Education

Senate Bill 2351 amends sections 15.1-12-02 and 15.1-12-05 of the North Dakota Century Code. These amendments relate to the process of annexing property into an existing school district. The bill modifies the procedures and requirements for how property owners and school districts manage these annexations. It also includes an emergency declaration, indicating an immediate effective date upon passage.

HB 1497 amends North Dakota law to adjust age requirements for four-year-old early childhood programs and update eligibility for the "Best in Class" program. It allows school districts to enroll children who turn four by December 1st (instead of August 1st) based on developmental assessments, directly affecting preschool programs and families of young children. To qualify for "Best in Class" designation, programs must meet specific standards including 400+ hours over 32 weeks, 10+ hours of family engagement, and quality benchmarks. The law affects school districts, early childhood providers, and families seeking program access or state-funded recognition.

HB 1161 creates a state-funded pool to cover salaries for vacant full-time staff positions at North Dakota's public colleges and universities. Institutions must transfer unused funding for vacant positions (as of December 1 of the prior even year) to a central pool annually. Institutions can then request allocations from this pool to fill vacancies or hire temporary staff, but only if they prove no other federal or external funds are available. The bill requires the state board to report on vacancy rates, fund usage, and savings from unfilled positions.

Relating to the residency requirement for military installation school board members; and to declare an emergency.

Relating to a pilot program to provide stipends for kindergarten through third grade teachers who teach students a foreign language.