District wins $7.2 million from North Dakota CLIMBS grant to support literacy and BARR expansion

Superintendent’s office staff told the Williston Basin School District 7 board on March 11 that the district was awarded roughly $7.2 million under the North Dakota CLIMBS grant program, intended to support literacy improvement and measured systems that align with the district’s ongoing BARR work.

Nut graf: The award covers multiple district schools over a roughly four-and-a-half-year period and will pay for training, coaching and technical support associated with the BARR model and literacy-focused interventions; the district emphasized the funds cannot be used for core staffing costs.

Dr. (title used in meeting) and district staff explained that the state allocated approximately $44 million across North Dakota and that Award totals for Williston Basin School District 7 include amounts for the high school ($1.3 million, approximate), middle school ($1.48 million) and multiple elementary schools; together the awards sum to about $7.2 million over the grant term. The district said award funds will primarily cover annual training, on-site coaching and virtual supports from BARR providers and literacy partners, and that the district negotiated discounted implementation rates with the provider for some early adopter schools.

District staff said CLIMBS dollars have restrictions: money can be used for professional development, coaching, materials and related implementation supports but not for permanent staffing increases. The district also noted planning work to sustain effective practices after the federal funding period ends.

Ending: District officials said a kickoff meeting with state CLIMBS representatives was scheduled for the following day and that administrators will seek to use the funding to strengthen K–12 alignment for literacy and BARR supports across the district.