1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; clarifying what constitutes a rigorous course of study; 
1.3 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 120B.021, subdivision 
1.4 	1a.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2005 Supplement, section 120B.021, subdivision 1a, 
1.7 	is amended to read:
1.8 		Subd. 1a.Rigorous course of study; waiver. (a) Upon receiving a student's 
1.9 	application signed by the student's parent or guardian, a school district, area learning 
1.10 	center, or charter school must declare that a student meets or exceeds a specific academic 
1.11 	standard required for graduation under this section if the local school board, the school 
1.12 	board of the school district in which the area learning center is located, or the charter 
1.13 	school board of directors determines that the student:
1.14 	(1) is participating in a course of study, including an advanced placement or 
1.15 	international baccalaureate course or program; a learning opportunity outside the 
1.16 	curriculum of the district, area learning center, or charter school; or an approved 
1.17 	preparatory program for employment or postsecondary education that is equally or more 
1.18 	rigorous than the corresponding state or local academic standard required by the district, 
1.19 	area learning center, or charter school;
1.20 	(2) would be precluded from participating in the rigorous course of study, learning 
1.21 	opportunity, or preparatory employment or postsecondary education program if the student 
1.22 	were required to achieve the academic standard to be waived; and
1.23 	(3) satisfactorily completes the requirements for the rigorous course of study, 
1.24 	learning opportunity, or preparatory employment or postsecondary education program.
2.1 	Consistent with the requirements of this section, the local school board, the school board 
2.2 	of the school district in which the area learning center is located, or the charter school 
2.3 	board of directors also may formally determine other circumstances in which to declare 
2.4 	that a student meets or exceeds a specific academic standard that the site requires for 
2.5 	graduation under this section.
2.6 	(b) A student who satisfactorily completes a postsecondary enrollment options 
2.7 	course or program under section 124D.09, or an advanced placement or international 
2.8 	baccalaureate course or program under section 120B.13 is not required to complete other 
2.9 	requirements of the academic standards corresponding to that specific rigorous course 
2.10 	of study.

2.11 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.