Grand Forks State Lawmaker’s Bill Fails in North Dakota House

Rep. Eric Murphy, R-Grand Forks. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(Michael Achterling – North Dakota Monitor) – A bill to establish public charter schools narrowly failed in the North Dakota House, but a similar proposal is being vetted by the Senate.

House lawmakers on Friday voted 45-44 in favor of House Bill 1358, which would have allowed up to 27 public charter schools to be established by 2029. The proposal called for the new charter schools to receive the same per pupil payment that other public K-12 schools  receive.

Opponents said the Legislature has already awarded innovation grants to school districts to provide new educational opportunities

After the bill failed to advance, Rep. Eric Murphy, R-Grand Forks, chief sponsor of the bill, said he believed the vote reflected a lot of protectionism by some lawmakers for their smaller, rural school districts.