SD teachers union seeks public vote on bonus bill

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PIERRE (AP) — Members of South Dakota's main teachers union plan to submit petition signatures seeking a public vote aimed at blocking Gov. Dennis Daugaard's plan to give bonuses to top teachers and phase out tenure.

The South Dakota Education Association needs to submit at least 15,855 valid signatures Monday to refer the measure passed by this year's South Dakota Legislature to a vote in the November election.

Daugaard has said the measure will help boost student achievement. But teachers have said the bill would do little to help students while diverting attention from the need for additional state aid to school districts.

The measure would start a scholarship program to help recruit teachers in critical subjects, give bonuses to top teachers and eliminate tenure in 2016 for any teachers not already tenured.

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