Comprehensive guide to K-12 schools, higher education, homeschooling, and educational resources across North Dakota
Highest Since 2018
4th Grade NAEP 2024
Law Passed 2025
The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) provides oversight and leadership for the state's K-12 education system. The department is led by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, an elected position.
Superintendent Kirsten Baesler has served as North Dakota's State School Superintendent since January 2013. She was re-elected to a four-year term in November 2024. In February 2025, the U.S. Senate voted 51-46 to confirm Baesler as Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education under President Trump's administration, leading to her retirement from the state position.
North Dakota students demonstrated exceptional performance on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP):
Note: Massachusetts ranked No. 1 nationally in both 4th and 8th grade testing.
North Dakota achieved an 88% graduation rate in the 2018-2019 school year, reflecting strong student outcomes across the state.
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
600 E Boulevard Avenue, Dept. 201
Bismarck, ND 58505-0440
Website: nd.gov/dpi
North Dakota has 179 school districts serving approximately 116,639 students in 484 schools (2022 data). The state's school districts range from large urban systems to small rural districts.
| District | Location | Enrollment | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Fargo Public Schools | West Fargo | ~12,865 | Largest district in state; rapidly growing |
| Bismarck Public School District | Bismarck | ~11,484 | Second largest; state capital location |
| Fargo Public Schools | Fargo | ~11,000+ | Third largest; operates 24 schools |
| Minot Public School District | Minot | ~6,500 | Serves north central North Dakota |
| Grand Forks Public Schools | Grand Forks | ~7,500 | Home to University of North Dakota |
| Mandan Public Schools | Mandan | ~3,100 | Neighboring Bismarck |
| Williston Public Schools | Williston | ~2,800 | Serves northwestern region |
| Dickinson Public Schools | Dickinson | ~3,000 | Southwestern North Dakota |
| Jamestown Public Schools | Jamestown | ~2,600 | Southeast central region |
| Wahpeton Public Schools | Wahpeton | ~1,600 | Southeastern North Dakota |
North Dakota's largest individual high schools by enrollment:
For current enrollment data and detailed district information, visit the NDDPI Data page at nd.gov/dpi/data or the Insights of North Dakota portal at insights.nd.gov.
Governor Armstrong signed SB 2241 into law in 2025, creating a framework for establishing, funding, and operating public charter schools for the first time in North Dakota's history. The legislation takes effect August 1, 2025.
The 2025 North Dakota Legislature passed landmark charter school legislation:
Charter schools will be able to begin the authorization process starting August 1, 2025. The first charter schools could potentially open their doors for the 2026-27 school year, pending completion of the authorization and planning process.
North Dakota has moderate regulation for homeschooling, requiring parent qualifications, notification, standardized testing, and record-keeping. Approximately 4,500+ students (5.78% of K-12) were homeschooled in the 2023-24 school year.
North Dakota defines homeschooling as "a program of education supervised by a child's parent."
Children aged 7 to 16 must attend school through public, private, or home education programs.
Required: Parents must have a high school diploma or GED to homeschool their children in North Dakota.
Parents homeschooling under the home education program must:
Parents must track attendance to meet the 175 instructional days per year requirement.
North Dakota Century Code requires standardized testing:
Parents must maintain annual records including:
| Year/Period | Number of Students | Percentage of K-12 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ~1,200 | ~1% | Early baseline |
| Spring 2020 | ~3,300 | 2.8% | Pre-pandemic (U.S. Census estimate) |
| Fall 2020 | ~9,600 | 8.2% | Pandemic peak |
| Pandemic Height | 4,500+ | ~4% | Peak homeschool participation |
| 2022-23 | ~5,900 | 5.02% | Post-pandemic stabilization |
| 2023-24 | ~6,800 | 5.78% | Current enrollment |
Growth Trend: Homeschool enrollment in North Dakota has grown significantly from approximately 1,200 students in 2010 to over 4,500 at the pandemic's height. Current figures show approximately 6,800 students (5.78% of K-12) continue to homeschool.
North Dakota's higher education system includes eleven public colleges and universities in the North Dakota University System (NDUS), along with private colleges and tribal institutions. Fall 2024 enrollment reached 47,522 students, the highest since 2018.
The NDUS oversees eleven public institutions across the state with strong enrollment growth.
| Institution | Location | Enrollment | Specialization |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Dakota (UND) | Grand Forks | 15,844 | State flagship; all-time high enrollment; 5% growth; comprehensive research university |
| North Dakota State University (NDSU) | Fargo | 11,952 | Land-grant university; stabilizing enrollment; strong in agriculture, engineering |
| Minot State University (MSU) | Minot | ~3,000 | Comprehensive regional university |
| Dickinson State University (DSU) | Dickinson | ~1,400 | 10% enrollment increase; liberal arts focus |
| Valley City State University (VCSU) | Valley City | ~1,400 | Teacher education specialization |
| Mayville State University | Mayville | ~900 | Over 25% undergraduate student gain; teacher education |
| Bismarck State College (BSC) | Bismarck | ~4,000 | 8% enrollment increase; two-year college with technical programs |
| North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) | Wahpeton | ~3,000 | 9% enrollment jump; technical and career education |
| Lake Region State College (LRSC) | Devils Lake | ~1,000 | Two-year college; northeastern ND |
| Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) | Bottineau | ~500 | Two-year college; forestry and horticulture specialties |
| Williston State College (WSC) | Williston | 1,058 | 11% enrollment growth (highest percentage); increased from 912 students |
North Dakota has seven private universities:
North Dakota is home to five Tribal Colleges and Universities, out of thirty-seven accredited tribal colleges in the country. These institutions are:
The five tribal colleges serve North Dakota's Native American communities with culturally responsive higher education opportunities.
North Dakota University System
Website: ndus.edu
North Dakota faces a severe teacher shortage crisis, with every single teaching position in the state declared a hard-to-fill position. Teacher salaries rank 40th nationally, contributing to ongoing recruitment and retention challenges.
The Education Standards and Practices Board declared all content areas as critical shortage teaching positions at their February 13, 2025 meeting for the 2025-2026 school year. Every single teaching position in North Dakota has been designated as hard-to-fill.
The teacher recruitment situation in North Dakota has deteriorated dramatically:
In October 2024, the North Dakota Teacher Retention and Recruitment Task Force issued seven recommendations to address the crisis:
In May 2024, analysis revealed that North Dakota ranks dead last in teacher salary year-over-year increases nationally, despite the 3.24% increase. The combination of low base salaries and minimal increases makes it difficult for North Dakota to compete with neighboring states for qualified teachers.
The severe shortage affects all school districts across North Dakota:
North Dakota uses a foundation/base formula funding system to distribute state education dollars to school districts. The state's per-pupil formula amount for 2025 is approximately $11,072-$11,349.
The North Dakota Legislature considered increases to the per-pupil funding amount:
School districts rely heavily on the formula payment to cover operational expenses, making these increases critical for maintaining educational quality and competitive teacher salaries.
North Dakota uses a foundation/base formula funding system, one of the most common approaches among U.S. states. This formula aims to ensure a base level of funding for all students while accounting for local variations in property wealth and student needs.
For detailed information about school district finance, budgeting, and financial reporting, visit the NDDPI School District Finance page at nd.gov/dpi School District Finance. For comprehensive financial data, explore Insights of North Dakota.
North Dakota has a significant Native American population and strong commitment to tribal education, with five tribal colleges and recent legislation mandating Native American history curriculum in all schools.
Historic Legislation: SB 2304, passed in 2021, requires all elementary and secondary public and nonpublic schools in North Dakota to include curriculum on Native American history.
This landmark legislation ensures that all North Dakota students learn about the state's Indigenous peoples, their history, culture, and ongoing contributions to the state.
The NDDPI developed and promotes the North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings, a framework to help educators integrate Native American perspectives across the curriculum. These essential understandings cover:
| School | Location | Grades | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle of Nations - Wahpeton Indian Boarding School | Wahpeton | 5-8 | Operated by Tribal Government; funded by Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) |
| Theodore Jamerson Elementary School | Various | K-8 | Operated by Tribal Government; funded by BIE |
Historical Note: The Wahpeton Indian School operated from 1904-1993. In 1993, its name was changed to Circle of Nations School and came under tribal control, representing a shift from federal assimilation policies to tribally-directed education.
North Dakota is home to five of the nation's thirty-seven accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities. These institutions:
For more information, visit the North Dakota Tribal College System at ndtcs.org.
The NDDPI hosts an annual North Dakota Indian Education Summit designed to provide professional development and education on best practices in Indian education. The summit brings together educators, tribal leaders, and education professionals to:
The NDDPI's "NEED" (North Dakota Essential Education for Development) initiative focuses on engaging with the Native American community to improve educational outcomes and ensure that Indigenous perspectives are integrated throughout the education system.
North Dakota has a dedicated Department of Career and Technical Education separate from the Department of Public Instruction, emphasizing the state's commitment to career readiness.
Career and Technical Education consists of eight program areas developed to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed for college and career preparation.
The NDDPI provides oversight of special education programs within North Dakota and designs and implements policies for carrying out the requirements of the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act).
The IDEA ensures that all children and youth with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.
The North Dakota SSIP focuses on increasing the six-year extended graduation rate of students identified with emotional disability as a primary disability.
IEP teams must include transition planning in the first IEP that will be in effect when the child is 16 years of age, or younger if deemed appropriate by the IEP team.
In 2021, NDDPI was granted authority to administer certificates for Special Education Technicians in North Dakota. Certified technicians can:
Every school district must provide special education to children with qualifying disabilities. School districts are organized into special education "units" consisting of:
Each unit employs a special education director to coordinate services.
The North Dakota Department of Human Services received a $6,756,103 Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B–5) in December 2022 to promote family engagement and expand infrastructure.
Programs are intended to serve at least 50% of children who:
North Dakota Century Code 15.1-09-58 requires collaborative effort between NDDPI and the ND Department of Human Services to approve local school districts' pre-kindergarten programs. Title I pre-K programs are encouraged to align curriculum with the North Dakota Early Learning Standards Birth-Kindergarten.
North Dakota has a rich heritage of one-room schools that served as both educational institutions and community hubs in rural areas.
The number of one-room schools dramatically decreased between 1945 and 1961:
Only five one-room schools remain active in North Dakota today, primarily in the remoter reaches of the state, most notably in the Badlands area.
A dedicated Midwesterner has taken it upon herself to locate and document surviving one-room schools across North Dakota. To date, she has personally accounted for 721 of these historical buildings, preserving their legacy for future generations.
Last updated on November 24, 2025