South Dakota Education Equity Coalition

What it reported doing in 2025

The South Dakota education equity coalition (sdeec) exists to empower indigenous communities to effectively navigate public institutions in order to close achievement gaps and provide more culturally relevant educational opportunities for indigenous kids. We produce research, provide training, conduct policy analysis, and convene our partners and allies to accomplish our goals and advance our mission. We believe an important root cause in the education outcome disparity between indigenous students and other students in South Dakota is the lack of formal consultation between the public education system in our state and tribal education directors from the nine tribal communities. In order to address this root cause, we worked to develop and build support for a first of its kind tribal accord to support the improvement of indigenous education in our state. We convened our partners, allies, and supporters. We also provided trainings for our partners and allies. We accomplished the following in 2025: hundreds of students participated in the ball on the mall program in july and august 2025. The program was a partnership between sdeec and the rapid city police. Students traveled to the state capitol in pierre and were introduced to all members of the state house and state senate. With support from the sdeec, seven students attended an education evolving conference in minneapolis and were able to present at a panel discussion in front of all of the attendees. The sdeec provided trainings for hundreds of teachers, students, parents, tribal education directors, and education experts to help them understand how to navigate public boards, task forces, councils, and the state legislature. The sdeec convened our partners and allies virtually each month to share information about public policy, plan together, hear from guest speakers, and exchange information. We hosted an in-person retreat in rapid city with dozens of attendees. The retreats featured panels, presentations, round table discussions, training, guest speakers, and interactive planning sessions. The retreats also provided attendees opportunities to network, connect with fellow education advocates, and share information about their work. Planned the first ever capitol day for indigenous students to travel to the state capitol in pierre. Developed a pilot tribal accord concept for use in rapid city area schools and the sioux falls school district.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 81.6%; rating input score 82
• Program expense ratio: 62.8%; rating input score 63
• Fundraising efficiency: $7.59 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -29.8%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.64; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 20.9%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 29.7% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -15.2% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 26.2% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings