Baesler: ND School Services, Money Not Affected By Federal Admin Moves

State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler responded today to the U.S. Department of Education’s announcement of an internal restructuring and new federal interagency agreements.

“This federal restructuring does not change anything for North Dakota schools,” Baesler said. “Federal funding remains. All protections remain. Accountability remains. This is an internal administrative change – not a change to programs, services, or expectations for our students, teachers, school districts, or families.”

Federal programs such as Title I, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act special education, and Indian education programs remain fully funded by law, with oversight and civil-rights protections intact, Baesler said. Congress controls these programs, not federal agencies. No changes to federal law have been made.

The reorganization shifts the administrative work of certain programs to federal agencies that are already aligned with those areas – the Departments of Labor, Interior, Health and Human Services, and State -- while retaining the underlying laws, funding, and protections.

Baesler noted that North Dakota has already demonstrated the value of this approach.

In North Dakota, Superintendent Baesler has led similar efforts by:

• Creating interagency partnerships with other state agencies;
• Eliminating duplicative administrative work;
• Improving service delivery for districts; and
• Increasing job satisfaction within NDDPI — all while saving taxpayer dollars.

She emphasized the impact on schools and educators: “Every time we reduce bureaucratic red tape, teachers gain more time with students. That is the goal. For years, educators have told us that mission creep and federal paperwork are taking time away from teaching. This restructuring is one step toward fixing that.”

“North Dakota schools should stay the course,” Baesler said. “Your work continues uninterrupted, and nothing about this federal realignment changes the support or expectations you rely on today.”

Baesler is retiring as state superintendent at 8 a.m. Monday and is expected to take office shortly afterward as the new assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education in the Department of Education.