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NDDPI Messenger
October 30, 2026
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NDDPI Announces the Preliminary Review of Accountability Data Prior to Public Release
Annually, state education departments are required to create an accountability report for every public school in the state. On Monday, the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) released preliminary accountability reports through an internal test site uatinsights.edportal.nd.gov to provide schools an opportunity to review performance results privately by Nov. 10, before the public release.
Note: To view information on the test site, you must be connected to the state's network, STAGEnet.
The Accountability, Support, and Improvement webpage has been updated with new resources to support your work. The information found on these webpages supports school improvement and accountability efforts. Be sure to visit the page to explore these resources and stay informed.
School and district administrators should carefully review the data used to create the School Accountability Reports. There is only a short window of time to ask questions, get clarification, or appeal data before the reports are made available to the public. Review the memo and guidance within for details. Additionally, NDDPI hosted a training session on reviewing school data within Insights and the K-12 Reporting and Analytics site. The session was recorded and shared on the website.
For questions about North Dakota's accountability process, contact Stan Schauer.
Maintaining Federal Meal Program Funding Under Potential Policy Changes
NDDPI has been fielding multiple questions about federal funding, in the event of a voter-approved change. To be clear, federal funding such as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Title programs will continue to flow into the state based on multiple poverty metrics. NDDPI wants to assure schools that it has proactively planned strategies to preserve free/reduced percentages.
Some of the strategies include:
- Participation in Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and Provision 2, which are federal provisions that do not require annual collection of applications
- Aligning state reimbursement to federal rates so that schools are reimbursed at the existing free‑meal rate for all reimbursable meals served
- Continuing to maximize participation in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs to ensure all meals receive reimbursement at the free/reduced rate
As always. NDDPI will continue to work to ensure that federal funding flows uninterrupted and that districts’ free/reduced eligibility numbers remain stable.
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Opportunities for Support
BRIDGE Open Office Hours: NDDPI and project partners will continue holding general Office Hours on a regular basis. Our next session is scheduled for Nov. 10, 12–1 p.m. CST.
Quarter 1 Grading Reminder
As districts finalize Quarter 1 reporting, remember that grade point average (GPA) calculations in Infinite Campus are highly dependent on local district configuration, and grades must be posted before they can impact GPA calculations. If a grading window remains open, authorized staff can still update or correct grades after the grades are stored, allowing GPA calculations to be adjusted as needed. Districts experiencing issues with GPA reporting should review their grading and GPA setup and consult Infinite Campus support resources for assistance.
STARS Validations Reenabled
All STARS validations have now been re-enabled.
Districts may resume normal validation activities within STARS. Any records previously submitted that generated validation messages should be reviewed and corrected as needed to ensure data accuracy and successful reporting.
As a reminder, maintaining clean and accurate data remains an important part of supporting statewide reporting processes. Districts are encouraged to review outstanding validation errors and warnings to confirm data quality and compliance with reporting requirements.
If you have questions or need assistance resolving validation issues, please submit a ServiceNow Incident and reference BRIDGE.
ACT Score Updates
NDDPI will be pushing student ACT test scores to district instances on a bi-monthly cadence. The next score push is planned for early November. Districts can expect continued updates on this schedule as well as other assessment-related data pushes as more score data becomes available.
WorkKeys Test Structure
The WorkKeys test structure has been published from the Infinite Campus State Edition to all District Editions. Districts are responsible for entering their students’ WorkKeys test scores into Infinite Campus when applicable.
NDDPI Resource Hub – Latest Resources
The NDDPI Resource Hub latest documents section has new guidance available and outlined below:
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Title I Schoolwide Reporting Training Dates
Reminder:Schools in a schoolwide planning year are required to attend the following trainings. All webinars run from 3 to 4 p.m. Central time. Links for the remaining sessions will be sent closer to each date.
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Nov. 19 – Targeted Assistance/Schoolwide (TA/SW) Record-Keeping and Monitoring webinar. Join the meeting here
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Jan. 21, 2027 – Midyear Schoolwide Title I Reporting Review
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March 25, 2027 – Requirements for Annual Schoolwide Title I Reporting
Please mark your calendars. We hope to see you there!
For questions, please contact Michelle Siegfried at (701) 328-3544.
NEW Title I Schoolwide Record Keeping Item: Annual 80% Staff Commitment
Each fall, schools operating a Title I schoolwide program are required to conduct a pulse check to verify that at least 80% of staff remain committed to the schoolwide program. Given changes in staff, administration, and student populations over time, it is important to periodically confirm this commitment. A successful schoolwide program depends on staff dedication and support to help students achieve the intended outcomes of the program.
Schools may collect this documentation during a staff meeting, a professional development day or another way the school chooses. Schools may use the same form from their schoolwide planning year or create their own. The district should keep the documentation on file. It only needs to be submitted to NDDPI during a monitoring review.
Schools can also decide which staff members to include. Some collect signatures only from certified staff, while others include paraprofessionals. A few document commitment from all staff, including custodial, office, nutrition and other support staff.
For questions, please contact Michelle Siegfried at (701) 328-3544.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES |
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Free Professional Development Opportunities
The NDDPI Office of Special Education (SPED) offers free professional development to general and special educators, administrators, paraprofessionals, and related service providers on the ND Educational Hub.
Courses run live through May 14 and will be offered again in summer 2027 to ensure ongoing access and support for educators. Find the courses on the ND Educational Hub under Statewide Professional Development > Specially Designed Services (SPED).
For questions, please contact Allison Miller.
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CISA Virtual Training: K-12 Active Threat Tabletop Exercise
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) Exercises Program and School Safety Task Force will host a virtual training on conducting a K-12 active threat tabletop exercise Nov. 10, from noon to 1 p.m. CST, via Microsoft Teams.
Tabletop exercises offer a low-stress, discussion-based way for schools and districts to practice their emergency operations plans, identify gaps and strengthen preparedness. The session will cover CISA's Tabletop Exercise Packages, customizable resources for initiating exercises, guiding scenario discussions and developing after-action reports, with a focus on the K-12 Active Threat package. Attendees will also have a chance to ask questions about emergency planning exercises.
The training is especially relevant for school and district administrators, security staff, emergency management professionals and other school-based personnel. The Teams link will be sent to registrants one day before the event.
For questions, contact the CISA School Safety Task Force at SchoolSafety@cisa.dhs.gov.
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 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!
 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.
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The NDDPI Messenger is sent out on a weekly or as-needed basis. Visit our website to view previous bulletins.
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