2004 Minnesota Statutes

     120B.021 Required academic standards. 

    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; and 

    (6) 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.  

    Subd. 2.    Standards development.  (a) The commissioner 
 must consider advice from at least the following stakeholders in 
 developing statewide rigorous core academic standards in 
 language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, including 
 history, geography, economics, government and citizenship, and 
 the arts: 

    (1) parents of school-age children and members of the 
 public throughout the state; 

    (2) teachers throughout the state currently licensed and 
 providing instruction in language arts, mathematics, science, 
 social studies, or the arts and licensed elementary and 
 secondary school principals throughout the state currently 
 administering a school site; 

    (3) currently serving members of local school boards and 
 charter school boards throughout the state; 

    (4) faculty teaching core subjects at postsecondary 
 institutions in Minnesota; and 

    (5) representatives of the Minnesota business community. 

    (b) Academic standards must: 

    (1) be clear, concise, objective, measurable, and 
 grade-level appropriate; 

    (2) not require a specific teaching methodology or 
 curriculum; and 

    (3) be consistent with the Constitutions of the United 
 States and the state of Minnesota. 

    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. 

    HIST: 2003 c 129 art 1 s 3; 2004 c 294 art 2 s 2; art 5 s 1; 
 art 6 s 1 

*   NOTE:  The amendments to subdivision 1 by Laws 2004, 
*chapter 294, article 2, section 2, are effective for the 
*2005-2006 school year and later.  Laws 2004, chapter 294, 
*article 2, section 2, the effective date.