Overview

Every five years, Minot Public Schools undergoes a formal Cognia External Review to provide an independent look at the district’s policies, systems, and overall instructional quality.

MPS completed its most recent External Review from March 25 through April 30, 2026, with a team of educational leaders conducting the review. We received the completed report in July 2026. The review highlighted several strengths across our district, as well as targeted areas for continued improvement.

Below, you can learn more about the review process, explore the strengths and areas for improvement identified by the Cognia team, and read the full report.

About Cognia

Minot Public Schools announced today that it has earned Cognia® Accreditation. Cognia is a nonprofit organization that provides quality assurance for schools, systems,  education service providers, and state education agencies.

“Accreditation as conferred by the Cognia Global Commission provides Minot Public Schools a nationally recognized mark of quality,” shared Dr. Scott Faul, district superintendent. “It demonstrates to our community our commitment to excellence, our willingness to enact meaningful change based on evaluation and feedback, and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the students we serve.”

Cognia recognizes institutions and systems across the globe that meet rigorous performance standards focused on our four key characteristics: Culture of Learning, Leadership for Learning, Engagement of Learning, and Growth in Learning. To earn Cognia Accreditation, an institution must submit to internal and external review. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Commission means that the institution meets Cognia Performance Standards and maintains a commitment to continuous improvement. Institutions in good standing can maintain their accreditation for a six-year term.

Dr. Mark A. Elgart, president and CEO of Cognia, stated, “Cognia Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire institution and its community on the primary goal of ensuring all students can flourish in engaging and effective learning environments. We commend Minot Public Schools for meeting high standards and making progress on key indicators that impact student learning.”

Parents and interested community members can learn more about Cognia Accreditation at cognia.org

About Cognia

Cognia is a global, nonprofit improvement organization dedicated to helping institutions and other education providers grow learners, teachers, and leaders. Cognia offers accreditation and certification, assessment, and improvement services within a framework of continuous improvement. Serving 40,000 public and private institutions from early learning through high school in more than 100 countries, Cognia brings a global perspective to advancing teaching and learning. Find out more at cognia.org.

Celebrating Our Strengths

Minot Public Schools received an Index of Education Quality (IEQ) score of 305, several points above the network average of 297, which means our institution has a limited number of Areas for Improvement and includes Noteworthy Practices.

Cognia’s Noteworthy Practices

The following areas were identified as significant strengths in the work of Minot Public Schools:

  • Maintains a coordinated curriculum system that supports consistent instructional practices across the system. This approach to curriculum implementation promotes instructional consistency and collaboration across schools.
  • Fosters a respectful and supportive learning culture aligned with the system’s commitment to student well-being and success. This culture supports student engagement, strengthens confidence, and contributes to sustained academic growth across the system.
Areas for Growth

Based on feedback from our evaluator, Minot Public Schools will be focusing on improving the following practices:

  • Implement and monitor a balanced assessment system that ensures consistent use of formative, benchmark, and summative assessment data to measure learner progress and guide instructional decisions across classrooms and schools.
  • Develop and implement consistent instructional practices that promote learner ownership, deeper understanding of content, and meaningful integration of digital learning through goal setting, reflection, inquiry, and authentic learning experiences across classrooms.
  • Establish and implement consistent systems that engage stakeholders in meaningful two-way communication and ensure that their input informs system-level priorities, decision-making, and continuous improvement efforts.