MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — State lawmakers are taking a closer look at South Dakota’s truancy laws following new data that shows a growing number of truancy cases are ending up in court.
According to a report from South Dakota Searchlight, the state’s truancy diversion success rate has dropped significantly in recent years. Diversion programs are designed to address attendance issues outside the court system, often by working with families and schools to resolve underlying problems.
Officials say the decline appears to coincide with changes to state law that made it easier for parents to enroll children in alternative forms of instruction, including homeschooling and online education. Those changes, they say, have made it more difficult for schools and authorities to track whether students are receiving instruction that meets state requirements.
A legislator from Yankton plans to introduce a bill during the next legislative session that would require families to report where and how their children are being educated. Supporters of the proposal say the goal is accountability and ensuring children are not falling through the cracks.
Any proposed changes would be debated during the 2026 legislative session, with lawmakers weighing parental rights, educational flexibility, and the state’s responsibility to ensure school-aged children are receiving instruction.