What is NDDPI All About?

A few years ago, the Governor's Office asked state agencies to create a one-pager strategy review document that outlines statistics and information about the agency. The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) continues to update our document each year and post it on our website. You can access it here. This document would be especially beneficial for new staff to share key information about the NDDPI. 

North Dakota's Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teachers (RAP-T)

The NDDPI continues to expand our Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teachers (RAP-T). A few weeks ago, the NDDPI announced the recipients of round four funding. To date, the following six universities have received a RAP-T grant:

• Certification Central 
• Dickinson State University
• Mayville State University 
• University of Mary
• Valley City State University
• Western Governors University

We have awarded over 2.6 million in funding which is supporting approximately 140 apprentices. The NDDPI will be releasing an RFP for a round five funding opportunity within the next few weeks. Any districts that have paraprofessionals that are interested in becoming a licensed teacher should reach out to one of these six universities, as there may be vacant spots available in their Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teachers.

Educators Rising Opportunity

Educators Rising is a professional organization that supports students interested in education-related careers. It provides middle and high school students opportunities to explore teaching as a career option. The organization is cultivating a new generation of highly skilled educators by guiding young people from high school through college and into their teaching careers. Educators Rising allows students in grades 7-12 to explore careers in education, which is an important step in preparing quality teachers in tomorrow’s schools. This is one of the largest Grow You Own Programs at the high school level in the United States.

Educators Rising is applying for a federal grant and has asked North Dakota to be one of the states outlined in the application to provide the Educators Rising program within a cohort of high schools. Grant funds would provide participating high schools with dollars to purchase the curriculum. The NDDPI and North Dakota Career and Technical Education (ND CTE) are working collaboratively on this project.

If you are interested in participating in this opportunity, please sign up here.

If you have any questions, please contact Laurie Matzke at (701) 328-2284.

USED Expectations Regarding Travel Expenses

When can a school district request reimbursement for airfare, conference registration, and lodging if using federal funds?

Under 34 CFR 76.707 When obligations are made, travel obligations occur when travel is taken. If a conference is scheduled for December but the airfare and lodging are paid for in September, federal funds are only considered obligated once the travel is completed. Therefore, a school district cannot claim reimbursements on these funds until after the travel has occurred.

However, the conference registration fees are obligated when the fee is paid and can be claimed prior to the conference event itself if needed. See the chart below for more information regarding obligation timelines.

The following table shows when a State or subgrantee makes obligations for various kinds of property and services.

NDDPI Seeks Input on the Second Draft of the ND Computer Science and Cybersecurity Content Standards

The NDDPI is seeking feedback on the second draft of the revised North Dakota Computer Science and Cybersecurity Content Standards.

Content standards are concise, written descriptions outlining the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire at specific stages of their education. They illustrate what students have learned upon completing a grade level or grade span. The academic standards do not describe particular teaching practices, curricula, or assessment methods.

The North Dakota Computer Science and Cybersecurity Content Standards were last revised in 2019. Over the past couple of months, a committee of North Dakota educators has been diligently working on revising the standards and seeking feedback. The NDDPI asks that all interested stakeholders provide input on the standards draft through the survey linked below by January 3, 2025.

• Computer Science and Cybersecurity Content Standards DRAFT 2
• Public Comment Survey-Computer Science and Cybersecurity Content Standards

For more information about the standards review process, contact Davonne Eldredge, Assistant Director of Academic Support.

North Dakota Scholarship Reminders

Please take note of the following reminders regarding the North Dakota Scholarship:

Scholarship Applications: Scholarship applications for the Class of 2025 will open on Monday, January 6, 2025. The deadline for students to submit their applications is Friday, June 6, 2025.

Scholarship Requirements: Ensure that students and parents are aware of the scholarship requirements, which have changed. Make sure they understand the differences between the Choice Ready requirements and the North Dakota Scholarship requirements.

Choice Ready Report: The Choice Ready report is due June 30, 2025. We will use this data to determine whether students have met the indicators for the ND Scholarship. Information from the Choice Ready report cannot be changed after submission, so please review it thoroughly and ensure its accuracy before submitting. If the school fails to mark an indicator in the Choice Ready report, the student cannot use that indicator to qualify for the scholarship (no exceptions will be made). Be sure to carefully review which indicators are marked in each student’s Choice Ready report.

ASVAB Score Reports: Please send ASVAB score reports to NDDPI if the student meets the requirements of the Military Ready pathway. Do not dispose of ASVAB score reports if the student needs them to qualify for the scholarship. Ensure that everyone at your school who is responsible for records retention is aware of this. Students will not be able to use an ASVAB score towards meeting scholarship requirements if we do not receive a score report for that student.

WorkKeys Score Reports: Please send WorkKeys score reports to NDDPI for students using WorkKeys to meet the testing requirement in the Workforce Ready Pathway.

Testing Deadlines: All testing (ACT, WorkKeys, and ASVAB) must be completed before the student graduates from high school to count toward meeting scholarship requirements.

Please refer to the ND Scholarship Guidance for a description of each scholarship indicator and visit the scholarship website for additional information. If you have questions, please contact Jim Upgren at (701) 328-9641.

ND CLIMBS Application Q & A Webinar

If you have questions about the North Dakota Literacy Grant, join us for an informal webinar where we will review our most popular questions coming in and answer yours, too.

The webinar will occur, Monday, December 9 at 1:00 PM CT.  Use this link to join the meeting. Find all the details including the grant application and prior webinar links on the ND CLIMBS webpage. Applications are due January 15, 2025.

If you have questions, please contact Brenda Ehrmantraut or Taylor Olsen.

Title I Schoolwide Reporting: Training Dates, Recordings, and PowerPoints 

Please review the dates and resources below. Mark your calendars for upcoming webinars! We would love to see you there!

Reminder: Schools that are in a schoolwide planning year are required to attend the following trainings.

Links for these upcoming webinars will be sent closer to the event. All webinars will be held from 3:00 - 4:00 PM CT.

Upcoming Training:

• Thursday, January 23, 2025 – Midyear Schoolwide Title I Reporting Review
• Tuesday, March 25, 2025 – Requirements for Annual Schoolwide Title I Reporting

Resources:

• SW Comprehensive Needs Assessment and What Comes Next webinar was held Thursday, November 21, 2024. To view the recording, click here. To view the PowerPoint slide deck, click here.
• TA/SW Record-Keeping/Monitoring webinar was held Tuesday, November 26, 2024. To view the recording, click here. To view the PowerPoint slide deck, click here.

If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Siegfried at (701) 328-3544.

2025 AP Digital Exam Informational Webinar

Advanced Placement (AP) is transitioning to digital exams for most courses starting with the 2025 AP Exams. To support districts and schools in preparing for this change, a webinar will be offered on the following dates:

• Tuesday, December 17, 2024, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM CT
• Wednesday, December 18, 2024, from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CT

The sessions will cover critical topics, including technical requirements for testing devices, network configuration, installation of the Bluebook™ student testing application, and answers to frequently asked questions.

AP Coordinators and technology coordinators involved in administering AP exams are strongly encouraged to attend. To register for the webinar, click here.

Charting the Course: Navigating Formative and Summative Assessment in the Classroom

The North Dakota Standards-Based Learning team is pleased to announce the launch of a new three-part virtual professional learning series. This training will help educators navigate the use of assessments to guide student learning, provide ongoing feedback, plan growth opportunities, evaluate achievement, and advance students to the next level.

Part 1: January 14, 2025, from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CT

Part 2: February 3, 2025, from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CT

Part 3: February 25, 2025, from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CT

This virtual series is provided at NO COST through the North Dakota Regional Education Association in collaboration with the NDDPI. To register, click here. Questions regarding this training may be sent to ndsbl.info@k12.nd.us.

PowerSchool Workshops 

Wednesday, December 11

PowerSchool Students Graduating Early via Teams, 10:00 AM CT, Graduate Early

Thursday, December 12

PowerSchool Students Graduating Early via Teams, 2:00 PM CT, Graduate Early

Holiday Cards for Heros

The holiday season can be especially difficult for deployed U.S. military personnel separated from loved ones. Sending heartfelt holiday cards from school children is a meaningful way to boost their morale and remind them they are appreciated. For children, this activity fosters connection and teaches them they can positively impact others, even from afar.

If you’re school is interested, here are some guidelines to walk you through the process. The completed cards can be boxed up and mailed to our friends in New Hampshire who will redistribute to deployed personnel. More info can be found on their website.  If you have questions, contact Steve Snow at (701) 328-2236.

Supporting Students with Brain Injuries: Resources from the North Dakota Brain Injury Network

The North Dakota Brain Injury Network is a FREE service offered to North Dakotans with a brain injury. Concussions, traumatic brain injuries, strokes, tumors, and other brain injuries are all included. If you have a student with needs in this area, we highly recommend referring them to us so that we can support you in supporting that student.

We are currently developing an educator toolkit, and its framework has already been started. To access this toolkit, please email carly.endres@und.edu for more information! The toolkit contains helpful resources such as flyers, videos, tip sheets, and more. These resources can benefit you as the educator, the student, and their loved ones.

If you are questioning whether a student may have a brain injury, we also provide screening tools in the toolkit that can help identify whether a student has a history of brain injury.

North Dakota Cognia IMPACT Conference

WHEN: April 16-17, 2025

WHERE: Bismarck Event Center, 315 S 5th St., Bismarck, ND 58504

WHAT: Cognia® invites you to the IMPACT conference, where you will invest in your own growth—as leaders and teachers—and continue your investment in the growth of your students

We invite you to submit a proposal for a best practice to share with the NDDPI | Cognia IMPACT attendees. Proposal submissions are now open!