Government Affairs Committee Meeting

What does Every Child Succeed mean in North Dakota?:
A new federal education law that dramatically changes North Dakota's approach to education will soon be developed over the next year. Under No Child Left Behind, which had been in place since 2002, the quality of a school district was only measured by graduation rates and standardized test results in English, math and science. Schools that failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress test goals received penalties.

Now, states are free to make their own decisions on education and broaden the number of quality measurements without requiring verification from the U.S. Department of Education. It's an opportunity to open up a new way of looking at education

Some changes are certain, such as students spending less time—an hour and a half less—on the state assessment. States will also be given more flexibility to shift required high school tests to different grades.

A student test task force through the DPI is considering moving some tests in 11th grade, a test-heavy year, to a different grade, she said.

Kirsten Baesler stated, the law does not reduce the number of tests students are given. State and federal laws state students must take the state assessment in English, math and science once during grades nine through 12 and that juniors take the ACT college entrance exam.

Agenda:
1:30 p.m. – Introductions

• Bernie Dardis, Policy Vice Chair, GNDC

• Kirsetn Baesler, Superintendent of Public Instruction

• Bernie Dardis, Policy Vice Chair, GNDC