North Dakota Special Education Teacher Guide
Everything you need to know about becoming a special education teacher in North Dakota: licensing requirements, continuing education, salary data, and key resources. Whether you’re just starting out or renewing your license, this is your complete North Dakota guide.
How to Become a Special Education Teacher in North Dakota
IEP advocate training is a skill every special education teacher builds early, often through direct experience navigating IEP meetings alongside families. To become certified, candidates need a bachelor’s degree from a state-approved teacher preparation program, at least 10 weeks of supervised student teaching, and passing scores on the Praxis Core Academic Skills exam and a subject-specific Praxis II exam. Special education candidates are notably exempt from North Dakota’s Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) requirement.
New teachers receive a two-year Initial In-State License, which expires on the applicant’s birthday and cannot be renewed directly. Teachers then move to either a Two-Year License or a Five-Year License depending on their teaching experience. Special education endorsements are available in areas including Specific Learning Disabilities, Emotional Disabilities, Intellectual Disabilities, or the combined Strategist endorsement.
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Continuing Education & License Renewal in North Dakota
North Dakota’s Two-Year License can be renewed up to three times with no additional education credits required for teachers with less than 18 months of contracted experience. Teachers with more experience typically move to the Five-Year License, which is overseen by the Education Standards and Practices Board (ESPB).
North Dakota doesn’t operate a state-level approval list for outside providers, so NASET course completion certificates are best submitted directly to your district or ESPB for review as part of any endorsement plan.
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Special Education Teacher Salary in North Dakota
The earning potential for North Dakota special education teachers varies by experience, location, and credentials:
- Average salary: $60,000–$65,000 per year
- Entry-level (0–3 years): around $50,000–$53,000
- Experienced (8+ years): up to $89,000
- Key factors: district funding, location within the state, oil-region districts
Districts like Bismarck and Minot tend to report above-average pay, and pursuing board certification remains one of the more reliable ways to strengthen your case for career advancement.
IEPs in North Dakota
North Dakota’s Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) provides oversight of special education statewide, and Facilitated IEP Meetings are available when a team needs extra support reaching consensus. IEP advocate training matters here as much for teachers as for parents. Pathfinder Services of ND, the state’s Parent Training and Information Center, offers advising specifically focused on helping families prepare for and participate in IEP meetings, and understanding that same preparation process can make teachers stronger partners at the table. Reviewing strong IEP models alongside determining measurable annual goals in an IEP can help teachers write IEPs that hold up to review.
Become a NASET Member today for full access to our IEP toolkit, sample IEPs, and progress-monitoring resources!
Key Resources for North Dakota Special Education Teachers
State Resources:
- NDDPI — Special Education — state IEP guidance, dispute resolution, and IDEA compliance resources
- Pathfinder Services of ND — North Dakota’s Parent Training and Information Center, offering advising and IEP meeting preparation for families and educators
- ESPB — Licensure — certification pathways, endorsements, and renewal information
- Assessment in Special Education — NASET’s guide to evaluation and eligibility practices
- Complete State-by-State Special Education Teacher Guide
Pathfinder Services delivers more than 260 hours of training annually across North Dakota, giving educators a strong statewide complement to NASET’s own certification-focused coursework.
Advance Your Career With NASET
Wherever you are in your North Dakota special education career, NASET offers structured ways to keep growing. The Membership gives you year-round access to courses, downloadable classroom tools, and a community of practitioners navigating the same licensure tiers and classroom demands you are.
For those ready to formalize their expertise, The Board Certified Special Educator (BCSE) credential signals advanced mastery to administrators and districts alike, and it’s a meaningful differentiator when pursuing leadership roles or negotiating career advancement.
Both paths lead back to the same goal: helping North Dakota’s students with disabilities get the individualized support they’re entitled to, from educators equipped to provide it.
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