Three hearings will be held to receive public comment on draft recommendations made Wednesday in Pierre by the Citizens’ Education Review Panel. The recommendations include adopting a state core curricula, twice-a-year progress testing of students, more school days, and increased emphasis on evaluation.

The hearings will be held in Rapid City on December 6; in Brookings on December 19 with telecommunications hookups to 13 other sites in South Dakota; and in Pierre on January 3.

The text of the draft report may be accessed via the Internet at http://www.state.sd.us/deca. Printed copies of the draft report may be obtained from the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs, Attn: Deedra Gesinger, 700 Governors Drive, Pierre 57501, phone (605) 773-6934. Written comments are requested and may be submitted at the time of the hearing or forward to Deedra Gesinger at the Department of Education and Cultural Affairs.

The Rapid City hearing will be held from 9 a.m. until noon on December 6 in the Bump Lounge of the Surbeck Student Center of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

On December 19, the hearings will originate at 1:30 p.m. (Central Time) from the Multiplex Center in Brookings with television hookups via the Agricultural Extension Service system to Sioux Falls, Watertown, Milbank, Timber Lake, Yankton, Huron, Bison, Philip, Martin, Winner, Mound City, Highmore, and Aberdeen.

The January 3 hearings will be held in Pierre at the Convention Center of the Ramkota Inn beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at noon.

The 32-member Citizens’ Education Review Panel was appointed in March by Gov. Bill Janklow to review delivery of K-12 education in South Dakota. Its draft recommendations were developed after a series of meetings throughout the year. Co- chairs are Harvey Jewett of Aberdeen and Mary McClure Bibby of Brookings.

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