[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6376168,"mediaKeyId","2140517-8f520608e73218dfe1b854c1ea5a6bd3","parentId",2140517,"title","Proposal to let state review school compliance draws opposition from AG, school leaders","audioSeconds",1082,"startMs",11278000,"endMs",12360000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2140517-8f520608e73218dfe1b854c1ea5a6bd3&start=11278&end=12360","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2140517-8f520608e73218dfe1b854c1ea5a6bd3/thumbnail_11278000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6376168/North-Dakota/Proposal-to-let-state-review-school-compliance-draws-opposition-from-AG-school-leaders","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6376168-867bf732d09f10f6fdd37a08151b2348/orig.mp4?Expires=1771226551&Signature=NCnI--P2AV4zhIY0taH-lwETTDk-Im-IbCjrOkjm6aDTptKXonaV1PZJM~JVM8iGnY~EeKMrAaLCI4Q6bjunxNfwGpUE1kOCJeKKAXD06wFmLrifPK0Jsnw-mrraw3CTRLG1vWMtGuiZVwThbIUJOZ5-LE~bdOSXsUH9fKacIcZMbIY4MTa8OZfYCiCFWcI8hREan-~4L9CSUGVvf1-vZorlsbA-i5VpW2kxnyl3y9stR~TItmFFs5baIe4p5IF46eQ56v6dOAdFDejh227ziYBOiD5gnXP4V2PcDNk~b7ZEFfyLyrolcqlI1rXkWSpEipLHaC1AJylVc~~xeqYhAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Education, ND","date","2025-01-22T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Nearing (District 23) told the committee House Bill 1288 aims to give parents and residents an accessible, no‑cost path to have alleged noncompliance with education statutes reviewed by state authorities when local remedies fail. \"When a petitioner cannot get relief at the local level, this bill provides a mechanism to address that issue at no cost to the petitioner or the school district,\" Nearing said.

Supporters argued the legislature should pair statutes with practical enforcement so schools cannot ignore statutory duties. Unpaid citizen legislator Travis Zablotny testified in support and said the proposal addresses a common frustration: laws passed by the Legislature lack clear, affordable enforcement pathways for parents.

The attorney general's office opposed the bill without additional resources. Assistant Attorney General Lisonbee Hicks said the Department of Public Instruction already has an administrative corrective‑action code (Ch. 67‑22) and that the office’s general counsel function receives frequent reference questions; implementing the bill’s formal review and written‑finding process would require a dedicated, specialized FTE and an estimated biennial cost included in the written testimony. Hicks warned that the State Board of Public School Education historically handles a narrow set of duties and that the bill would expand responsibilities without funding.

The North Dakota School Boards Association (NDSBA) also opposed the bill. Executive Director Amy DeCook said the measure would invite many complaints, including frivolous or politically motivated requests, and would circumvent existing local complaint and grievance processes. DeCook told the committee that local boards, the Department of Public Instruction and existing administrative remedies are already used to address compliance concerns and that creating a new state‑level pathway would duplicate functions and divert limited resources.

Paul Stremick, representing a group of large school districts, echoed concerns about duplication and added that outside investigators are often hired when local processes are not appropriate; those investigations produce findings that can be further elevated. Several committee members questioned whether the bill would improve outcomes or simply create new processes that school districts and state offices cannot support without funding.

No committee vote was taken; witnesses asked the committee either to add resources for state action or to strengthen and publicize existing administrative remedies instead of creating a new unfunded review mechanism.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Education Jan 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Nearing proposed a bill to let an \"interested person\" submit a form to the State Board of Public School Education to trigger an Attorney General review of whether a school is complying with education statutes, but the attorney general's office and school groups opposed the idea without added resources or clearer limits.","taxTitle","Education, House of Representatives, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28889,"location","North Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6376174,"Parents, advocates urge law to keep convicted student out of same school as sexual‑assault victim",1307,7484000,8791000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2140517-8f520608e73218dfe1b854c1ea5a6bd3&start=7484&end=8791","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2140517-8f520608e73218dfe1b854c1ea5a6bd3/thumbnail_7484000.jpg","/articles/6376174/North-Dakota/Parents-advocates-urge-law-to-keep-convicted-student-out-of-same-school-as-sexualassault-victim","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6376174-5d178b1a01c7a9b596b8f107c9c28d07/orig.mp4?Expires=1771226551&Signature=nRzNI2qmkzOE34yYoAJw0ChFGLFWuuF9Yeu5Zoq1j0T~GW2QMoScu5f8p8Q9C0-VGAPHTa7Mdqi07H6EK21~pkCjSv5r61W~VKFrcj4PeRyMAwXzQMqP~HZ03AhHyT0nyLuEfd-Ncd7QK3DO6eC06bfwYaf2jfTzq-4~GLLFBQqY7d5ftYbPS3BgVpCLdj3RBwbaumT1Fatji~B6lyCIiKiP4PSyJzgVHGoRcyU9PWF1rvoKo9m3woneWW1SEi8uPVVOjTEzzMdDImuNKfaG~7yeSK8GQiYENHkBSnyAXDkQYO~UVPfnVQtnp9lQ7v3O8Un8rtsAivNOHzbt5nS06A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Daniel Johnston (District 24) introduced House Bill 1247 to the House Education Committee, saying he sponsored the measure after learning of a case in which a sexual‑assault victim was returned to school while an accused student also returned to the same building. \"Why should a victim be placed in a position where they are forced to leave their educational setting while the accused continues to attend the same school district?\" Johnston said in opening remarks.

Alexis Dion, who said she spoke with permission from her daughter, gave extended testimony describing the emotional and academic harm her daughter experienced after being sexually assaulted by a classmate. Dion said the family's attempts to secure a safe learning environment were inadequate and that repeated exposure to the accused in the school setting compounded trauma. \"Victims have already experienced the unimaginable and should not be expected to continue to face re‑traumatization,\" she told the committee, and urged passage of HB1247 to provide survivors access to school without the presence of a convicted attacker.

Supporters urged that schools be required to provide safety plans and that convicted students be separated from victims. Chris Ann Norby Jonner, legal counsel for the North Dakota School Boards Association, testified in favor but urged amendments to align the bill with federal and state procedural protections and to preserve due process. She suggested statutory language requiring a school to develop a safety plan and to follow due‑process steps before any long‑term exclusion is imposed.

Opponents raised legal and constitutional concerns. Travis Fink of the North Dakota Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigence told the committee the bill, as drafted, would likely face constitutional challenges and should be revised; he suggested the juvenile terminology be changed from \"convicted\" to \"adjudicated delinquent\" where appropriate. Fink also raised concerns about requiring courts to disclose confidential records to schools and about conflicts with the North Dakota Constitution and federal law.

School boards association counsel reiterated support for victims but asked the committee to address intersecting obligations — including IDEA, 504 plans, juvenile‑court procedures, and existing administrative processes — when drafting final language. That counsel recommended giving districts a statutory duty to create individualized safety plans that provide separation in school buildings and consider alternatives such as transfer, virtual instruction, or placement in alternative programs while preserving legal due process and appeal rights.

Committee members questioned how the statute would operate across differently structured districts (single k–12 buildings versus multiple campuses) and how to reconcile juvenile confidentiality laws and court reporting. Witnesses acknowledged complex interactions with juvenile procedure, court notification, and victim privacy laws (including provisions sometimes referred to as Marsy’s Law), and recommended targeted statutory drafting to avoid unintended legal conflicts.

No vote was taken; committee members signaled they would pursue drafting amendments to address due‑process, juvenile‑record confidentiality and implementation details.

","Representative Daniel Johnston introduced HB1247 after constituents described a case in which a victim returned to school while the accused returned to the same building; parents and victims testified in support, while legal counsel and school groups warned the bill needs careful drafting to avoid constitutional and procedural problems.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6376180,"Bill would let career‑tech centers tailor fees to usage; sponsors say it will widen access",1079,6002000,7081000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2140517-8f520608e73218dfe1b854c1ea5a6bd3&start=6002&end=7081","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2140517-8f520608e73218dfe1b854c1ea5a6bd3/thumbnail_6002000.jpg","/articles/6376180/North-Dakota/Bill-would-let-careertech-centers-tailor-fees-to-usage-sponsors-say-it-will-widen-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6376180-5933ce66e953c654797c48aa9a13d1d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771226551&Signature=UKLya-utFNEcbVF5ZLYEP~IZfV2qDUYYQbzPIenlezCHHqrDNFzwCAxNyyIYnMGrIqt3DrxYi7El44Vc~NDY0QlZiq0EmIOEYNmiccOJhgRH-zdo7P1xQ8OJW7gvc3IWki~B~2wOkSil4zksV9-sNA5wwSrCcOUwUsrMgDlWfrEEFDjSQOyTwEH~kZucLQep~f9fHJTsTviUE1r9cMVN1uEZoHUoMk8U4TUJQerl-IRtz2TWQ~H5zPbcPBDRcQ8riNvkZGTt~VDB~nhe20WqQmZlxINDp6qXYkSvmWLReZ4Vu087TcEvgLCdK46BCZaMXg41SHB6w3rY9ouCoMo7SQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Mike LaFore told the House Education Committee he introduced House Bill 1188 after area CTE centers and the Department of Career and Technical Education unanimously sought more fee flexibility. \"This bill will allow the centers to still assess fees based on student population, but gives the center board the ability to assess the remaining fees based on utilization, geography or whatever the local board determines best works for them,\" LaFore said.

Wade Sick, state director for the Department of Career and Technical Education, testified in support and said the bill maintains a membership fee tied to high‑school enrollment while permitting centers to assess additional fees based on usage. \"If a center board prefers to maintain the current funding policy, it can do so,\" Sick said, describing the measure as optional local flexibility.

Directors of newly opened centers told the committee the change is needed because travel distances and participation rates vary widely. Aaron Anderson, director of the Southwest Area Career and Technical Education Academy in Dickinson, said small rural districts can be priced out under current statute. He gave a concrete example: under present code, the distant Beach High School would face a membership bill of about $82,157 for center participation despite sending only two students daily; Anderson said that fee would make participation prohibitive.

Supporters characterized the bill as a local control tool that preserves a base membership contribution while allowing an \"on‑ramp\" for partner districts to ramp up costs as utilization increases. The Department and several CTE directors described the language as the product of multiple meetings and consensus among center directors.

No formal opposition testimony was presented in the hearing room. Committee members asked clarifying questions about how local boards would exercise discretion and whether the proposal would alter who ultimately pays (centers receive approximately 40 percent state funds and 60 percent from member schools under current financing). Committee witnesses said any specific fee schedule would be set locally by the center board, which is typically composed of member school board representatives.

The committee took public testimony and did not immediately take a vote.

","House Bill 1188 would allow area Career and Technical Education (CTE) centers to base member fees partly on utilization or geography instead of only on total high‑school enrollment; backers said the change will help small, distant districts afford participation.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6376185,"House panel weighs shifting CDE tuition costs as districts, state agency clash",2985,330000,3315000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2140517-8f520608e73218dfe1b854c1ea5a6bd3&start=330&end=3315","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2140517-8f520608e73218dfe1b854c1ea5a6bd3/thumbnail_330000.jpg","/articles/6376185/North-Dakota/House-panel-weighs-shifting-CDE-tuition-costs-as-districts-state-agency-clash","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6376185-c3d66f9c9ce896f42a00fae8f4629b71/orig.mp4?Expires=1771226551&Signature=kAfPY-BUP1XtisQmtxpLC9iL~KM5jPZCMSLLFoEYvVb1AjzpI6Y7ZbeUTbA9ORlqHVKoDItU5eb994FC-EOz7Iy-1eWPB2FcZsJFTyN6bUZyphgZqAwp-QagPAmyG7XDI5LTEV8jIpZKkbh07yvXfdxCpaKDv99dg1XyYrlSs33Gqt3bnrNh1xf58y3X3fMBslsUiBd9AggkXM704lh5aT27qYqIR-kwFF07i5WNpmVn9~tvFBvgxYhnAo3BJr8okwhGKy7UvErqWH4L62L~O7Hszc6q2IqNQzr~H8qfF6jcIWoBkQgcuDIbzFVK8otNhWqFhQQdzqsKEOVjAW0ASA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Education Committee heard competing accounts on House Bill 1172, which would change when parents rather than school districts must pay tuition for courses through the North Dakota Center For Distance Education (CDE).

Representative Pat Heinert, sponsor of HB1172, told the committee the bill “meets in the middle” by making parents responsible for CDE tuition only when the home district both offers the course and can reasonably accommodate the student’s schedule. \"The bill says that a parent is responsible for the CDE course only if only if the school offers it and can make accommodations for the student,\" Heinert said during the hearing.

Supporters said the change would curb what they called duplication of services and reduce unplanned costs for districts. Bismarck Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Fosnott told the panel that recent state policies shifted the tuition burden onto districts and produced a large, unanticipated local cost. \"The unintended consequence of the virtual learning bill last session was the cost to residents of Bismarck Public Schools,\" Fosnott said, correcting an earlier figure and saying the district had distributed about $98,000 in CDE tuition through Nov. 30 this school year. He urged that HB1172 would better protect local taxpayer dollars.

Administrators from large high schools described operational impacts. Century High School principal Steve Madler said last school year his building recorded 459 CDE enrollments; only a small share (19 enrollments, 4 percent) were for classes the school did not offer, while 30 enrollments (about 6.5 percent) reflected scheduling conflicts. Madler said duplicate enrollments and late withdrawals created both visible tuition costs ($104,636 for his building) and hidden staffing costs because sections could not be reduced after contracts were set. He also cited a spike in students needing credit recovery after failing CDE courses and reported a roughly 18 percent failure rate for ND CDE enrollments and 21 percent failure rate at his building for 2023–24.

The state director for the North Dakota Center For Distance Education, Alyssa Martin, opposed the bill. Martin said the agency has expanded quickly during the current biennium and that shifting tuition back to parents would shrink NDCDE revenue and force program and staff reductions. \"This reduction would force us to cut staff and course offerings,\" Martin told the committee, adding that NDCDE had provided about 28,000 course enrollments during the biennium and employed more than 100 people across full‑time, temporary and adjunct positions.

Alyssa Martin and assistant principal Emily Schaeffer described student reasons for choosing CDE beyond scheduling, including medical needs, severe anxiety, mobility, and safety concerns. Schaeffer said CDE had allowed students with medical restrictions and serious anxiety to remain in school and keep up with coursework when in‑building alternatives were not feasible.

Members of the panel and witnesses discussed possible changes to the bill's language and local appeals processes. Several superintendents and principals said they already use locally defined committees or deposit-based practices to manage online enrollments and would support written provisions that require a conversation between parents and the district before shifting tuition. Madler urged careful drafting around the bill’s phrase \"preferred class schedule,\" warning the term could be used to create loopholes.

No committee vote was recorded during the hearing. The committee concluded the public testimony and indicated it would continue deliberations at a later time.

","Lawmakers, district leaders and the North Dakota Center for Distance Education debated House Bill 1172 before the House Education Committee, with sponsors proposing parents pay in limited cases and the state virtual school warning the change would shrink its revenue and force cuts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Proposal to let state review school compliance draws opposition from AG, school leaders

Parents, advocates urge law to keep convicted student out of same school as sexual‑assault victim

Bill would let career‑tech centers tailor fees to usage; sponsors say it will widen access

House panel weighs shifting CDE tuition costs as districts, state agency clash