Bart Pfankuch

A shortage of substitutes to fill in for full-time teachers is forcing school districts in South Dakota and across the country to take sometimes drastic measures to keep classrooms staffed, and concerns are rising that the quality of student education may diminish as a result. Many full-time teachers are losing

As COVID-19 infections sweep across South Dakota in record numbers, concerns are rising that children and adolescents are suffering more severe illness than before and may be susceptible to symptoms that can afflict them long into their lifetimes. A growing body of medical research and reports from pediatricians in South

South Dakota has sent millions of dollars of unused COVID-19 housing assistance funds — allocated to help low-income renters — back to the federal government, mainly because not enough people applied for help. As of early January 2022, the state had received about $271 million in federal funding to pay rent and

Abortion is likely to be a major topic during the 2022 South Dakota legislative session that begins on Jan. 11, as opponents of the medical procedure see an opportunity to capitalize on recent legal cases across the country that further restricted access to abortion. The anticipated legislation seeking to restrict

Gov. Kristi Noem wants to spend $100 million to boost child care offerings across the state, but experts say it will take more than a one-time government investment to expand access to quality daycare for working parents in South Dakota. South Dakota is facing a child care crisis in which

Two recent in-depth studies were conducted on the shortage of child care in South Dakota, one examining the situation statewide and another focused specifically on Sioux Falls. Here is a look at the recommendations on how to improve access to affordable, reliable, quality child care, according to the two reports.

While waiting lists for child care are common in cities like Sioux Falls and Rapid City, it can be impossible to find any child care options in rural and reservation communities in South Dakota. According to a recent report by South Dakota Kids Count, a non-profit data center, seven counties