Short answer
How do West Fargo teachers move to a higher lane on the salary schedule?
West Fargo's schedule has six lanes: BA, BA+15, BA+30, MA, MA+15 and MA+30. At least 8 of each 15 semester hours, and 15 of each 30, must be in the field you are licensed in, and the superintendent's office approves all credits. File the transcript by October 15 to move on the first contract day of the year, or by February 15 to move on the first contract day in January.
Source: West Fargo Public Schools–WFEA Negotiated Agreement 2025–2027, Articles IV and V and Schedule I, posted by North Dakota United. Checked .
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How is the West Fargo teacher salary schedule organized?
Schedule I of the 2025–2027 agreement prints the teacher salary schedule for both years of the contract. Six lanes run across the top, BA, BA+15, BA+30, MA, MA+15 and MA+30, and steps run down the side, with a combined row for steps 0 to 3 and single steps from 4 to 25. Article IV, Section 1 describes it as an aligned schedule: raises are uniform within each lane, and later dollar changes apply equally to every cell.
Article V sets the step rules. A teacher needs a valid license to advance a step, no step is added after October 1, and nobody moves more than one step a year. From 2025–26, teachers entering the district get one year of experience credit for each year of previous teaching, up to the top step. Each teacher's contract states the years credited and "the accepted level of education" being paid, so the contract itself is the record of your lane. We do not reproduce the dollar figures; our guide to reading a salary schedule explains the grid.
Which units count toward a West Fargo lane change?
Semester hours earned beyond a degree, with a field requirement in every block. Article V, Section 1 of the agreement sets the counting rules:
- BA+15: at least 8 of the 15 semester hours "must be earned in the field in which the teacher is licensed."
- BA+30: at least 15 of the 30 semester hours in that field.
- MA: a master's program in the licensed field, or one approved in advance by the superintendent or designee.
- MA+15 and MA+30: the same 8-of-15 and 15-of-30 split, "in the field in which the teacher is certified."
The rest of each block can be outside your field, which leaves room for coursework in areas such as classroom management or literacy that apply to every teacher. The agreement does not say whether the hours must be graduate-level credit, does not mention quarter hours, and does not mention continuing education units, so ask the superintendent's office about any of those before you enroll. Teachers keep their own credit records up to date in the district office (Section 1(f)). Our article on units that count covers questions to ask.
Does West Fargo require approval before you take a course?
Approval is required before the credits count, and the agreement advises asking before you enroll. Article V, Section 1(d) of the agreement says: "All credits must be approved by the superintendent or their designee before credit on the salary schedule will be granted." Section 1(e) adds: "Teachers should confer with the superintendent or their designee before enrolling in courses to ensure that credits earned will count toward a change in the education level."
A master's program outside your licensed field needs that approval in advance, under Section 1(c). The agreement names no form, so a short written request naming the course, the institution and how it fits your license, with the reply, is a reasonable record to keep. Our article on pre-approval forms explains what to save.
When are transcripts due, and when does the new lane take effect?
Article V, Section 7, "Lane Changes," of the agreement gives two windows:
- Fall: all required verification filed on or before October 15 moves you on the first contract day of the school year.
- Winter: verification filed on or before February 15 moves you on the first contract day in January.
Verification means a transcript filed in the district office certifying the credits, followed by verification and approval by the superintendent or designee. A summer course therefore pays from the start of the year if the transcript reaches the district office by October 15. Our transcript deadlines article has tips for ordering transcripts early.
Do the same units count toward North Dakota license renewal?
Usually, though the tests differ. Article V, Section 2 of the agreement makes a valid North Dakota license a condition of pay, and docks pay for contracted days without one. The Education Standards and Practices Board renews a five-year license with six semester hours of re-education credit earned within the license dates, documented on a transcript, plus 30 days of contracted teaching (N.D. Admin. Code ch. 67.1-02-02). The board's topic test, professional education or the licensed major, minor or endorsement area, is close to West Fargo's field rule, so a course chosen for your field can serve both. See the ESPB renewal page and the North Dakota renewal section.
Where can West Fargo teachers earn graduate-level units?
Every district, West Fargo included, decides for itself whether a course counts for the purpose a teacher needs it for: a column move, a stipend, license renewal or an added endorsement. No provider, university or website can make that decision, so the rules above come first, and written approval from West Fargo's human resources office is the safest record to have before you pay.
Before you enroll: West Fargo's 2025-2027 agreement (Article V, Section 1) requires that "at least eight of the 15 semester hours must be earned in the field in which the teacher is licensed" for BA+15, and 15 of 30 for BA+30, with the same split for MA+15 and MA+30. It also says "All credits must be approved by the superintendent or their designee before credit on the salary schedule will be granted." A general education course may fill the other half of a block, not all of it. Talk to the superintendent's office before you enroll.
| Question | What West Fargo says | What to look for on the provider's site |
|---|---|---|
| Type of unit | West Fargo: Semester hours beyond a degree; at least half in your licensed field | Semester or quarter units, graduate-level or not, and the university named on the transcript and its accreditor |
| Grade | See units that count | Letter grade or pass/fail on the transcript |
| Deadline | West Fargo: October 15 or February 15 | Published grading and transcript-posting time, and any rush option |
| Approval | West Fargo: Superintendent or designee; confer before enrolling | Course descriptions or syllabi you can attach to an approval form |
| Price | Not set by the district | All-in price per credit, including any university or first-course fee (compare) |
Graduate-level credit providers, listed with the same facts
With those rules in hand, compare providers on the same points. Providers listed on this site, each with the same facts:
- Teacher Friendly: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $336 first course for 3 credits (price notes)
- Credits for Educators: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $297 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Fresno Pacific University CE: self-paced, up to 1 year, units through Fresno Pacific University; ≈$475 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Graduate Credit Courses: self-paced, units through Cal Poly Humboldt; $570 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Model Teaching: self-paced, 1 year, units through a choice of six universities, including University of the Pacific; $359 for 3 credits (price notes)
- PD Courses (University of La Verne): online or pdf, semester-based, units through University of La Verne; $420 for 3 credits (price notes)
The provider directory lists 28 providers and programs by what teachers need them for, and Compare sets published prices for 16 of them side by side, with transcripts from 11 universities. A listing on this site does not mean West Fargo has approved a provider or course; only the district can do that. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
West Fargo salary questions teachers ask
How many credits move a West Fargo teacher to the next lane?
Fifteen semester hours beyond the degree for BA+15 or MA+15, and 30 for BA+30 or MA+30. At least half of each block must be in the field you are licensed in.
What is the West Fargo lane change deadline?
October 15 for a move on the first contract day of the school year, and February 15 for a move on the first contract day in January.
Do I need approval before taking a course?
The superintendent or designee approves all credits before they count, and the agreement says teachers should confer with that office before enrolling.
Does a master's outside my field count?
Only if the superintendent or designee approved the program in advance. A master's in the field you are licensed in qualifies for the MA lane.
Where can West Fargo teachers take graduate-level courses for salary credit or renewal?
West Fargo decides which courses count, under the rules on this page, so check with human resources before you enroll. Providers that teachers compare include Teacher Friendly, Credits for Educators, Fresno Pacific University CE, Graduate Credit Courses, Model Teaching and PD Courses (University of La Verne). They differ in format, transcript university, grading time and price; the provider directory and the Compare page list 16 providers with the same facts for each.
Sources
- West Fargo Public Schools and West Fargo Education Association Negotiated Agreement 2025–2027, including Schedule I, posted by North Dakota United. Checked
- N.D. Admin. Code chapter 67.1-02-02, North Dakota Legislative Branch. Checked
- Renewing a License, North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board. Checked
Reviewed November 12, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error