BRAYDEN ZENKER N.D. Newspaper Association As the coronavirus pandemic continues across the country and the world, North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler is looking for ways to address a student learning gap blamed on the virus and schoolsâ attempts to contain it. In testimony before the House Appropriations Committeeâs Education and Environment Division last month, Baesler outlined the scale of that gap and potential ways to address it. She reported that 27-28% of students who had tested at grade level in 2019 for reading, writing and math fell below grade level in 2020. Baesler outlined several potential responses: extending school calendars, increasing access to summer school, and providing high-impact tutoring during the school day and out-of-school tutoring.