News

State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler praised seven North Dakota high school seniors who were named as semifinalists for Presidential Scholar honors, which is one of the nation’s most prestigious education awards.

State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler successfully pushed the U.S. Department of Education to agree to grant North Dakota’s schools more local control and flexibility in managing federal aid that benefits students from low-income homes.

State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler on Wednesday asked North Dakotans to apply for a state Board of Higher Education seat that is coming open July 1.

State School Superintendent and Gov. Doug Burgum have collaborated on a request to the U.S. Department of Education to waive all federally mandated student assessments for the 2019-20 school year.

Governor Burgum, with State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler, provided updated guidance to K-12 school districts after the governor on Sunday ordered schools closed this week to slow the spread of COVID-19 and provide time to gather more data, better assess coronavirus testing and treatment capability, and allow school districts to plan for educating their students in the event of an extended COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Doug Burgum today announced that K-12 schools which were closed this week by executive order will not have to make up the instructional time later this school year.

BISMARCK, N.D. – By executive order, Gov. Doug Burgum today ordered the closure of North Dakota K-12 schools in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 based on guidance from public school superintendents, medical experts and the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH).  

Update from ND Superintendent Kirsten Baesler: The situation is constantly evolving. North Dakota leaders have been meeting around the clock since Friday afternoon. 

Update from ND Superintendent Kirsten Baesler: I am aware of the Minnesota directive to close schools this week.

ND State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler and Governor Doug Burgum say the governor will not order the state’s schools closed for now, because information about the presence of COVID-19 in North Dakota does not justify that step. There has been one confirmed COVID-19 case in Ward County, and there have been no documented cases of spread within a community.