‘Lead Teacher’ Program Holds Promise For Classroom Instruction

BISMARCK, N.D., Sept. 2, 2025 - State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said Tuesday that North Dakota has become the first state to gain approval for a "lead teacher" apprenticeship program, which holds the potential to transform classroom instruction and school leadership.

The Fargo and Northern Cass school districts will be trying out the program during the coming school year, with 15 teachers in the two districts receiving specialized training in the method this fall, Baesler said. The program is designed in collaboration with Arizona State University.

The approach emphasizes using teams of teachers, each one with specialized expertise, in classroom instruction, rather than the traditional approach of one teacher, one classroom. Each team is directed by a lead teacher, who would complete 10 separate "micro-credential" courses to earn an NDDPI lead teacher certificate.

Students receive more thorough, comprehensive, and personalized instruction from the method, while teachers have less pressure and more peer support in their jobs, as well as new opportunities for advancement, Baesler said.

The U.S. Department of Labor's approval of North Dakota's application for a lead teacher apprenticeship program makes it eligible for federal grant money. The Fargo-based Burgum Foundation has provided $140,000 for lead teacher training, and additional philanthropic support is being sought.

The program is another element of Baesler's efforts to address North Dakota's ongoing teacher shortage.

The Department of Public Instruction has won approval for teacher apprenticeships, supported by both federal and state grants, that are helping paraprofessionals who are already working in North Dakota classrooms to become certified teachers. A separate apprenticeship program offers training for future school principals.