Gov. Burgum says the U.S. Department of the Treasury has approved North Dakota’s application for $68 million in federal funding to help finance the construction of 13 career academies across the state

Bismarck, N.D. – According to the state officials, the federal funding approval means the projects can move forward without needing to utilize the full $68 million line of credit from the state-owned Bank of North Dakota that was approved by the state Legislature in February when the federal funding was still uncertain.

During a special session of the Legislature in November 2021, lawmakers approved $88 million for career academies, including $20 million in state funds that have already been distributed and $68 million from Treasury’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund.

Career academy funding was proposed in Burgum’s “Accelerate ND” plan presented before the special session. In February 2022, the State Board for Career and Technical Education (CTE) awarded the $68 million to 13 career academy projects, which require a local dollar-for-dollar match.

However, Treasury still had yet to release the federal funds when the Legislature convened in January 2023.

In February, Burgum signed the first bill of the session, providing a $68 million line of credit from Bank of North Dakota to fulfill the state’s funding obligation and avoid delaying construction of career academies.