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

Students working in Edgeley’s Career Academy woodshop.

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.

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