1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; requiring a civics class for high school graduation;amending 
1.3 	Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 120B.024, subdivision 1.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 120B.024, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.6 		Subdivision 1.Graduation requirements.  Students beginning 9th grade in the 
1.7 	2011-2012 school year and later must successfully complete the following high school level 
1.8 	credits for graduation:
1.9 	(1) four credits of language arts sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in 
1.10 	English language arts;
1.11 	(2) three credits of mathematics, including an algebra II credit or its equivalent, sufficient 
1.12 	to satisfy all of the academic standards in mathematics;
1.13 	(3) an algebra I credit by the end of 8th grade sufficient to satisfy all of the 8th grade 
1.14 	standards in mathematics;
1.15 	(4) three credits of science, including at least one credit of biology, one credit of chemistry 
1.16 	or physics, and one elective credit of science. The combination of credits under this clause 
1.17 	must be sufficient to satisfy (i) all of the academic standards in either chemistry or physics 
1.18 	and (ii) all other academic standards in science;
1.19 	(5) three and one-half credits of social studies,  including one credit in civics in either 
1.20 	11th or 12th grade and a combination of other credits encompassing at least United States 
1.21 	history, geography, government and citizenship, world history, and economics sufficient 
1.22 	to satisfy all of the academic standards in social studies;
2.1 	(6) one credit of the arts sufficient to satisfy all of the state or local academic standards 
2.2 	in the arts; and
2.3 	(7) a minimum of seven elective credits.