House Education Committee hears bill to authorize public charter schools in North Dakota (Senate Bill 2241)

Senator Michelle Axman, appearing before the House Education Committee, presented Senate Bill 2241 at a committee hearing to create a framework for authorizing, governing and overseeing public charter schools in North Dakota. The bill would place charter school authorization with the state superintendent of public instruction and require performance agreements that set academic, operational and financial expectations.

Axman said charter schools are public schools “There is never a cost to attend. They are open to all students, including students with special needs.” Under the bill, charters must hire licensed North Dakota teachers, follow state academic standards and federal special-education laws such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504, administer state tests, submit to independent financial audits and report data to the state superintendent. The bill also bars virtual-only charters and requires that charter schools not receive local school tax dollars; rather, state per-pupil funding would “follow the student,” the…