Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North Dakota
In Regular Session Commencing Tuesday, January 7, 2025
SENATE BILL NO. 2362
(Senators Schaible, Lemm, Weber)
(Representatives Jonas, Pyle)
AN ACT to amend and reenact section 15.1-02-11 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the
accreditation of schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT. Section 15.1-02-11 of the North Dakota Century Code is amended and
reenacted as follows:
15.1-02-11. Superintendent of public instruction - Accreditation of schools - Rules.
1.The superintendent of public instruction may:
a.May adopt rules governing the accreditation of public and nonpublic schools. Any rule
adopted under this section must incorporate measures of student achievement and bear
a direct relationship to improving student achievement.
b.May provide schools with a choice of accreditation options, including:
(1)Accreditation through a state-defined accreditation process established by the
superintendent of public instruction; or
(2)Accreditation through a nationally recognized accrediting organization, a formal
school improvement organization, or a continuous improvement organization
approved by the superintendent of public instruction.
c.May establish a process to select the accreditation options for schools and a process for
schools to select an accreditation option. Development of the process may include input
and participation from a steering committee, including representatives of education
stakeholder groups, school administrators, secondary and elementary school principals,
and school board members.
d.Periodically shall review and evaluate the effectiveness of each accreditation option in
improving student achievement and school performance.
2.Each accreditation option must:
a.Meet or exceed the state standards to ensure consistency in the quality of education.
b.Provide measurable outcomes for student achievement, aligning with the state goals.
3.A school may select the accreditation option best aligning to the instructional goals and
operational needs of the school, subject to approval by the superintendent of public
instruction.
4.The superintendent of public instruction shall contract with an accreditation organization or
vendor to create state-provided accreditation to offer to each public school district at no
charge.
5.If a district chooses to use an accreditation process from the state-approved list, the district is
responsible for any accreditation-related costs. S. B. NO. 2362 - PAGE 2
____________________________ ____________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
____________________________ ____________________________
Secretary of the Senate Chief Clerk of the House
This certifies that the within bill originated in the Senate of the Sixty-ninth Legislative Assembly of North
Dakota and is known on the records of that body as Senate Bill No. 2362.
Senate Vote:Yeas 42 Nays 4 Absent 1
House Vote: Yeas 91 Nays 1 Absent 2
____________________________
Secretary of the Senate
Received by the Governor at ________M. on _____________________________________, 2025.
Approved at ________M. on __________________________________________________, 2025.
____________________________
Governor
Filed in this office this ___________day of _______________________________________, 2025,
at ________ o’clock ________M.
____________________________
Secretary of State