Jordan Zakery is a Legislative Director for ExcelinEd in Action.
North Dakota lawmakers ended their 2025 session with a significant milestone: the passage of the state’s first public charter school law. This move makes North Dakota the 47th state to authorize public charter schools, opening new doors for innovation and student-centered learning.
Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Superintendent Kirsten Baesler and state leaders didn’t just make progress expanding educational opportunity, they also took steps to foster focused learning environments by adopting two phone-free classroom bills.
Here’s a closer look at the education bills that passed this session.
Sen. Michelle Axtman’s SB 2241 authorizes the creation of public charter schools in North Dakota for the first time. These public schools will be independently operated and managed by governing boards and held to the same accountability standards as traditional public schools.
North Dakota is now the 47th state to create public charter schools, giving families more educational choices and promoting innovative approaches to learning.
The new state law:
Want to learn more about North Dakota’s new charter law? Listen to our podcast with Sen. Axtman.
While North Dakota took a significant step forward this year by authorizing public charter schools, the push to expand educational options for more families remains a priority for many state lawmakers.
Rep. Ben Koppelman’s HB 1540, which would have established the state’s first private school choice program—a universal eligibility education scholarship account or ESA program, made it all the way to Gov. Kelly Armstrong’s desk but was vetoed.
This session, Sen. Axtman also championed SB 2400, which would have created the state’s first income-based ESA program. The bill proposed tiered scholarships ranging from $500 to $3,500 per student, offering critical support to families seeking more personalized educational options.
Although these measures didn’t make it past the governor’s desk, Rep. Koppelman and Sen. Axtman’s leadership on school choice signals a strong and growing commitment to empowering parents and ensuring every student can access the educational environment that best meets their needs.
With strong support from families and advocates, we expect private school choice policy to resurface in future sessions.
North Dakota lawmakers passed complementary bills related to the use of personal electronic devices in schools and aimed at reducing digital distractions in classrooms.
HB 1160 and SB 2354 together create bell-to-bell phone-free schools, requiring devices to be silenced, stowed away and inaccessible to students during the instructional day. State statute includes exceptions for students with medical needs, Individualized Education Plans, 504 plans and other accommodation plans.
Gov. Armstrong signed the legislation, reflecting the strong bipartisan support for creating distraction-free learning environments and improving student focus in the classroom.
With these new laws, North Dakota is making strides toward a more innovative, distraction-free and student-centered education system.
Stay tuned as these policies take shape and new opportunities for students and families emerge.
