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• Argus Leader, Sioux Falls. Dec. 25, 2012
• Help needed to teach English skills
• An effort to get funding for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) programs in some South Dakota communities seems to be back on track this session.
• Rep. Peggy Gibson, D-Huron, introduced a bill last session to try to raise the per-student allocation 20 percent to provide funding to school districts struggling to meet the need. The bill passed the House Education Committee but then died.
• The idea now has been embraced by some Republican lawmakers and is expected to be back on the docket in January. It's unfortunate that this seems to be shaping up as a partisan issue now, but movement on getting help to the school districts in need is important.
• The number of LEP students is growing in places such as Aberdeen, Huron and Brookings as well as in Sioux Falls. Some of the growth in numbers is because of an influx of workers for manufacturing plants in those communities.
• Schools need resources to help these young learners become proficient. It might not be wise to try to work the extra money through the funding formula, but that's at least one idea being examined. There probably are others to be considered as well.
• Gov. Dennis Daugaard's senior adviser Tony Venhuizen agreed that funding for LEP students is "a timely issue," and that bodes well for the administration's assistance in getting something going.
• This is an important issue, and lawmakers are right to work on a funding solution during the upcoming legislative session.
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• Daily Republic, Mitchell. Dec. 27, 2012
• Make speeding a points-related offense
• Dangerous driving seems to be on the minds of many as the state Legislature prepares to convene for the 2013 session.
• In recent weeks, many have been discussing the practice of texting while driving. We know that several cities have banned that practice, and Mitchell was at least considering it. For now, plans for a ban in Mitchell have been tabled while members of the City Council await news from the Legislature, where the issue is likely to be debated.
• Now we hear that a Sioux Falls lawmaker, Rep. Steve Hickey, will likely introduce legislation to count points against drivers' records when they are caught speeding in South Dakota. A similar proposal came up last year in the Legislature but didn't make it out of the House of Representatives.
• At present, traffic offenders accumulate points for various offenses, such as running a stop sign. Once those points reach a certain plateau, drivers can face a sus

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