Bismarck, N.D. – North Dakota Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced on Wednesday that she has been nominated to serve as the Assistant U.S. Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. The position, which requires U.S. Senate confirmation, would see Baesler continue her role as North Dakota’s superintendent until she is officially confirmed.
As the Assistant U.S. Secretary, Baesler would oversee the department’s initiatives aimed at improving student achievement from preschool through 12th grade.
Baesler has served as North Dakota’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction for four terms, first elected in 2012 and most recently re-elected in 2024. She is currently the longest-serving chief state school officer in the nation. Throughout her career, Baesler has contributed over 20 years to the Bismarck public schools, taking on roles such as vice principal, district technology integration coordinator, library media specialist, and instructional assistant. Additionally, she served nine years on the Mandan public school board, seven of which she was president.
During her tenure as Superintendent, Baesler gained recognition for advocating personalized, competency-based learning. She introduced the “Choice Ready” accountability framework, ensuring that students graduated with the necessary knowledge, skills, and experiences to succeed in college, the workforce, or the military. Her efforts also led to the creation of principal apprenticeships in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, aimed at supporting students and teachers. Additionally, she championed North Dakota’s K-12 cybersecurity and computer science instruction mandate, becoming the first state to implement such a requirement.
Baesler also worked to improve the efficiency of education spending, offering budget training for local superintendents and business managers, establishing a public statewide education dashboard for transparency, and streamlining the operations of the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. These efforts resulted in staff reductions, improved service, and significant savings for taxpayers.
