South Dakota

Overall Policy Lever Score

2

Child care licensing minimally requires a director to have a CDA and 20 clock hours of annual training.  Elementary principals must have a Master’s degree in education and at least one year of teaching experience, and pre-K certification is available; however neither pre-K content nor experience are required. South Dakota does not have a director credential, QRIS, or state pre-K program. There are no early childhood leadership degree programs or leadership academies.

Interesting Facts: South Dakota