RAPID CITY, SD — The adage “Children are the future” has come from the mouth of every major figure in education since the beginning of time it seems. The truth in those long-standing words is self-evident and powerful, and it is because children are the future that we have elections such as those occurring on June third.
The members of the board decide the policy which goes on to shape young minds, and though some may find it an unexciting race compared to municipal, state, or national elections, it falls to adults to speak where children are not able about the officials who perhaps have the most outstanding and direct impact over their lives.
For this reason, I conducted a series of interviews this week, asking all candidates (Brian Johnson and Jamie Clapham for Area 6, Angela Bradsky Rafferty and Michael Birkeland for Area 3) the same questions in order to give those seeking election and reelection an opportunity to speak on their values and beliefs, as well as intentions if (re)elected.
Q: What inspired you to run for the board? What experience do you bring to the board? What are the top priorities you want to address in the future?
Michael Birkeland: I initially ran for the board because I believed our schools needed strong advocates who genuinely support all staff, students, and the value of public education. I also felt that the community’s concerns were not being recognized, particularly regarding the need for more behavioral supports, expanded and alternative education options, and much-needed improvements to our facilities. I wanted to be a representative who truly listened and stood up for the needs of everyone in our district.
I’m running for reelection because, while we’ve made meaningful progress in these areas, there’s still important work ahead. In my first term, we’ve made progress and laid a lot of groundwork toward raising student achievement, improving staff morale, updating facilities, and expanding educational opportunities. I’m ready to put in the work to keep these initiatives going and growing. I’m running for reelection to build upon the momentum we’ve built and ensure the upward trajectory continues.
I have been in RCAS my entire life. I was a student for K-12, taught at Central High School for six years, and have served on the Board of Education for the last three. Having been a student, teacher, and board member, I provide a unique perspective on the successes and needs of our district. Additionally, having served a term on the board, I have a deep knowledge of current initiatives and future plans as I have been a part of creating them.
Student achievement is always the top priority, and improving it requires addressing several interconnected factors. My focus is on three key areas: expanding early interventions and educational options, ensuring safe and supportive learning environments, and recruiting and retaining high-quality staff. Each of these factors affects the others, so to lay the foundation for a school system where students feel safe, supported, and ready to succeed, all must be addressed.
Jamie Clapham: I chose to run for school board in 2022 because I wanted to ensure that the decisions being made about the school district are focused on what was best for kids and not driven by personal agendas or politics. Serving RCAS the past 3 years has been an honor and privilege. I am a public-school parent, child of educators, and a product of public schools myself, so public school is very personal for me. Being on the board has given me the opportunity to advocate for students and staff in new, meaningful ways. My time in this role has inspired me and energized me. I am running for re-election because I believe in the direction RCAS is going. I want to continue contributing to our growth and make RCAS a wonderful educational environment for all students.
I have 3 years of experience doing this job, and I am a better board member now than I was when elected in 2022. I have built meaningful relationships with administration, staff, parents, students, my fellow board members, and education advocates across the state. This gives me a distinct advantage when it comes to my ability to collaborate and make well-informed decisions with administration and the board. I have been a dedicated board member who has fulfilled my campaign promises and been very active and present in the district during my 3-year term. I have served with enthusiasm, dedication, integrity, and a willingness to listen. I have made hard decisions when necessary, admitted when I have made mistakes, and learned from those mistakes
Other Relevant experience includes: Vice President or Co-President of Black Hawk Elementary PTA from 2019 – the present, President of Rapid City PTA Council Spring 2021 – 2023, Representative on the SDPTA Executive Board 2021 – 2025, Member of the Board of Directors for the Associated School Boards of SD August 2025 – Present
Brian Johnson: As a lifelong resident of Rapid City and a proud graduate of our public schools, I care deeply about the future of our district. I was fortunate to receive a strong education here, and I want the same — or better — for my grandchildren and every student in our community. The recent decline in test scores and loss of confidence in the district compelled me to step forward.
I bring a commitment to common-sense decision making, a practical approach to budgeting, and a dedication to putting our educators and students first. My top priorities include fiscal responsibility that supports educators, improving academic outcomes, and upgrading school infrastructure to ensure safe, effective learning environments.
Q: What steps would you take to address concerns of disparities in discipline and access to advanced programs for some students within the district?
Birkeland: We’ve already taken important steps to address these disparities, and I am committed to continuing this work. As a school district, we have both a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed. One key way we are addressing these concerns is by implementing consistent practices across the district. Additionally, we’re working to provide families with greater clarity and more options in the classes their students can enroll in. Moving forward, I will continue to advocate for policies and practices that ensure every student has equal opportunities to thrive.
Clapham: I believe many steps have already been taken through the work completed while the district was under the voluntary agreement with the OCR. However, we have less than one year of data related to the changes that have been made and I think it is important we continue to track data related to discipline and advanced programs over time looking for trends and any outliers or clear disparities we are seeing between groups of students. This data needs to be presented to the board regularly alongside other metrics being used to measure progress in the strategic plan and the board can then provide directives if the data is not showing positive trends.
Johnson: Every student deserves the opportunity to succeed. I would push for a data-driven review of disciplinary actions and identify where disparities exist. If the numbers reveal patterns, then it’s our responsibility to ask tough questions and make changes.
This includes improving communication with families and ensuring all students are encouraged and supported to pursue higher-level academic programs when they show interest or potential.
Q: Given the federal withdrawal from the resolution agreement, do you plan to continue promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in RCAS schools? If so, how?
Birkeland: For me, the key aspect of the OCR agreement was ensuring that Native students had the same opportunities and treatment as every other student. As such, I believe that is still an important goal. As federal guidelines change, the approach may need to look different so that federal funding is not jeopardized, but the goal does not, and should not, be amended. RCAS should be a place where every student is supported and can find success.
Clapham: Considering the fact that there are over 20 different languages spoken by students in our district, nearly 20% of our students receive special education services of some kind, and over 30% qualify for free and reduced lunch, I believe it would be irresponsible not to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in RCAS. To best serve our students and families it is imperative that there is a clear message that ALL ARE WELCOME in our district. Taking measures, such as providing staff across the district with consistent and up to date literacy training and making upgrades to buildings to increase safety at older buildings are tangible ways the district is currently (under my supervision and direction as a board member) supporting equity and inclusion for our students. I will continue to promote and participate in events such as culture nights held at schools across the district and our senior honor/feathering ceremony. As mentioned earlier, facilities are a priority for me, and I will continue to collaborate and support our buildings manager and our CFO to make improving handicapped accessibility at our buildings a priority as well.
Johnson: I do not support continuing the district’s current diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as outlined in the previous resolution. Instead, I believe our focus should be on providing a high-quality education that prioritizes academic excellence, practical skills, and respect for all students. Education policies should reflect the values of our community and ensure equality without divisive programs.
What measures will you advocate for to address budgetary issues such as teacher retention, direct support, and compensation in the district?
Birkeland: I have consistently supported and will continue to advocate for changes to the state’s school funding formula. The current formula presents unique challenges for RCAS, and it’s essential that we update it to better support our public schools.
In addition, I have backed and will keep supporting efforts to secure alternative funding sources. During my first term, we hired a grant writer who successfully brought in over $1 million, and I will continue to champion the search for additional funding to support both staff and facilities.
Enrollment is a key factor in the funding formula, and I will remain a strong advocate for public schools. While there are areas for improvement, there are also many successes to highlight, and I will ensure those successes are shared. I will also continue to support innovative educational options, such as our virtual elementary school, to provide families with flexibility while staying engaged with RCAS.
Alongside advocating for funding, I will continue pushing for ways to support our staff beyond compensation. When reelected, I will continue to collaborate with our staff and their negotiating groups to find creative solutions that go beyond just salary, ensuring we meet both recruitment and retention goals. My goal is to increase funding to our district while also finding creative solutions within our current budget to better support staff.
Clapham: This is one of our greatest challenges. I will continue advocating at the state level for an improved funding formula that allows our local tax dollars to benefit us more instead of resulting in decreased state funding. I would collaborate with the finance committee and the CFO to look assess the budget and evaluate if reorganization or reallocation of funds is feasible to increase salaries and provide more direct support. I would also advocate for ways to recognize and reward longevity as a part of improving teacher retention such as something like providing bonus paid time off days to staff who are in the district greater than 10 years.
Johnson: Our teachers are one of our greatest assets and retaining them requires more than just competitive pay. I would advocate for prioritizing funds for teacher compensation and benefits, but also for creating an environment where educators feel heard, supported, and respected.
I support a budget strategy that examines administrative costs, focuses spending on classrooms, and invests in resources that directly impact student learning. Long term, we need to create a district culture where great teachers want to stay and grow their careers.
Q: Do you currently spend time on site at schools or serving as a parent or community member? How do you plan to involve parents, students, and community members in shaping policies and addressing concerns within the school district?
Birkeland: During my first year on the board, I made it a priority to visit all 23 of our schools. I wanted to meet with staff and school leadership to hear their needs firsthand. Since then, I’ve continued to make regular visits to check in with staff, engage with students, and celebrate their successes. I also attend a wide range of extracurricular events such as sports, concerts, plays. I think it is important to be visible and accessible to all stakeholders.
Additionally, last fall, while between jobs, I took the opportunity to spend nearly an entire quarter helping teach math classes at Central High School. It was an incredibly rewarding experience to return to the classroom and connect with students and teachers on a more personal level again!
In terms of involving parents, students, and community members, I’m committed to expanding the listening sessions the board began during my first term. While I read and respond to nearly every email, these sessions offer a more proactive and direct approach to communication. Moving forward, I would also advocate for increased transparency and more proactive communication about the board’s past and upcoming votes, so that everyone has a clear understanding of our decisions and actions.
Clapham: Yes! I have chaperoned multiple field trips over the last 7 years. I volunteered at Knollwood Elementary’s writing fair 2 years in a row, I volunteered at post prom at both CHS and SHS. I participated in Culture night at Black Hawk Elementary for 2 years, I have been the fundraising chairperson for PTA at Black Hawk Elem. for 4 years. I ran the 5k with the Robbinsdale Elementary Girls on the Run participants to assist with their training. I have visited every school in the district at least once and several of them more than once..including the Lincoln and Jefferson buildings which house small specialty programs.
Having the student school board in place gives more direct access to students and their voices and they will be a group than can help provide feedback and shape policy. I would seek their input directly. I would also continue the listening sessions 2 to 4 times a year since that is another great way to gain feedback and involve the community. Finally, just being responsive to emails and phone calls of constituents illustrates that a board member is listening/open to the community’s input.
Johnson: As a former board member, RCAS graduate, parent and grandparent, I’ve remained connected to our schools and understand their importance to our community. I’ve attended events, followed district updates closely, and had conversations with teachers, parents, and administrators.
As a board member, I will continue listening to the people most affected by our decisions — students, families, and educators. That means being accessible, attending school events, supporting open forums for public input, and encouraging ongoing dialogue. Policy shouldn’t happen in a vacuum — it should reflect the voices of the community it serves.
Angela Bradsky Rafferty could not be reached for comment at this time.
