North Dakota Academic Progression of Learning and Understanding of Students or ND A-PLUS (ND A+) is a new, connected system of assessments that includes state-provided formative assessments, interim assessments, and a statewide summative assessment. The North Dakota Content Standards serve as the foundation for the entire ND A+ assessment system, with all three types of assessments strongly aligned to the standards. The assessments within the system, each with a unique use and purpose, connect together to provide multiple pieces of evidence and support educators, schools, and districts in creating a more coherent, comprehensive story of student learning.
ND A+ Summative:
The NDDPI supervises the development, implementation, and evaluation of the ND A+ Summative, the new statewide summative assessment (starting in Spring 2025 and replacing the NDSA) that measures student performance against the state's challenging content and achievement standards in select academic subjects and grades. The ND A+ Summative consists of general, criterion-referenced assessments for all students in grades 3-8 and 10 in English language arts/literacy and mathematics, and in grades 4, 8, and 10 in science. The NDDPI administers all aspects of the ND A+ Summative, ensuring that each assessment meets rigorous program requirements for validity and reliability, inclusion, technical quality, and reporting.
ND A+ Interim:
The ND A+ Interim is an assessment given at multiple checkpoints throughout the year to measure in-year growth and student progress towards end of year proficiency goals. The ND A+ Interim and ND A+ Summative have been designed and developed with common features and tools to ensure alignment throughout the ND A+ system and provide a way to predict summative performance based on interims results. The ND A+ Interims meet the newly created interim assessment law via the state-provided option (NDCC 15.1-21-17.1) and are provided at no cost to the school districts.
ND A+ Formative:
The ND A+ formative assessments include Navvy and WriteUp!, tools designed to provide educators with timely, instructionally relevant information about student learning. Navvy is a standard-by-standard assessment designed with the flexibility to be used throughout the year, providing teachers with actionable, standard-level evidence of student learning at a grain size they can use to inform instruction. WriteUp! is an interactive, AI-powered writing feedback platform that provides students with immediate, actionable feedback aligned to North Dakota’s writing rubrics. Together, Navvy and WriteUp! support educators in using ongoing evidence of student learning to inform support, next steps, and instruction and help students make progress toward grade-level expectations.
For further information, please visit the ND A+ Portal or contact the Office of Assessment.
House Bill (HB) 1389 went into effect on August 1, 2017. This bill states, “A student's parent may direct the school district in which the student is enrolled not to administer to the student any state test or state assessment required in accordance with section 15.1-21-08.”
The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction has provided a standard form to districts to be used in obtaining a parent directive to withhold the administration of a student assessment. This form is required to be on a district’s website.
Parents will need to complete an individual form for each student and each assessment from which they wish to be exempt, as well as the school year in which they are requesting an exemption. The form is to be completed each year by the parent in order for the student to be exempt in the current school year. School districts are required to retain the form in the student’s file and to report this information. Parental Directive reporting is available throughout the school year. Districts will need to work with their schools to report any Parental Directive data directly in their STARS Enrollment Report.
The following 123 North Dakota public school districts have opted to use the ND A+ Interim Assessments and the ND A+ formative assessments, Navvy and WriteUp!, during the 2026–2027 school year:
| Alexander | Anamoose | Ashley |
| Barnes County North | Belcourt | Belfield |
| Billings County | Bismarck | Bottineau |
| Bowbells | Bowman County | Burke Central |
| Carrington | Cavalier | Central Cass |
| Dakota Prairie | Devils Lake | Dickinson |
| Drake | Drayton | Dunseith |
| Edgeley | Eight Mile | Elgin-New Leipzig |
| Ellendale | Emerado | Enderlin Area |
| Fairmount | Fargo | Fessenden-Bowdon |
| Finley-Sharon | Flasher | Ft Totten |
| Ft Yates | Glen Ullin | Garrison |
| Grafton | Grand Forks | Glenburn |
| Hankinson | Harvey | Griggs County Central |
| Hope-Page | Horse Creek | Hillsboro |
| Kidder County | Killdeer | Jamestown |
| Larimore | Lidgerwood | LaMoure |
| Lisbon | Litchville-Marion | Linton |
| Maddock | Mandaree | Little Heart |
| Manvel | Maple Valley | Manning |
| May-Port CG | McKenzie County | Marmarth |
| Menoken | Midkota | Medina |
| Milnor | Minnewaukan | Midway |
| Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood | Montpelier | Minot |
| Mt Pleasant | Munich | Mott-Regent |
| Nedrose | New Rockford-Sheyenne | Napoleon |
| New Town | Newburg-United | New Salem-Almont |
| North Sargent | North Star | North Border |
| Northwood | Oakes | Northern Cass |
| Richland | Rolette | Powers Lake |
| Sargent Central | Sawyer | Roosevelt |
| Selfridge | Solen | Scranton |
| South Prairie | St John | South Heart |
| Starkweather | Sterling | Stanley |
| Surrey | Sweet Briar | Strasburg |
| Thompson | Tioga | TGU |
| United | Valley City | Turtle Lake-Mercer |
| Velva | Wahpeton | Valley-Edinburg |
| West Fargo | Westhope | Warwick |
| Williston Basin | Wilton | White Shield |
| Wyndmere | Yellowstone | Wishek |