BISMARCK – School board members in North Dakota’s northern tier of counties are urged by the Department of Public Instruction to consider applying for a regional seat on the State Board of Public-School Education.

The board’s membership includes State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler, who serves as its executive secretary, and six members who represent groups of counties identified in state law. All six members are appointed by the governor for six-year terms.

Incumbent board member Maria Effertz Hanson plans to resign. A resident of McHenry County, Effertz Hanson represents Benson, Bottineau, Cavalier, McHenry, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Renville, Rolette, Towner and Walsh counties on the board.

Effertz Hanson’s successor must be a school board member and a resident of one of the 11 specified counties. The person will be chosen to complete Effertz Hanson’s term, which ends June 30, 2024. State law says two of the six appointed board members must be a member of the North Dakota School Boards Association, and Effertz Hanson is one of the two NDSBA members now serving on the board.

Eligible North Dakotans who are interested in succeeding Hanson on the board should apply online through the governor’s office. State law says the governor shall appoint new board members from a list of names submitted by a committee consisting of the president of North Dakota United, the president of the North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders and the president of the North Dakota School Boards Association. The application deadline is Dec. 15.

The Board of Public-School Education acts on requests from school districts to dissolve, reorganize or transfer property. It supervises the development of a state learning continuum, which identifies skills that are crucial for the well-rounded education of a high school graduate. It has charge of the state K-12 Education Coordination Council, which reviews the effectiveness of North Dakota’s education programs. The board’s members also are part of the state Board of Career and Technical Education.

The CTE board will have major new projects to consider soon. During its special session this month, the Legislature approved $88.3 million in grants to develop, equip, and maintain area career centers. Individual grants may total up to $10 million.