Office of the Revisor of Statutes
SF 3176
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 04/02/2025 10:13 a.m.
1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 2.33 3.1 3.2 3.3
3.4
3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15
A bill for an act
relating to education; requiring water safety instruction in health curriculum;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 120B.021, subdivision 1; 142D.091,
subdivision 3.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.021, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
Subdivision 1.
Required academic standards.
(a) The following subject areas are
required for statewide accountability:
(1) language arts;
(2) mathematics, encompassing algebra II, integrated mathematics III, or an equivalent
in high school, and to be prepared for the three credits of mathematics in grades 9 through
12, the grade 8 standards include completion of algebra;
(3) science, including earth and space science, life science, and the physical sciences,
including chemistry and physics;
(4) social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government and
citizenship that includes civics;
(5) physical education;
(6) health; and
(7) the arts. Public elementary and middle schools must offer at least three and require
at least two of the following five arts areas: dance; media arts; music; theater; and visual
arts. Public high schools must offer at least three and require at least one of the following
five arts areas: media arts; dance; music; theater; and visual arts.
(b) For purposes of applicable federal law, the academic standards for language arts,
mathematics, and science apply to all public school students, except the very few students
with extreme cognitive or physical impairments for whom an individualized education
program team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate. An
individualized education program team that makes this determination must establish
alternative standards.
(c) A school district may include child sexual abuse prevention instruction in a health
curriculum, consistent with paragraph (a), clause (6). Child sexual abuse prevention
instruction may include age-appropriate instruction on recognizing sexual abuse and assault,
boundary violations, and ways offenders groom or desensitize victims, as well as strategies
to promote disclosure, reduce self-blame, and mobilize bystanders. A school district may
provide instruction under this paragraph in a variety of ways, including at an annual assembly
or classroom presentation. A school district may also provide parents information on the
warning signs of child sexual abuse and available resources.
new text begin
(d) A school district must include in its health curriculum culturally responsive,
age-appropriate water safety instruction designed to reduce a student's risk of drowning. A
school district with access to a swimming pool must include at least eight weeks of swim
instruction for all grade 3 students. Swim instruction must be led by staff who have
participated in professional development to create curriculum that addresses bias and barriers
that prevent students from learning to swim, including but not limited to financial barriers
to swimming caused by a student's inability to afford having the student's hair redone after
swimming, financial barriers to purchasing comfortable swimwear, a student's historically
validated fear of swimming, shame-inducing comparisons between students with access to
swimming lessons and students who have not had access to swimming lessons, and lack of
access to clean and safe swimming pools. A parent or guardian of a grade 3 student may
opt their student out of the swim instruction requirement if their student is physically unable
to engage in swim instruction or their student has experienced water-related trauma that
prevents them from participating in swim instruction.
new text end
deleted text begin (d)deleted text end new text begin (e)new text end District efforts to develop, implement, or improve instruction or curriculum as a
result of the provisions of this section must be consistent with sections 120B.10, 120B.11,
and 120B.20.
deleted text begin (e)deleted text end new text begin (f)new text end Locally developed academic standards in health apply until statewide rules
implementing statewide health standards under subdivision 3 are required to be implemented
in the classroom.
new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
new text begin
This section is effective for the 2026-2027 school year and later.
new text end
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 142D.091, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Screening program.
(a) A screening program must include at least the following
components: developmental assessments, including virtual developmental screening for
families who make the request based on their immunocompromised health status or other
health conditionsdeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin ;new text end hearing and vision screening or referraldeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin ;new text end immunization review and
referraldeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin ; if the child has access to a swim instruction program, the status of the child's
enrollment in a swim instruction program;new text end the child's height and weightdeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin ;new text end the date of the
child's most recent comprehensive vision examination, if anydeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin ;new text end identification of risk factors
that may influence learningdeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin ;new text end an interview with the parent about the childdeleted text begin ,deleted text end new text begin ;new text end and referral for
assessment, diagnosis, and treatment when potential needs are identified. The district and
the person performing or supervising the screening must provide a parent or guardian with
clear written notice that the parent or guardian may decline to answer questions or provide
information about family circumstances that might affect development and identification
of risk factors that may influence learning. The notice must state "Early childhood
developmental screening helps a school district identify children who may benefit from
district and community resources available to help in their development. Early childhood
developmental screening includes a vision screening that helps detect potential eye problems
but is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam." The notice must clearly state that
declining to answer questions or provide information does not prevent the child from being
enrolled in kindergarten or first grade if all other screening components are met. If a parent
or guardian is not able to read and comprehend the written notice, the district and the person
performing or supervising the screening must convey the information in another manner.
The notice must also inform the parent or guardian that a child need not submit to the district
screening program if the child's health records indicate to the school that the child has
received comparable developmental screening performed within the preceding 365 days by
a public or private health care organization or individual health care provider. The notice
must be given to a parent or guardian at the time the district initially provides information
to the parent or guardian about screening and must be given again at the screening location.
(b) All screening components shall be consistent with the standards of the state
commissioner of health for early developmental screening programs. A developmental
screening program must not provide laboratory tests or a physical examination to any child.
The district must request from the public or private health care organization or the individual
health care provider the results of any laboratory test or physical examination within the 12
months preceding a child's scheduled screening. For the purposes of this section,
"comprehensive vision examination" means a vision examination performed by an optometrist
or ophthalmologist.
(c) If a child is without health coverage, the school district must refer the child to an
appropriate health care provider.
(d) A board may offer additional components such as nutritional, physical and dental
assessments, review of family circumstances that might affect development, blood pressure,
laboratory tests, and health history.
(e) If a statement signed by the child's parent or guardian is submitted to the administrator
or other person having general control and supervision of the school that the child has not
been screened because of conscientiously held beliefs of the parent or guardian, the screening
is not required.