State school superintendent Kirsten Baesler says math and English standards for North Dakota students will be rewritten – and the process begins this summer.
Baesler says the current standards are based on the Common Core. She says those will be updated and improved upon. She says the standards will go through three drafts and reviews, and the process should be completed by early 2017.
"This process will be thoughtful, deliberate and transparent," Baesler said. "I want to be absolutely clear that North Dakota teachers, parents and citizens will have ample opportunity to get involved in this process."
North Dakota now uses the “Smarter Balanced” standardized testing. Baesler says once the new standards are finalized, requests for proposals will be issued to testing companies.
"We provide our standards in that RFP," Baesler said. "We will put forth the requirements we want in a test. We want to make sure the questions being asked at each grade level is what's being taught at each grade level."
Schools will begin using the new standards in the 2017-2018 school year.