Special education in North Dakota

What North Dakota calls special education, how long each step takes, who to call, free help, paying for services, and how the state scores.

Special education in North Dakota

Special education is called

Special Education

The IEP meeting

IEP team meeting

Eligibility team

Multidisciplinary evaluation team

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days. From consent; extensions up to 90 days for documented weather or evaluator access (N.D. Admin. Code 67-23-01-03)

IEP timeline

30 days (federal)

Transition planning starts

16 (being checked)

Rights transfer to the student at

Developmental delay category

3 to 9 (child count)

Dyslexia law

partial: HB 1461 (2019), NDCC 15.1-32-26: reading screening must include phonemic awareness, decoding, spelling; dyslexia risk screening only via pilot

Find your district and schools

221 districts and charter districts. 8 special education schools and 0 public charter schools.

Get your Hall Pass Schools in North Dakota Services for children in North Dakota (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office

North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, Office of Special Education (701) 328-2260

Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)

Read the state's notice

Mediation

Ask for mediation

State complaint

File a state complaint

Due process

Ask for a due process hearing

Free help for families

Parent centers

Pathfinder Parent Center
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI), Minot
(701) 837-7500

Disability rights agency

The North Dakota Protection & Advocacy Project
Protection and Advocacy Agency, Bismarck
(701) 328-2950

Advocacy groups in North Dakota

Paying for it

Medicaid for children

North Dakota Medicaid

CHIP

North Dakota CHIP

Apply

Apply for coverage

Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income

yes (KFF 2026: state plan option or comparable waiver); program not named in sources checked

Schools bill Medicaid for health services

yes

Autism insurance law

limited. ASHA lists North Dakota as a limited mandate; NCSL lists only a Medicaid administration provision

Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities

none

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How North Dakota scores

First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.

State of Schools

C-

Rank 39 of 51

State of Support

B+

Rank 8 of 51

Combined

B-

Rank 15 of 51

Pillar	Grade
Following the law	C+
Learning together	C-
Results	C
School funding	D+
Family protections	D
Options and transition	D+

IDEA determination 2026: Needs Assistance (1 year). How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the SPED Atlas research tables (state terms, state help, paying for it). Items marked "being checked" are waiting on a primary source.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.