By: Michael Achterling and Amy Dalrymple (ND Monitor)
The North Dakota House overwhelmingly rejected an Education Savings Account bill Thursday night, a day after the governor vetoed a similar bill.
House members voted 78-14 against Senate Bill 2400, which sought to establish private school vouchers plus Education Savings Accounts for public school and homeschooled students.
In vetoing House Bill 1540, which only benefited private school students, Gov. Kelly Armstrong urged lawmakers to move the competing proposal forward.
But the $110 million price tag to the Senate bill is likely why many opposed it, said House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson.
Lefor, who supported the bill, said he doesn’t see a path for an Education Savings Account proposal to come back this session.
“I’m a strong advocate for school choice, and I will continue to be,” Lefor said.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Michelle Axtman, R-Bismarck, included vouchers for private school students ranging from $1,000 to $3,500 per student, depending on household income. The dollars could be spent on tuition or other qualifying educational expenses.
Public school and homeschooled students would be eligible for $1,000 for educational expenses. Private school students attending schools that don’t participate in the program would be eligible for $500.
The House Education Committee voted 11-3 to give the bill a do-not-pass recommendation. Rep. Dori Hauck, R-Hebron, a member of the committee, said members were concerned about the complexity of the bill and the administrative burden to oversee it.
“Questions remain about how easily DPI (Department of Public Instruction) could implement, manage and expand the system without significant additional staffing and resources,” Hauck said.
Supporters have advocated for expanding educational opportunities for students and giving parents more power over their children’s education. Opponents objected to spending public dollars to pay for private school tuition. Axtman’s bill included $3 million in the event it passed and was challenged by a lawsuit.
Armstrong advocated for a school choice bill that benefited all students, not only those who attend private school. Others questioned spending additional money on public school students when the state already invests in K-12 education.
Rep. Ben Koppelman, R-West Fargo, the chief sponsor of the bill vetoed by Armstrong, said he believes it will be difficult to get enough support to overturn the governor’s veto.
Koppelman said he plans to introduce a bill during the 2027 legislative session that is “a bit more wide sweeping.”
“We’ll come back next session,” he said.
Lawmakers began the legislative session with five Education Savings Account bills, but none of the proposals remain under consideration.
Rep. Don Vigesaa, R-Cooperstown, said he voted against bills with public dollars for private school tuition because he represents a rural area that doesn’t have private schools.
“I guess this session just wasn’t the right time,” Vigesaa said.
