North Dakota
Teaching Standards and Leadership Standards
Teaching Standards
Is working with and meeting the needs of students with disabilities addressed in state teaching standards?
North Dakota’s professional education standards board, the Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB), adopted the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Model Core Teaching Standards for program approval of the State’s 12 educator preparation programs. North Dakota adopted the InTASC Standards as the operative standards upon which the statewide teacher performance evaluation system is to be based. Standards 1, 2, 6 and 7 address student diversity and establish the expectation that teachers adapt instruction to support every student.
- Standard 1. Learner Development. The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
- Standard 2. Learning Differences. The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
- Standard 6. Assessment: The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
- Standard 7. Planning for Instruction. The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
Sources:
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Teacher Evaluation Guidelines
CCSSO Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC), Model Core Teaching Standards: A Resource for State Dialogue
School Leadership Standards
Is knowledge of working with students with disabilities included in leader standards?
The North Dakota ESPB adopted the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards for School Leaders for program approval of all of the State’s educational leader programs. The state has adopted the ISLLC Standards as the operative standards upon which the statewide principal performance evaluation system is to be based. The ISLLC standards articulate the common principles and foundations of effective school leadership that are necessary to improve student achievement. They organize the functions that help define strong, effective school leadership under six general standards. While the standards do not specifically require knowledge of working with students with disabilities, they establish the expectation that “an education leader promotes the success of every student.”
Sources:
North Dakota DPI, Principal Evaluation Guidelines
CCSSO, Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), Education Leadership Policy Standards
Teacher and Principal Preparation
Teacher Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Required course work in teaching students with disabilities/diverse learners
The North Dakota ESPB Program Approval Standards require a minimum of two semester hours of coursework in Native American studies, cultural diversity, strategies for creating learning environments that contribute to positive human relationships, and strategies for teaching and assessing diverse learners (e.g., universal design for learning, response to intervention, early intervention, positive behavior interventions and supports). The Standards also require 22 semester hours of coursework in “educational foundations, educational psychology, child development, teaching and learning theory, educational diagnosis and assessment, inclusive education, educational technology, classroom and behavioral management, and human relations specific to teaching.”
Sources:
North Dakota Administrative Code (N.D.A.C.)§ 67.1-02-02-07
North Dakota ESPB, Program Approval Standards
Clinical time in diverse settings/teaching special populations
Student teachers must be assigned by preparation programs to a cooperating school on a “full-time block”. A full-time block is defined as a full day for 10 consecutive weeks (with exceptions documented through program approval). The student teacher must be placed in a classroom where the cooperating teacher is regularly assigned. Additional student teaching experiences are determined by the training institution.
Sources:
N.D.A.C. § 67.1-02-01-01
North Dakota ESPB, Program Approval Standards
Teacher Preparation – Accountability
Quality of teacher preparation programs
The state program approval process – governed by the ESPB and utilizing Board-approved Program Approval Standards – requires teacher education programs to undergo review on a seven-year cycle. The ESPB releases annual data on teacher preparation program completers. Otherwise, North Dakota does not collect program-specific, objective data that reflect program performance. Further, the state does not provide the public with meaningful, readily understandable indicators of how well programs are doing.
Sources:
National Council on Teacher Quality, 2012 State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Improving Teacher Preparation in North Dakota
North Dakota ESPB, Program Approval Standards
Principal Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Require course work in leading a school/district that serves students with disabilities/diverse learners
State regulations outline coursework requirements for the elementary and secondary principal credentials. They do not specifically require coursework in leading a school that serves special education students/diverse learners.
Source: N.D.A.C. §§ 67-11-02-05 and 67-11-06-05
Principal Preparation – Accountability
Are programs reviewed based on outcomes of graduates’ success? Can school principals be linked back to institutions of higher education and preparation programs?
Apart from state program approval requirements, our state policy analysis did not identify the existence of a state accountability system for school administrator preparation programs.
Source: N.D.A.C. §§ 67-11-02-05 and 67-11-06-05
Teacher and Principal Certification/Licensure
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Structure
Is a specific certificate, license or endorsement related to special education required?
North Dakota offers both K-12 and grade-specific certification for special education teachers. The state no longer requires a dual major in a content area as well as a special education major. Further, the state does not hold its elementary special education teachers to the same preparation and testing requirements as general elementary teachers.
Source: National Council on Teacher Quality, 2012 State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Improving Teacher Preparation in North Dakota
Teacher Certification – Examination
Does the state require teachers to pass a basic skills exam for initial certification? What are the pass rates on the exams? Does the state require Praxis II or more pedagogical assessment for licensure? Does it include anything about teaching diverse learners or special populations?
Beginning teachers in all content areas must pass all three Core Academic Skillstests in either format. Candidates must also take Praxis II tests for each area of certification. Elementary, Middle and Secondary education all require candidates take Principles of Teaching and Learning. It is also required for World Languages and Special Education.
Sources:
ETS, North Dakota Testing Requirements
Email communication from ND ESPB, October 2, 2014
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is professional development around working with special populations required to move from initial to a professional license?
North Dakota licensure rules do not require professional development around working with special populations for teachers to move from a Level I to a Level II license.
Source: N.D.A.C. §§ 67.1-02-02-04 and 67.1-02-05-06
Principal Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is prior teaching experience required to become a principal and/or a superintendent? Is specific coursework or other evidence required around working with special populations?
North Dakota requires school leaders to obtain a master’s degree, have prior teaching experience, and complete a state-approved preparation program.
Principals: Candidates must have a valid North Dakota educator professional license and at least three years of teaching or administrative experience. A master’s degree from a state-approved program in educational administration and specified hours of graduate credit taken in a master’s degree program are required for level I and level II credentials.
Superintendents: Candidates must hold a valid North Dakota teaching license and complete at least three years of teaching experience verified in a letter of recommendation by a supervisor or employer. Candidates must also have at least two years of verified administrative experience comprised of at least half time as an elementary or secondary principal, a central office administrator, or an administrator of an approved school with a twelve-year program. Candidates must have completed the requirements for the level I elementary or secondary principal credential and eight additional hours of coursework specific to the superintendency.
Sources:
N.D.A.C. §§ 67-11-02-05, 67-11-06-05, and 67-11-07-05
ECS, Administrator License Requirements, Portability, Waivers and Alternative Certification
George W. Bush Institute, Operating in the Dark
Email communication from ND ESPB, October 2, 2014
Teacher and Principal Induction
Teacher Induction
Is mentoring required for all new teachers and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically address teaching diverse learners?
The North Dakota Teacher Support System, operated by the ESPB, provides induction for first-year teachers. It must select and train experienced teachers who will serve as mentors for first-year teachers and assist the first-year teachers with instructional skills development. By law, the ESPB may provide support services to teachers employed by school districts, special education units, area career and technology centers, regional education associations, and schools funded by the bureau of Indian education. Additionally, teachers who seek a Teaching Alternative Flexibility Endorsement must be provided “intensive supervision or structured mentoring” during their first year “to become highly qualified in the additional subjects.” [ESPB Administrative Rules §67.1-02-03-11]
Sources:
New Teacher Center, Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction
North Dakota Century Code, Chapter 15.1-18.2
Principal Induction
Is coaching/mentoring required for all new principals/administrators/ superintendents and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically serving diverse learners?
The state does not require new school administrators to receive induction support.
Source: New Teacher Center, Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction
Teacher and Principal Professional Development Standards
Teacher Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for teacher PD?
In 2009, the ESPB endorsed the Professional Learning Standards developed by Learning Forward. A contracted teacher is required to complete 4 semester hours every five years.
Source: North Dakota ESPB, Professional Development
Principal Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for leadership PD?
In 2009, the ESPB endorsed the Professional Learning Standards developed by Learning Forward.
Source: North Dakota ESPB, Professional Development