North Dakota
North Dakota House passes bill to shorten time for educators to attain lifetime licensure
BISMARCK — A bill that would reduce the time it takes for a North Dakota teacher to earn a lifetime educator license passed through the House by a substantial margin Friday, Jan. 24.
Representatives voted 79-12 to advance
House Bill 1238,
sponsored in part by Rep. Zachary Ista, D-Grand Forks.
The House Education Committee unanimously recommended the bill for passage Thursday, though the bill received mixed reviews among education circles during a hearing Tuesday.
The bill would make a teacher eligible for a lifetime license when reaching 20 years in their career, instead of the current 30-year mark.
Anyone with a lifetime license who intends to keep teaching shall report to the state’s licensing agency, the Education Standards and Practices Board, at least once every five years, the bill states.
Reporting could include any crime a teacher committed or other behavior that could lead to license revocation or suspension.
Nothing in the bill would prevent the board from taking its own action against a teacher’s lifetime license, if warranted.
The bill is a holdover from the last legislative session, Ista said, during which it received widespread support in the House but failed on a tie vote in the Senate, with one member absent.
One thing that is different this time is the reporting element, he said, which was a sticking point last time with ESPB.
Much of the support for HB 1238 comes in the name of improving recruitment and retention of teachers.
Ista said the bill would reduce continuing education expenses for teachers, estimating the average educator could save up to $1,000 in out-of-pocket expenses.
Contributed / Zac Ista
Also testifying in support Tuesday was Nick Archuleta, president of North Dakota United, the union representing public education and public services employees in the state.
Archuleta said some opponents maintain the bill would cause teachers to stop taking educational credits they might otherwise have earned.
“Not only is that argument a slight to the professionalism of teachers, it also discounts entirely the fact that teachers … have to take coursework to make lane changes and advance on the salary schedule,” he said.
Testifying in opposition of House Bill 1238 were representatives from the state Education Standards and Practices Board.
Executive Director Rebecca Pitkin said most states require continuing education for license renewal.
“Teachers are the model of lifelong learning. Ongoing education, potentially until almost the end of a career, is critical,” she said.
Pitkin also said reducing ongoing education requirements for teachers would not promote the profession.
Cory Steiner, ESPB chair and superintendent of the Northern Cass School District, agreed.
“There could be unintended consequences, seeing education as ‘less than’ other fields, where it should be equal to or more than,” he said.
Pitkin said there are currently around 18,000 licensed educators in the state system, with around 10,000 of them currently working.
Providing neutral testimony was Ann Ellefson, director of academic support at the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.
Ellefson said the state’s teachers have easy access to an online educational hub offering professional development, training opportunities and educator resources.
Many of the courses are no cost or low cost across all North Dakota zip codes, she said, while some do charge a nominal $40 fee at registration.
There are 557 active users taking part in 68 courses that include child nutrition, North Dakota Native American studies, science of reading, mathematics and educator ethics, Ellefson said.
On the House floor Friday, Rep. LaurieBeth Hager, a Fargo Democrat and cosponsor of the bill, said the legislation would reduce red tape for teachers.
Rep. Pat Heinert, R-Bismarck, said Friday the goal of the bill is to keep teachers in the profession.
Further action on the bill was not scheduled as of Friday.
WILLISTON, N.D. — A 23-year-old Wyoming man has died as the result of injuries sustained in a crash early Friday, June 12, near Williston.
On Friday, a 1993 GMC Sierra was traveling westbound on Highway 1804 on the east side of Williston when it struck a pedestrian who was walking along the roadway, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
The man was taken to CHI St. Alexius in Williston before being flown to Trinity Hospital in Minot, where he later died.
The driver of the Sierra, a 19-year-old man from Westby, Montana, was initially booked on charges of criminal vehicular injury, driving under the influence and minor in possession.
The crash remains under investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.
“I think one of the things that we noticed with the CHL guys was, even just after our first week of practice, we played so many competitive games, small-area games, and a lot of physical confrontation-type box-out drills and stuff,” Jackson said. “The guys, after week one, they came to us and said hey, is this is this normal? Is this a regular practice week? They were ready for the games, obviously, but I think the intensity and severity, the length of practice, it was an adjustment for them.”
He adjusted well enough that he earned a spot with Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. Despite not playing the first two games, he had four assists in 11:10 of ice time in five games, including one assist in 12:08 of ice time in a 6-3 win against Finland in the bronze-medal game.
That gave him some confidence that carried through the rest of the season, and helped him play a significant role in North Dakota reaching the Frozen Four for the first time since 2016.
“His size and skill jump off the page right away obviously,” Central Scouting’s Pat Cullen said. “I saw him early and then in the second half. He likes to get involved offensively but he definitely made progress with his decision making, when to push the offense or make the simple, conservative play, which showed a lot of growth and maturity.”
Verhoeff finished his season with four assists in five games as Canada’s captain at the 2026 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. The team finished in sixth place, but Verhoeff made an impression on coach Drew Bannister.
“I think he’s going to be a shutdown guy that’s hard to play against,” Bannister said. “He’s got a very good physical aspect to his game. Outstanding human being. Quality person, quality leadership skills. I could see him being a captain of a team down the road.”
Scouts have compared Verhoeff’s game to Aaron Ekblad of the Florida Panthers, but Jackson said Jake Sanderson of the Ottawa Senators could provide the right road map to the NHL.
Sanderson spent two seasons at North Dakota after the Senators chose him with the No. 5 pick of the 2020 NHL Draft. After leaving school, he stepped right into Ottawa’s lineup at the start of the 2022-23 season.
“The defense position is so hard and so much more nuanced in your reads and the experience you have,” Jackson said. “I see in young defensemen, play a little bit longer at lower levels is, I think, usually a benefit because it is such a hard position to play at the NHL. I think Keaton is aware of that, and I think he is cognizant that playing another year would probably lessen the learning curve that he would have when he makes that jump to the NHL.”
Filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court
North Dakota
David and Roxann Kary Hagen, doing business as R&D Trucking, Bismarck, Chapter 7
Julie K. Dupree, Grafton, Chapter 7
Bryan Ray Bellon and Adriana Lorene Hoskins, Mandan, Chapter 13
Shane Carlton Heck, doing business as Heck Farms, Cavalier, Chapter 12
Dale McPherson, Grafton, Chapter 7
Kortney Noel Benjamin, also known as Kortney Turbin, West Fargo, Chapter 7
Judilee Gica Solis, Killdeer, Chapter 7
Drake Allen Pauley, Williston, Chapter 13
Kathy Sue Snobl, Grand Forks, Chapter 13
Briana Lynn Claire Eklund, Fargo, Chapter 7
Chad Richard and Rebecca Lynn Forderer, Bismarck, Chapter 7
Nicole Marie Unruh, Mandan, Chapter 7
Brianna Marie Kunz, Fargo, Chapter 7
Robert John Floer, Fargo, Chapter 7
Cory Dean Matson, Horace, Chapter 13
Sarah Lynn and Nicolas Blaise Griffin, Grand Forks, Chapter 7
Samantha Rose Cedillo, also known as Samantha Ulshafer, and Sammy Joe Cedillo, Grand Forks, Chapter 7
Jonathon R. Lakoduk, Minot, Chapter 7
Cleone Colett Gackle, also known as Cleone Mcalpin, Fargo, Chapter 7
Jose Alfredo Salinas, Grafton, Chapter 7
Shania Mae Emin, formerly known as Shania Olson and Shania Alto, and Brandon Lee Emin, Fargo, Chapter 7
Elisabeth Marie Wickum, Minot, Chapter 7
Trista Lyn Blake, West Fargo, Chapter 7
Minnesota
Bankruptcy filings from the following counties: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, Otter Tail, Polk, Traverse, Wadena and Wilkin.
Joseph W. and Anicia L. Topp, Detroit Lakes, Chapter 7
Zachary John and Tara Marie Otto, Moorhead, Chapter 13
Abigail Marie Yliniemi, Moorhead, Chapter 7
Marshall Lee Johnson, Audubon, Chapter 7
Stephanie Mitchell, formerly known as Stephanie Weyer and Stephanie Hanson, and Christopher Randell Mitchell, Fergus Falls, Chapter 7
Cassandra Ann Feldt, Detroit Lakes, Chapter 13
Jessica Ann Guzman, also known as Jessica Werness, East Grand Forks, Chapter 7
Chapter 7 is a petition to liquidate assets and discharge debts.
Chapter 11 is a petition for protection from creditors and to reorganize.
Chapter 12 is a petition for family farmers to reorganize.
Chapter 13 is a petition for wage earners to readjust debts.
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.
-
Politics1 minute agoTrump announces peace deal with Iran, declares Strait of Hormuz will reopen: ‘Let the oil flow!’
-
Health4 minutes agoOne muscle protein may hold the key to staying stronger as you age, study finds
-
Sports9 minutes ago2026 World Cup Odds: Germany Heavily Favored to Win Group E After 7-1 Win
-
Technology16 minutes agoFBI says Russian hackers hijacked old Wi-Fi routers
-
Business19 minutes agoSteven Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ takes the box office crown
-
Entertainment24 minutes agoSeth Rogen says he hasn’t spoken to James Franco and doesn’t plan to work with him
-
Lifestyle31 minutes agoOne of L.A.’s most personal theater experiences is disguised as a tarot reading
-
Politics34 minutes agoU.S. and Iran reach agreement to end war, Trump says
