The National Governor’s Association and the Council of Chief School Officers recommends that states adopt the national standards, and so far 27 states have done so.

North Dakota has yet to adopt the standards, and might not, depending on the outcome of the committee’s evaluation of the state standards and national standards. Seventy educators across the state are working with Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning, more commonly known as McREL, said Greg Gallagher, director of standards and achievements for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.

The committee hopes to have a draft of its recommendation available in September, which would be open for public comment. Then the committee will create another draft that could be ready in January. That draft will also be open to public comment, then a third draft will be created and opened to public comment. After the commenting period on the third draft, the committee will decide whether to proceed with its recommendation or create another draft, Gallagher said.

“We’re finding commonality,” between the state’s standards and the common core, Gallagher said.

A recent report by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute shows a different interpretation of how the state’s standards measure up to the common core. In “The State of State Standards — and the Common Core — in 2010” report, it assigns grade letters to state’s reading and math standards and the common core by rating the standards for clarity and specificity, and content and rigor.

North Dakota rated a D in English and language arts standards, compared to a B+ for the common core standards; and a C in math standards compared to an A- for the common core standards.

Whatever standards the state adopts will be phased in, in time for a new state assessment test to be released in 2014-15.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune.com)