RAPID CITY, S.D., Feb. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Building on the success of North Dakota’s historic statewide rollout of the All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Learn-to-Ride Program in the 2023-2024 school year, the Strider Education Foundation is sharing a roadmap to help other states implement the transformative initiative. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit that focuses on teaching children in America how to ride a bike in kindergarten PE class is encouraging state leaders across the country to consider the program’s benefits and ease of execution, and to pursue statewide implementation.
North Dakota is the first state in the nation to implement the All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Learn-to-Ride Program statewide, thanks to a public-private partnership combining state funds with support from corporate donors. The initiative equips schools with a structured curriculum, teacher training, a fleet of 24 Strider balance-to-pedal bikes, helmets, and rolling storage racks. Doug Burgum, former North Dakota Governor and newly appointed U.S. Secretary of the Interior, led the statewide rollout and spoke about it at Will-Moore Elementary School in Bismarck last November. [LINK to video]
Lisa Weyer, Executive Director of the Strider Education Foundation, praised North Dakota’s leadership, saying, “This pioneering effort by former Governor Burgum is a testament to North Dakota’s commitment to health, education, and community. Teaching children to ride a bike in kindergarten builds confidence, fosters lifelong healthy habits, and creates lasting memories. We’re excited to help other states replicate this success.”
Burgum is a strong advocate for the program, and he emphasized its impact, stating, “I was shocked to find out, many kids in America today never have the opportunity to learn how to ride a bike.” He highlighted the ease of statewide implementation, adding, “The thing that is great about this was the ability to replicate a great program in every building in every district across the state.”
All Kids Bike is dedicated to supporting state leaders in achieving statewide implementation of its Kindergarten PE Learn-to-Ride Program through expert guidance, strategic planning, and hands-on assistance. The organization helps state officials navigate funding opportunities, program logistics, and school district coordination. By providing comprehensive teacher training and ongoing support, All Kids Bike ensures a smooth and sustainable rollout that benefits students and school districts for years to come and empowers leaders to make biking education accessible to all young learners, promoting active lifestyles and lifelong confidence on two wheels.
The North Dakota program currently serves 238 schools, with 223 funded through the statewide implementation initiative. More than 11,000 kindergarteners statewide will learn to ride every year, with over 75,000 children expected to benefit over the program’s 10-year lifespan.
Encouraging other states to follow North Dakota’s lead, Burgum urged policymakers to consider the program’s low cost and high return. “If any other governors or education leaders are looking for a small investment with a high return, All Kids Bike would be a great place to look. There’s a lot of things in education that are hard. All Kids Bike, I put that in the Easy Button category.”
For more information on how to bring the All Kids Bike program to your state, please visit AllKidsBike.org.
ABOUT ALL KIDS BIKE
The All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Learn-to-Ride Program launched in 2018 with a simple mission: to give every child in America the opportunity to learn how to ride a bike in school. The comprehensive program includes teacher training and certification, complete curriculum with lesson plans, games and activities, a fleet of 24 Strider balance-to-pedal bikes, pedal conversion kits, fully adjustable student helmets, an instructor bike with pedal conversion kit and helmet, two rolling storage racks, and access to a resource portal with live support for the life of the program, everything needed to teach kids how to ride a bike! Supported by the Strider Education Foundation, All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Learn-to-Ride Programs are active in over 1,500 schools across all 50 states, teaching more than 150,000 kids to ride each year and over 1 million kids throughout the 10-year lifespan of the programs already in place. For more information, please visit www.allkidsbike.org.
Contact:
Strider Education Foundation/All Kids Bike
605-956-3877
www.allkidsbike.org
media@allkidsbike.org
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c0647591-b7ee-438f-a717-998ff00791f3
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ba89f561-a45e-4fc4-9d60-7d40b99dcbd1
