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SB 2234

A BILL for an Act to provide a statement of legislative intent regarding choice ready grants to school districts.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26) Introduced by Liz Conmy and 3 co-sponsors

The bill would have directed DPI to pursue grants and use funds to award competitive “choice ready” grants to districts to expand postsecondary, workforce, or military pathways for

Second reading, failed to pass, yeas 0 nays 47
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Bill Summary · SB 2234

Summary — SB 2234 (Sixty‑Ninth Legislative Assembly, North Dakota)

Status: Introduced March 11, 2025; placed on second reading and ultimately failed to pass (second reading, yeas 0, nays 47 on April 16, 2025).

Purpose

SB 2234 would have (1) stated legislative intent that the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) pursue federal or other grant opportunities to provide competitive "choice ready" grants to school districts, and (2) (in amended versions) appropriated state funds to DPI to provide those competitive grants. The grants are intended to help high school students meet the state's "choice ready" framework (postsecondary ready, workforce ready, or military ready pathways).

Key provisions

  • Legislative intent: DPI should seek federal or other grant opportunities to continue providing competitive choice ready grants to school districts.
  • Appropriation (as proposed in amendments):
    • Original proposal: $2,000,000 from the general fund for the 2025–2027 biennium (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027).
    • Later amendment reduced the appropriation to $1,000,000 for the same biennium.
  • Program design and administration:
    • DPI (superintendent of public instruction) to create a grant application and develop selection criteria for awards.
    • Grants to be competitive and distributed to school districts.
  • Eligibility and allowable uses:
    • School districts must submit applications describing how funds will create opportunities for students to acquire essential skills and meet pathway requirements (postsecondary, workforce, or military).
    • Grant funds may not be used for general supplies or equipment.
    • Funds must be used to provide student experiences that support success after high school.

Who would be affected

  • Department of Public Instruction: responsible for administering the grants and developing application/selection criteria.
  • School districts and high school students: districts applying for grants; students benefiting from funded programs and experiences.
  • State budget/general fund: subject to the proposed appropriation (either $2M or $1M depending on amendment).

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Introduced March 11, 2025 (Sen. Davison; House sponsors Conmy, Sanford, Schreiber‑Beck).
  • Multiple committee amendments and appropriation vs. intent language shifts occurred during floor and committee action.
  • The legislative file also contains unrelated text from an Illinois bill (an apparent document error); that material is not part of the North Dakota measure.
  • Final recorded action: second reading failed to pass on April 16, 2025 (yeas 0, nays 47). Because it failed, no appropriation or statutory change from this bill took effect.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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