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120B.02 Results-oriented graduation rule; basic skills requirements; profile of learning.

(a) The legislature is committed to establishing a rigorous, results-oriented graduation rule for Minnesota's public school students. To that end, the state board shall use its rulemaking authority under section 127A.66, subdivision 2, to adopt a statewide, results-oriented graduation rule to be implemented starting with students beginning ninth grade in the 1996-1997 school year. The board shall not prescribe in rule or otherwise the delivery system or form of instruction that local sites must use to meet the requirements contained in this rule.

(b) To successfully accomplish paragraph (a), the state board shall set in rule high academic standards for all students. The standards must contain the foundational skills in the three core curricular areas of reading, writing, and mathematics while meeting requirements for high school graduation. The standards must also provide an opportunity for students to excel by meeting higher academic standards through a profile of learning that uses curricular requirements to allow students to expand their knowledge and skills beyond the foundational skills. All state board actions regarding the rule must be premised on the following:

(1) the rule is intended to raise academic expectations for students, teachers, and schools;

(2) any state action regarding the rule must evidence consideration of school district autonomy; and

(3) the department of children, families, and learning, with the assistance of school districts, must make available information about all state initiatives related to the rule to students and parents, teachers, and the general public in a timely format that is appropriate, comprehensive, and readily understandable.

(c) For purposes of adopting the rule, the state board, in consultation with the department, recognized psychometric experts in assessment, and other interested and knowledgeable educators, using the most current version of professional standards for educational testing, shall evaluate the alternative approaches to assessment.

(d) The content of the graduation rule must differentiate between minimum competencies reflected in the basic requirements assessment and rigorous profile of learning standards. When fully implemented, the requirements for high school graduation in Minnesota must include both basic requirements and the required profile of learning. The profile of learning must measure student performance using performance-based assessments compiled over time that integrate higher academic standards, higher order thinking skills, and application of knowledge from a variety of content areas. The profile of learning shall include a broad range of academic experience and accomplishment necessary to achieve the goal of preparing students to function effectively as purposeful thinkers, effective communicators, self-directed learners, productive group participants, and responsible citizens. The commissioner shall develop and disseminate to school districts a uniform method for reporting student performance on the profile of learning.

(e) The state board shall periodically review and report on the assessment process and student achievement with the expectation of raising the standards and expanding high school graduation requirements.

(f) The state board shall report in writing to the legislature annually by January 15 on its progress in developing and implementing the graduation requirements according to the requirements of this subdivision and section 120B.10 until such time as all the graduation requirements are implemented.

HIST: Ex1959 c 71 art 2 s 11; 1965 c 718 s 1; 1969 c 9 s 23,24; 1969 c 288 s 1; 1973 c 492 s 14; 1975 c 162 s 6,7; 1976 c 271 s 21; 1977 c 347 s 19; 1977 c 447 art 7 s 4; 1982 c 424 s 130; 1982 c 548 art 4 s 4,23; 1983 c 258 s 22; 1984 c 640 s 32; 1985 c 248 s 70; 1987 c 178 s 5; 1987 c 398 art 7 s 5; 1989 c 329 art 7 s 2; art 8 s 1; art 9 s 4; 1990 c 375 s 3; 1991 c 265 art 9 s 13; 1993 c 224 art 12 s 2-6; art 14 s 4; 1994 c 647 art 7 s 1; art 8 s 1; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 7 s 1; art 16 s 13; 1996 c 412 art 7 s 1; 1997 c 1 s 1; 1997 c 162 art 2 s 11; 1998 c 397 art 4 s 1,51; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 398 art 5 s 6,7

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes