BISMARCK, N.D. – State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said 13 North Dakota school districts have been awarded $5.93 million in federal mental health and school security grants.

North Dakota was allocated $4.83 million for the grants by the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Because of strong grant demand from North Dakota schools, the Department of Public Instruction supplemented that amount with other federal funds that are intended for learning loss initiatives, Baesler said.

The money was awarded using a competitive process that used districts’ percentages of students living in poverty, chronic absenteeism rates, and high rates of students who were disengaged to identify which districts were most in need of the funds. More details are attached below.

Press-Release-Mental-Health-School-Security-Grants-May-5-2023