Governor Delivers State of the State

    PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - Gov. Dennis Daugaard has asked the South
Dakota Legislature to approve proposals aimed at training and
attracting more skilled professional and technical workers and
developing more effective teachers.
     In his state of the state address to a joint session of the
House and Senate, Daugaard said South Dakota has spent more on
education, but student achievement has not risen accordingly. He
proposed a program that would give the top 20 percent of teachers a
bonus of $5,000 a year. All math and science teachers would get a
$3,500 annual bonus.
     The governor also proposed a number of ways to train more
doctors, engineers and technical workers.
     But Democratic lawmakers say the Republican governor is
declaring war on schools by proposing merit pay and the end of
teacher tenure.