HF 498

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 02/09/2015 03:54pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; providing for physical education standards and benchmarks;
requiring assessments; amending graduation requirements; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2014, sections 120B.021, subdivisions 1, 3, 4; 120B.024, subdivision 1;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, 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;

(3) science;

(4) social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government and
citizenship;

(5) physical education;

(6) health, for which locally developed academic standards apply; and

(7) the arts, for which statewide or locally developed academic standards apply, as
determined by the school district. Public elementary and middle schools must offer at least
three and require at least two of the following four arts areas: dance; 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.

new text begin (c) The department must adopt the most recent National Association of Sport and
Physical Education kindergarten through grade 12 standards and benchmarks for physical
education as the required physical education academic standards. The department may
modify and adapt the national standards to accommodate school district needs. The
modification and adaptations must maintain the purpose and integrity of the national
standards. The department must develop sample assessments for school districts to assess
students' mastery of the physical education standards beginning in the 2017-2018 school
year.
new text end

deleted text begin (c) deleted text end new text begin (d) 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.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, 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 for
implementing statewide rigorous core academic standards in language arts, mathematics,
science, social studies, 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. The academic standards
for language arts, mathematics, and the arts must be implemented for all students
beginning in the 2003-2004 school year. The academic standards for science and social
studies must be implemented for all students beginning in the 2005-2006 school year. new text begin The
academic standards and benchmarks for physical education must be implemented for all
students beginning in the 2017-2018 school year.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.021, subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

Revisions and reviews required.

(a) The commissioner of education must
revise and appropriately embed technology and information literacy standards consistent
with recommendations from school media specialists into the state's academic standards
and graduation requirements and implement a ten-year cycle to review and, consistent
with the review, revise state academic standards and related benchmarks, consistent with
this subdivision. During each ten-year review and revision cycle, the commissioner also
must examine the alignment of each required academic standard and related benchmark
with the knowledge and skills students need for career and college readiness and advanced
work in the particular subject area. The commissioner must include the contributions of
Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities as related to the academic standards
during the review and revision of the required academic standards.

(b) The commissioner must ensure that the statewide mathematics assessments
administered to students in grades 3 through 8 and 11 are aligned with the state academic
standards in mathematics, consistent with section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph
(b). The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related
benchmarks in mathematics beginning in the 2015-2016 school year and every ten years
thereafter.

(c) The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and related
benchmarks in arts beginning in the 2016-2017 school year and every ten years thereafter.

(d) The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and
related benchmarks in science beginning in the 2017-2018 school year and every ten
years thereafter.

(e) The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and
related benchmarks in language arts beginning in the 2018-2019 school year and every
ten years thereafter.

(f) The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and
related benchmarks in social studies beginning in the 2019-2020 school year and every
ten years thereafter.

new text begin (g) The commissioner must implement a review of the academic standards and
related benchmarks in physical education beginning in the 2024-2025 school year and
every ten years thereafter.
new text end

deleted text begin (g) deleted text end new text begin (h) new text end School districts and charter schools must revise and align local academic
standards and high school graduation requirements in health, world languages, and career
and technical education to require students to complete the revised standards beginning
in a school year determined by the school district or charter school. School districts and
charter schools must formally establish a periodic review cycle for the academic standards
and related benchmarks in health, world languages, and career and technical education.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.024, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Graduation requirements.

Students beginning 9th grade in the
2011-2012 school year and later must successfully complete the following high school
level credits for graduation:

(1) four credits of language arts sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards
in English language arts;

(2) three credits of mathematics, including an algebra II credit or its equivalent,
sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in mathematics;

(3) an algebra I credit by the end of 8th grade sufficient to satisfy all of the 8th
grade standards in mathematics;

(4) three credits of science, including at least one credit of biology, one credit of
chemistry or physics, and one elective credit of science. The combination of credits under
this clause must be sufficient to satisfy (i) all of the academic standards in either chemistry
or physics and (ii) all other academic standards in science;

(5) three and one-half credits of social studies, encompassing at least United States
history, geography, government and citizenship, world history, and economics sufficient
to satisfy all of the academic standards in social studies;

(6) one credit of the arts sufficient to satisfy all of the state or local academic
standards in the arts;

new text begin (7) two credits of physical education, for students beginning 9th grade in the
2017-2018 school year and later; new text end and

deleted text begin (7) deleted text end new text begin (8) new text end a minimum of seven elective credits new text begin ; or a minimum of five elective credits for
students beginning 9th grade in the 2017-2018 school year and later new text end .

Sec. 5.

new text begin [120B.026] PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin School requirements. new text end

new text begin (a) Beginning in the 2017-2018 school year,
a school district or charter school is required to conduct annual assessments of student
mastery of the standards and benchmarks adopted by the department in section 120B.021,
subdivision 1, paragraph (c) and report the assessment results to the department through
state reporting systems and publish the report in the local newspaper with the largest
circulation in the district, by mail, or by electronic means on the district's or school's
Web site. The report must include the number of minutes students spend per week in a
physical education class.
new text end

new text begin (b) A school district or charter school must regularly assess all students to
determine the attainment of physical education learning objectives, including student
improvement and knowledge gain, using the outcomes recommended by the National
Association of Sport and Physical Education. A school must integrate into the curriculum
developmentally appropriate health-related fitness testing as an instructional tool, except
in the early elementary grades, as determined by the commissioner. The testing must
be used by the school to teach students how to assess their fitness levels, set goals for
improvement, and monitor progress in reaching their goals.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Exclusion from class; recess. new text end

new text begin A student may be excused from a
physical education class if being excused meets the child's unique and individualized
needs according to the child's individualized education program, federal 504 plan, or
individualized health plan. A student may be excused if a parent or guardian requests
an exemption on religious grounds. A student with a disability must be provided with
modifications or adaptations that allow physical education class to meet their needs. A
student must not be excluded from recess due to punishment or disciplinary action.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Teachers. new text end

new text begin Physical education must be taught by highly qualified teachers
who are licensed to teach physical education. A physical education teacher shall be
adequately prepared and regularly participate in professional development activities that
will allow them to keep current on emerging technologies, model programs, and improved
teaching methods.
new text end