North Dakotans can now review updated school accountability reports and the first results from the state’s new ND A+ summative assessment, State School Superintendent Levi Bachmeier announced Friday.
The information—published on the state’s Insights education portal—comes as part of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires states to release annual accountability reports for every public school. North Dakota’s report is developed in collaboration with a committee that includes parents, educators, administrators, and lawmakers.
“Honest competition and transparency help make everyone better,” Bachmeier said. “This information helps districts understand who to look to for best practices and helps citizens ask thoughtful questions about educational outcomes.”
Accountability Measures and How Schools Are Evaluated
For grades K–8, accountability ratings are based on academic achievement and improvement, student engagement, and the progress of English Learner students.
High school accountability incorporates graduation rates, test scores, English Learner growth, GED completion, student engagement surveys, and the number of seniors deemed “Choice Ready”—a statewide measure of preparedness for college, career, or military service.
Choice Ready and Graduation Rates Improve
This year’s reports show notable progress. The share of students considered Choice Ready rose from 71% in 2023–24 to 73% in 2024–25. The statewide four-year graduation rate also increased by 2%, driven largely by a 7% jump in graduation rates among Native American students.
Assessment and Choice Ready data for all North Dakota public schools are available on the Insights website. Users can explore statewide, district, and school-level information by selecting “Explore Public K-12” and navigating to “Data for Specific District or School.” Some student-group data may be withheld when groups contain fewer than 10 students to protect privacy.
New ND A+ Assessment Debuts
The 2024–25 academic year marks the rollout of ND A+, North Dakota’s revamped statewide assessment. The state adopted a new test provider, new question bank, and new proficiency cut scores aligned to updated academic standards in English and mathematics.
Because of these major changes, Bachmeier cautioned against comparing this year’s scores to those from prior years. However, he said the redesigned assessment will become increasingly valuable.
North Dakota families “will find the new testing program much more helpful as it progresses,” Bachmeier said, noting that the system will allow for clearer comparisons among schools, subjects, districts, and student groups while supporting long-term goal setting for students.
School Improvement Efforts Continue
As part of ongoing accountability and improvement efforts, the state identifies schools with persistent academic challenges as “Targeted Support and Improvement” (TSI) or “Comprehensive Support and Improvement” (CSI). These schools receive direct support from the Department of Public Instruction through funding, guidance, and improvement resources. A full list is available on the NDDPI website.
North Dakota schools also maintain annual improvement plans that include “strategy maps” laying out each school’s educational priorities.
With the release of the new accountability reports and assessment data, state officials say families and educators now have clearer tools to track progress and engage in informed conversations about student achievement across North Dakota.
By DNU Staff