'School choice' advocates scramble after Noem's education savings account initiative killed

Competing measure that would have created larger voucher program also rejected by House Education Committee

PIERRE — South Dakota legislators have dealt a pair of blows to “school choice” advocates who want state funding for homeschool and private education.

A panel of lawmakers on Wednesday narrowly killed a proposal crafted by former Gov. Kristi Noem’s staff ahead of her resignation last week that would have dedicated $4 million in the state’s next budget to help poor families cover some of the cost of educating their children outside of public schools.

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