1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; modifying academic standards and benchmarks; modifying 
1.3 	rulemaking requirements for academic standards and benchmarks;amending 
1.4 	Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 120B.021, subdivision 3; 120B.023.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.021, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subd. 3.Rulemaking. The commissioner, consistent with the requirements of this section 
1.8 	and section 120B.022, must adopt statewide rules under ~~section 14.389~~ chapter 14 for 
1.9 	implementing statewide rigorous core academic standards and benchmarks under section 
1.10 	120B.023 in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, and 
1.11 	the arts. After the rules authorized under this subdivision are initially adopted, the 
1.12 	commissioner may not amend or repeal these rules nor adopt new rules on the same topic 
1.13 	without specific legislative authorization.

1.14 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.023, is amended to read:
1.15 	120B.023 BENCHMARKS.
1.16 		Subdivision 1.Benchmarks implement, supplement statewide academic standards. (a) 
1.17 	The commissioner must supplement required state academic standards with grade-level 
1.18 	benchmarks. High school career and college-ready benchmarks may cover more than one 
1.19 	grade. Schools must offer and students must achieve all benchmarks for an academic standard 
1.20 	to satisfactorily complete that state standard.
1.21 	(b) ~~The commissioner shall publish benchmarks in the State Register and transmit the~~ 
1.22 	~~benchmarks in any other manner that informs and guides parents, teachers, school districts,~~ 
2.1 	~~and other interested persons and makes them accessible to the general public.~~ The 
2.2 	commissioner must use benchmarks in developing career and college readiness assessments 
2.3 	under section 120B.30. ~~The commissioner may charge a reasonable fee for publications.~~
2.4 	(c) Once established, the commissioner may change the benchmarks only with specific 
2.5 	legislative authorization and ~~after completing a review~~ as part of the standards reviews and 
2.6 	revisions required under section 120B.021, subdivision 4.
2.7 	~~(d) The benchmarks are not subject to chapter 14 and section 14.386 does not apply.~~