September 15, 2026

NDSU and Fargo Public Schools celebrate new Teacher Leadership Academy with signing ceremony

Fargo Public Schools District Superintendent Cory Steiner and NDSU President Marshall Stewart sign partnership for Teacher Leadership Academy.

Officials from Fargo Public Schools and North Dakota State University gathered at the NDSU Library on Tuesday morning to celebrate a new Teacher Leadership Academy.

The new academy will provide Fargo Public Schools educators the opportunity to earn a Master of Education in Educational Leadership through the completion of 30 credits over the course of five semesters. NDSU will provide on-site delivery of the courses.

“NDSU is excited to assist Fargo Public Schools in growing their leaders from within through the cultivation of teacher leaders already rooted in the Fargo community,” said NDSU President Marshall Stewart. “These leaders will positively influence instruction, team development, student outcomes and school culture.”

The coursework was developed through a close partnership between NDSU faculty and Fargo Public Schools District Superintendent Steiner. This also allows for practice-based learning through applied leadership experiences that are tied directly to participants’ schools and departments.

“The curriculum will maintain the integrity of NDSU’s graduate program, while incorporating Fargo Public Schools initiatives, priorities and experiences into the learning,” said Cory Steiner, Superintendent of Fargo Public Schools.

NDSU’s School of Education is looking forward to being on-site in Fargo Public Schools to teach two courses per semester to the cohort.

“We are proud to be a part of a program that helps address workforce needs in K-12 education in our local community,” said Laura Parson, NDSU interim chair of the School of Education.

Educators participating in the program will earn a master’s degree while learning, leading and growing in their current roles within Fargo Public Schools.

“This academy is an investment in our teachers, our future leaders, and ultimately our learners,” said Steiner. “Our partnership with NDSU is designed around a simple but important belief: the best leaders for our schools are often already within them.”