Conference committee debates pilot to test math programs under SB 2213; superintendent seeks five-district trial

The Conference Committee on Senate Bill 2213 discussed a proposed state-funded pilot to test math instructional programs in North Dakota, and State Superintendent Kirsten Basler asked the committee to fund a five-district trial with about $100,000 allocated per district for teacher professional development and external evaluation.

The pilot, Basler said, would follow a two‑phase model: a Department of Public Instruction screening phase to narrow vendors to three to five promising, content-specific mathematics programs, then a funded phase to support teacher training, substitute coverage and external evaluation in five districts to determine which approaches produce measurable gains. "Essentially we are looking at 5 schools or excuse me 5 districts. The allocation would be about a hundred thousand dollars for each school district that would be investing in professional development for our teachers," State Superintendent Kirsten Basler said.

Why it matters: The committee, meeting as a conference committee on SB 2213, is resolving differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill while weighing whether to include a pilot that would generate North Dakota–specific evidence ahead of any larger rollout. Basler and several legislators framed…