Education Department posts rules to implement math‑curriculum, charter‑school and school‑assessment statutes

Jim Lopgren, assistant director at the Department of Public Instruction, told the committee the rules align administrative code with several recently passed laws, including math‑curriculum requirements (SB 2213), building assessment authority (HB 1476) and the new public charter‑school statute. He said the math rules require schools to adopt evidence‑based curriculum for grades 4–8 immediately and to expand to K–3 in 2027; require ongoing professional development for K–8 teachers and principals charged with math instruction; require formative progress monitoring and local school-board approval of intervention programs; and direct DPI to maintain a publicly available list of suggested programs.

On charter schools, Lopgren said DPI created a multi‑step application and review process with a minimum 90‑day application window, a public interview, monitoring and potential corrective actions that the state superintendent would enforce. Mary McCarville O’Connor (DPI Office of Specialty Design Services) said charter schools remain public schools and must follow IDEA; she noted charters may join existing special‑education units or hire their own director. Committee members asked about local control and whether the rules reflected legislative intent; DPI said they had coordinated with bill sponsors and adjusted rule language after public comment. DPI also presented updates to school‑construction loan limits and to school‑bus standards adopted by reference to the 2025 National Conference on School Transportation.