The following Professional Development opportunities are offered by the South Dakota Department of Education Title III Office and intended for all educators, including classroom/content area teachers.
For questions on specifice workshops please contact Shari Lord at shari.lord@state.sd.us
Every other month starting September 9, 11:30 a.m. (CT)
Join Lunch and Learns with the Title III and Migrant Offices for bi-monthly check-ins! This is a time to hear updates from each program and engage in discussion around English Learner and Migratory students.
Questions? Contact shari.lord@state.sd.us or ashley.holm@state.sd.us.
Please note: Each webinar will be offered twice—once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Be sure to check the session times listed below.
December 16 Topic: Paper and Alternate ACCESS
Times:
December 17 Topic: Kindergarten and Online ACCESS
Times:
October 21 – Dakota TESOL Conference
WIDA will present two sessions (topics to be confirmed)
April 15, 2026 – Engaging Secondary Newcomers in Content Area Literacy
One-day, in-person workshop Pierre, MacKay Building
In this one-day onsite workshop, educators will explore key factors that influence literacy development in content areas, focusing on how to engage students in content learning. Participants will learn strategies to analyze newcomers’ literacy strengths and identify areas for growth. Through practical application, educators will gain tools for scaffolding instruction to ensure secondary newcomers can engage with grade-level content in reading and writing, promoting their academic success. This workshop is geared for grades 6-12.
Available: from Sept. 1, 2025-August 31, 2026
Are you looking to build your skills and deepen your understanding of how to effectively support English learners? The Department of Education is offering 12 WIDA self-paced professional learning courses designed for K–12 educators who work with ELs across all content areas. These courses cover a wide range of topics and are designed to be flexible, allowing participants to work at their own pace throughout the 2025–26 school year – from Sept. 1, 2025-August 31, 2026