SF 3059

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 03/04/2010 03:25pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; making one credit of family and consumer science a
requirement for high school graduation; amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 120B.021, subdivision 1; 120B.024.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.021, subdivision 1, is amended to
read:

Subdivision 1.

Required academic standards.

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) health and physical education, for which locally developed academic standards
apply; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(6) new text begin family and consumer science for which national standards developed by the
National Association of State Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences Education
apply; and
new text end

new text begin (7) new text end 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.

The commissioner must submit proposed standards in science and social studies to
the legislature by February 1, 2004.

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
plan team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate.
An individualized education plan team that makes this determination must establish
alternative standards.

A school district, no later than the 2007-2008 school year, must adopt graduation
requirements that meet or exceed state graduation requirements established in law or
rule. A school district that incorporates these state graduation requirements before the
2007-2008 school year must provide students who enter the 9th grade in or before
the 2003-2004 school year the opportunity to earn a diploma based on existing locally
established graduation requirements in effect when the students entered the 9th grade.
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.

The commissioner must include the contributions of Minnesota American Indian
tribes and communities as they relate to the academic standards during the review and
revision of the required academic standards.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2010, and applies to
students entering the ninth grade in the 2010-2011 school year and later.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 120B.024, is amended to read:

120B.024 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS; COURSE CREDITS.

(a) Students beginning 9th grade in the 2004-2005 school year and later must
successfully complete the following high school level course credits for graduation:

(1) four credits of language arts;

(2) three credits of mathematics, encompassing at least algebra, geometry, statistics,
and probability sufficient to satisfy the academic standard;

(3) three credits of science, including at least one credit in biology;

(4) three and one-half credits of social studies, encompassing at least United
States history, geography, government and citizenship, world history, and economics or
three credits of social studies encompassing at least United States history, geography,
government and citizenship, and world history, and one-half credit of economics taught in
a school's social studies, agriculture education, or business department;

(5) one credit in the arts; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(6) new text begin one credit of family and consumer science that focuses on families, work, and
their interrelationships, is consistent with the national standards for family and consumer
sciences education developed by the National Association of State Administrators of
Family and Consumer Sciences Education, and is taught in a school's family and consumer
sciences department; and
new text end

new text begin (7) new text end a minimum of deleted text begin seven deleted text end new text begin six new text end elective course credits.

A course credit is equivalent to a student successfully completing an academic
year of study or a student mastering the applicable subject matter, as determined by the
local school district.

(b) An agriculture science course may fulfill a science credit requirement in addition
to the specified science credits in biology and chemistry or physics under paragraph (a),
clause (3).

(c) A career and technical education course may fulfill a science, mathematics, or
arts credit requirement in addition to the specified science, mathematics, or arts credits
under paragraph (a), clause (2), (3), or (5).

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective for students entering the ninth grade
in the 2010-2011 school year and later.
new text end