Forness Named To ND Education Board

State School Superintendent Levi Bachmeier announced Thursday that Morgan Forness, superintendent of the Central Cass public school in Casselton, has been appointed to the State Board of Public School Education.

By law, membership on the board also gives Forness a seat on the state Board of Career and Technical Education, which supervises North Dakota’s Department of Career and Technical Education and its programs.

Forness succeeds Bachmeier, who was formerly one of six Board of Public School Education members who represent groups of counties on the board. Forness will represent Barnes, Cass, Grand Forks, Griggs, Nelson, Steele, and Traill counties. He will serve the remainder of Bachmeier’s term, which ends June 30, 2030.

Last November, Bachmeier succeeded Kirsten Baesler as North Dakota’s superintendent of public instruction. He will remain on the Board of Public School Education and the Board for Career and Technical Education, because state law gives the superintendent of public instruction membership on both boards.

The Board of Public School Education normally meets 10 times a year. Its usual work involves deciding requests by school districts to transfer property, reorganize, or dissolve.

The board also oversees North Dakota’s six regional education associations and the North Dakota K-12 Education Coordination Council, which encourages collaboration among education stakeholders, supports education innovation initiatives, and makes policy recommendations to the state Legislature.

Gov. Kelly Armstrong appointed Forness from a list of candidates submitted by the presidents of North Dakota United, the North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders, and the North Dakota School Boards Association.