The North Dakota Center for Distance Education (NDCDE) has released its 2024–25 Innovation Waiver Report, marking a significant milestone in its transition to a fully competency-based virtual school. Over the past year, NDCDE successfully aligned 155 courses to state standards, transitioned 48 to a full Competency-Based Education (CBE) model, and implemented robust systems to track student proficiency in real time.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of its educators and leadership team, NDCDE is not only redefining online education but also raising the bar for personalized, standards-based instruction in North Dakota. The shift to CBE is designed to ensure that students advance based on demonstrated proficiency rather than seat time—creating greater flexibility, clarity, and relevance in student learning pathways.
Early results affirm the model’s effectiveness: over 70% of students in CBE pilot courses are already meeting or exceeding benchmarks for standards-level proficiency. With these promising outcomes, NDCDE is poised to expand its CBE implementation across middle and high school levels in the coming academic year.
NDCDE credits the success of this initiative to a collaborative and visionary team. Special recognition is extended to Jessica Enderson, Assistant Superintendent; Kaitlyn Allen, Director of Curriculum; and Kirstin Girard, Director of Learning, for their leadership in spearheading CBE efforts. Together, they coordinated cross-functional teams, professional development, and instructional redesign processes that laid the groundwork for this transformation.
The 2024–25 Innovation Waiver Report details NDCDE’s progress in course redesign, professional learning, family engagement, and sustainability planning. With legislative support, dedicated staffing, and new data systems in place, the organization is now focused on scaling this model to ensure that every student can learn at their own pace and graduate with the skills needed for the future.
Read the full report.