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NEWS & UPDATES
 Baesler Nominated as Assistant US Education Secretary
President Trump has nominated North Dakota State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler to be the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. The job requires Senate confirmation, and Baesler will remain in her state position until she is confirmed, which may not happen until summer.
Baesler took office as superintendent in January 2013, and won re-election to her fourth term last November. She is the nation’s longest-serving chief state school officer.
“I am excited for this new opportunity to support the education of more than 49 million children and their families. I share a commitment with Secretary-designate Linda McMahon to create a work-ready focus in education,” she said. “This is an opportunity to build on the relationships I’ve formed with fellow state education leaders over the past 12 years to implement the changes that will help our students become future-ready citizens.”
 School Garden Teaches, Feeds and Nourishes in Anamoose
Article from North Dakota Living
At the small, rural school in Anamoose, a young girl runs to the cafeteria door with a giant smile and tiny brown seed in hand. She politely asks for a plastic bag to take her trophy home – a pepper seed she found during lunch – so she could plant it and grow peppers.
Miranda Reider, assistant cook and the school’s “bread master,” happily obliges, explaining this is a common occurrence at the Anamoose-Drake Elementary School.
The Anamoose-Drake Elementary School participates in the Farm to School program, which encourages North Dakota schools and childcares to purchase local foods, including locally raised meats and vegetables, from North Dakota producers. The Farm to School program aims to increase healthy eating habits and educate students, staff and communities about their health, how to grow their own food and the importance of local purchasing for the local economy.
“When the kids get a chance to have their hands in the dirt, they learn a lot, and they are more willing to eat the fruits and vegetables that they grow,” says Amanda Olson, Farm to School specialist with the N.D. Department of Public Instruction and an Anamoose school board member.
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NDDPI Team Members Recognized by ND Counseling Association
Jim Upgren and Robin Lang were recognized by the North Dakota Counseling Association on Feb. 10 during their annual conference in Bismarck.
Upgren, assistant director in NDDPI's Office of School Approval and Opportunity, received the Friends of Counseling Award for his support, advocacy, and encouragement of counseling in North Dakota. Lang, assistant director in NDDPI's Office of School Improvement and Support, received the Glenn Dolan Award for her leadership and relationship-building efforts that have contributed to the growth of the counseling profession in North Dakota.
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Education Opportunity
The Legislature voted this week on four bills that establish education savings accounts, which would transfer a portion of state school aid to parental accounts to use for education expenses, including tuition for nonpublic schools. A fifth bill is being examined by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
In the House on Thursday, HB1540 survived by a single vote, 49-38 (in the House, at least 48 Yes votes are required to win approval). HB1590 was defeated, 47-40 (one Yes vote short of approval) and HB1607 lost, 16-71.
The Senate is preparing to vote Friday on SB2303, after endorsing a package of amendments to the legislation. SB2400, which is considered the primary Senate vehicle for education savings accounts, is the bill that is parked in the Senate Appropriations Committee for now.
A quick summary:
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HB1540 deposits 40 percent of North Dakota’s state school aid payment into an education savings account, which parents would control on behalf of their children, beginning with the 2027-28 school year. The percentage would rise to 80 percent in the 2028-29 school year. The present per-student state aid payment is $11,072, and it is likely to rise during each of the next two school years.
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SB2303 deposits 60 percent of the per-student state school aid payment into an education savings account, beginning July 15. It originally asked for 80 percent.
School Meals At No Cost to Students
The concept of free breakfasts and lunches for students, regardless of ability to pay, is working its way through the Legislature. HB1475, which carries a price tag of $140 million over two years, is being examined by the House Appropriations Committee. A similar bill, HB1553, was defeated, 14-75, on Tuesday, because it was duplicative.
 Choice Ready is a key metric in the North Dakota accountability system and part of our statewide PK-12 strategic vision. Choice Ready is designed to prepare students for success upon graduation and is intended to measure growth a school has made in the number of 12th graders who graduate Choice Ready.
Updates:
- Choice Ready has an official logo!
- Senator Davison is sponsoring SB 2234 to provide NDDPI with funding in order to continue providing high schools, Special Education Units and Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers with grants to increase opportunities for students to graduate Choice Ready. The bill passed the Senate Education & Appropriations Committee unanimously and the Senate floor with a 46-1 vote.
- The Choice Ready report for the fiscal year 2024-25 school year has been open all year, and school personnel should be working on completing the report. The final due date to submit Choice Ready report is June 30, 2025.
New Lead Teacher Website & Resources
North Dakota received approval for a Registered Apprenticeship Program for Teachers (RAP-T) in December 2022 to address our teacher shortage. Simultaneously, NDDPI in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU), is working to launch ASU’s Next Education Workforce opportunities across the state. This model reimagines how educators collaborate and deliver instruction to students by emphasizing team-based staffing.
We see a unique opportunity to blend this ASU initiative with our RAP-T program. The apprentices in our RAP-T are future teachers in North Dakota. Along with current teachers, these apprentices form an ideal pool of educators to train in ASU’s Strategic Staffing model, which utilizes “Lead Teachers” using a teaming approach.
NDDPI submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Labor in late January 2025 for a Lead Teacher Apprenticeship. We have created a new Lead Teacher website that includes the following two recently created resources:
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Family Engagement PD with Dr. Steve Constantino
NDDPI will host a full-day, face-to-face training with Dr. Steve Constantino on March 13, 2025, at the Bismarck Public Schools Career Academy.
Dr. Constantino's Case Studies to Engage Every Family book is included with your registration, but the five principles are really laid out in depth in his Engage Every Family book, which can be ordered under the Add-Ons tab on the Tickets page. All book orders will be available to you upon check-in at the training.
School or district family engagement teams are encouraged to attend together, but single district participants are also allowed.
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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:
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Tuesday, March 25, 2025: Requirements for Annual Schoolwide Title I Reporting
Resources:
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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.
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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.
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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.
Features of Effective Math Instruction: Retention
Elementary and secondary teachers, administrators, instructional coaches, and NDREA staff are invited to attend the "Features of Effective Math Instruction Workshop" on April 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Lake Region State College in Devils Lake. The event investigates the concept of learner retention and the importance of retrieval strategies to use in the classroom to increase math achievement. The one-day workshop will cover the following:
- Curve of Forgetting
- Retrieval Strategies
- Spaced Learning Over Time (SLOT)
- Interleaved Practice Format (IPF)
Participants do NOT have to have taken Features of Effective Math Instruction Part 1 in order to attend. This event is being offered for 7 hours of cafeteria credit, and registration costs $25 per participant.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
2024-25 Student Engagement Survey
Due to server issues, the 2024-25 Student Engagement Survey (SES) will remain open until Feb. 21, 2025.
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 Feb. 12, 72,275 of the 89,597 students have taken the survey (80.67%).
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 Angie Thomas at (701) 328-2597, or Steve Snow at (701) 328-2236.
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
ND Best in Class
North Dakota's Best in Class program is a targeted state investment in programs committed to delivering the highest quality experiences to the children and families they serve, and whose actions can demonstrate the return that is possible with intentional, research-supported investments in early childhood. ND Best in Class is built on program characteristics that drive results—high quality, supported interactions between adults and children based on developmentally appropriate experiences.
Teaching staff will be coached and supported in implementing developmentally appropriate environments, play-based curriculum, and authentic observation-based assessments to drive individualized experiences to support children in reaching widely held expectations in the year before kindergarten.
North Dakota early childhood programs interested in quality improvement that serve children who have reached age four before Aug. 1 of the current school year are eligible to apply for the 2025-2026 school year. Funding for this program ranges from $15,000 to $120,000 per section, based on group size and hours of operation.
Applications must be submitted to dhsec@nd.gov by 5 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Feb. 19.
UPCOMING EVENTS
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.
- 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
Upcoming Title I Allocation Changes: Informational Webinar
NDDPI is hosting an informational webinar at 9 a.m. on Feb. 27 to provide information regarding the upcoming transition of North Dakota’s Title I, Part A allocation process.
Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, North Dakota will transition from the alternative allocation method to the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) methodology for determining Title I, Part A allocations. This change reflects North Dakota’s commitment to distributing federal funds as intended and ensuring funds are being used to reduce the achievement gap.
This shift may raise questions, and some districts may see changes in their allocations. The upcoming webinar will provide an overview of North Dakota’s transition process and timeline, a clear explanation of the purpose and key components of Title I, answer frequently asked questions, and offer practical strategies for districts adjusting to allocation changes.
NDDPI strongly encourages all district leaders and Title I staff to attend.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
North Dakota Scholarship
The North Dakota Scholarship Application is now open, and will remain open until Friday, June 6. Class of 2025 seniors may submit their scholarship applications at any time prior to the June 6 application deadline.
Please also keep in mind that the new North Dakota Scholarship requirements go fully into effect starting with the Class of 2025, and students can no longer qualify using the old Academic and CTE Scholarship requirements. Be sure that students and parents know that the requirements are different, and make sure that they also know the differences between the Choice Ready requirements and the North Dakota Scholarship requirements.
Please contact Jim Upgren at 701-328-2244 with questions regarding the North Dakota Scholarship.
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.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
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Students Share Insight with ND Legislators
Watford City High School Student Council ambassadors testified before the Senate Workforce Development Committee on Feb. 13, 2025. They shared their experiences in their school's Cooperative Work Experience program, highlighting how their efforts have impacted their community and improved their educational experiences.
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