SF 1676

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/04/2021 02:21pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; creating an ethnic studies requirement; creating an Ethnic
Studies Task Force; authorizing rulemaking; requiring a report; appropriating
money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 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 2020, section 120B.024, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Graduation requirements.

(a) Students deleted text begin beginning 9th grade in the
2011-2012 school year and later deleted text end 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, new text begin ethnic studies, new text end 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; and

(7) a minimum of seven elective credits.

(b) A school district is encouraged to offer a course for credit in government and
citizenship to 11th or 12th grade students who begin 9th grade in the 2020-2021 school year
and later, that satisfies the government and citizenship requirement in paragraph (a), clause
(5).

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for students beginning 9th grade in the
2022-2023 school year and later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [120B.025] ETHNIC STUDIES.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definition. new text end

new text begin "Ethnic studies" means the critical and interdisciplinary study
of race, ethnicity, and indigeneity with a focus on the experiences and perspectives of people
of color within and beyond the United States. Ethnic studies analyzes the ways in which
race and racism have been and continue to be powerful social, cultural, and political forces,
and their connections to other groups of stratification, including gender, class, sexuality,
and legal status.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Requirement. new text end

new text begin (a) Every public school in Minnesota must offer as part of the
social studies curriculum one or more ethnic studies courses that include the following
topics:
new text end

new text begin (1) Latinx Studies;
new text end

new text begin (2) African American Studies;
new text end

new text begin (3) Asian American Studies;
new text end

new text begin (4) Indigenous/First Nations Studies; or
new text end

new text begin (5) Ethnic Studies 101.
new text end

new text begin (b) Ethnic studies courses may also focus specifically on a particular group of national
or ethnic origin, including Hmong Studies or Somali Studies.
new text end

new text begin (c) An ethnic studies course must meet state ethnic studies standards.
new text end

new text begin (d) A student beginning 9th grade in the 2023-2024 school year and later must
successfully complete a semester-long ethnic studies course to graduate from high school.
A district or charter school must offer an ethnic studies course that fulfills the requirements
of this paragraph without increasing the number of credits required for graduation under
section 120B.024.
new text end

new text begin (e) School districts and charter schools must provide ethnic studies curriculum in
elementary schools and middle schools by the 2024-2025 school year in accordance with
Department of Education rules on ethnic studies.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Rulemaking. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must adopt rules for statewide
academic standards for ethnic studies curriculum to be required for all kindergarten through
grade 12 students. The rules must include a process for implementing standards statewide.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin School needs assessment. new text end

new text begin (a) A school district or charter school must conduct
an ethnic studies school needs assessment with students, parents or guardians, and community
members to determine the priorities for course selection, implementation, and timeline. The
ethnic studies school needs assessment must include qualitative and quantitative components.
Qualitative priorities must include a schoolwide listening session or feedback forum with
students, parents or guardians, and community members. Quantitative priorities must include
a school survey.
new text end

new text begin (b) A school district or charter school must annually evaluate the implementation of
ethnic studies instruction by seeking feedback from students, parents or guardians, and
community members. A school district or charter school must report to the commissioner
of education in the form and manner determined by the commissioner on plans to modify
implementation based on the annual evaluation.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Department of Education. new text end

new text begin (a) The Department of Education must hire dedicated
ethnic studies staff sufficient to fulfill the following department duties:
new text end

new text begin (1) ensure that each school district or charter school implements ethnic studies courses
and curriculum that fulfill ethnic studies standards;
new text end

new text begin (2) support school districts and charter schools in providing training for teachers and
school district staff to successfully implement ethnic studies standards;
new text end

new text begin (3) require each school district or charter school to annually evaluate the implementation
of the ethnic studies curriculum by seeking feedback from students, parents or guardians,
and community members;
new text end

new text begin (4) encourage school districts and charter schools to hire a dedicated coordinator for
ethnic studies implementation with support from the Department of Education; and
new text end

new text begin (5) make available to school districts and charter schools the following:
new text end

new text begin (i) a model ethnic studies curriculum;
new text end

new text begin (ii) an ethnic studies school survey for each school district and charter school to use as
part of a school needs assessment;
new text end

new text begin (iii) a list of recommended materials, resources, sample curricula, and pedagogical skills
for use in kindergarten through grade 12 that accurately reflect the diversity of the state of
Minnesota;
new text end

new text begin (iv) training materials for teachers and district and school staff, including an ethnic
studies coordinator, to implement ethnic studies requirements, including a school needs
assessment; and
new text end

new text begin (v) other resources to assist districts and charter schools in successfully implementing
ethnic studies standards.
new text end

new text begin (b) The commissioner must review the ethnic studies standards, once adopted, every ten
years. Review of the state standards must include robust community engagement and
consultation with stakeholders.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2021, except subdivision 3, which
is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin ETHNIC STUDIES TASK FORCE.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Task force established. new text end

new text begin (a) The Ethnic Studies Task Force is established
to advise the commissioner of education on ethnic studies standards, curriculum, and
resources necessary to implement ethnic studies requirements under Minnesota Statutes,
section 120B.025. The commissioner must appoint members of the task force by July 1,
2021, with input from the Minnesota Ethnic Studies Coalition.
new text end

new text begin (b) The Ethnic Studies Task Force must have 25 members, as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) five community members with a demonstrated commitment to ethnic studies;
new text end

new text begin (2) three public school students in grades 9 to 12;
new text end

new text begin (3) two public school students in grades 6 to 8;
new text end

new text begin (4) three parents or guardians of public kindergarten through grade 12 students;
new text end

new text begin (5) three Minnesota-based, college-level faculty experts in ethnic studies;
new text end

new text begin (6) three ethnic studies high school teachers;
new text end

new text begin (7) three ethnic studies grades 6 to 8 teachers; and
new text end

new text begin (8) three ethnic studies kindergarten to grade 5 teachers.
new text end

new text begin (c) Demographics of the task force must be inclusive and represent the ethnic and racial
diversity of the state, including gender and sexual orientation, immigrant status, and religious
and linguistic background.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Duties. new text end

new text begin (a) The task force must:
new text end

new text begin (1) create an updated ethnic studies curriculum in accordance with subdivision 3 for
statewide implementation and use;
new text end

new text begin (2) develop an ethnic studies school survey for school districts and charter schools to
use as part of their school needs assessment;
new text end

new text begin (3) develop ethnic studies standards to propose for adoption into existing statewide
standards for public schools;
new text end

new text begin (4) identify professional learning requirements for educators and staff to facilitate the
successful implementation of ethnic studies courses;
new text end

new text begin (5) work with school districts and charter schools to create a plan to recruit and retain
teachers of color as part of ethnic studies courses and overall school goals to increase teachers
of color and indigenous or native teachers;
new text end

new text begin (6) identify a list of recommended materials, resources, sample curricula, and pedagogical
skills for use in kindergarten through grade 12 that accurately reflect the diversity of the
state of Minnesota;
new text end

new text begin (7) develop resources to assist public schools in successfully implementing the adopted
ethnic studies standards; and
new text end

new text begin (8) provide necessary training materials for teachers and school district staff to
successfully implement the ethnic studies requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section
120B.025, including the school needs assessment and coordinator.
new text end

new text begin (b) The task force must create a work plan that outlines the timeline to fulfill its duties
under this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin (c) Within six months of the task force creating a timeline for the work plan under
paragraph (b), the task force must plan a gradual scale-up approach to statewide
implementation of the ethnic studies requirement, including a focus on high school for the
first one to four years of the program's development, phasing in middle and elementary
schools over a period of time determined by the committee.
new text end

new text begin (d) The task force must provide to the commissioner of education the ethnic studies
standards; list of recommended materials, resources, curricula, and skills; and other materials
developed under this subdivision by October 31, 2022.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Model curriculum and report. new text end

new text begin (a) The task force must create a model
curriculum that school districts and charter schools are encouraged to use. The task force
must encourage school districts and charter schools implementing the model curriculum to
use materials authored by members of the community that is the subject of the course. The
model curriculum must:
new text end

new text begin (1) use various forms of pedagogy to meet all students' needs, including participatory
or research-based models for real-world connections to the current society;
new text end

new text begin (2) include a power, race, class, and gender analysis as part of the course via literature,
discussion, classwork, and homework as it relates to ethnic studies courses; and
new text end

new text begin (3) include an intersectional analysis of climate, health, food, housing, education, and
policy.
new text end

new text begin (b) By November 15, 2022, the task force must submit to the chairs and ranking minority
members of the committees of the senate and the house of representatives with primary
jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education a report containing a list of
resources and materials provided to the commissioner of education for the commissioner
to make available to school districts and charter schools implementing ethnic studies
requirements.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Meetings and compensation. new text end

new text begin (a) The task force must convene on at least a
bimonthly basis and must hold the first meeting no later than October 15, 2021.
new text end

new text begin (b) Members of the task force shall receive a stipend of $250 per month for their time,
work, and expertise.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Administration. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must provide meeting space and technical
assistance for the task force.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin State standards. new text end

new text begin The commissioner must adopt the ethnic studies standards
developed by the task force using the expedited rulemaking process in Minnesota Statutes,
section 14.389.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner must include ethnic studies, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section
120B.025, in social studies standards during the 2020-2021 review and revision of the
standards.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 5. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Ethnic Studies Task Force. new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2022 and $....... in fiscal
year 2023 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of education for the
Ethnic Studies Task Force. Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is available in
the second year.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Ethnic studies implementation. new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2022 and $....... in fiscal
year 2023 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of education for
implementation of state ethnic studies requirements. The base for fiscal year 2024 is $.......
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2021.
new text end