News Releases for January 2006
January 10, 2006
For further information, please Contact the Governor's Office
Hoeven: Schools, State Propose Education Funding Plan To Resolve Funding Suit
Gov. Hoeven Comments on the Education Funding Plan (1.7Mb mp3)
School Lawsuit Executive Order 2006-01 
(112kb pdf)
School Lawsuit Agreement (50kb pdf)
Gov. John Hoeven announced the state and nine school districts suing North Dakota are together proposing an education funding plan (35kb jpg)
Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem outlines the details of the education funding plan (50kb jpg)
Williston Public School District Superintendent Warren Larson discusses the proposal
(50kb jpg)
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven today announced that the state and nine school districts suing North Dakota are together proposing an education funding plan to address the school funding lawsuit. The school districts have agreed to stay their lawsuit while the state pursues the plan.
"This joint approach with the state and plaintiff districts is important not only because we may be able to resolve the lawsuit without expensive litigation, but even more importantly, because it provides a process to address both school funding adequacy and equity over the long term," Hoeven said. "It will do so by increasing funding to ensure a quality education for all of our children; improve teacher compensation; and help to reduce the burden on property taxes."
"While as attorney for the State of North Dakota, I believe the state's system of support for public education is well within the requirements of the constitution, that is not to say there is never any room for improvement," said Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. "The agreement we have reached offers the parties, together with the Legislature, an opportunity to forge a funding mechanism that is, in the long term, best for all the school students in North Dakota."
The Education Funding Plan involves two key components:
- By executive order, the Governor will create the North Dakota Commission on Education Improvement, which will make recommendations to the Legislature for improving both funding adequacy and equity among districts.
- In his next executive budget to the Legislature, the Governor will recommend an increase of at least $60 million for K-12 education.
In return, the school districts suing the state have agreed to stay their lawsuit until the next legislative session. If the Legislature then agrees to adopt the North Dakota Commission on Education Improvement as a vehicle for improving education funding, and appropriates at least $60 million in new funding for K-12 education, the districts will dismiss their lawsuit.
"This proposal allows the schools, the governor's office, the legislature, educators and interested parties to form a powerful partnership and work together to provide an adequate, equitable public school funding system," said Warren Larson, superintendent of the Williston Public School District and one of the plaintiffs in the suit. "This proposal will reduce the pressure on local property taxes while providing the necessary educational resources."
Rep. RaeAnn Kelsch, chairwoman of the House Education Committee, said: "In my opinion it is far better to sit down together and try to find solutions to these problems rather than spend years and years in litigation. Lawsuits in other states have left everyone dissatisfied."
"Alternative methods of conflict resolution, such as the Roundtable approach in higher education, have proven to be fruitful," said Sen. Tim Flakoll, a member of the Senate Education Committee. "Bringing the stakeholders to the table in K-12 education is a great opportunity to help the legislative process."
The North Dakota Commission on Education Improvement will make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on how to improve the current system of "delivering and financing" public school education in the state. That would include addressing adequacy and equity of funding, and allocation of revenue sources between state and local districts. The commission would submit a bill to the 2009 Legislature that incorporates the commission's recommendations.
The 13-member commission would be composed of 10 voting members and three ex officio members:
- The Governor or his designee
- A school administrator from a district with fewer than 220 students.
- A school administrator from a district with between 220 and 1,000 students.
- A school administrator from a district with more than 800 students.
- A school district business manager.
- Chair of the Senate Education Committee
- Chair of the House Education Committee.
- Senate minority leader.
- Chair of the Legislative Council or his designee.
- Superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction, or designated assistant superintendent.
Three additional ad hoc, participating but non-voting members will sit on the commission: a representative each from the N.D. School Board Association; the N.D. Education Association; and the N.D. Council of Education Leaders.
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