North Dakota
Our North Dakota Hub is anchored by the North Dakota Small Organized Schools (NDSOS), an affiliate of the National Rural Education Association.
North Dakota Small Organized Schools
Our Hub partners, North Dakota Small Organized Schools (NDSOS), represent all rural North Dakota schools, and they work to promote rural education in the Peace Garden State. Michael Heilman, executive director of NDSOS, serves as the hub contact for North Dakota.
As a membership organization, North Dakota Small Organized Schools serves as an "effective voice for public education while emphasizing local control." North Dakota Small and Organized Schools is committed to the development of thoughtful partnerships that provide benefits to its member schools and communities.
The work of our North Dakota Hub focuses on strengthening the bonds between school and community, rural teacher recruitment and placement, place-based education, social marketing and school-centered philanthropy. Additionally, Bismarck-based teacher preparation leader University of Mary was a recipient of the 2022 Catalyst Initiative Grant. To hear more about our partners in North Dakota, continue below.
Spotlight
Edgeley’s Career Academy Paves the Way for Small Communities
Assessing innovative strategies employed by a rural career academy to address challenges in workforce development, community engagement, and student success in small-town America.
In rural North Dakota, the Edgeley Career Academy is transforming career and technical education (CTE) through innovation and collaboration. Partnering with the Southeast Region Career and Technology Center (SRCTC), this state-of-the-art facility provides students with hands-on training in fields like health care, agriculture, and manufacturing—aligning education with workforce needs. Funded through a mix of state grants and community investment, the academy serves as a model for rural districts nationwide. With a vision to expand access and strengthen employer ties, Edgeley is proving that rural students can lead the way in the future workforce.
Read MoreMore news and stories from our North Dakota Regional Hub:
North Dakota Op-Ed: The Essential Role of Federal Government in Education: Protecting Rural Schools and Communities
Hear from Dr. Steve Johnson, a longtime RSC advocate and rural superintendent based in Fort Ransom, North Dakota, on this second op-ed in a series exploring the impact of the national landscape on local and regional rural places in North Dakota.
Dr. Steven L. Johnson: Rural Schools at Risk: The Unseen Real Toll of Federal and State Education Cuts in North Dakota (Op-Ed)
Dr. Steve Johnson, a longtime RSC advocate and rural superintendent based in Fort Ransom, North Dakota, shares his perspective on the dangers of cutting education funding.
Above and Beyond: Additional Teachers Receive Place-Based Grants in RSC Hubs
Additional educators are given funding for Place-Based Education projects in RSC’s Iowa, North Dakota, and Pacific Northwest Regional Hubs.
Empowering Rural America: Edgeley’s Career Academy Paves the Way for Small Communities
Assessing innovative strategies employed by a rural career academy to address challenges in workforce development, community engagement, and student success in small-town America.