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January 30, 2025

NEWS & UPDATES

ND Students Show Off Mathematics Muscle

North Dakota students outperformed national averages in mathematics in the newest results for the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Eighth graders that took the NAEP, which is referred to as the “Nation’s Report Card,” had an average mathematics score of 280, compared to the national average of 272, State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said.

For North Dakota’s fourth graders, the mathematics average was 241, compared to 237 nationally. Both spreads are considered meaningful, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

See a full summary of score averages here: https://rebrand.ly/x437zap

To Grant or Not to Grant?

A short-lived federal Office of Management and Budget memo ordering a pause in disbursing federal grants and aid caused a tempest this week. On the same day (Tuesday, Jan. 28) that the memo was issued, a federal judge ordered a pause to the pause, saying the courts needed more time to consider the memo’s ramifications. On Wednesday, the OMB issued a terse follow-up memo, saying its first message was “rescinded.”

A spokeswoman for the federal Department of Education said the first memo applied only to discretionary grants, and did not affect Title I, IDEA, or other formula grants administered by the department.

NDDPI will continue to operate "business as usual" unless we are told differently.

Electronics in Class

Excessive smartphone use by students (and adults!) has prompted some ideas in the Legislature to limit the use of electronics during classroom time, although none of them seek a total ban.

Some bills to watch:

• HB1160, which requires school districts to develop policies that govern the classroom use of cellphones. Tablets, laptops and personal computers are excluded. The policy must allow for accommodations for emergencies and student medical and educational accommodations. The House approved the bill this week, 89-3.
• SB2354 is similar to HB1160. It requires districts to ask for the opinions of students, parents and educators about an electronics policy, which must be reviewed annually and published on the district’s website. The policy would have to include tablets and laptops as well as cellphones.
• SB2300 would require the Department of Public Instruction to provide “secure containers” to schools in which students would keep their cellphones, laptops and tablets during the school day. With permission from a health care provider, a student could use electronics during the day for medical reasons, e.g., to monitor his or her blood glucose. The Senate Education Committee held a hearing on this bill Wednesday.

Flood of Bills Slows to a Trickle in ND Legislature

The 2025 Legislature’s final bill introduction deadline passed on Monday. We can still expect a trickle of late bills, as well as some resolutions, which typically ask for legislative interim studies or seek to amend the North Dakota Constitution. On Wednesday, 1,036 bills had been introduced, according to the Legislative Council, which is the research arm of the Legislature.

Every Friday, NDDPI publishes the Capitol Tablet, a weekly newsletter that provides a list of education-related bills and resolutions the department is following during the legislative session. The Capitol Tablet includes a brief description of each measure, the name of its primary legislative sponsor, a link to the measure’s text, and where it stands in the legislative process. 

If interested in receiving this weekly newsletter, please contact Dale Wetzel and ask to be added to the listserv.

2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars Candidates Announced

Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. Application for the program is by invitation only. This year's candidates have received their notifications and have until Feb. 26 to submit their applications. View full eligibility criteria on the U.S. Department of Education website.

Summer EBT 2025

The NDDPI Child Nutrition and Food Distribution Office is beginning to prepare for Summer EBT (S-EBT) 2025. S-EBT is an annual program that provides food assistance to households with school-aged children eligible for free or reduced-price school meals during the summer when they don’t have access to meals at school. Each eligible student receives an annual benefit of $120 via an EBT card, which can be used like SNAP benefits but expires 122 days after issuance.

To help schools prepare, we will host weekly office hours on Thursdays from 2-2:30 p.m. CT through Feb. 27. Topics discussed during office hours will include streamlined certification, student data, parent/guardian demographics, the S-EBT portal, and the application process.

We encourage all schools to participate to ensure eligible students receive the benefit this summer.

Please use this link to join any of the Thursday office hours: Join the Meeting NOW  

In addition to helping schools prepare for this summer, NDDPI will gather student data in February to streamline certification of students for Summer EBT. NDDPI gathers school enrollment data from STARS. For schools not using STARS, NDDPI requests enrollment information for all children, including those determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the NSLP application process or direct certification (children receiving SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, or FDPIR). During this data collection period, NDDPI may need to contact your school to obtain enrollment or demographic information or to request student eligibility for free and reduced-price meals. To assist with this process, we ask that schools complete a quick survey to provide the names, email addresses, and phone numbers of staff who work with or have access to enrollment, student demographic information, or individual free and reduced-price meal eligibility. We will also ask for the primary contact during the school year and a secondary contact during the summer months when we often need to reach out to schools for assistance.

Please complete the S-EBT School Contact Survey by Feb. 14, 2025.

2024-25 Student Engagement Survey Now Open The 2024-25 Student Engagement Survey (SES) is now open and will remain open until Feb. 14, 2025.  Cognia Support or customer support: (888) 413-3669) Student survey link   Administrator link (access student rosters) Student rosters, which include students’ names and unique test IDs, are updated nightly based on current STARS enrollments. If you notice any discrepancies in the SES roster, please verify the accuracy of the STARS enrollments.  As of Jan. 28, 19,180 of the 89,741 students have taken the survey (21.36%). If you have any questions or encounter issues with administering the survey (e.g., students' submissions not being counted or receiving a red X at the end of the survey), please contact Steve Snow at (701) 328-2236, or Angie Thomas at (701) 328-2597.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT &       TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Literacy Summit On-Demand: Flexible Professional Learning for Educators

The sold-out 2024 ND Literacy Summit is now available on-demand in the ND Educational Hub! This asynchronous course features recordings from 10 national and regional literacy experts, as well as North Dakota educators sharing their journeys in implementing the Science of Reading.

Course Highlights:

• Full access to summit recordings for individual or team learning.
• Facilitator Guides: Perfect for administrators and literacy leaders to lead local professional learning sessions.
• Graduate Credit: Available to all registered educators through Valley City State University upon completion of requirements (additional fee applies).

Registration Options:

• Individual Access: $40 per person
• Team Discounts: register your entire staff and save
• To register click here.

If you have any questions, please contact pd.crea@k12.nd.us

PowerSchool Workshops 

Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025: PowerSchool New Admin, Bismarck, 9 a.m. CT

North Dakota Personalized Learning Network Workshop

Join your peers for a day of learning, collaboration, and sharing to explore “Leveraging Standards in Learner-Centered Classrooms” on Feb. 26, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. Choose one of two locations below:

• Bismarck, ND: Career Academy, 1221 College Drive
• Fargo, ND: Hilton Garden Inn, 4351 17^th Ave. S.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

ND A+ Summative Assessment Preparedness Workshop

EduTech, NDDPI, and Pearson are hosting ND A+ Summative Assessment Preparedness Workshops in February 2025. In-person, regional workshops will be offered at eight locations across the state along with a virtual workshop option. Dates and locations of the workshops are below. Both a morning and an afternoon workshop will be offered on each date and location noted.

• Monday, Feb. 10, 2025 - Bismarck
• Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025 - Dickinson
• Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025 - Watford City
• Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 - Minot
• Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025 - Grand Forks
• Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025 - Fargo
• Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025 - Jamestown
• Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 - Devils Lake
• Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 - virtual webinar

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

Please review the dates and resources below. Mark your calendars for the March 25 webinar—we would love to see you there!

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

The link for the March webinar will be sent closer to the event. The webinar will be held from 3-4 p.m. CT.

Upcoming Training:

• Tuesday, March 25, 2025: Requirements for Annual Schoolwide Title I Reporting

Resources:

• Midyear Schoolwide Title I Reporting Review: webinar was held Thursday, January 23, 2025. 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.
• 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.

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

OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

Girls Who Code Summer Programs Now Accepting Applications

Girls Who Code is now accepting applications for our two virtual Summer Programs. 

Summer Immersion Program (SIP): Join the ultimate summer squad! Over two weeks, you’ll design and build your own computer games, make new friends, and connect with mentors. Get insider college and career tips from industry pros—all in live virtual classrooms.

Pathways: Learn at your own pace! Through step-by-step video tutorials and real-world projects, you'll explore cutting-edge tech like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science. Connect with industry pros and join an exclusive Discord community along the way!

Apply here by Feb. 26, 2025, for priority consideration or by April 11, 2025, for the final deadline.

Why Recommend These Programs:

• Open to All Skill Levels: Whether students are brand-new to coding or advanced, Summer Programs offer engaging, supportive experiences tailored to meet them where they are.

• Build Community and Confidence: Students collaborate with peers, participate in interactive activities, and gain inspiration from dedicated mentors.

• Jumpstart Student Futures: Participants learn about career opportunities in tech, get practical college and career advice, and leave with projects they can share on college or internship applications.

• No Application or Program Fees: Our Summer Programs are designed without fees, removing barriers for high school girls and non-binary students interested in tech.

Annual Keep North Dakota Clean Artwork and Media Contest Now Open

For the 57th year, Keep North Dakota Clean (KNDC) is proud to partner with Newman Outdoor Advertising to motivate youth, and adults, to take action in their daily lives to protect the environment. Collective environmental actions—even small steps—when taken together can create large-scale impacts. Help keep North Dakota clean and healthy for the people and animals that live and visit here.

The artwork contest is for students in grades PreK-8 and students with special abilities. Participants create artwork that reflects their knowledge about the responsibility we all have to take care of our state’s resources for generations to come. Student Coloring sheets and more information can be found here: https://www.keep-nd-clean.org/

In addition, please see the 2025 Teacher’s Guide for more information.

If you have any additional questions, please contact Joe Kolosky at (701) 328-2755.

Ag literacy book bundles available for third and fourth grade educators In celebration of Ag Literacy Week, March 17-21, 2025, third and fourth grade educators in the state are invited to apply for a free ag literacy book bundle and accompanying educational resources. “I encourage educators to take advantage of this opportunity to embed agriculture into their classrooms,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “Students will learn about agriculture and connect it to what they’re learning in the classroom. With ag literacy week and state and national ag celebrations coming up in March, this is the perfect time to incorporate these materials.” The first 30 qualified educators to apply will receive the free book bundle and additional resources. Teachers have until April 7, 2025, to use the kits and provide education to their students. Teachers must fill out follow up surveys from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture by April 14, 2025, for reporting purposes. The application is available at https://www.ndda.nd.gov/bookbundle. Anyone needing more information should contact Agriculture Business Development Coordinator Heather Lang at 701-328-2308 or hlang@nd.gov.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Save the Date: 11th Annual North Dakota Indian Education Summit NDDPI's Office of Indian/Multicultural Education and the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission will host the 11th Annual North Dakota Indian Education Summit July 17-18, at the North Dakota State Capitol building in Bismarck. The Indian Education Summit is designed to provide professional development and education on best practices in Indian education and is open to all North Dakota educators. This year's keynote addresses will by delivered by Missy Testerman, 2024 National Teacher of the Year, and Daniel Kish, president of World Access for the Blind. Registration will open later this spring.