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Committee hears $2 million proposal to continue "Choice Ready" grants for high schools
Summary
The Department of Public Instruction asked the House Education Committee to approve a $2 million biennial appropriation to continue Choice Ready grants that support career, dual-credit and readiness activities; the bill received supportive testimony from education and business groups and no recorded opposition at the hearing.
The Department of Public Instruction asked the House Education Committee to approve $2,000,000 for the biennium to continue Choice Ready grants that help high schools, career and technical centers, and special education units provide activities aimed at increasing the number of graduates who meet the state’s Choice Ready benchmarks.
Jim Uphgren, legislative liaison for the Department of Public Instruction, described Choice Ready as the state’s high‑school growth measure that aligns with the state strategic vision for preK‑12 education and the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. "Choice Ready is a key metric in the North Dakota accountability system," Uphgren said, explaining the framework’s three pathways — postsecondary ready, workforce ready and military ready — and that students must meet two of the three pathways to be designated Choice Ready.
Uphgren said the appropriation would replace prior ESSER (federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds that previously supported the grants. The bill would provide $2,000,000 for the biennium, effectively $1,000,000 per school year, to allow schools to continue applying for Choice Ready grants. Historically, grant awards varied: in the first two grant years the department set maximum awards up to $20,000 per school; in the most recent year the cap was $6,000 per school.
The department cited statewide gains since the program began: Choice Ready rates rose from about 21% in the 2015‑16 reporting year to roughly 71% in 2024. Uphgren said the program has supported activities such as expanding dual‑credit and Advanced Placement opportunities, online course access, ACT preparation and other student experiences. He told lawmakers the department will rely on an application process to allocate funds and that exact award caps and distribution criteria would be set in administration of the program.
Andrea Fenig of the Greater North Dakota Chamber testified in support, citing employer concerns about labor availability and saying members back resources for career‑exploration programs that help position students for local workforce needs. No opponents took the record at the committee hearing; the committee closed the hearing without taking a committee vote on the appropriation during that session.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about how grants are used and how impacts are measured. Uphgren said the department has tracked steady growth in Choice Ready rates and will consult program staff about deeper analyses at the school level. He estimated the statewide graduating class size at roughly 7,500 to 8,000 students and said the application process is similar to prior years when ESSER funds were used.
The bill remains before the committee for consideration; committee members requested a copy or visual of the Choice Ready report counselors complete in the STARS Ed portal for individual students.
