QUICK NOTE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
Greetings Patrons of the Edmore School District
Greetings Parents/Guardians:
It is hard to believe that we are entering into April. Students have started participating in spring sports and we are already discussing pre-graduation activities. The school year has gone by so quickly. It is always so rewarding to observe our students mature throughout the school year and it will be sad to see them get on the bus on the last day of school knowing that they will be transitioning to another school district next fall.
Potential Legislative Educational Topics
Each North Dakota legislative session bills are introduced that affect K12 education. A few topics that will more than likely be processed through the legislative machine this session may include the following:
Center for Technology Education – This department is responsible for the vocational classes offered throughout the K12 school districts in North Dakota. Schools that have approved vocational programs receive reimbursement for these programs. During the last legislative sessions, additional educational centers were approved to be built throughout the state. This session they may be processing possible changes in how the CTE will reimburse these programs to help offset the expenses incurred by the local district.
Transportation Reimbursement – In each legislative session, legislators discuss increasing the funding for per-pupil payments and also for transportation. In this session, there may be changes introduced that would roll transportation into the funding formula determining per pupil payments. School districts that provide transportation are reimbursed based on the number of routes, mileage, and the number of riders. This formula has not changed for decades. There may be a proposal to reimburse using the number of routes and the miles traveled. Districts more than likely will not see a significant change to their reimbursement for transportation with the changes, but the change would alleviate discussing funding for both transportation and per-pupil reimbursements.
Funding Private Schools and Parent Vouchers – I would anticipate that several bills will be introduced that will be aimed at providing funding for private schools and also providing vouchers for individual families who may be home-schooling their children or attending a private school. There may be accountability measures added to these bills, but at the end of the session, I would project that taxpayer dollars will be set aside to fund private schools and home-school families.
Dissolution Process
The rescheduled date and time for the Ramsey County Dissolution Committee hearing is April 9, 2024, at 5:30 pm in Devils Lake. During this time the reorganization committee will listen to testimony regarding the Edmore dissolution plan and will take action after hearing testimony.
On behalf of the staff, students, and Edmore school board, I would like to thank the Edmore school district patrons for their continued support of our most valuable resource, our children.
Professionally,
Frank Schill, Superintendent
