North Dakota Department of Public Instruction highlights leadership role in BRIDGE project rollout

The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) is emphasizing the importance of leadership and support as it moves forward with the BRIDGE project, a significant initiative aimed at transforming the management of education data across the state’s K-12 system.

The department notes that while technical upgrades are central to the BRIDGE project, attention must also be given to how these changes affect people within schools and districts. According to research cited by NDDPI, "the single greatest factor in successful change initiatives is active and visible sponsorship."

Districts, schools, and teams are encouraged to prepare for their roles in guiding stakeholders through this transition. The department states: "We want to ensure you have the tools and resources to guide your stakeholders through this transition with confidence." Resources are available on the BRIDGE project webpage for those seeking more information.

Addressing questions about what will define success for this effort, NDDPI explains: "As with any multi-phase, large-scale initiative such as the BRIDGE project, there will be multiple measures of success. Our long-term, big-picture vision is to transform the management of education data in North Dakota, allowing our teachers and administrators to focus more on our mission to ensure all students graduate choice ready, with the knowledge, skills, and disposition to be successful. Ultimately, our long-term success will be measured by factors such as improved information accessibility for educators, and reduced administrative workload to collect and report the data necessary to provide that information."

The initial goal is implementation of Infinite Campus at public Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and NDDPI for the 2026-27 school year. This step is described as foundational rather than final: "This important step...is not the end of our journey. The Infinite Campus solution will lay the groundwork for further transformation of the rest of the K12 education data ecosystem as part of a long-term, multi-generational plan."

NDDPI cautions that some features may not be fully functional at launch but emphasizes ongoing collaboration: "It’s important to recognize that while there will be many wins and advancements with this initial implementation, there may be some features and solutions we enjoy today that may not be fully mature or functional on day one. This does not mean the project is unsuccessful...We’ll be working together to identify, mitigate, and resolve implementation challenges...while simultaneously continuing along our transformation roadmap."

To facilitate communication during this process, NDDPI invites LEA personnel to participate in BRIDGE Office Hours sessions scheduled for September 24 from 12–1 p.m. CDT and 4–5 p.m. CDT. These forums offer opportunities for participants to submit questions directly related to technical guidance or upcoming milestones.