# Title 67 — Public Instruction, Superintendent of

## Article 67-13 — School District Cooperative Agreements

## Chapter 67-13-01 — School District Cooperative Agreements

### § 67-13-01-01. Purpose.

School districts cooperating with another school district or districts for the purpose of providing joint
educational opportunities to the students as established by North Dakota Century Code section
section 15.1-27-16.
History: Effective May 1, 1999; amended effective January 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-27-16
### § 67-13-01-02. Approval.

Cooperative agreements of education must first receive the approval of the superintendent of public
instruction and shall be effective beginning July first of the year approved, upon the approval of the
school boards of the member districts. The agreement may be changed only by a majority vote of each
board signing the agreement and the approval of the department of public instruction. Any change to
the agreement requires submission to and approval from the superintendent of public instruction prior
to the change becoming effective.
History: Effective May 1, 1999; amended effective January 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-27-16
### § 67-13-01-03. Withdrawal.

Any district wishing to withdraw from the cooperative agreement must submit its intent to the other
cooperative members in writing by January fifteenth. Withdrawal will become effective June thirtieth of
the same year. The superintendent of public instruction must be notified in writing thirty days prior to the
termination of the agreement.
History: Effective May 1, 1999; amended effective January 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-27-16
### § 67-13-01-04. School districts.

Cooperating school districts must agree to equitably share expenses of the cooperative agreement,
to inventory all equipment used by the cooperative, and to provide appropriate transportation.

History: Effective May 1, 1999; amended effective January 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-27-16
### § 67-13-01-05. Cooperative program.

The school district cooperative or special education units must address the following:
1. A plan for sharing administration, at a minimum a shared superintendent, special education
director, or business manager unless the school district has taxable property located in the
same city as the other school district under the cooperative plan;
2. A plan for sharing cooperative expenditures between the member districts or special
education units;
3. A plan for sharing cooperative or unit revenues upon termination of the agreement; and
4. A plan for the changing of the agreement.
History: Effective May 1, 1999; amended effective January 1, 2018; January 1, 2020; April 1, 2022;
October 1, 2023.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-27-16
### § 67-13-01-06. Agreements.

The following areas must be discussed with hopes of arriving at written agreements. However,
written agreements are not required for:
1. Identification of the location of education and grade level services programs;
2. Provisions for curriculum integration;
3. Site utilization regarding partial usage or closure;
4. Provision for sharing of extracurricular activities; and
5. The number and timely manner in which the school boards will meet jointly during the duration
of the agreement.
History: Effective May 1, 1999; amended effective January 1, 2018.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-27-16
### § 67-13-01-07. Cost-sharing reimbursement.

To be eligible to be reimbursed for a cost-sharing agreement, school districts or special education
units must:
1. Share a superintendent, special education administrator, or business manager;
2. Demonstrate a cost-savings by sharing central office personnel; and
3. Indicate the percentage of time the superintendent or special education administrator and
business manager are assigned to each district or unit.
History: Effective April 1, 2022; amended effective October 1, 2023.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-27-16
