House Education hearing focuses on school funding increase, EL weighting and options for declining‑enrollment districts

The House Education Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1369 during a committee hearing that included school leaders, the Department of Public Instruction and construction trade representatives.

Rep. Pat Heinert, sponsor of HB 1369, told the committee the bill as introduced includes a 3% per‑pupil increase in state aid: $11,400 for the 2025‑26 school year and $11,746 for 2026‑27. Heinert said the governor had proposed 2%, but the House and Senate education leadership had agreed to 3% before the governor released his budget.

Committee members and witnesses focused most of their remarks on three areas: additional funding for English‑language learners (ELLs), the way the at‑risk weighting is calculated, and protections for districts with declining enrollment.

"This bill is introduced with a 3% increase factor for the per pupil payment," Rep. Pat Heinert said. "Now we have heard from our governor who has requested that this be a 2%, not a 3%… it is our choice as a committee if we wanna change that to the governor's recommendation."

Why it matters: supporters said the base increase helps, but districts with large or rapidly growing ELL populations and those losing students still face budget shortfalls. Amy Kopas, executive director of the North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders, asked the committee to consider a higher per‑pupil increase (she suggested a 4%/4% approach) and to change how declining enrollment is smoothed.

"We understand from the last interim education funding committee that there is enough money coming from the Common Schools Trust Fund to manage a 2 and a 2 and enough turn back from last…