The North Dakota House passed House Bill 10-13, the Legislature’s K–12 budget bill covering the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the Center for Distance Education, the State Library, the School for the Deaf and North Dakota Vision Services, after floor debate about funding levels and program priorities.

Representative Richter, speaking for the conference committee, summarized the largest changes: a shift to a 2.5% increase in the integrated funding formula (the per-pupil payment) for each year of the next biennium, a $900,000 appropriation so DPI will pay a statewide assessment contract without charging school districts, adjustments to special-education high-cost student funding, and program grants including a $6 million meal buy-down and a $2 million teacher retention program contribution. Richter said a one-time $500,000 appropriation was included so DPI can pay contracts previously funded by ESSER funds that were no longer available.

Supporters said the bill addresses immediate needs while preserving fiscal balance; critics said the package fell short of requested increases for rural districts and teacher pay. Representative Longmeer asked for clarity about cross-agency funding comparisons; Representative Nelson reminded colleagues that provider communities elsewhere received larger increases in other bills.

Floor action and outcome: The House adopted the conference committee report and passed House Bill 10-13; on final passage the bill passed but the emergency clause failed. The transcript records the final vote as “Final vote shows 68, 20 8 nay; House bill 10 13 passes and the emergency clause fails.” (The conference report passage occurred on the floor before the final vote.)

Why it matters: The bill sets the per-pupil payment increases for the coming biennium and allocates targeted one-time funding and program grants that affect school operations statewide. Lawmakers voiced concern about teacher recruitment and retention, rural school funding pressures and the compound effect of insurance-cost increases on local budgets.

What remains unsettled: Several members urged more funding for teacher pay and retention going forward; one member asked about a three-year rolling average provision that had been removed in other legislation. Implementation details, including DPI’s new software rollout for free-and-reduced-price meal electronic collection, will be carried out by state agencies and school districts.