HF 3109

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/10/2022 04:07pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; modifying academic standards and benchmarks; modifying
rulemaking requirements for academic standards and benchmarks; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 120B.021, subdivision 3; 120B.023.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.021, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Rulemaking.

The commissioner, consistent with the requirements of this section
and section 120B.022, must adopt statewide rules under deleted text begin section 14.389 deleted text end new text begin chapter 14 new text end for
implementing statewide rigorous core academic standards new text begin and benchmarks under section
120B.023 new text end in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, and
the arts. After the rules authorized under this subdivision are initially adopted, the
commissioner may not amend or repeal these rules nor adopt new rules on the same topic
without specific legislative authorization.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.023, is amended to read:

120B.023 BENCHMARKS.

Subdivision 1.

Benchmarks implement, supplement statewide academic standards.

(a)
The commissioner must supplement required state academic standards with grade-level
benchmarks. High school career and college-ready benchmarks may cover more than one
grade. Schools must offer and students must achieve all benchmarks for an academic standard
to satisfactorily complete that state standard.

(b) deleted text begin The commissioner shall publish benchmarks in the State Register and transmit the
benchmarks in any other manner that informs and guides parents, teachers, school districts,
and other interested persons and makes them accessible to the general public. deleted text end The
commissioner must use benchmarks in developing career and college readiness assessments
under section 120B.30. deleted text begin The commissioner may charge a reasonable fee for publications.
deleted text end

(c) Once established, the commissioner may change the benchmarks only with specific
legislative authorization and deleted text begin after completing a review deleted text end new text begin as part of the standards reviews and
revisions required new text end under section 120B.021, subdivision 4.

deleted text begin (d) The benchmarks are not subject to chapter 14 and section 14.386 does not apply.
deleted text end