‘Lead Teacher’ Program Holds Promise For Classroom Instruction
North Dakota has become the first state to gain approval for a “lead teacher” apprenticeship program, which holds the potential to transform classroom instruction and school leadership.
The Fargo and Northern Cass school districts will be trying out the program during the coming school year, with 15 teachers in the two districts receiving specialized training in the method this fall, Baesler said. The program is designed in collaboration with Arizona State University.
The approach emphasizes using teams of teachers, each one with specialized expertise, in classroom instruction, rather than the traditional approach of one teacher, one classroom. Each team is directed by a lead teacher, who would complete 10 separate “micro-credential” courses to earn an NDDPI lead teacher certificate.
Students receive more thorough, comprehensive, and personalized instruction from the method, while teachers have less pressure and more peer support in their jobs, as well as new opportunities for advancement, State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s approval of North Dakota’s application for a lead teacher apprenticeship program makes it eligible for federal grant money. The Fargo-based Burgum Foundation has provided $140,000 for lead teacher training, and additional philanthropic support is being sought.
The program is another element of Baesler’s efforts to address North Dakota’s ongoing teacher shortage.
The Department of Public Instruction has won approval for teacher apprenticeships, supported by both federal and state grants, that are helping paraprofessionals who are already working in North Dakota classrooms to become certified teachers. A separate apprenticeship program offers training for future school principals.
Follow-up: Title I U.S. Department of Education Funding Method
NDDPI requests your input to help ensure Title I funds continue to reach the students and schools with the greatest need. Please complete the survey below by Sept. 15, 2025. Your feedback will guide our work to maintain equitable opportunities and support for educationally disadvantaged students. If you have questions, please contact Angie Richter.
Beginning this school year, NDDPI joined most of the nation in implementing the U.S. Department of Education’s (USED) comprehensive method for calculating Title I allocations. This approach uses U.S. Census Bureau estimates of income and poverty for all states and counties, determined through four different formulas. While these are not direct counts, they are statistical models that incorporate census data, household surveys, population figures, and other poverty indicators (e.g., tax records, SNAP benefits) to provide the most accurate estimates possible for administering and allocating federal funds.
Previously, NDDPI relied on a weighted alternative poverty formula that combined census data, foster care counts, and free and reduced lunch numbers to determine eligibility and allocations for districts with populations under 20,000.
Your participation in the survey will help us evaluate this change and ensure North Dakota’s students continue to receive the support they need.
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: What will happen to EduTech after July 1, 2026?
A: EduTech staff are NDIT employees. NDIT leaders have the sole authority to determine their staffing strategies and will ultimately be the decision-makers in aligning their employees to their agency’s needs. NDDPI does not play a role in this process.
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