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Read. Follow. Verify.North Dakota authorizes public charter schools and establishes superintendent oversight
Last action · April 24, 2025: Filed with Secretary Of State 04/22Sponsors: Michelle Axtman and 5 others
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What This Bill Does
North Dakota establishes a legal framework for public charter schools authorized and overseen by the superintendent of public instruction, allowing parents to choose tuition-free in-person public schooling options. The law sets rules for student enrollment lotteries, teacher licensing, funding formulas, facility exemptions, and grounds for charter renewal or revocation.
Parents gain tuition-free public school alternatives with specific academic themes or approaches, while approved charter schools receive state per-student funding, federal , and property tax exemptions for their facilities.
- Public charter schools are publicly funded elementary or secondary schools that operate independently of local school districts under a specific charter or performance agreement. context
- Title 15.1 of the North Dakota Century Code governs education within the state. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Students
Students gain eligibility to enroll in public charter schools, participate in lottery-based admissions, and receive educational services funded by the state.
Superintendent of public instruction
The superintendent is tasked with evaluating charter applications, negotiating performance agreements, monitoring compliance, conducting annual evaluations, and reporting to legislative management.
Public charter schools
Charter schools operate under new statutory definitions, receive state per-student funding and facility tax exemptions, and are subject to oversight and independent audits.
School districts
School districts must be notified when a charter school intends to establish or locate within their boundaries, and may contract to provide student transportation.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to enroll in a North Dakota public charter school?
Can public charter schools charge tuition?
How are student admissions handled if a charter school receives more applicants than spots available?
What happens to remaining funds in a charter school's account at the end of a budget year?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
19 actions- Apr 24, 2025Filed with Secretary Of State 04/22
- Apr 23, 2025SenateEnrolledSigned by Governor 04/21
- Apr 18, 2025SenateEnrolledSent to Governor
- Apr 18, 2025SenateSigned by President
- Apr 18, 2025HouseSigned by Speaker
- Apr 15, 2025SenateFloorSecond reading, passed, yeas 39 nays 7
Show 13 earlier actions
- Apr 15, 2025SenateConcurred
- Apr 9, 2025SenateReturned to Senate (12)
- Apr 8, 2025HouseFloorSecond reading, passed as amended, yeas 64 nays 29
- Apr 3, 2025HouseCommitteeAmendment adopted, placed on calendar
- Apr 2, 2025HouseCommitteeReported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 8 6 0
- Mar 11, 2025HouseCommitteeCommittee Hearing 02:00
- Feb 25, 2025HouseIntroducedIntroduced, first reading, referred Education Committee
- Feb 21, 2025HouseReceived from Senate
- Feb 20, 2025SenateFloorSecond reading, passed, yeas 40 nays 7
- Feb 18, 2025SenateCommitteeAmendment adopted, placed on calendar
- Feb 17, 2025SenateCommitteeReported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 4 0 2
- Feb 3, 2025SenateCommitteeCommittee Hearing 10:00
- Jan 17, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced, first reading, referred Education Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Establishment of State Public Charter School System
North Dakota transitions from having no statutory framework for public charter schools to establishing a comprehensive authorization and oversight system managed by the superintendent of public instruction.
Connected Entities
Sources
ndlegis.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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