Superintendent Baesler’s Nomination to U.S. Department of Education Advances to Senate

North Dakota Superintendent Kirsten Baesler. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(BY: NORTH DAKOTA MONITOR STAFF. 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,  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.