Lawmakers delivered a mixed set of results for K‑12 education: modest increases in state aid, defeat of voucher‑style proposals and a new statewide requirement for district cellphone policies.

Carla, a House appropriator, called the outcome "mixed" for K‑12: the legislature approved an aid increase she described as roughly 2.5% for the coming years — a rate she and local leaders said will not fully cover rising costs for teacher pay, transportation, building maintenance and behavioral‑health supports. "We have a lot of needs in our K‑12 schools that that increase is not going to help cover," she said.

The forum speakers reported that measures to channel public funds to private schools (vouchers or education savings accounts) were defeated; however, a state law now authorizes the creation of public charter schools. Carla said a public charter would receive lower per‑student funding than traditional districts: "All our kids that go to Fargo Public Schools ... approximately $11,600 from the state. Someone who goes to a public charter school will only get approximately $8,800 per student." Forum speakers explained the charter option may be attractive for some tribal or small rural programs wishing to draw state funding with higher accountability requirements than private schools.

On school meals, the legislature raised the income threshold for free school meals from 200% of the federal poverty level to 225%, but did not enact universal free meals for all students.

A high‑profile policy change requires every school district to adopt a "bell‑to‑bell" ban on cellphones in class time; districts must include exemptions for students with Individualized Education Programs, 504 plans or documented medical needs. Carla described implementation as a district responsibility and said the state school boards association is developing model language.

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Local educators and leaders said the funding increase will provide some relief but that districts will need to prioritize among competing needs while they adapt to new policy requirements such as the cellphone rule and review how charter authorization will interact with district programs.