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North Dakota, United States

Coding, cybersecurity and AI classes in North Dakota

Is computer science a graduation requirement in North Dakota?

Yes, with cybersecurity as an equal option. After HB 1398, passed by the 68th Legislative Assembly in 2023, students graduating after July 31, 2025 take one unit of computer science or cybersecurity, which can count as one of their three science units, unless they completed their school’s integration plan. Modern Age Coders teaches both subjects live online, from kindergarten AI literacy to picoCTF practice.

Most states that write computer science into law treat it alone. North Dakota pairs it with cybersecurity at every level: in the century code that approves schools, in the content standards the department rewrote in 2025, and in the unit a student needs to graduate. The pairing changes what a class should look like. A ninth grader in Fargo or Minot is expected to understand how a network moves data and how that same network is attacked and defended. This page lays out HB 1398 year by year as the Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) summarizes it, explains the May 2025 standards and how they bring artificial intelligence in from kindergarten, reads the published access figures with the caveat they need, and shows a sampling project on a North Dakota dataset of more than a hundred thousand mapped landmarks.

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Facts last verified 17 October 2026. Teaching is online; no North Dakota branch is claimed.

Course picks for North Dakota

Four routes that cover both halves of the requirement

Cybersecurity sits beside programming here, as it does in North Dakota law. The free lesson settles the right level first.

AI Literacy for Kids (Ages 8 to 14) course thumbnail
Grades 3 to 8

AI Literacy for Kids (Ages 8 to 14)

What AI is and is not, in the spirit of the kindergarten standard that a machine can sound human without being one.

See the syllabus
 Python for Teens course thumbnail
Grades 7 to 12

Python for Teens

Programming foundations for the computer science route, ending with the landmark sampling project in Python.

See the syllabus
 Cybersecurity for Teens course thumbnail
Grades 8 to 12

Cybersecurity for Teens

Defensive, white-hat security: networks, passwords, threats and safe habits, matching the cybersecurity route of HB 1398.

See the syllabus
 Cybersecurity Competitions for Teens course thumbnail
Grades 9 to 12

Cybersecurity Competitions for Teens

Capture-the-flag and CyberPatriot practice for students who want to test their security skills in competition.

See the syllabus

Browse the course atlas for more than one hundred options and use the coding roadmap to check prerequisites.

The four we are known for

Python, AI, vibe coding and agentic coding

These run underneath everything above. Every one is live and online, placed by ability rather than by age, and the first class is free.

Vibe Coding for Teens course thumbnail
Vibe codingAges 13 to 17

Vibe Coding for Teens

Python, web and AI projects where the learner still owns the thinking.

See the syllabus
 Python Automation Course course thumbnail
Python and AICollege and adult

Python Automation Course

Automate the work you already do, then let AI carry part of it.

See the syllabus
 AI and Machine Learning for Teens course thumbnail
AI and MLAges 14 to 18

AI and Machine Learning for Teens

Train a model, read what it learned, and be able to say why it is wrong.

See the syllabus
 Codex & Claude Code course thumbnail
Agentic codingProfessionals

Codex & Claude Code

Run AI coding agents on real work without losing control of the codebase.

See the syllabus
HB 1398

North Dakota’s computer science and cybersecurity law, year by year

NDDPI published a Bill Breakdown of HB 1398 on 26 April 2023, and its current Computer Science and Cybersecurity page names the sections the 68th Legislative Assembly amended. We read both on 17 October 2026.

HB 1398 changes to the North Dakota Century Code, as summarized by NDDPI
SectionWhat changedFrom
NDCC 15.1-21-01To be approved, elementary and middle schools provide instruction in computer science, including cybersecurity2023 to 2024
NDCC 15.1-21-02To be approved, high schools provide instruction in, or make available, one unit of computer science or cybersecurity2023 to 2024
Integration planElementary, middle and high schools develop a computer science and cybersecurity integration plan approved by the school board2024 to 2025
NDCC 15.1-21-02.2, through July 31, 2025One unit of computer science or cybersecurity may satisfy one of the three science requirements2023 to 2024
NDCC 15.1-21-02.2, after July 31, 2025Students are required to take one unit of computer science or cybersecurity, which may satisfy one of the three science requirements2025 to 2026
New section of 15.1-26NDDPI grants for computer operations and cybersecurity courses for adultsJuly 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025

The waiver

NDDPI’s breakdown says the graduation unit is waived for a student who has completed the school’s computer science and cybersecurity integration plan, so the plan is a second route to the same goal.

From math to science

Before HB 1398, the breakdown notes, one unit of computer science could stand in for one of three math requirements. The new law moves the substitution to science.

Either subject counts

A unit of cybersecurity meets the requirement just as a unit of computer science does. Families can choose the route that suits the student rather than the one a neighboring state would pick.

The department’s guidance on integration plans argues that a single exposure in the upper grades is not sufficient to build a foundation, and asks schools to map the standards across every grade. Schools may choose to require an approved course as part of the plan, or have a qualified staff member, such as a licensed library media specialist, help classroom teachers deliver the standards. One question NDDPI tells schools to answer is what happens to a student who transfers in during eleventh grade after everyone else took the ninth grade course.

The May 2025 standards

Five concepts, written grade by grade, with AI from kindergarten

NDDPI’s committee began in July 2024 and finished the revised Computer Science and Cybersecurity Content Standards in May 2025, after five multi-day sessions. The department asks schools to fully implement them in 2026 to 2027.

The five concepts of the 2025 North Dakota Computer Science and Cybersecurity Content Standards, and where our classes meet them (right column ours)
ConceptSample sub-concepts in the standardIn our classes
Computing Devices and SystemsNetworks and Internet, Hardware and Software, Artificial IntelligenceHow a program runs, then how devices talk over a network
Algorithms and Computational ThinkingStep-by-step solutions, patterns, programsEvery coding course, from blocks to Python and Java
Impacts of ComputingEthical use, technological impacts, impacts of AIA who-does-this-affect discussion in every AI unit
Digital CitizenshipBalancing media use, responsible online behaviorAccount safety and source checking in kids classes
SecurityProtecting networks, devices and dataThe defensive cybersecurity course and CTF practice

Grade by grade to eighth

Kindergarten through grade 8 each have their own standards; high school is written in two spans, grades 9-10 and 11-12. A code such as 2.NI.1 means grade 2, Networks and Internet, standard 1.

AI starts at five

The first AI standard is for kindergarten: K.NI.3 Understand that while AI may respond like a human, it is a machine. By 9-10.NI.3, students explain how generative AI models process inputs and produce outputs.

No device required

The committee wrote the standards so that districts are not required to use any specific hardware or software, which keeps them workable in large and very small districts alike.

In the department’s words

The State Superintendent’s foreword to the May 2025 standards describes North Dakota as one of the first states in the nation to require all students to learn computer science and cybersecurity throughout their K-12 experience. We quote that as the department’s own statement from 2025, not as a ranking we have checked.

The 2025 document replaces the 2019 standards, and NDDPI publishes a crosswalk between the two. A student in grade 6 this year may therefore meet AI and security content their older sibling never saw at that age; classes outside school can fill the gap for students who started under the earlier version.

The published numbers

North Dakota’s access and enrollment figures, cybersecurity included

Code.org’s State of AI + CS Education data flags North Dakota with a footnote, and that footnote changes how the numbers should be read.

North Dakota high schools offering computer science or cybersecurity, as published by Code.org (2025)
School yearPublished value
2018 to 2019 through 2021 to 2022No value published
2022 to 202375%
2023 to 202484.1%, 148 of 176 high schools (state education agency data)
2024 to 2025No value published
Enrollment and AP, North Dakota
MeasureValueSource
High school students in CS, 2023 to 20245,492 of 34,185, or 16.07%Code.org (2025); student total from NCES, Fall 2022
Schools with AP exams, 202344 (35 public, 9 non-public)College Board, School Report of AP Exams by State
Schools with AP exams, 202447 (41 public, 6 non-public)College Board, School Report of AP Exams by State

The footnote says North Dakota is the only state with a computer science and cybersecurity graduation requirement, and that for this state the access figure includes cybersecurity. So 148 of 176 counts high schools offering either subject. Because other states are measured on computer science alone, we do not set North Dakota’s figure beside any other state’s; it answers a different question.

Both access years published predate the July 31, 2025 change to the graduation rule and the 2026 to 2027 standards rollout, so they show the state shortly after HB 1398 took effect in schools, not after the graduation unit applied to a full class. The AP count rose by three schools between 2023 and 2024.

Citation

Code.org (2025). 2025 State of AI + CS Education. Individual North Dakota values are quoted from its Access and Participation tabs; the dataset itself is not republished here. AP counts: College Board, School Report of AP Exams by State, 2023-24.

Signature project

Can 400 random points describe 104,829? A sampling project on North Dakota data

The state GIS hub publishes Landmarks NDDOT, a point layer of mapped features across North Dakota. It is big enough that sampling becomes a real question, and the server can still give the full count to check against.

Our seeded random samples against the full count, Landmarks NDDOT downloaded 17 October 2026 (sample results are ours; full counts from a server group-by)
Feature typeFull countShare of allSample of 100Sample of 400Sample of 1,600
Farm Unit33,90432.34%30.00%31.50%33.25%
Wind Turbine1,2181.16%0.00%1.25%1.38%
Grain Elevator1820.17%0.00%0.00%0.19%

1. Draw the sample

Students fetch all 104,829 object IDs, then use random.Random(2026).sample to pick 1,600 of them, so anyone rerunning the code gets the same draw.

2. Estimate, then check

They estimate each feature type’s share from the first 100, 400 and 1,600 picks, and compare with the true share from a group-by over all 223 feature types.

3. Spot the rare-case trap

Farm units are close at every size. A sample of 100 finds no wind turbines and 400 finds no grain elevators at all, which is how rare things vanish from small surveys.

What these numbers are

The sample percentages are ours, from one seeded draw on one day. A different seed gives different numbers, and that variation is the lesson. The state says the layer follows conventional cartographic standards, is not a final or formal publication, and is not guaranteed free from errors.

For an extension, students list feature types that look like data-entry quirks, such as a type called Asterisk with 3,334 records and a lower-case railway crossing label, and discuss whether to clean or keep them. Estimation, error and messy categories are the Algorithms and Computational Thinking and Impacts of Computing concepts of the 2025 standards, practised on a map of the student’s own state.

Class times

Central or Mountain: North Dakota’s two time zones

The IANA time zone database puts eastern North Dakota on Central Time and southwestern North Dakota on Mountain Time, and keeps three zones of its own for counties that switched.

North Dakota entries in the IANA tz database (northamerica and zone.tab, read 17 October 2026)
ZoneWhereHistory noted in the database
America/ChicagoEastern North DakotaUS Central Time
America/DenverSouthwestern North DakotaUS Mountain Time
America/North_Dakota/CenterOliver CountyMoved from mountain to central time on 1992-10-25
America/North_Dakota/New_SalemMorton County, ruralMoved to central time on 2003-10-26, except around Mandan, already central
America/North_Dakota/BeulahMercer CountyMoved to central time at the November 7, 2010 change

India and Central

India is 10 hours 30 minutes ahead of Central Daylight Time and 11 hours 30 minutes ahead of Central Standard Time.

India and Mountain

For families on Mountain Time, India is 11 hours 30 minutes ahead in summer and 12 hours 30 minutes ahead in winter.

The clock changes

Both zones go back an hour on November 1, 2026 and forward on March 14, 2027. We confirm every class time in the family’s own zone.

Learning ladder

From a kindergarten AI question to a cybersecurity competition

Bands follow the shape of the 2025 standards, grade by grade then two high school spans. The free lesson sets the start point.

Grades K to 4

Blocks, safety and AI basics

Sequences and loops in blocks, safe accounts, and what makes a machine different from a person.

Scratch Coding for KidsAI Literacy for Kids (Ages 8 to 14)
Grades 5 to 8

First real code

Python with turtle graphics and games, and the first look at how networks carry data.

Python and AI for KidsProblem Solving and Computational Thinking for Kids
Grades 9 to 10

The graduation unit

Either route: programming and data, or defensive cybersecurity, alongside the school’s own unit.

Python for TeensCybersecurity for Teens
Grades 11 to 12

Compete and specialize

Capture-the-flag practice, AP Computer Science Principles, and machine learning tested on real data.

Cybersecurity Competitions for TeensAP Computer Science Principles
Coding and AI

North Dakota writes AI into security, so students should too

The 2025 standards treat AI as part of computing devices, algorithms, impacts, citizenship and security at once.

An AI model can summarize a dataset in a sentence. Ask it what share of North Dakota landmarks are wind turbines and it may give a confident figure from nowhere. A student who has drawn a sample of 100 and found zero turbines knows exactly how a plausible number can be badly wrong.

The same instinct protects systems. The 2025 standards note that AI can strengthen threat detection while adding risks such as adversarial attacks and privacy concerns. Students who build and test their own code learn to treat an AI answer as a claim to verify, which is the core habit of security work.

North Dakota asks graduates to understand both how computers work and how they are defended; writing code and checking AI output against real data covers both. The longer argument is in is learning to code still worth it.

Delivery

From the Red River Valley to the Badlands, one live class

North Dakota has long distances between towns and some very small districts, and live online classes are the same everywhere in the state.

Rural or city, same class

A student near Williston and one in Grand Forks join the same lesson from home, with no long drive in winter weather.

Mapped to NDDPI standards

Teachers plan around the five 2025 concepts and the HB 1398 routes. School-assessed work always remains the student’s own.

Try a lesson free

A complete first lesson, then a written recommendation for level, course and time. No card details are requested.

Batches by level

Each batch holds fifteen to twenty learners sorted by level, drawn from North Dakota and other states.

One-to-one

A dedicated teacher for a student preparing for a competition or moving faster than a group allows.

When classes run

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Online only

Every class is live over video, taught from India. There is no Modern Age Coders building in North Dakota and none is claimed. Students need a computer, a headset and a dependable internet connection.

Fees

What North Dakota families pay

Start free, then pick a monthly format.

First classUSD 0

A full lesson at no charge, with a suggested level, course and class time at the end.

Group tuitionUSD 100

A month of live classes in a batch of fifteen to twenty students at one level.

Private tuitionUSD 150

A month of classes with one teacher for one student.

Fees are charged in US dollars at a single rate for every state, so Bismarck and Dickinson families pay alike. Billing begins only after the free lesson, once you agree to a course and a time; holiday and missed-class rules are on the pricing page.

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Reviews

Google reviews from parents and students

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews. These are real reviews, reproduced as written.

★★★★★

"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."

Ria Mukherjee

Parent

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."

Samriddha Mondal

Student

★★★★★

"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."

Vansh Agarwal

Student

★★★★★

"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."

Sonam Oswal

Parent of Dhairya

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."

Sonu Goyal

Parent

★★★★★

"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."

Ritu Kedia

Parent

Free placement class

Book a free lesson for a North Dakota student

Share the grade and the interest. A first grader might meet a friendly robot puzzle, a seventh grader a Python game, and a high schooler the landmark sampling project or a first capture-the-flag challenge.

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FAQ

North Dakota coding, cyber and AI questions

Answers for North Dakota families, drawn from NDDPI’s own pages.

Do North Dakota students need computer science to graduate?

NDDPI says students graduating after July 31, 2025 must take one unit of computer science or cybersecurity, which may count as one of three science units, unless they completed the school integration plan.

Does cybersecurity count instead of computer science?

Yes. Under NDCC 15.1-21-02.2 as amended by HB 1398, a unit of either computer science or cybersecurity meets the graduation requirement.

What is a computer science and cybersecurity integration plan?

A school-board-approved plan, required from 2024 to 2025, that maps the standards across grades. NDDPI says completing it waives the separate graduation unit.

When do the new North Dakota standards take effect?

NDDPI finished the revised standards in May 2025 and asks schools to fully implement them in 2026 to 2027. They replace the 2019 standards.

Do the North Dakota standards include AI?

Yes. The first is K.NI.3, which asks kindergartners to understand that AI may respond like a human but is a machine. High school standards cover generative AI models.

How many North Dakota high schools offer computer science?

Code.org (2025) reports 148 of 176 high schools in 2023 to 2024, a figure that includes cybersecurity for North Dakota only, so it is not comparable with other states.

Which time zone are classes in?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. We confirm times in Central or Mountain Time, whichever your part of North Dakota uses.

Can your classes satisfy the graduation unit?

No. The unit comes from courses your school offers or makes available, and NDDPI lists approved routes. Our classes build skills beside them; assessed school work is the student's own.

Is the cybersecurity course safe for teens?

It is defensive and ethical by design, matching the Security concept of the 2025 standards: protecting networks, devices and data, never attacking systems the student does not own.

What does the sampling project teach?

Using 104,829 records from the state Landmarks NDDOT layer, students see how sample estimates compare with the full count, and why a sample of 100 can miss rare features entirely.

More for US students

Next steps for North Dakota students

Security-minded students can read cybersecurity classes for teens, picoCTF for beginners and CyberPatriot preparation. For the AP route there are AP Computer Science Principles classes, and for a contrast with a state that chose computer science alone, see North Carolina.

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