Approval vs. Accreditation: What K–12 Leaders Need to Know
In North Dakota, school approval is mandatory for every public school, confirming compliance with state laws, educational standards, and operational requirements such as curriculum alignment, licensed teachers, building safety, instructional hours, background checks, and continuous improvement through Cognia strategy maps. Strategy maps, updated annually and submitted by June 1, outline 3–5 year goals, measurable objectives, and initiatives, and are published on the ND Insights Dashboard for transparency.
Accreditation is voluntary and reflects a deeper commitment to continuous improvement beyond minimum standards. It involves meeting national benchmarks, conducting self-studies, and undergoing independent external reviews. Accreditation demonstrates a school’s dedication to elevating student achievement, professional practices, and community trust.
Currently, Cognia provides both approval and accreditation services at no cost to schools, though districts may choose another provider for accreditation from the state-approved list (at their own expense).
BRIDGE Project FAQs
As North Dakota transitions to Infinite Campus, here are some recent questions from the field—along with answers to keep you informed.
Q: Has there been any update on getting a list of the grade calculation methods available in Infinite Campus (both standards-based and traditional grading)?
A: Yes. You can view detailed information on standards-based grading rubrics here: Analyze Scores - Standards-Based Grading (Rubrics) | Infinite Campus
Q: Will student records transfer between tribal BIE schools using NASIS Infinite Campus and North Dakota public schools in the same way they do between public schools?
A: Yes—if both schools participate in the National Records Exchange (NRE). This Infinite Campus tool allows records to be exchanged among participating Campus districts nationwide. Districts must first register in the NRE before they can send or receive data. Any Campus district may participate, even if they are not connected to a Campus State Edition.
Q: How will Infinite Campus training be offered?
A: Training for implementation follows a structured, three-phase model designed to support users throughout the entire implementation journey:
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Phase 1: Learn – Self-paced foundational content via Campus Passport (available anytime).
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Phase 2: Apply – Live, interactive workshops with hands-on practice.
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Phase 3: Refine – Personalized support through strategic coaching and district-specific sessions. This flexible approach offers ongoing, role-specific training through on-demand resources, live events, and customized instruction, so you can learn when it works best for you.
This approach ensures that training is ongoing, flexible, and accessible, allowing you to engage when it works best for your schedule. Rather than relying on fixed dates, Infinite Campus offers multiple opportunities to learn and apply new skills—whether through on-demand content, live events, or customized instruction.
Infinite Campus is committed to providing role-specific, actionable training that aligns with your needs at each stage of implementation.
Q: When will LEAs have access to different site types?
A: LEAs will have access to various environments at different stages of implementation, including Training, Trial, and Sandbox sites—each serving specific purposes for learning, testing, and practice.
The current project schedule shows initial engagement with Infinite Campus and LEAs occurring in early October 2025. At the initial meeting with the LEAs, Infinite Campus will begin gathering the LEAs implementation team and getting those contacts access to Campus Passport, which contains Infinite Campus' on-demand training content. Although LEAs will not yet have access to the training site yet at that time, this will enable them to begin investigating various aspects of the Infinite Campus SIS. Training sites are delivered at the Training Plan Meetings which typically occur in March.
Resources that LEAs can use now:
Resources available to project team members following initial meeting:
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Campus Community – Searchable Knowledge Base with helpful articles and videos
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Campus Passport – On-demand training and role-specific learning plans
Back-to-School Drilldown Breakout Session Slide Decks Now Available
Thank you again to everyone who attended the Back-to-School Drilldown earlier this month at the North Dakota State Capitol. We’re pleased to share that all remaining slide decks from the breakout sessions are now available.
These resources cover a wide range of important topics to support your planning and implementation efforts for the school year ahead.
If you missed the event or want to revisit a particular topic, don’t forget that recordings from the morning sessions held in the Brynhild Haugland Room are also available at the link shared in the previous NDDPI Messenger.
As always, thank you for your continued leadership and commitment to North Dakota’s schools.
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