The proposed bill, known as the Science in Education Act, aims to establish a clear definition of "evidence-based" as it pertains to pedagogical methods within public education. It mandates that the Department of Education and all local school districts adhere to this definition in their communications. The bill specifies that "evidence-based" methods must be supported by reproducibility in multiple well-designed studies within a single discipline or independent confirmation across multiple disciplines. Notably, the bill excludes surveys, self-reported data, and subjective measurements from being classified as evidence-based. Furthermore, it requires that any use of the term "evidence-based" in communications must align with this definition, and that the scientific studies supporting these methods be made publicly available.

To implement these changes, the bill introduces a new section to RSA 193-E, which outlines the requirements for evidence-based methods in public education, including educator training and policies. It also stipulates that the Department of Education will need to adopt rules to enforce these provisions. While the bill does not allocate funding or authorize new positions, it is estimated that the Department will incur costs related to hiring an education consultant to assist with compliance and implementation. Local school districts may also face increased administrative costs as they review and potentially revise their educational methods to align with the new definition. Overall, the bill seeks to enhance the scientific rigor of educational practices by ensuring that they are grounded in evidence-based research.