NDDPI Seeks Comment on ESSA Plan Changes
North Dakota's education department is taking public comment on proposed amendments to its federally required Every Student Succeeds Act State Plan.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Administration
Live Poll
Do you think North Dakota schools receive a fair share of federal education funding?
The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction is accepting public comment from November 9 through December 7 on a proposed amendment to the state's Every Student Succeeds Act State Plan. The proposed changes cover accountability calculations, reporting, school identification, and how poverty data is calculated for federal Title I allocations.
Why it matters
The Every Student Succeeds Act State Plan sets how North Dakota measures school and student success, so changes to its accountability and Title I poverty-data methods can affect how federal education funding is distributed across the state. The amendment reflects years of implementation and feedback from educators, and public input will be reviewed before the proposals go to the U.S. Department of Education.
The proposed Title I update changes how poverty data is calculated for federal allocations, and the comment window runs 28 days. Whether the revised method shifts funding for individual North Dakota districts has not been determined in the source materials.
The players
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI)
The state agency responsible for public K-12 education in North Dakota, which oversees the state's federally required Every Student Succeeds Act State Plan and is conducting this comment period.
U.S. Department of Education
The federal agency that receives and reviews state plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act and will consider North Dakota's proposed amendments.
The details
NDDPI is reviewing public feedback on the proposed amendment, including updates to accountability calculations, reporting, and school identification. Interested North Dakotans can review the materials and submit comments online, and the department will review every comment before submitting the proposals to the U.S. Department of Education.
Timeline
November 9, 2026: Public comment period opens.
December 7, 2026: Public comment period closes.
Roadmap
North Dakota's proposed amendment updates its existing Every Student Succeeds Act State Plan, the state's federally required framework for measuring school and student success under the 2015 law. The changes build on years of implementation rather than replacing the state's approach to accountability.
Parents, educators, and community members can review the proposed changes and submit comments through the NDDPI website before December 7. The updates to Title I poverty-data calculation and school identification could affect how schools are classified and funded.
The takeaway
Public comment is open until December 7 for North Dakotans who want input on how the state measures school success and distributes federal Title I funds. Reviewing the proposed changes now gives residents a direct say before submission to the federal government.
What happens next
The public comment period closes December 7, 2026, after which NDDPI will review all comments and submit the proposals to the U.S. Department of Education.
Further reading
Explore more on education administration to see how state education plans and federal funding rules are set.
More information
Review the materials and submit comments on the NDDPI ESSA state plan amendment public comment page.
Live Poll
Do you think North Dakota schools receive a fair share of federal education funding?
