North Dakota close to approving charter schools

North Dakota is on the cusp of becoming the 47th state to legalize charter schools, as a separate school choice bill is still on the table.

SB 2241, sponsored by six Republicans, would create an avenue for public charter schools to exist in the Roughrider State.

Versions of the bill were approved by wide margins in both chambers – 40-7 in the Senate and then 64-29 in the House. The Senate must now approve the House version. Republicans control both chambers.

If approved by the Legislature, Gov. Kelly Armstrong is expected to sign it into law.

Armstrong, a Republican, has already declared his support for education savings accounts (ESAs) – a popular form of school choice – stating in his first State of the State address that “money follows the student, not the school.” 

In the same speech, he said charter schools would “create another choice for families when selecting the learning environment they feel is best suited for their child’s needs.”  

In other states, charter schools have been shown to produce better academic results, despite receiving less per-pupil funding than traditional public schools.  

Advocates say there are several reasons why charters do a better job serving students and families.  

First, charter schools are, by nature, schools of choice. No student is assigned by their zip code to attend a charter school; their parents choose to enroll them. 

Second, charter schools have more autonomy than government-run public schools. Though publicly funded and tuition-free, charters have more flexibility in terms of curriculum and school board governance. 

And third, charter schools are less likely to be unduly influenced by teachers’ unions. Unions are often blamed for exacerbating learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in places such as Chicago. 

The benefits may help explain why charter enrollment has increased nearly 12% over the past five years, according to the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools, while traditional public schools declined 4%. 

Almost every state in the nation and the District of Columbia allow charter schools. Exceptions are North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Vermont.  

Montana approved charters in 2023, when education reformers rode the school choice wave to get them approved. Last year, the state school board approved applications to launch 19 charter schools. 

The North Dakota Legislature is also considering the state’s first-ever school choice scholarship program. 

HB 1540 would create scholarships to give students up to $8,800 for education expenses, including private school tuition.  

The state currently spends $18,500 a year on each public-school student. Most of those dollars come from local ($6,000) or state ($9,100) taxes. The rest comes from the federal government.  

Private school tuition in North Dakota ranges from $4,000 to $9,000 per year. 

The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn May 9.