North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum proposed universal school choice for families in his state during his budget address on Dec. 4.
Burgum has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of the Interior and a proposed new National Energy Council.
The governor vetoed a private school choice bill last year, saying it’s not going far enough. Now, he is advocating for education savings accounts (ESAs), which would allow families to use state funds for a variety of education-related expenses, including private school tuition and homeschooling.
“This is not about public versus private education,” Burgum said in his address. “This is about ensuring that every student has what they need to support a pathway to career, college, or military readiness. We recommend developing a program that drives an ESA forward to continue putting North Dakota on the map for serving all students—public, private, and homeschool.”…