As Assistant U.S. Education Secretary nominee, North Dakota Superintendent Kirsten Baesler aims to help students become ‘future-ready’

Baesler, who has served as state superintendent of Public Instruction since 2013, earned reelection in November 2024. She is currently the longest-serving chief state school officer in the nation, having been elected to the position four times since 2012.

“I think Superintendent Baesler’s nomination is a great opportunity for her to work with all states and improve education for all students,” said Lucy Fredericks, the director of Indian and Multicultural Education at North Dakota’s Department of Public Instruction.

As superintendent, Baesler manages elementary and secondary education. She oversees North Dakota school approvals and the development of content standards and student progress assessments. As Assistant U.S. Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, she would lead the administration’s efforts to improve student performance from preschool through 12th grade.

“We wholeheartedly endorse Kirsten Baesler for this important role and strongly urge her appointment,” said St. John Public School District Superintendent Keith LaVallie. Baesler has been “an unwavering advocate for Indigenous education, recognizing the unique needs of Native American students and working tirelessly to ensure they receive the highest quality education,” he told Buffalo’s Fire. The district is outside the Turtle Mountain Reservation in northern North Dakota and has a majority American Indian student body.

Baesler “has emphasized the importance of meaningful relationships with local tribal governments, Native American schools and community – fostering connections that support and uplift our students,” LaVallie said.

Baesler said in a Feb. 12 media release that she is “excited for this new opportunity to support the education of more than 49 million children and their families. I share a commitment with secretary-designate Linda McMahon to create a work-ready focus in education,” she said.

“This is an opportunity to build on the relationships I’ve formed with fellow state education leaders over the past 12 years to implement the changes that will help our students become future-ready citizens,” she said. “I look forward to working alongside Secretary-designate McMahon to deliver on President Trump’s education agenda and return education decisions to the states.”

Since becoming state superintendent, Baesler has championed personalized competency-based learning, which seeks to create equitable outcomes by transforming traditional education systems. She also introduced the Choice Ready accountability framework, ensuring students graduate with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to succeed in work, college or the military.

Baesler obtained the endorsement of the U.S. Department of Labor to create principal apprenticeships to support students and teachers better. North Dakota is the first state to qualify for this on-the-job training program for aspiring school leaders. She led efforts in the North Dakota Legislature that created the nation’s first required K-12 cybersecurity and computer science instruction.

According to the media release, she provided budget training to local superintendents and business managers to optimize taxpayer dollars and created a statewide education dashboard for transparency. She streamlined operations at the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, reducing staff and enhancing service and job satisfaction, saving money for taxpayers.

A former superintendent of St. John Public Schools who worked with Baesler to enact education initiatives, Paul Frydenlund told Buffalo’s Fire that the education secretary nominee implemented programs that benefited American Indian students, among others. “We would have never had the success we get without their help,” Frydenlund said.

An educator for 43 years, including the last seven as superintendent, he said the school faced challenges with test scores and on-time graduation before achieving success in the past decade.

The 95% Indigenous student body received a 2022-23 Distinguished School Award. For the last 10 years, St. John High School has maintained a 95-100% graduation rate, which is uncommon in Indian country.

He said Baesler’s implementation of the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spellers put students in his district on firmer footing. LETRS is designed to provide early childhood and elementary educators and administrators with deep knowledge to be literacy and language experts in the science of reading.

“That early reading program with the K-3 was a gold standard, and we’re one of the first that jumped on it right away,” Frydenlund said. “I had teachers that were 30-year veterans saying, ‘Wish we would have had this when we were in college.’ It was Superintendent Baesler helping me line all of that up and getting that going.”

When Frydenlund heard Baesler was nominated for Assistant U.S. Education Secretary, he felt excited for her. He expressed no doubt that she could continue to impact students nationwide positively.

Fredericks told Buffalo’s Fire Baesler “has been very supportive of all the work with my Indian and Multicultural Education office and has built great relationships with all our North Dakota Dakota tribal nations.”

She expressed sadness over the idea of Baesler’s departure. However, Fredericks said she looks forward to seeing more achievements in the office of Assistant U.S. Education Secretary.

“She is a great leader and will be missed, but we know she does what is best for all children in the U.S.A.”