McKenzie County Farmer - Archive

North Dakota Department of
Public Instruction

State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced that new proposed rules for North Dakota public charter schools are available for public scrutiny and comment.

The rules are required by Senate Bill 2241, which the North Dakota Legislature approved in April. They provide more detail and guidance for charter school advocates as they develop the taxpayer-supported schools, which are allowed more operational and administrative flexibility than traditional public schools.

SB2241 requires public charter schools to negotiate agreements with the superintendent of public instruction that will set out academic performance standards, as well as regulate their operations and how they are governed.
“We look forward to the public and legislative review of these proposed regulations,” Baesler said. “They provide the transparency and accountability for charter schools that North Dakota’s traditional public schools already have. And they guarantee that North Dakotans’ voices are heard on any charter school proposal.”

The rules require a public hearing, a review by the Legislature’s Administrative Rules Committee, and vetting by the attorney general’s office. They are tentatively scheduled to take effect April 1, 2026. Once they are in place, charter school supporters may begin submitting school applications to the Department of Public Instruction.

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