1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; modifying high school graduation requirements to meet 
1.3 	career and college readiness benchmarks;amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, 
1.4 	sections 120B.02, subdivision 2; 120B.31, subdivision 4a.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 120B.02, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subd. 2.Graduation requirements. (a) To graduate from high school, students must 
1.8 	demonstrate to their enrolling school district or school their satisfactory completion of the 
1.9 	credit requirements under section 120B.024 and their understanding of academic standards. 
1.10 	A school district must adopt graduation requirements that meet or exceed state graduation 
1.11 	requirements established in law or rule.
1.12 	(b) Students in grade 8 in the 2021-2022 school year and later must meet or exceed the 
1.13 	benchmarks on the high school Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments established by the 
1.14 	commissioner of education in accordance with section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph 
1.15 	(m), in order to graduate from high school unless the student can demonstrate special and 
1.16 	extenuating circumstances in accordance with section 120B.30 subdivision 1b.
1.17 	~~(b)~~ (c) Students ages 19 to 21 who have not yet graduated from a Minnesota high school 
1.18 	and, but for their age, are otherwise eligible to participate in an adult basic education program 
1.19 	may be admitted to an adult high school diploma program under section 124D.52, 
1.20 	subdivisions 8 and 9.

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

2.1 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 120B.31, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
2.2 		Subd. 4a.Student participation. (a) The commissioner must create and publish a form 
2.3 	for parents and guardians that:
2.4 	(1) explains the need for state academic standards;
2.5 	(2) identifies the state assessments that are aligned with state standards;
2.6 	(3) identifies the consequences, if any, the school or student may face if a student does 
2.7 	not participate in state or locally required standardized assessments;
2.8 	(4) states that students who receive a college ready benchmark on the high school 
2.9 	Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment are not required to take a remedial, noncredit course 
2.10 	at a Minnesota state college or university in the corresponding subject area;
2.11 	(5) provides notification that a high school student must meet or exceed career and 
2.12 	college readiness benchmarks on the high school Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments 
2.13 	to graduate from high school unless the student can demonstrate special and extenuating 
2.14 	circumstances;
2.15 	~~(5)~~ (6) summarizes the provisions in section 120B.301, paragraphs (a) and (c); and
2.16 	~~(6)~~ (7) notifies a parent of the right to not have the parent's child participate in the state
2.17 	academic assessments administered through grade 8, and any locally required academic 
2.18 	assessments, and asks a parent that chooses to not have a child participate in the assessments 
2.19 	the basis for the decision.
2.20 	(b) A school district must post the form created by the commissioner on the district's 
2.21 	website and include it in the district's student handbook.

2.22 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2021.