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have minimal impact on the overall U.S. jobs picture.
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• OBAMA: Republicans "keep on talking about this -- an oil pipeline coming down from Canada that's estimated to create about 50 permanent jobs. That's not a jobs plan," he said in Tennessee.
• THE FACTS: Obama is on more solid ground with this assertion. The State Department report, citing figures provided by TransCanada, said there would be about 50 permanent jobs created along the route of the pipeline once it is completed. The report says the number of permanent jobs in the six affected states would have "negligible impacts" on the economy.
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- Reading and math scores for South Dakota students remained about the same this year in an annual test given across the state, according to the state Education Department.
• About 74 percent of the students tested last spring scored at the advanced or proficient levels in both math and reading on the Dakota STEP test, about the same level as in the past few years, the department reported Wednesday.
• The report also rates the performance of 660 high schools, middle schools and elementary schools under South Dakota's new accountability system. Thirty-four schools earned exemplary classifications, the top rating that includes the top 5 percent of schools. Another 34 schools received status classifications, the second-highest rating.
• Each school is given a score out of a possible total of 100 points.
• The high schools rated exemplary are Arlington, Armour, Groton Area, Hitchcock-Tulare, Leola, Rosholt, Scotland, Timber Lake and Wall.
• High schools get 50 percent of their scores from student test results, 25 percent from high school completion rates and 25 percent from student scores on college-entrance tests. The Dakota STEP test is the basis for 80 percent of elementary and middle school scores, with the remaining 20 percent from attendance.
• State Education Secretary Melody Schopp said the new accountability system provides information to help schools prepare students for college and careers.
• "With the new accountability system, we are providing educators, parents and policy makers with a wealth of data," Schopp said in a written statement.
• Details of each school's performance can be found online at http://doe.sd.gov/reportcard/index.aspx

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