Yes
South Dakota’s rate of home-schooled students increased 143% from 2015-16 to 2023-24. according to a database compiled by John Hopkins University.
The number of home-schooled students in the state grew from 4,333 to 10,536 during that time.
Of the states that reported data for every year during the range, Tennessee (135%) and North Dakota (114%) had the next highest gains of homeschooled students.
The rapid increase in South Dakota has forced belt-tightening at public schools. Districts receive $7,000 per student from the state, resulting in a collective drop of more than $60 million in funding. The Rapid City School District sent mailers out to households where students had dropped attendance with the goal of getting them back to public school.
The state's home-school numbers could increase even more after Gov. Larry Rhoden announced South Dakota will opt into a federal tax program that is designed to help students attending alternative schooling.
This fact brief responds to conversations such as this one.
Source
John Hopkins University, South Dakota education
John Hopkins University, Home school database
The Dakota Scout, Competing for kids: School districts struggle to stop exodus of homeschool students
Dakota News Now, Rhoden says state will opt in to federal education tax credit program
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