[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6083403,"mediaKeyId","2934868-82a5ef973406371f776fce0d62cd27e8","parentId",2934868,"title","Panel limits use of ‘in lieu’ school payments to construction debt; amendment approved","audioSeconds",462,"startMs",274000,"endMs",736000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2934868-82a5ef973406371f776fce0d62cd27e8&start=274&end=736","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2934868-82a5ef973406371f776fce0d62cd27e8/thumbnail_274000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6083403/North-Dakota/Panel-limits-use-of-in-lieu-school-payments-to-construction-debt-amendment-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083403-f48d4bea8deb4aa7f5cabbaac827199a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176866&Signature=OXdf97gZs7QUBHIkcGQgpNOxY3kIPRkR~wnfkWlFNEzsH~UdGXJ2lRGkxut6~hRr7l6Nnfr6z7IfppFP6ANM0sYbGA4JXpQnEOFFTr3chEUsX3Hkku-vhfXB23FAxlQW6HFqXIk8swbAXE3N2KrvtzQZmSLgJNro7BLTFCeRCiMcWMA-dvIWcVNrU9sK2ISrAzM73HjO~IiSCzXmtKbJGearLWzRHbrV6lJz~BmSktUrGTLVepAVtdTag4UjqA9VAnIET9xBEavw4qz7Hm-hMp2vZQcH3-K6cAbAOd9jVTKHuu78EDr-oFy~HWhy146ILqvc9K0bOblOPRqwssbRbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota Legislature","date","2025-04-09T00:00:00Z","article","The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division voted to approve an amendment to bill 11/30 that requires any reduction taken from a school district’s in-lieu-of-tax calculation to be allocated to the district’s sinking and interest fund and used specifically for bonded indebtedness and capital debt.

Senator Shively, who explained the amendment, told the committee the change clarifies long-standing intent that money carved from the in-lieu-of pool go toward school construction debt rather than being transferred into general building funds for non-debt uses. “The reduction must be allocated to school district sinking and interest fund and applied specifically to bond indebtedness and capital debt,” Shively said while moving the amendment.

Adam Tesher, School Finance Officer at the Department of Public Instruction, explained an administrative limitation the amendment creates: districts receive authority for a sinking and interest levy only when voters approve bonded debt. That means a district that has a building-fund levy but no voter-approved bonded indebtedness could receive additional in-lieu funds under the new formula but may have no existing debt for which to apply them. Tesher said many districts with building funds also carry debt, but not all do, which complicates implementation.

A committee member recorded a dissenting vote, citing concern about directing a $10,000,000 appropriation to a limited set of districts rather than broader K‑12 needs. The amendment nonetheless passed on a 4–1 vote. Following the amendment vote, Senator Shively moved—and the committee approved—a “do pass as amended” recommendation on bill 11/30 to carry the measure to the full committee.

Why it matters: The amendment narrows permissible uses of any additional in-lieu-of funding directed at school facilities, tying the funds explicitly to debt service for construction. That limits districts’ flexibility to repurpose the money and aims to prevent local mill-levy increases to cover bond debt.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Appropriations - Education and Environment Division Apr 9, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division voted to approve an amendment to bill 11/30 that requires reductions in “in lieu” receipts to be allocated to district sinking and interest funds and applied specifically to bonded indebtedness and capital debt.","taxTitle","Appropriations - Education and Environment Division, Senate, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28899,"location","North Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6083395,"Division sets K‑12 funding framework, agrees to 225% meal eligibility funding and rejects $10 million for science centers",2312,1791000,4103000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2934868-82a5ef973406371f776fce0d62cd27e8&start=1791&end=4103","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2934868-82a5ef973406371f776fce0d62cd27e8/thumbnail_1791000.jpg","/articles/6083395/North-Dakota/Division-sets-K12-funding-framework-agrees-to-225-meal-eligibility-funding-and-rejects-10-million-for-science-centers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083395-e1d04b31bc86b8e65e8574ae9cac026a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176866&Signature=Kt2VbkyGYLzKENoNLkrzXEg2xtnnX0lQySjCU0UQCXxL1gKZnsWor94UmPqnJVqqQF2SxAHP3Okm1z8iqrkCss6wbpOYgMh7FMwuf3cfJPwLFdmJ6WRco7ioCzVVEZa6Em2I1xoTxY-jTY9cHdhYCgoppjWRl3V1iL~CyGuVXAHz1c7i8B1qDzv28jzpZM3Ufc5bgIdg0fWLPoKKwRhBNy-Yg~Np2wCuIXPg9RfWkLnI0UiwWXvXrZoulJLhNvjrgYNkqNPyZ9owFFSmqYOIZOzkM53JMz2hId-ylHMvZmJqKVLvE5U545Dx-BwmWLhenoI8NzsVpjSfd3l5-Gk3CQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division spent an extended session reviewing the Department of Public Instruction long sheet (10/13), approving specific budget worksheet items and settling several contested lines.

State Library: The committee agreed to one-time funding of $450,000 to create an interlibrary-union catalog (described as an ILL bridge) to improve resource sharing among libraries statewide. Mary Susi, State Librarian, explained the project will allow patrons at smaller public and school libraries to discover and borrow materials from other libraries in the state rather than relying on out-of-state interlibrary loans.

School for the Blind and Vision Services: The committee approved adding a technology-focused FTE for the School for the Blind (a $152,000 addition in the second year of the biennium) and approved a $55,000 equipment item tied to campus maintenance priorities.

Center for Distance Education: The committee removed a proposed office-support FTE but approved a 0.2 FTE increase (bringing a position from 0.8 to 1.0 FTE) and one-time IT funding of $25,000; members noted the center generates fee revenue and the state supplement should be monitored.

K‑12 funding framework and sources: Senator Shively walked members through the funding mixes for increased per-pupil payments under the 3-and-3 scenario: general fund, the common school trust fund (noted at $595,000,000 in the worksheet), the Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund and carryover balances. Committee members discussed reliance on the Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund (committee cited about $233,000,000 on hand) and whether one-time SIF (Strategic Investment Fund) money should be used only for one-time purposes.

Free meal program: Committee members debated language in the House that raised the eligibility threshold from 200% of federal poverty to 225%. Staff estimated fully funding meals at the 225% level would require roughly $7.3 million. After discussion about take-up and direct certification rates (DPI estimated 93–95% of eligible students are already captured), the committee reached consensus to include the 225% language and to appropriate the $7.3 million figure into the budget.

Science centers (Grand Forks and Fargo): Members debated a proposed $10 million appropriation (split $5 million each for Grand Forks and Fargo science centers). Some committee members said such community capital requests are better handled in commerce or tourism budgets; others argued for continued state support. The committee voted and did not include the $10 million (committee recorded the measure as failing by committee vote and it was removed from the long sheet).

Other program lines: The committee reviewed targeted grants including teacher recruitment/retention, dyslexia training (noted as one-time funding under discussion), senior year programs, and mentoring/RISE programs. Several one-time pilot items remained under consideration for SIF funding while continuing program lines were placed against the base budget.

Next steps: Staff (Sheila) will draft the amendments for Friday morning so the division can finalize items ahead of the full committee and floor action. Several members said they expect further discussion and conference committee work on items where House and Senate positions differ.

Why it matters: The long-sheet decisions set the funding framework for K‑12 education programs and capital priorities this biennium. The committee’s decision to fund the meal program at 225% and to remove the $10 million science-center appropriation are substantive budget choices that will shape districts’ operations and community capital projects.","The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division reviewed the DPI long sheet (10/13), approved multiple targeted items, agreed to fund school meals at 225% of poverty with an estimated $7.3 million appropriation, and declined a $10 million proposal for two science centers.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6083399,"Committee approves larger per-pupil increase and $100 million construction transfer in 13/69 amendments",262,1188000,1450000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2934868-82a5ef973406371f776fce0d62cd27e8&start=1188&end=1450","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2934868-82a5ef973406371f776fce0d62cd27e8/thumbnail_1188000.jpg","/articles/6083399/North-Dakota/Committee-approves-larger-per-pupil-increase-and-100-million-construction-transfer-in-1369-amendments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083399-f7a8c5c86d9446bb2ea07fd941132f6f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176866&Signature=EjPTk4CyAopBpLhQf-moCV0J6HmudsTwKUvz2g7z3zpanqqSVWgQsaSQ~wG1~y08dAZHE9ERCUwxEPs-oIgkz9k~4s1As12NCy5BJ-N90W6xqK6OYNEFRc25n94CULfqhLNqVdfq85qCmGb1L5duhTqeQQ3fflq9CyODVz4uMWz4WM5w2Y81tXoF0hCKl~9BVGuj-TJS1tDVA13f65gVF30CNZrFlfV7t0qolN60DPhe-3wB2S3MoMmfpYKriWOuyXpWjPU2p8aaTwKy6Tlfxc9o2iQPNgVqDlRecvkJYvu-NhVRXdI~gVQGuTFT4lOadB7lrVK0yoUxlc5MaJJ6Sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division approved amendments to bill 13/69 that raise the proposed per-pupil payment increase, clarify placement approvals for boarding students, and boost the amount transferred to the School Construction Fund.

Senator Shively explained three primary amendments: first, changing the per-pupil increase from a 2-and-2 to a 3-and-3 schedule, producing a first-year per-pupil payment of $11,400 and a second-year payment of $11,740. He said the additional funding addresses concerns about school choice impacts and helps maintain funding for public schools.

Second, the amendment to section 2 (page 13) requires that when a child is placed in a boarding setting the placement must be approved by the superintendent of public instruction (DPI), and the superintendent may consult with the Department of Health and Human Services. That change moves approval authority from a local decision to a DPI-level approval with HHS consultation.

Third, the committee raised a planned transfer from the Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund to the School Construction Fund from $75,000,000 in the House version to $100,000,000, citing a related school-construction program tied to potential Air Force base grants that could require state matching loans of up to $20,000,000 per project.

The committee voted to approve the amendment package and recorded a do-pass recommendation on 13/69 as amended. Committee roll call showed assent from members present.

Why it matters: The changes increase ongoing per-pupil funding and direct more one-time stabilization money into school construction, while shifting placement approval for boarding programs to DPI review. Those moves affect district budgets, capital planning and state-level oversight of certain placements.","The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division approved amendments to bill 13/69 to increase per-pupil payments to a 3-and-3 schedule, require DPI approval (with HHS consultation) for some boarding placements, and increase a transfer for school construction to $100 million.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6083401,"Panel trims transportation funding increase to $2 million and advances bill",188,932000,1120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2934868-82a5ef973406371f776fce0d62cd27e8&start=932&end=1120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2934868-82a5ef973406371f776fce0d62cd27e8/thumbnail_932000.jpg","/articles/6083401/North-Dakota/Panel-trims-transportation-funding-increase-to-2-million-and-advances-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083401-9a035e4375cea4bb2859c0b0b14f0aa5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176866&Signature=GRW2M73Ce5yL89o6K8ybA5Zkfv32Yi7DX0QKC6zvmqIL1p220ntkkmerMeZDofXkpQ-Efjf84ZT8fIU0QE988N5G5-AAdnjGi1z4jFGGK2PiaHICBc3cT6i1iuwSf5Hpp6np4-3epv8wuu7bw6KGDIER1mWeGSA1qyg8B8zbiqUFRBqmMJZ-Pn-7~5rHjdR8XirhiTC21RR8DFl9vwG1tPqOA9wU-D~vYGY7yt9T-ctGVkDPGgxTdv96cy0jNypOjkA4z6LemEmkeuxlffzm9Cxfx4nXvtlNF1GzlYbfpjaX63DzSaXnkN5r0RollgGJZ0QEDaGb6rJMqidkjJcxZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Appropriations - Education and Environment Division amended House Bill 12/14 to reduce the short-term transportation funding increase to $2,000,000 and voted to advance the bill.

Senator Shively framed the bill as the product of an interim study on how best to fund school transportation, with the goal of folding transportation costs into the regular K‑12 funding formula. That, he said, would make transportation funding automatic as per-pupil payments change, rather than relying on ad hoc appropriations each session. The amendment on the table (page 2, line 12) reduced the bill’s factor so the initial cost increase is $2,000,000 instead of a larger figure previously discussed.

Committee members approved the amendment and then voted to give 12/14 a do-pass recommendation. The committee recorded the passage of the amendment and moved the bill forward unanimously.

Why it matters: Including transportation in the funding formula would make future transportation costs an ongoing part of per-pupil funding, stabilizing how districts plan bus routes and pay for drivers and buses.","The division amended House Bill 12/14 to reduce the projected transportation cost increase to $2,000,000 and approved a do-pass recommendation. The change is part of a move to incorporate school transportation into the funding formula so future transportation costs rise with per-pupil payments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Panel limits use of ‘in lieu’ school payments to construction debt; amendment approved

Division sets K‑12 funding framework, agrees to 225% meal eligibility funding and rejects $10 million for science centers

Committee approves larger per-pupil increase and $100 million construction transfer in 13/69 amendments

Panel trims transportation funding increase to $2 million and advances bill