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 section 14.389 chapter 14 for
implementing statewide rigorous core academic standards and benchmarks under section
120B.023 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) 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. The
commissioner must use benchmarks in developing career and college readiness assessments
under section 120B.30. The commissioner may charge a reasonable fee for publications.

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

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