Ranked in the bottom 5% of performance in North Dakota, Mandaree School District partnered with Cognia in developing a strategic improvement plan to address the needs of this culturally-resilient, economically disadvantaged community.
Mandaree School District (MSD), located in rural North Dakota, serves a unique student population, primarily from tribal communities. This small district, housing grades K–12 within the same building, faces the dual challenge of honoring local cultural values while adhering to the oversight of both the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and the Bureau of Indian Education. Mandaree schools were designated as Comprehensive Support schools under the state and federal accountability system as they ranked in the bottom five percent of performance. With over 90% of MSD’s 200+ students considered economically disadvantaged, the district sought to address its complex needs through a focused and strategic improvement plan.