BISMARCK, N.D. – Governor Kelly Armstrong is appointing the West Fargo School District’s business manager as the interim leader of North Dakota’s education system.
Levi Bachmeier has been with West Fargo since 2019, and was also an education policy adviser and policy director under former Governor Doug Burgum.
Bachmeier has also taught high school social studies in his past with Teach for America and spent a summer as a policy analyst fellow at the U.S. Department of Education.
Armstrong made the announcement from the State Capitol in Bismarck on Tuesday.
“Levi has established himself as a trusted voice and highly capable leader in K-12 education over the past decade,” Armstrong said in a written statement.
Armstrong says Bachmeier’s experience “will serve our students and parents well as we strive to ensure all K-12 students graduate choice-ready for college, career or the military.”
Bachmeier is replacing Kirsten Baesler, who held the position since 2013 and won another term in 2024.
But she was recently confirmed as assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education in the U.S. Department of Education on October 7th.
Armstrong said Baesler’s will eventually resign, but is staying on for now due to the federal government shutdown.
Next year in November, voters will then decide who will finish out the rest of Baesler’s term which runs through 2028.
