One of the strategies Grand Forks Public Schools has implemented for staffing hard-to-fill vacancies is an H1-B visa program.

• The H1-B visa program allows employers to hire speciality international workers who hold a foreign degree that is a minimum of a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution of higher education.

• Many rules and regulations must be followed as prescribed by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Services.

• Some of the requirements include:

  • Pay the H-1B worker the “required wage rate” applicable to each permanent work site; 

  • Offer the H-1B worker the same working conditions and fringe benefits that are offered to similarly employed U.S. workers; 

  • Not allow or require the H-1B worker to pay the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS, formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service) petition filing fee; 

  • Not require the H-1B worker to pay any early cessation penalty; 

  • Not retaliate or discriminate against any worker who: (a) discloses information that (the worker believes) shows a violation of this program, or (b) cooperates with any proceeding concerning the employer’s compliance with this program; 

  • Provide the H-1B worker with payment for all work-related expenses; 

  • Notify the USCIS of any changes in the H-1B non-immigrant work status (i.e., wherever the Department of Labor requires a new Labor Condition Application (LCA) or when the work is terminated, whatever the reason is). 

• The process for sponsorship is very robust.

  • The first step is to be approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, which is responsible for ensuring that no international teachers are hired when qualified domestic teachers have applied for the positions.

    • Note: if at any time during the interview process a domestic teacher applies for the position and is successfully interviewed, the domestic teacher is hired.

  • Once cleared by the U.S. Department of Labor, the school system submits an application for each international teacher with USCIS. The review by USCIS includes reviewing the international teacher's degree and work experience.

  • After USCIS has approved the application, the international teacher is then interviewed at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

  • Upon passing the interview they are then granted their H1-B visa.

• The process varies in length but typically takes a minimum of 12 weeks for each international teacher. 

• For international teachers from the Philippines, there is an additional process called the Philippine Overseas Labor Organization (POLO). This process requires Grand Forks Public Schools to become an accredited employer as recognized by the Philippine government. This process takes several months. GFPS is proud to report that we have achieved the status of an accredited overseas employer through the POLO process. The final stages of this process are currently being completed. 

• International teachers will be paid following the 2021-2023 Teacher Negotiated Agreement.

  • The salary determination is reviewed by and approved by both the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services.

• The international teachers are responsible for all airfare and travel expenses to get to Grand Forks.

• The teachers are responsible for their own rent, utilities, other bills, etc. just as all school system employees are.

• Several GFPS employees and community members have asked how they can help our newest colleagues settle in Grand Forks. Josh Mailhot, principal of Ben Franklin Elementary, is organizing community donations of household furniture, kitchenware, etc. 

  • If you or anyone you know has items in good condition that you would like to donate, especially beds and dressers, please email him a jmailhot040@mygfschools.org, or call or text him at 701-317-3573. Several volunteers are willing to pick up items, if necessary.

No. This is an unsubstantiated rumor which has popped up in communities across the country since at least spring 2022. Other iterations of this rumor involve students dressing up as cats, asking to use a litter box, etc. This is all false and has not occurred in our schools.

• Critical Race Theory is not being taught in Grand Forks Public Schools. It is not part of Grand Forks Public Schools curriculum and is not a framework that is used in curricular or teaching and learning decisions.

• Critical race theory is not part of the North Dakota K-12 Education Content Standards. 

• We created a 1-page paper on this topic last year (click here). It is not being taught.

• The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction reviewed our professional development materials related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and found they did not teach Critical Race Theory.

On August 26, 2022, Superintendent Dr. Terry Brenner received ACT scores from the 2021-2022 school year, courtesy the Office of Assessment at the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.

Of the six school system composite scores provided, Grand Forks Public Schools had the highest composite score for the 2021-2022 school year:

• Grand Forks Public Schools: 20.33

• Bismarck Public School District: 20.28

• Fargo Public School District: 20.25

• West Fargo Public School District: 19.00

• Mandan Public School District: 18.33

• Williston Basin School District: 18.10

Grand Forks Public Schools also exceeded the statewide average of 19.61.

Additional data will be provided by ACT in the fall and will then be posted on the ND Insights website (LINK: https://insights.nd.gov/) by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.