PIERRE - The South Dakota Senate on Tuesday approved a measure to allow the Department of Education to accredit pre-kindergarten programs, but a similar bill that also would have provided state money to pay for the programs will not get to the Senate floor.

On Thursday, the Senate Education Committee rejected SB154 by a 4-3 vote.

Sen. Ben Nesselhuf, D-Vermillion, introduced the bill. It would have added pre-kindergarten students to school districts' "average daily membership," which determines state aid. "Why wouldn't we want to pay for it?" Nesselhuf asked fellow committee members.

"The cost is amazing," Sen. Bob Gray, R-Pierre, said, possibly as much as $45 million a year.

Opponents of the first bill, SB26, had warned that the accreditation measure could lead to mandatory pre-kindergarten education and state funding. State Education Secretary Rick Melmer insisted that pre-kindergarten accreditation would be voluntary and that he was not proposing to fund the programs.

On Thursday, Melmer also opposed Nesselhuf's bill.

The committee deferred the bill to the 36th legislative day, which, in a 35-day session, means it will not come to a vote of the full Senate.

Contact Bill Harlan at 394-8424 or at bill.harlan@rapidcityjournal.com