North Dakota Opens Charter School Applications
The state's first public charter schools can apply from Dec. 2 through March 2, 2027, under a process set by the Department of Public Instruction.
Updated on Nov. 15, 2026 in Secondary Education
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The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction has released application materials and a timeline for the state's first public charter schools. Applications can be submitted from Dec. 2 through March 2, 2027, and new schools could potentially open in fall 2027.
Why it matters
The Legislature authorized public charter schools in 2025 through Senate Bill 2241, creating a new public school option for families across North Dakota. The process requires performance agreements, public interviews and open enrollment, which will shape how the schools operate if approved.
The state will provide an average of about $8,300 per student to each charter school based on enrollment, and new charter schools will not receive property tax funding. The number of applications and approvals has not yet been determined.
The players
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
The state agency that oversees K-12 public education in North Dakota and runs the charter school application process under the ND ANCHOR program.
The details
Public charter schools in North Dakota cannot charge tuition and must enroll all applicants, using a lottery if enrollment exceeds capacity. They are barred from basing admission on ethnicity, religion, gender, income, English proficiency or disabling conditions, and from offering religious education. Established schools may also convert to public charter status.
Timeline
2025: Legislature authorized public charter schools through Senate Bill 2241.
Dec. 2, 2026: Charter school application window opens.
March 2, 2027: Charter school application window closes.
Fall 2027: First North Dakota charter schools could potentially open.
Roadmap
North Dakota's charter school rollout follows the framework set by Senate Bill 2241, which the Legislature passed in 2025 to create a public charter option. The department's application window and performance agreements now turn that law into a concrete timeline for schools seeking approval.
Families in North Dakota will have a new public school option that cannot charge tuition and must admit students through a lottery if demand exceeds space. Parents considering charter enrollment should watch for approved schools and their performance agreements in the coming years.
The takeaway
Public charter schools in North Dakota will be held to measurable standards for academic growth, attendance, graduation readiness, finances and community engagement. Families interested in new options should track the application outcomes and the performance terms each approved school must meet.
What happens next
The department plans to open another application window next fall and hopes to establish an annual application window each fall.
Further reading
For more on how schools are organized across the state, see Secondary Education coverage for North Dakota.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The 74.
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