North Dakota Superintendent Kirsten Baesler speaks during a meeting of the state’s Teacher Retention and Recruitment Task Force held in Bismarck on Feb. 22, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)
WASHINGTON (North Dakota Monitor) – North Dakota State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler is one step closer to joining the U.S. Department of Education.
Her nomination to be the next assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education will advance to the full Senate after members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee voted 12-11, along party lines, on Thursday to approve her nomination, according to a news release from the state Department of Public Instruction.
“I am grateful for the Senate HELP Committee’s vote and honored for the opportunity to support our nation’s students, families, and teachers,” Baesler said in a statement. “If confirmed by the Senate, I am committed to working closely with my colleagues for continued progress in serving students effectively.”
According to the department, Baesler plans to resign as state superintendent upon her full Senate confirmation. Gov. Kelly Armstrong would then appoint Baesler’s successor who will serve through the 2026 election. That election will decide who will lead the Department of Public Instruction for the final two years of Baesler’s term, which expires in 2028.
Baesler, a native of Flasher, was first elected state superintendent in 2012 and has won reelection to the position three times, most recently defeating Jason Heitkamp in 2024 with 57% of the vote.
Comments