Sioux Falls School Board: Sept. 22, 2025

The board reviews postsecondary outcomes—59% of grads enrolled in college, most staying in-state—and hears how the Education Foundation set a record for classroom grants, expanded teacher support, and topped $1 million in its endowment. Child Nutrition reports higher meal participation, a record 49.7% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, and federal changes that could force verification of 100% of applications. 7mins

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Original Meeting

Monday, September 22nd, 2025
4475.0
Full Meeting on YouTube
Video Notes

Regular meeting of the Sioux Falls School Board regarding K-12 business.

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Megan Raposa
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls Simplified provides smarter, easier local news that empowers you to shape the future of our community.
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In This Video
  • Introduction to the postsecondary report.
  • About 59% of graduates enrolled in college during their first year and most of them stayed in-state.
  • Supt. Jamie Nold announced that the second report would come from Allison Struck with the Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation.
  • Allison Struck outlined the Education Foundation’s focus areas and highlighted curriculum enhancement grants, noting that teachers could apply for up to $10,000 and that a record $189,000 was awarded in spring 2025 with support from a $100,000 gift.
  • Allison Struck reported that the Education Foundation awarded 67 first-time teacher grants with $250 stipends (increased from $200), has awarded more than 1,100 such grants since 2011, and recently awarded 150 Replenish the Room grants totaling almost $40,000 to support classroom supplies.
  • Allison Struck explained that talent and recognition was the Education Foundation’s second focus area, highlighting expanded efforts to attract and retain staff and funds raised to support staff appreciation across the district.
  • Allison Struck outlined the Education Foundation’s third pillar—student success—explaining that the fund bridged gaps for students in need and supported projects highlighting student achievement, and that more than $400,000 had been raised after the effort began when nine social workers were sharing $500 a month.
  • Allison Struck reported that the Education Foundation’s endowment, managed by the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation, had grown from $100,000 to over $1 million after a $190,000 gift this summer.
  • Superintendent Nold introduced the third report from the Child Nutrition department.
  • Gay Anderson reported that breakfast participation had risen about 3.85% year over year with roughly 4,700 breakfasts served daily and expected to approach 6,000 in colder months, and that lunches had increased to about 15,237 per day, not including snacks for early childhood and after-school programs.
  • Gay Anderson reported on free and reduced meal applications, noting over 5,000 families had applied while about 1,500 students still needed forms ahead of the Oct. 3 30-day deadline, and that the district rate stood at 49.7% free and reduced—the highest on record.
  • Gay Anderson cautioned that new federal changes to SNAP and free and reduced meal applications had begun rolling out, could disqualify some families, and might require verification of 100% of income-based applications.
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