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NDDPI Messenger
October 9, 2026
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Opportunities for Support
BRIDGE Open Office Hours: The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) and project partners will continue holding general Office Hours on a weekly basis. Our next session is scheduled for next Wednesday, Oct. 14, 12–1 p.m. CDT.
ACT Scores Now Available in Infinite Campus
American College Testing (ACT) scores from the 2025–26, 2024–25, and 2023–24 school years were successfully pushed into Infinite Campus this week. Districts can now view and utilize these assessment results within their local Infinite Campus instance.
If you encounter any issues or have questions about these updates, please contact the BRIDGE team or submit a ServiceNow incident/ticket.
Civics Test Dates Being Published to Infinite Campus
NDDPI is currently publishing civics test dates to district editions of Infinite Campus using data from PowerSchool. This effort includes civics assessments taken since 2022 and is intended to ensure districts have access to complete and accurate testing records within Infinite Campus.
At this time, approximately two-thirds of the historical civics test date data has been successfully published. NDDPI continues to work through the remaining records and expects the publication process to be completed next week.
Districts may notice additional civics test dates appearing in Infinite Campus as the remaining data is processed. No action is required at this time. NDDPI will continue monitoring the publication effort to ensure all eligible records are loaded accurately.
EL Exit Date
English Learner (EL) exit information, along with ACCESS and Alt‑ACCESS scores, must first flow correctly through STARS before it can be pushed down to district Infinite Campus sites. While exit dates are fully available in STARS, the automated process that delivers this data to districts is still being finalized with our technical partners. recommendation is for districts to reference STARS exports to verify which students have officially exited EL services. NDDPI is working to complete the Infinite Campus pushdown, and updates will be shared as soon as the data begins flowing as expected.
EL exit information, along with ACCESS and Alt‑ACCESS scores, must first flow correctly through STARS before it can be pushed down to district Infinite Campus sites. While exit dates are fully available in STARS, the automated process that delivers this data to districts is still being finalized with our technical partners. recommendation is for districts to reference STARS exports to verify which students have officially exited EL services. NDDPI is working to complete the Infinite Campus pushdown, and updates will be shared as soon as the data begins flowing as expected.
SPED STARS Data-Flow
STARS dataflow issues are having a bigger impact on Special Education (SPED) students because SPED records depend on very precise enrollment information and several required dates. When a student’s enrollment doesn’t match between Infinite Campus and STARS, their SPED documents or program records may not appear correctly, especially for students who receive services across districts or in special placements. With most validations still turned off during statewide cleanup, some of these issues are only now becoming visible. NDDPI is actively working to stabilize these data flows, we will continue to share updates as fixes are completed.
NDDPI Resource Hub — Latest Resources
The NDDPI Resource Hub latest documents section has new guidance available and outlined below:
- SNP Technical Office Hours (10.07.2026)
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Verification Process for Free and Reduced‑price Meal Applications Starts Oct. 1, 2026
Title I Training Materials and Schoolwide Planning
Thank you to everyone who attended the annual Title I training held Oct. 1.
Title I Training Materials: If you attended the training but have not received the PowerPoint presentations and handouts, or if you were unable to attend and would like the materials, please contact Lisa Johnson.
Schoolwide Action Item: If your school is interested in transitioning from a targeted assistance program to a schoolwide program this year, please share the webinar found here Title I Schoolwide at a Glance with your staff and email the two initial schoolwide planning-year forms to Michelle Siegfried by Oct. 29.
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USED: Defend the Spend
The U.S. Department of Education (USED) announced that beginning Nov. 1, NDDPI and school districts with direct grants from USED must submit a brief justification, no more than 255 characters, for every payment request in the G5 system. Grantees were notified of this change in late September 2026. View this notification here.
Known grants that districts receive directly from the USED that will be impacted by this include:
- Title V, Part B: Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) – Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA)
- Title VI: Indian Education
- Impact Aid
Each justification must include the program name, list expense categories with amounts that total the draw request and note the earliest and latest dates of the expenses. USED has issued a technical assistance document to guide grantees through the process.
Please note, districts that draw down their full grant in a single transaction may experience delays or be asked for additional information, as this practice can trigger a flag in the system.
G5 Support: Contact the Office of Business Support Services at OBSSHelpDesk@ed.gov and carbon copy your assigned ED contact.
Payment Management System (PMS) Support: For support on grants managed from the PMS system, please contact the PMS Support at PMSSupport@psc.hhs.gov and carbon copy your assigned ED contact.
ND Crunch Off Events Celebrate National Farm to School Month
October is National Farm to School Month, a time to highlight the positive impact of serving local foods in schools. Local purchasing supports North Dakota growers and ranchers while giving students access to fresh, nutritious products. Schools can find celebration ideas and resources in the National Farm to School Month toolkit.
One way to participate is by hosting a North Dakota Crunch Off event anytime from Oct. 1–31. The Crunch Off encourages schools, childcare centers, businesses, organizations and families to take a collective “crunch” into fruits and vegetables while supporting local producers. This year’s goal is 80,000 bites into local foods.
How to participate:
Anyone can join, simply crunch into a fresh fruit or vegetable and support the producers who help feed our communities.
Eligible crunch items:
- Locally-grown or raised: fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, popcorn, and meat (beef, pork, poultry, lamb, jerky, roasts, etc.)
- Scratch-made, value-added items do count. An example may include: local cucumbers with scratch-made tzatziki (the cucumbers count as your 'crunch' item)
- Regionally grown foods from programs like DOD Fresh or USDA Foods are also accepted. Even if you can’t find something local to bite into, you can still participate and register the event to help promote healthy eating habits
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Not included: liquids (milk/juice), purchased value-added items (like salsa, ice cream, sauces), grains, or deep-fried foods
Successes of North Dakota’s 2026 SUN Programs
When school is out for the summer, many children lose access to the healthy meals they rely on during the year. The Office of Child Nutrition and Food Distribution supports two summer nutrition programs (SUN) that help bridge this gap: SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) and SUN Meals (Summer Food Service Program).
SUN Bucks
SUN Bucks provides food benefits to families during the summer. CNFD partners with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services to administer the program. This summer:
- Each eligible child received $120 in benefits
- More than 45,000 cards were mailed statewide
- More than $5.4 million in benefits were distributed
Thank you to our school partners for assisting with outreach and supporting families throughout the process.
SUN Meals
SUN Meals offers free meals and snacks to children and teens 18 and under during summer break. This summer:
- More than 120 sites served meals in schools, parks, libraries and through mobile routes
- Nearly 500,000 meals were served, a 3% increase from last year
The program continues to grow thanks to strong partnerships with schools and community organizations. Schools interested in hosting a SUN Meals site next summer can contact the CNFD office for details on eligibility and operations.
WIDA ACCESS Testing: Planning for 2027
It is not too early to begin planning for the 2027 WIDA ACCESS assessment for EL. The testing window opens Jan. 25, 2027, and closes March 8, 2027.
School administrators, EL coordinators and teachers are encouraged to review the 2026-27 testing schedule and familiarize themselves with this year's ACCESS updates to ensure a smooth testing process.
For questions, contact Gwyn Marback.
Do You know About LaunchMyLifeND.com?
LaunchMyLifeND.com is a helpful website for individuals with disabilities and the families, educators and professionals who support them. It offers comprehensive resources for students with disabilities preparing for secondary transition.
This month, we are highlighting resources on learning. Students have many options for continuing their education after high school. Visit Learn – Launch My Life for information on college preparation, financial aid, training programs, college‑success strategies and more.
Help individuals with disabilities take the next step in their learning journey by sharing this resource.
For more information, visit the resources listed below.
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BARR Grant Opportunity Open
NDDPI is announcing the opening of the GRAD 701 funding opportunity, which supports middle and high schools working to strengthen graduation pathways and improve student success.
GRAD 701 will partially fund two schools at $60,000 per year for three years to implement the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) model, an evidence‑based approach shown to improve student engagement, attendance, academics, school climate and family engagement. Schools already receiving BARR support through the ND CLIMBS grant are not eligible.
The application opened Sept. 28 and is available on the NDDPI website under Special Education – GRAD 701. The application closes Oct. 30 at 4 p.m. CDT.
For more information, visit the GRAD 701 informational webinar, which provides details on eligibility, guidelines and the application process.
Don’t miss this opportunity to support student success and strengthen graduation outcomes across North Dakota.
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Congratulations to West Fargo Public Schools: September Tray of the Month
West Fargo Public Schools is the September Tray of the Month winner for its creative use of corn in school meals. The winning tray featured scratch‑made cornbread muffins paired with locally sourced corn on the cob.
Tray of the Month is a fun, optional activity that celebrates the creativity and dedication happening in school cafeterias across North Dakota. It highlights the delicious, nutritious meals served to students every day.
October themes: Farm to School Month and National School Lunch Week
Schools are encouraged to showcase local foods on their menus in recognition of Farm to School Month. National School Lunch Week runs Oct. 12–16 and features the theme “Cafeteria Circus.” Be a ringleader and show off your lunch creations by entering this month’s contests. Schools may submit two tray photos, one for each theme. Entries are due Oct. 30.
How to enter:
- Submit a high‑resolution photo of a full lunch tray (all components plus milk)
- Make sure the photo is well‑lit and in focus
- Students and staff may be included, as long as your district’s photo release process is followed
- Send photos to Amanda Olson
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS |
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ND Juniors and Seniors: Apply for the USSYP Scholarship Opportunity
North Dakota high school juniors and seniors with a passion for leadership, public service, and government are invited to apply for the prestigious U.S. Senate Youth Program (USSYP). Each year, two student delegates earn a fully funded week in Washington, D.C., where they meet national leaders, experience government up close, and participate in exclusive leadership sessions during Washington Week March 6–13, 2027. Delegates also receive a $12,500 undergraduate scholarship. This competitive, merit‑based program seeks students who demonstrate strong civic engagement and a commitment to serving their schools and communities. If you have a student leader ready for a life‑changing opportunity, encourage them to learn more and apply today.
Applications are due by midnight on Oct. 18. More information, including eligibility details and application instructions, is available through the USSYP website.
For questions, please contact Kassie Schaff.
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 Save the Date: 13th Annual North Dakota Indian Education Summit
Save the date to be part of the 13th Annual North Dakota Indian Education Summit in 2027! Where educators, leaders, and community partners come together to celebrate culture, elevate student success, and shape brighter futures. Gain new strategies, learn from inspiring Indigenous voices, build meaningful connections, and leave equipped with practical tools to better support Native students in every school across North Dakota.
 Save the Date: 2027 ND Literacy Summit
Join educators from across state for the 2027 North Dakota Literacy Summit, June 23–24, 2027 in Fargo, North Dakota. Mark your calendars and watch for registration to open in early 2027—more details coming soon!
The NDDPI Messenger is sent out on a weekly or as-needed basis. Visit our website to view previous bulletins.
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