North Dakota

Overview

During the 2021-2022 school year, North Dakota preschool enrolled 371 children in the new Best-In-Class program, a decrease of 983 from the prior year (Early Childhood Education Grant Program). State spending totaled $300,000 with an additional $2,045,174 in federal recovery funds to support the program, up $1,729,906 (281%), adjusted for inflation since last year. State spending per child (including federal recovery funds) equaled $6,321 in 2021-2022, up $5,867 from 2020-2021, adjusted for inflation. North Dakota met 5 of 10 quality standards benchmarks.

What's New

During the 67th Legislative Assembly, a new competitive grant program was authorized for 4-year-olds. The Best-In-Class program is designed to provide children with quality early childhood experiences the year before kindergarten. Funding was removed from the Early Childhood Education Grant program in the Department of Commerce budget, and funding for the Best-In-Class programs was transferred to the Department of Human Services budget. For the 2021-2022 school year, 17 previous grant recipients applied to participate in the Best-in Class program, and 23 total programs were awarded funding. 

The North Dakota Department of Human Services received a $6,756,103 Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B–5) in December of 2022 to promote family engagement, expand infrastructure to support children’s behavioral health, embed a continuum of quality across all state initiatives and systems building around workforce preparation and professional development.

Background

Beginning in the 2017-2018 school year, North Dakota’s legislature provided Early Childhood Education Program Grants through a biennial appropriation to the state Department of Commerce. The program provided services in 55 districts for at least 400 hours over 32 weeks per year. All program providers are also required to incorporate at least 10 hours of research-based parent involvement activities. Four-year-old children who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch are eligible for the program. The program sunsetted after the 2020-2021 school year. 

The Best-In-Class preschool program began in the 2021-2022 school year and is included in this report for the first time. The program is intended to serve at least 50% of children who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, come from families with incomes less than 60% of ND SMI, or have an identified developmental delay or disability. Funding is based on an annual competitive grant to public schools, Head Start, and licensed child care participating in the QRIS. 

The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) had other early childhood education initiatives as well, including grant opportunities for educators and school districts. Early Childhood Continuing Education Grants of up to $3,000 every two years enable lead and assistant teachers in pre-kindergarten, Head Start, and child care to enhance their credentials at North Dakota state colleges and universities. Additionally, 1,000 pre-K students participated in Waterford Upstart, an at-home early learning program. 

The North Dakota Early Learning Standards Birth–Kindergarten, revised in 2018, are voluntary and cover multiple domains including social-emotional development, language development, physical well-being and motor development, approaches toward learning, and cognitive and general knowledge. The standards were aligned with the state’s kindergarten standards and the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework.

Best in Class

Access

Some Head Start children may also be counted in state pre-K. Estimates children in special education not also enrolled in state pre-K or Head Start.
Total state pre-K enrollment	371
School districts that offer state program	43% (counties)
Income requirement	185% FPL or 60% SMI (50% enrollment)
Minimum hours of operation	400 hours/year
Operating schedule	32 consecutive weeks
Special education enrollment, ages 3 and 4	1,226
Federally funded Head Start enrollment, ages 3 and 4	2,122
State-funded Head Start enrollment, ages 3 and 4	0

Resources

Pre-K programs may receive additional funds from federal or local sources that are not included in this figure. K–12 expenditures include capital spending as well as current operating expenditures. Head Start per-child spending includes funding only for 3- and 4-year-olds.