New ND Charter School Rules Take Effect April 1

State superintendent says new regulations ensure accountability and access for students with disabilities

Mar. 24, 2026 at 9:59pm

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North Dakota's new rules governing public, tax-supported charter schools will take effect on April 1, 2026, opening the way for supporters to offer their ideas for charter schools. The regulations ensure academic and budget accountability for charters and specify that any special education students in charter schools must be provided services.

Why it matters

This new law and rules offer the opportunity for more school choice for North Dakota families, while ensuring that the foundational rules that govern public schools, from financial transparency to instructional access for students with disabilities, are fairly and equally applied to public charters.

The details

The charter school application process must include a public meeting with any charter school applicant to allow state officials and the public to ask questions about it. Given the logistical demands for starting a charter school, North Dakota's first charters are not expected to open until the fall of 2027. Charters must employ licensed teachers and can receive state education aid, which is linked to student enrollment, but they are not eligible for local property tax support.

  • The new state law, SB2241, was authorized by the North Dakota Legislature in April 2025.
  • The regulations were adopted after a public hearing in December 2025 and review by the attorney general and the Legislature's Administrative Rules Committee earlier this month.
  • The new rules will take effect on April 1, 2026.

The players

Levi Bachmeier

North Dakota State School Superintendent who said the new rules will open the way for more school choice while ensuring accountability.

Arlene Wolf

Director of school approval and opportunity for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, who said the rules focus on areas where the law was less precise and where additional emphasis on requirements would be beneficial.

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What they’re saying

“North Dakota families are asking for more choices in the education of their children. This new law and rules offer the opportunity for more choices, while ensuring that the foundational rules that govern our public schools, from financial transparency to instructional access for students with disabilities, are fairly and equally applied to public charters.”

— Levi Bachmeier, State School Superintendent

What’s next

North Dakota's first charter schools are not expected to open until the fall of 2027 due to the logistical demands for starting a charter school.

The takeaway

This new charter school law and regulations in North Dakota aim to balance increased school choice for families with maintaining the same academic and financial accountability standards that apply to traditional public schools, including ensuring access for students with disabilities.