Bill > HB1013

This bill appropriates funds for the Department of Public Instruction and related educational agencies for the 2025-2027 biennium, totaling over $3 billion. * **Department of Public Instruction:** Receives the largest allocation, with over $3 billion for salaries and wages, operating expenses, integrated formula payments, and various grants including special education, transportation, and program grants. Funding comes from the General Fund, special funds, and federal funds. * **Center for Distance Education:** Appropriated approximately $14.9 million for its operations, including salaries, wages, and operating expenses, funded by the General Fund and other sources. * **State Library:** Allocated approximately $10.5 million for salaries, wages, operating expenses, and grants, funded by the General Fund and other sources. * **School for the Deaf:** Receives approximately $12.9 million for salaries, wages, operating expenses, and capital assets, funded by the General Fund and other sources. * **North Dakota Vision Services - School for the Blind:** Appropriated approximately $7.6 million for salaries, wages, operating expenses, and capital assets, funded by the General Fund and other sources. * **One-Time Funding:** Approximately $8.4 million is designated for one-time funding items across various agencies, including teacher retention programs, school board training, early learning programs, and equipment upgrades. These funds are not part of the base budget for the next biennium and require reporting. * **Contract Reimbursements:** $500,000 from the General Fund is appropriated to the Department of Public Instruction for contract reimbursements related to federal elementary and secondary school emergency relief fund contracts denied by the U.S. Department of Education, for services provided through May 2, 2025. * **Tuition Apportionment:** $595,677,350 of the integrated formula payments comes from the State Tuition Fund. * **Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund:** $233,000,000 from this fund is allocated for integrated formula payments. * **Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund:** $6,250,000 from this fund is allocated for specific one-time program grants. * **Gifted and Talented Programs:** $800,000 from integrated formula payments is for reimbursing school districts for gifted and talented programs. * **Student Meals:** $6,000,000 from program grants is for school districts to provide free meals to students meeting certain income guidelines. * **Paraprofessional-to-Teacher Program:** $3,000,000 from program grants is for accredited higher education institutions to help paraprofessionals become teachers. * **North Dakota Governor's Schools:** $500,000 from passthrough grants is for governor's schools at NDSU and UND, with specific guidelines for program focus and student expenses. * **Salary of Superintendent of Public Instruction:** The bill adjusts the annual salary for the Superintendent of Public Instruction. * **Electronic Collection of Meal Eligibility:** A new section mandates the annual electronic collection of household income information for free or reduced-price meal eligibility, effective July 1, 2026. * **Administrative Cost-Sharing:** Amendments are made to provisions regarding administrative cost-sharing for cooperating school districts and special education units.