal to Eliminate In-School Interest Subsidies for Undergraduate Students. The federal government focuses aid decisions on family income prior to a student’s enrollment and then provides a number of repayment protections and, in some cases, loan forgiveness after graduation. There is no evidence that in-school interest subsidies are critical to individual matriculation.” The House adopted the budget resolution by a vote of 219 to 205, but the Senate did not. [House Vote 177, 4/10/14; House Budget Committee, 4/1/14; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 96]
2012: Noem Voted To Eliminate Subsidies For College Loans, Causing Interest Rates To Double To 6.4% As Part Of The FY 2013 Ryan Budget. In March 2012, Noem voted to eliminate subsidies for college loans, as part of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) proposed budget resolution covering fiscal years 2013 to 2022. According to the House Budget Committee, the budget would “Reform the Credit Reform Act to reflect the true cost of federal student loan programs that are driving up the cost of tuition.” According to the New Republic, “3.4 percent (the government’s current subsidized interest rate for Stafford loans, which were established in 2007 and will expire in July if not renewed) versus 6.8 percent (the unsubsidized interest rate to which the Ryan budget proposed returning those loans). The vote was on passage; the resolution passed by a vote of 228 to 191. The Senate later rejected a motion to proceed to consider the House-passed budget resolution. [House Vote 151, 3/16/12; House Budget Committee, 5/20/12; New Republic, 4/27/12; Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res. 112]
The South Dakota House Rejected Noem’s Proposal To Require Public Schools To Have A Moment Of Silence To Start The Day, A Proposal She Said Would Put “Prayer Back In Schools.” According to the Associated Press, “A Republican-dominated South Dakota House committee has rejected Gov. Kristi Noem’s proposal to require public schools to have a moment of silence to start the day. The Republican governor first billed the proposal at a conservative Christian conference last year as ‘putting prayer back in schools.’ But a House committee rejected the idea after education groups argued that voluntary prayer is already allowed in schools and the proposed law would have saddled teachers with an unclear mandate. The Republican-dominated House Education committee rejected the bill on a nine to six vote. But it could still be revived with support from one-third of House members.” [Associated Press, 1/21/22]
Noem’s Policy Advisor Said The Bill Would Have Created An Affirmative Opportunity For Students To Pray If They Chose To. According to the Associated Press, ‘This bill creates an affirmative opportunity for students to pray if they choose or to use their time quietly as they would otherwise see fit,’ Allen Cambon, the governor’s policy advisor, told the committee. ‘Not only will this serve as a valuable learning opportunity, but it’s a chance to establish a sense of calm and decorum before students and teachers begin their busy day.’” [Associated Press, 1/21/22]
2019: Noem Successfully Required “In God We Trust” Be Displayed In All Public Schools. According to the Associated Press, “In 2019, she successfully required the national motto ‘In God We Trust’ be displayed in all public schools, sparking a national debate and drawing criticism from groups that support the separation of government from religion.” [Associated Press, 1/21/22]
President Of The Freedom From Religion Foundation Said The Legislation Could “Proceed To More Onerous Things.” According to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, “Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, is wary of the group's intention with the ‘In God We Trust’ model bills. ‘They want to pass this and then proceed to more onerous things. They're going with the symbols first because it's harder to sue over a national motto,’ she said.” [Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 8/2/19]
2015: Noem Effectively Voted Against Guaranteeing Educational Opportunities For Children With Disabilities. In July 2015, Noem effectively voted against guaranteeing educational opportunities for children with disabilities. According to Congressional Quarterly, the motion to recommit would have “guarantee[d] educational opportunities for children with disabilities by requiring that each state demonstrate their laws do not result in a lower standard of education than for those students without disabilities, grant students with disabilities access to a regular secondary school diploma, give parents the right to informed consent about their child's education, cannot lower expectations or academic achievement for students with disabilities, or give educational opportunities for any student, including those from racial and ethnic minorities.” The underlying bill would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, “reauthorize[d] the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and would make fundamental changes to many of its programs through Fiscal 2019.” The vote was on the motion to recommit. The House rejected the motion 185 to 244. [House Vote 422, 7/8/15; Congressional Quarterly, 7/8/15; Congressional Quarterly, 7/8/15; Congressional Actions, H.R. 5]