A school board may propose to change the name of the school district or the residents of a school district may propose to change the name of a school district by submitting to the school board a petition signed by fifteen percent of the registered voters of the school district. A petition to change the name of a school district shall state the reason for the name change and the proposed name for the school district. The school board shall hold a hearing on the proposed name change after publishing a notice of the hearing in the legal newspaper for the school district once a week for two consecutive weeks. The notice shall state the time and place for the hearing, the reason for the hearing and the proposed name for the school district. At the hearing on the proposed name change, the school board shall allow all interested residents of the school district a reasonable opportunity to testify, either orally or in writing or both at the hearing. After the hearing, the school board shall consider the testimony regarding the proposed name change, and if the proposed name change is in the best interest of the school district and no other school district in the state has the same name, the school board shall change the name of the school district. The school board shall report the new name for the school district to the secretary.
SDCL 13-5-17.1