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SB 2353

AN ACT to amend and reenact sections 15.1-09.1-02.1 and 54-44.4-02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to regional education associations.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26) Introduced by Brad Bekkedahl and 3 co-sponsors

DPI may directly contract with regional education associations for specified services to qualify for funding, bypassing centralized procurement rules.

Filed with Secretary Of State 03/31
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Bill Summary · SB 2353

SB 2353 — Summary (North Dakota)

An Act to amend and reenact sections 15.1‑09.1‑02.1 and 54‑44.4‑02 of the North Dakota Century Code — relating to regional education associations

Purpose / Intent

The bill (SB 2353) clarifies the services a regional education association (REA) must provide to be eligible for state funding and adds an express procurement exception allowing the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to contract with REAs without following the state's centralized procurement requirements. The intent is to define core REA responsibilities and to streamline DPI’s ability to contract with REAs to deliver those services.

Key provisions

  1. Amend § 15.1‑09.1‑02.1 — Regional education association: services required for state funding

    • To be eligible for state funding, an REA must offer the following services to its member districts:
      • Coordination and facilitation of professional development for teachers and administrators;
      • Supplementation of technology support services;
      • Assistance in achieving school improvement goals identified by the superintendent of public instruction;
      • Assistance with collection, analysis, and interpretation of student achievement data; and
      • Assistance with expansion and enrichment of curricular offerings.
    • REAs may offer additional services, including services to districts that are not REA members.
    • REAs may enter into contracts with the superintendent of public instruction to provide services.

  2. Amend § 54‑44.4‑02 — Office of management and budget purchasing services

    • Adds to the list of procurement exceptions: “Contracts by the department of public instruction with a regional education association under section 15.1‑09.1‑02.1.”
    • Thus, DPI contracts with REAs (under the cited statute) are not subject to the state’s centralized procurement chapter listed in § 54‑44.4.

Who is affected

  • Regional education associations (must provide the specified services to qualify for state funding).
  • Member school districts (gain clearer expectations of REA-provided services).
  • Department of Public Instruction (gains an explicit procurement exemption to contract directly with REAs).
  • Office of Management and Budget / centralized procurement processes (their authority is narrowed for DPI-to‑REA contracting).
  • Potential vendors and competing service providers (may be bypassed when DPI contracts directly with REAs under the exception).

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced in the Sixty‑ninth Legislative Assembly (2025).
  • Passed both chambers (Senate vote: 47–0; House vote: 75–9).
  • Signed by legislative leaders and sent to governor; signed by Governor on March 27, 2025; filed with the Secretary of State on March 31, 2025.
  • Companion bill: HB 1499.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Clarifies and standardizes core services tied to REA state funding eligibility, which may improve consistency of supports across districts.
  • The procurement exemption can speed contracting between DPI and REAs and reduce administrative delay, but it also limits competitive procurement oversight for those specific contracts; stakeholders may weigh efficiency gains against transparency/competition concerns.
  • Because REAs may serve non‑member districts and contract directly with the superintendent, the change could expand service reach and flexibility in service delivery.

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

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