1. (a) The state board shall establish state academic standards for the purpose of inclusion and delivery of education services at the local level.
2. (b) The academic standards approved by the state board shall set forth the knowledge and skills that students are expected to obtain for each of the content areas set forth in RSA 193-E:2-a, I.
3. (c) Prior to the state board’s establishment of any academic standards, the state board shall conduct at least one public hearing regarding the proposed academic standards at which comment from the general public shall be solicited for evaluation and consideration by a quorum of the board.
4. (d) Notice of the public hearing shall be posted to the website of the state board and shall be transmitted to all credential holders in the state, via electronic communication, at least 20 days prior to the public hearing date.
5. (e) The state board may accept both live testimony at the noticed public hearing and written public testimony to be considered in evaluating the academic standards. The hearing process and public participation shall conform with the procedures set forth in Ed 214.05 and Ed 214.06.
6. (f) Nothing in these rules shall prohibit the board from giving greater notice than the minimum set out in this part, nor providing more than one public hearing regarding academic standards for any content area.

7. (g) The state board shall consider the following criteria when establishing academic standards in each content area:

   1. (1) The standards set out clear academic expectations for what students will know and be able to do at each grade level or learning level;
   2. (2) The standards are developmentally appropriate and provide a progression of standards that build upon previous learning;
   3. (3) The standards promote academic rigor, critical thinking, problem solving, and deep understanding of subject matter; and
   4. (4) The standards are clear, specific, and measurable.
8. (h) Academic standards shall be established by the state board upon an affirmative vote of at least the majority of the members of the state board after review and recommendation of the legislative oversight committee pursuant to RSA 193-E:2-a, IV(c).
9. (i) No school shall be required to implement the common core standards developed jointly by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers for any of the content areas set forth in RSA 193-E:2-a, I.
10. (j) If a local school board determines not to implement the academic standards established by the state board, a local school board shall determine, approve, and implement alternative academic standards that meet at least the level of rigor of the academic standards adopted by the state board.
11. (k) The state board shall review the academic standards for each content area every 10 years to determine if the standards are in need of revision, or any time the board deems that an existing academic standard should be revised.

Source. (See Revision Notes #1, #2, #3, and #4 at part heading for Ed 306) #14150, eff 12-13-24