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House Research home > Minnesota Government in Brief > Government Functions and Services: Education
Minnesota requires students to meet standards in six subject areas in order to graduate.
| Subject | Number
of
Credits, students entering 9th grade |
State
assessments required? |
| Language arts | 4 | Yes |
| Mathematics | 3 | Yes |
| Science | 3 | Yes |
| Social studies | 3.5 | No; prohibited |
| Arts | 1 | No; prohibited |
| Health | No; locally developed | |
| Physical education | No; prohibited |
The Commissioner of Education must build technology and information literacy standards into the state's academic standards and graduation requirements.
The federal No Child Left Behind Act makes state academic standards in language arts, mathematics, and science applicable to all public school students, except for the very few students with disabilities for whom an individualized education plan team determines alternative standards and assessments are appropriate.
The Commissioner of Education must publish grade-level benchmarks that specify the academic knowledge and skills that schools must offer and students must achieve to satisfy the standards. The commissioner must review and revise required academic standards, related benchmarks, and elective standards according to a statutorily prescribed cycle. Benchmarks are used to develop tests.
Students in grades 3 through 8 and at the high school level began taking annual language arts and mathematics assessments in the 2005-2006 school year. Students began taking science assessments one time in each grade span 3-5, 6-9, and 10-12 in the 2007-2008 school year. The state and local districts must publicly report student, school, district, and state assessment results. The commissioner must include in the assessment results a value-added component that measures medium and high growth in student achievement over time.
Students must also complete at least seven elective course credits. Districts must establish local elective standards for and offer courses in vocational and technical education and world languages.
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Originally published January 2011.