State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler today congratulated 46 North Dakota educators who were named Teachers of the Year in their respective counties. One of the group will be chosen as North Dakota’s state Teacher of the Year in September.
“It is a pleasure to honor these outstanding teachers, who have been recognized by their peers and the students and families they serve as being exemplars of their profession,” Baesler said. “All North Dakotans should be grateful for the work our educators do to help develop our state’s new generations of citizens.”
The county awards announced Thursday are part of North Dakota’s state Teacher of the Year recognition program. County award recipients are eligible to apply for state Teacher of the Year honors, which will be announced in September. The incumbent state Teacher of the Year is Kendall Burgrud, a mathematics teacher at Wachter Middle School in Bismarck. His term ends Dec. 31.
County Teacher of the Year candidates were nominated in January and February. A total of 254 educators were nominated from 47 counties; 130 of those nominees, from 44 counties, applied for County Teacher of the Year consideration. These applications were reviewed and scored, and winners from the 44 counties were chosen earlier this month.
Because of ties in the scoring of applications, Benson and Mercer counties have two County Teachers of the Year. Nine counties had no applications: Adams, Billings, Divide, Golden Valley, Hettinger, Pierce, Sheridan, Sioux and Slope.
Nominations for County Teacher of the Year may come from anyone, including students, family members, teacher colleagues, or administrators. Teachers may nominate themselves as well.
North Dakota educators have always led the way in putting students first — especially when it comes to ensuring healthy learning environments that foster academic success, positive relationships, and emotional well-being.
I have shared with you that Dr. Angela Duckworth, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, is leading a new research initiative called Phones In Focus. North Dakota is one of a limited number of states that have been invited to participate in this important philanthropically funded project.
Thank you to those who have already taken the survey! I’m excited for North Dakota educators to contribute to important new research on student achievement, well-being, and school cell phone policies.
Phones In Focus is designed to collect baseline evidence on school phone policies and enforcement practices to better understand their impact on student learning and health. Right now, there is enormous variation in policies across the country, but very little clear data on student outcomes exists. This project will help answer those questions.
Here in North Dakota, Governor Armstrong supports legislation requiring a bell-to-bell prohibition on student cell phone use during the school day and school activities. Your participation in this survey will help us gather critical baseline information to measure the impact of this important policy shift.
Key Information:
The survey remains open until April 30, 2025.
A Google Doc version of the survey questions is also available here.
The Walton Family Foundation, the Bezos Family Foundation, and Stanford University philanthropically fund this work.
Participation is voluntary, confidential, and at no cost.
Results will be available beginning May 2025.
Why it matters: Your input will help create a statewide "map" of practices and link them to outcomes like achievement, attendance, and school climate — so North Dakota educators can make informed, research-based decisions.
The survey will be administered independently by researchers (not DPI or local districts) and will protect school-level confidentiality.
Thank you for your leadership and your ongoing work to create healthy, high-achieving learning environments for every North Dakota student. Together, we can keep our focus on what matters most — our students.
Now Open: Intent to Apply for Federal Title Funding
The Intent to Apply for Federal Title Funding for the 2025–2026 school year officially opened on April 21 in WebGrants. All authorized representatives must indicate whether their district intends to accept or decline funding for each Federal Title program.
🕔 Deadline: Submit by 5:00 PM CT on May 20, 2025 Districts that do not submit by the deadline will forfeit their Federal Title funds.
Although the U.S. Department of Education has not yet released estimated allocations, districts may still complete their Intent to Apply. Allocations will be posted on the Consolidated Application webpage once available, and all authorized representatives will be notified.
📅 Save the Date: Consolidated Application Training Webinar Thursday, May 15 | 2–3 p.m. CDT Join NDDPI staff for an overview of the Consolidated Application process and a live Q&A. A recording will be available on our website for those unable to attend.
NDDPI will hold a public comment hearing on Thursday, June 8 at 9:30 a.m. CDT, in the Peace Garden Room at the State Capitol in Bismarck to gather input on proposed updates to administrative rules. For those unable to make it to the hearing that wish to provide public comment, we will accept public comment by email, mail, or telephone until 5 p.m. on Monday, June 2. Please see the full notice for more information.
The proposed administrative rules are listed below:
The revision of 67-19-01, Accreditation: Procedures, Standards, and Criteria, to align with changes made to NDCC 15.1-02-11 by SB 2362 of the 69th Legislative Assembly. This revision updates the administrative rules to describe the required criteria and the procedure for nationally recognized accreditation organizations to become part of our state-approved list. When a nationally recognized accreditation organization submits an application and the required evidence, a committee comprised of North Dakota educational stakeholders will convene to review the materials and determine approval. Schools that choose to pursue accreditation could then use either the state-provided organization at no cost, or they may choose an organization from the state-approved list at their own cost (similar to the rules that we wrote on Interim Assessment a couple years ago).
The revision of 67-23-01, Comprehensive General Plan Requirements for Special Education Programs, to align with changes made to NDCC 15.1-32-01 by HB 1164 of the 69th Legislative Assembly. This revision updates the administrative rules to match the changes made in the North Dakota Century Code regarding the definitions for students and children with disabilities.
Please contact Jim Upgren, at 701-328-2244, with questions or to provide public comment.
Intent to Participate in Equitable Services for Nonpublic Schools (2025–2026)
All school district contacts should have received the Intent to Participate notice and form regarding nonpublic school participation in federal Title programs for the 2025–2026 school year.
✅ Districts: If your district includes an approved nonpublic school listed in the directory, you are required to share the Intent to Participate form with them as soon as possible.
🏫 Nonpublic Schools: Be on the lookout for the Intent to Participate form from your local district and begin preparing your school’s plan to participate in equitable services.
📞 Need Assistance? If you are a district representative and did not receive the email or have questions, please contact Angie Richter at (701) 328-2287.
Help Shape the Future of Virtual Education in North Dakota
The North Dakota Center for Distance Education (NDCDE) is launching a new statewide network to connect school employees involved in virtual education—whether you're part of a virtual academy or supporting online learning within a traditional school setting.
As part of NDCDE’s commitment to strengthening its role as a Digital Learning Collaborative State Affiliate, we’re gathering input from school leaders, teachers, and staff to guide the development of this initiative.
Your voice matters! Please take a few minutes to share your insights by Friday, May 3.
The REAP Team at the U.S. Department of Education (USED) is working to open the FY 2025 Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) grant application as soon as possible. More details on the application timeline will be shared broadly and posted on USED's website once available.
The FY 2025 process will closely mirror previous years. Eligible LEAs projected to receive an SRSA allocation will receive an email with a unique application link, customized instructions, and information about the upcoming SRSA application webinar. Emails will be sent to the primary contact listed in the FY 2025 REAP Master Eligibility Spreadsheet.
For questions, contact the REAP team at reap@ed.gov, or North Dakota’s state coordinator, Kate Waechter, at kwaechter@nd.gov.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
SRSA Grant Reminder: FY23 & FY24 Deadlines Approaching!
The U.S. Department of Education (USED) reminds all districts that received a Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) grant in FY23 or FY24 to take note of the upcoming deadlines for obligation and liquidation of funds.
Key Dates by Fiscal Year:
Grant Cycle
Performance Period
Deadline for Liquidation
FY 2024
July 1, 2024 – Sept. 30, 2026
Jan. 30, 2027
FY 2023
July 1, 2023 – Sept. 30, 2025
Jan. 30, 2026
FY 2022
July 1, 2022 – Sep.t 30, 2024
Jan. 30, 2025
🔹 Important Notes:
SRSA awards are available for obligation over a 27-month period.
Funds must be used for obligations made within the grant performance period, and liquidated within 120 days after the period ends.
Where to Find Your Grant Details:
USED issues a Grant Award Notification (GAN) to each grantee that receives a grant award from the Department. Each LEA awarded an SRSA grant receives a GAN from USED.
Grantees can access awarded funds by using G5, USED's online platform for grant management. Creating an account, logging in, and obtaining Payee Access allows grantees to view and draw down awarded grant funds across multiple fiscal years.
GANs are stored in G5 and include information about the grant’s performance period. In Block 6, located on the third page of the GAN, a 15-month award period beginning July 1 is listed (e.g., July 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024). The terms and conditions of the grant award in Block 10 further extend the period of availability of funds an additional 12 months to provide for a full 27-month period of availability.
Accessing Your SRSA Funds:
Use USED's G5 system to log in, manage your account, and draw down funds.
GANs are stored in G5 and can be accessed anytime.
📩 Coming Soon: USED will email a financial status report to each SRSA grantee with an available balance over $300. For the most current award information, log into your G5 account.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
April 29: PowerScheduler Load Help Day, 8:30 a.m. CDT in Bismarck
April 30: PowerScheduler Load Help Day, 9:00 a.m. CDT in Bismarck
Dive into Justice: 2025 Justice Teaching Institute for Teachers
📅 Dates: October 16–17, 2025 📍 Location: North Dakota State Capitol, Bismarck 🎯 Audience: Social Studies Teachers (Grades 8–12)
Are you ready to bring the courtroom into your classroom? Join the 2025 Justice Teaching Institute (JTI), a unique professional development experience sponsored by the North Dakota Supreme Court and led by the Justices themselves.
Over the course of a day and a half, you'll explore the Fourth Amendment and the trial process in depth—tracking a real North Dakota court case from District Court to the state Supreme Court. Participate in a mock trial and appeal argument, and leave with classroom-ready resources that will empower your students to better understand the judicial system.
✨ Why Attend?
No fees to attend
Reimbursed lodging, meals, and mileage
Earn 1 graduate credit from UND (credit fee covered)
15 contact hours (12 on-site + 3 for classroom implementation)
The 2025–26 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant competition is now open. Approximately $3.5 million in federal funding is available to support afterschool and out-of-school-time programs across North Dakota.
These five-year grants (ranging from $50,000 to $350,000 annually, depending on federal funding availability) support programs that boost student achievement in reading, math, and other core subjects while also offering enrichment in areas like workforce development, computer science, and cybersecurity.
Who’s eligible? School districts, nonprofits, regional education associations, local governments, faith-based organizations, higher ed institutions, and for-profit corporations — as long as they don’t currently have a 21st CCLC grant or have one ending by June 30, 2025.
Key Requirements: ✅ Partner with schools serving a high percentage of low-income students ✅ Provide an average of 7+ hours per week of programming ✅ Submit applications by 12:01 p.m. on June 10, 2025, via the NDDPI WebGrants portal
📅 Optional Applicant Workshop A virtual info session will be held Monday, April 29 at 10 a.m. Central Time. Learn about the grant program, application tips, and how to use the WebGrants platform. Registration is required.
Programs are encouraged to focus on reducing absenteeism in grades 6–12; preparing high school students for careers, certifications, and internships; and offering instruction in computer science and cybersecurity.
On April 17, NDDPI team members joined the Finley-Sharon Elementary community for a special assembly to celebrate a major achievement—being named a 2024 Distinguished School!
Tucked away in rural North Dakota, this PK–6 school serves just 67 students, yet stands out for its student-centered approach, strong community ties, and commitment to closing achievement gaps.
With support from ESEA funding, Finley-Sharon has expanded staff, deepened interventions, and empowered educators through ongoing professional development—all driven by data and a deep belief in each student’s potential.
👏 Congrats to the students, staff, families, and the entire Finley-Sharon community on this incredible honor!
Foster Care, Homeless, and Neglected & Delinquent Liaison Meeting
District Foster Care, Homeless, and Neglected & Delinquent Liaisons—along with other relevant personnel—are invited to a full-day gathering focused on training, compliance, and best practices.
📍 Where: North Dakota State Capitol 600 E Boulevard Ave, Bismarck, ND Brynhild Haugland Room 📆 When: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 🕘 Time: All Day
Stay tuned for registration details and additional updates!
Title I Schoolwide and Targeted Assistance Training
New Title I staff and those needing a refresher on Schoolwide or Targeted plans are highly encouraged to attend. Required for schools currently in their Schoolwide Planning Year.
This full-day session will cover Title I Schoolwide and Targeted Assistance requirements, along with best practices.
📍 Where: North Dakota State Capitol Brynhild Haugland Room 600 E Boulevard Ave, Bismarck, ND 📆 When: Thursday, September 25, 2025
Watch for more details and registration information coming soon!
The NDDPI Messenger is sent out on a weekly or as-needed basis. Visit our website to view previous NDDPI Messenger/Weekly Blast bulletins.
