School districts educating students in other public school systems must pay the full cost of education incurred by the admitting district as defined under NDCC 15.1.29-12. Non-resident tuition payments are mandatory unless exempted explicitly under NDCC 15.1-29.
Special education and related costs remain the responsibility of the resident school district. The legislature appropriates funds for a special “high-risk pool” to cover unusually high special education costs. This kind of insurance system protects districts against extraordinarily high special education costs that may hit some districts harder than others in any given year.
This “high-risk pool” is also used to cover the excess cost of students that are placed by a state court, tribal court, juvenile services, or county/state social service agencies into a state-licensed foster home, state-licensed child care home or facility, or a state-operated institution. Students placed voluntarily by a parent or legal guardian into a state-licensed child care home, facility, or program defined in NDCC sections 25-01.2-01 and 50-11-00.1 may also be eligible.
The process for claiming reimbursement for excess costs is handled through the ND TEACH Student Contract System. For more information using this system, call the following NDDPI contact:
| Entity | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| ND TEACH Student Contract System | (701) 328-2175 |
| State Responsible – Residency Determination | (701) 328-2236 |
| State Responsible – Special Education | (701) 328-2026 |
| User access to ND TEACH Student Contract System | (701) 328-2175 |
Additional resources:
- Non-Resident Tuition and Excess Cost Reimbursement (Guidance Document)
- School District Responsibility Resident Students (Cost caps)
- Complete Contract/Notification Manual