The South Dakota Department of Education is studying a portfolio-based alternative to the traditional teacher licensing exam as officials grapple with persistent staffing gaps in rural and tribal school districts.
Shortages concentrated in rural and tribal schools
State data show teacher vacancies statewide have fallen to 290, down from a high of 410 at the same time in 2023, but the distribution of openings is unequal. Several districts — including Sisseton, Todd County and Oglala Lakota — report far higher average full-time staff vacancies than the statewide average of 0.59 vacancies per district between 2019 and 2025.
| District | Average vacancies (2019–2025) |
|---|---|
| Sisseton | 2.64 |
| Todd County | 3.83 |
| Oglala Lakota | 7.23 |
Those concentrated shortages have driven the department to ask whether the Praxis Series — the state’s current standardized certification exam — remains the best gatekeeper for teachers in communities where culturally relevant candidates are in short supply.
Why a portfolio is on the table
State Education Secretary Joe Graves briefed the state Indian Education Advisory Council recently and asked for their input on whether a portfolio-based certification process could be a workable alternative. He did not set a timeline for any change; officials are still researching options.
“Meanwhile, we’re replacing them with people not just lacking their cultural background, but people we’re recruiting from across the Pacific Ocean,”
Graves said the state needs teachers with relevant cultural backgrounds — particularly Native American educators — but that many such candidates have struggled with the licensing exam. At the same time, schools are increasingly hiring teachers from overseas: the state reported 446 foreign hires in 2025. Some districts also depend on untrained long-term substitutes to keep classrooms open.
- Portfolio certification would evaluate a candidate’s demonstrated skills, experience and cultural competency rather than rely solely on a standardized test.
- Department review is ongoing; no timeline has been announced for proposing or adopting new rules.
- Local impact would be greatest in districts already reporting multiple vacancies, where culturally aligned teachers are scarce.
Supporters of a portfolio approach argue it could expand the pool of qualified local teachers who are a better cultural fit for students in tribal and rural communities. Critics — including some educators and policymakers elsewhere — have historically expressed concerns about consistency and rigor if exam requirements are loosened, but the department has not released a formal recommendation.
For now, school districts continue to balance recruitment from abroad, reliance on substitutes and internal staffing strategies while the state weighs an alternative certification pathway intended to better match the needs of South Dakota’s diverse classrooms.
