North Dakota Department of Public Instruction

Earlier today, Superintendent Levi Bachmeier visited Hebron Elementary School to celebrate their National Distinguished Schools Award in person. 🏆 Bachmeier joined students and staff for an assembly, toured classrooms, and met with the school administration — all in recognition of Hebron's outstanding academic growth over the past two years. Congratulations again to all the students, teachers, and staff at Hebron Elementary!

A national report that supports reforming high schools says North Dakota has already implemented many of its recommendations, including emphasis on competency-based student learning, the ability to earn college credits in high school, and opportunities for apprenticeships and internships. The report by the XQ Institute, a nonprofit organization based in Oakland, California, highlights 10 policies to promote high school improvement, which affect everything from instructional methods to testing and student transcripts. North Dakota is one of 10 states that has already embraced six of these policy goals, the most that have been adopted so far by any state, the report says. https://lnkd.in/gCWK4rNX

Two North Dakota elementary schools are being honored for outstanding academic achievement! Hebron Elementary and Finley-Sharon Elementary have both earned Distinguished Schools Awards from the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators — recognizing them as top 10% schools in math and English/language arts for two consecutive years. For Finley-Sharon, this is the second year in a row earning the honor. State Superintendent Levi Bachmeier will be visiting both schools to celebrate their students, teachers, and staff who make it happen every day. Congratulations to both schools on this well-deserved recognition! https://rebrand.ly/boq726t

We brought a little red, white, and blue to our all-staff meeting today! In the spirit of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and especially to cheer on Bismarck native and Light of Christ Catholic Schools graduate Britta Curl-Salemme, the NDDPI team showed our support by sporting patriotic attire. It’s always exciting to rally behind a North Dakota athlete on the world stage. We’re proud to be cheering you on, Britta! 🏅 #TeamUSA

Today at the State Capitol: LifeSmarts in Action! NDDPI was proud to join the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions for the 2026 North Dakota LifeSmarts Competition, where middle and high school students put their knowledge of personal finance, consumer rights, technology, health and safety, and the environment to the test. 🏛️ Gov. Kelly Armstrong welcomed student teams 💼 Treasurer Thomas Beadle served as a guest judge 🎙️ Superintendent Levi Bachmeier shared remarks highlighting the importance of financial literacy in North Dakota schools LifeSmarts supports the goals of House Bill 1533 by building real-world financial skills that help students make informed decisions now and into adulthood. With eight teams competing this year and continued success on the national stage, North Dakota students are proving they’re ready for the future. 👏 Congratulations to all the students, educators, and partners who made today’s event a success!

📣 Now Hiring: Account Budget Specialist NDDPI is seeking an Account Budget Specialist to join our Fiscal team and support financial operations that advance education across North Dakota. This position will provide fiscal support for office budgets and grant-funded programs, monitor expenditures, ensure compliance with state and federal requirements, and assist program staff and external partners with fiscal policy and reporting. Highlights: • Support fiscal operations for budgets, grants, and federal programs • Interpret and apply state and federal fiscal laws and regulations • Monitor expenditures, prepare financial reports, and ensure compliance • Provide technical assistance to staff and external partners Qualifications: • Bachelor's degree with emphasis in accounting, business, or related field; OR • Associate's degree with emphasis in accounting, business, or related field and 2 years of related accounting experience; OR • High school diploma (or GED) and 4 years of related accounting experience Preferred qualifications: • Strong analytical and Excel skills • Knowledge of accounting principles, budgeting, and grant compliance • Experience with financial systems and federal reporting requirements 👉 Make a statewide impact through fiscal accountability. Apply today! https://lnkd.in/g9-Xc6cH

We’re excited to announce the 2026 North Dakota LifeSmarts Competition! The North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions will host this year’s event on Thursday, February 5, in the Brynhild Haugland Room at the State Capitol. Event highlights include: Governor Armstrong welcoming student teams Treasurer Beadle serving as a guest judge Superintendent Bachmeier sharing remarks during the lunch break We’re proud to support financial literacy and real-world learning opportunities for students across North Dakota!

State School Superintendent Levi Bachmeier announced Thursday that Morgan Forness, superintendent of the Central Cass public school in Casselton, has been appointed to the State Board of Public School Education. Forness succeeds Bachmeier, who was formerly one of six Board of Public School Education members who represent groups of counties on the board. Forness will represent Barnes, Cass, Grand Forks, Griggs, Nelson, Steele, and Traill counties. He will serve the remainder of Bachmeier’s term, which ends June 30, 2030. Gov. Kelly Armstrong appointed Forness from a list of candidates submitted by the presidents of North Dakota United, the North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders, and the North Dakota School Boards Association. https://rebrand.ly/a7c430

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀! State School Superintendent Levi Bachmeier is inviting families, students, educators, and community members to participate in a statewide education survey to share perspectives on key issues affecting students, schools, and the future of education across North Dakota. “With a shared definition of success, I believe North Dakota can lead the nation with America’s best schools,” Bachmeier said. “This survey provides an opportunity for citizens across our state to share their priorities so we can ensure our definition of educational success considers perspectives both inside and outside our schools.” The online survey is open to the public through 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗙𝗲𝗯. 𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲. Take the survey: https://rebrand.ly/y0t1tn9

Governor Kelly Armstrong will have three finalists to choose from for a vacancy on the North Dakota Board of Higher Education. A nominating committee on Tuesday agreed to forward three names for the governor to consider in filling the opening. The finalists are: • Michelle Kommer, Fargo, a human resources and employee benefits consultant, who is a former state commerce and labor commissioner and director of Job Service North Dakota; • Stan Schauer, Bismarck, director of assessments, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction; and • Darin Scherr, Bismarck, business and operations manager for Bismarck Public Schools. Armstrong’s choice will succeed Levi Bachmeier, who resigned from the board in November when he took office as North Dakota’s new superintendent of public instruction. The new board member will be responsible for completing Bachmeier’s four-year term on the board, which ends June 30, 2029. The Board of Higher Education oversees and sets policy for the 11 institutions in North Dakota University System.