1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; requiring a civics course as a graduation requirement;
1.3 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 120B.021, subdivision 1; 120B.024, 
1.4 	subdivision 1; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.02, subdivision 
1.5 	3.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.021, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Required academic standards. (a) The following subject areas are 
1.9 	required for statewide accountability:
1.10 	(1) language arts;
1.11 	(2) mathematics;
1.12 	(3) science;
1.13 	(4) social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government and 
1.14 	citizenship that includes civics consistent with section 120B.02, subdivision 3;
1.15 	(5) physical education;
1.16 	(6) health, for which locally developed academic standards apply; and
1.17 	(7) the arts, for which statewide or locally developed academic standards apply, as 
1.18 	determined by the school district. Public elementary and middle schools must offer at least 
1.19 	three and require at least two of the following four arts areas: dance; music; theater; and 
1.20 	visual arts. Public high schools must offer at least three and require at least one of the 
1.21 	following five arts areas: media arts; dance; music; theater; and visual arts.
2.1 	(b) For purposes of applicable federal law, the academic standards for language arts, 
2.2 	mathematics, and science apply to all public school students, except the very few students 
2.3 	with extreme cognitive or physical impairments for whom an individualized education 
2.4 	program team has determined that the required academic standards are inappropriate. An 
2.5 	individualized education program team that makes this determination must establish 
2.6 	alternative standards.
2.7 	(c) The department must adopt the most recent SHAPE America (Society of Health and 
2.8 	Physical Educators) kindergarten through grade 12 standards and benchmarks for physical 
2.9 	education as the required physical education academic standards. The department may 
2.10 	modify and adapt the national standards to accommodate state interest. The modification 
2.11 	and adaptations must maintain the purpose and integrity of the national standards. The 
2.12 	department must make available sample assessments, which school districts may use as an 
2.13 	alternative to local assessments, to assess students' mastery of the physical education 
2.14 	standards beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.
2.15 	(d) A school district may include child sexual abuse prevention instruction in a health 
2.16 	curriculum, consistent with paragraph (a), clause (6). Child sexual abuse prevention 
2.17 	instruction may include age-appropriate instruction on recognizing sexual abuse and assault, 
2.18 	boundary violations, and ways offenders groom or desensitize victims, as well as strategies 
2.19 	to promote disclosure, reduce self-blame, and mobilize bystanders. A school district may 
2.20 	provide instruction under this paragraph in a variety of ways, including at an annual assembly 
2.21 	or classroom presentation. A school district may also provide parents information on the 
2.22 	warning signs of child sexual abuse and available resources.
2.23 	(e) District efforts to develop, implement, or improve instruction or curriculum as a 
2.24 	result of the provisions of this section must be consistent with sections 120B.10, 120B.11, 
2.25 	and 120B.20.

2.26 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.024, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.27 		Subdivision 1.Graduation requirements. (a) Students beginning 9th grade in the 
2.28 	2011-2012 school year and later must successfully complete the following high school level 
2.29 	credits for graduation:
2.30 	(1) four credits of language arts sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in 
2.31 	English language arts;
2.32 	(2) three credits of mathematics, including an algebra II credit or its equivalent, sufficient 
2.33 	to satisfy all of the academic standards in mathematics;
3.1 	(3) an algebra I credit by the end of 8th grade sufficient to satisfy all of the 8th grade 
3.2 	standards in mathematics;
3.3 	(4) three credits of science, including at least one credit of biology, one credit of chemistry 
3.4 	or physics, and one elective credit of science. The combination of credits under this clause 
3.5 	must be sufficient to satisfy (i) all of the academic standards in either chemistry or physics 
3.6 	and (ii) all other academic standards in science;
3.7 	(5) three and one-half credits of social studies, including one credit in civics in either 
3.8 	11th or 12th grade for students beginning 9th grade in the 2022-2023 school year and later, 
3.9 	and a combination of other credits encompassing at least United States history, geography, 
3.10 	government and citizenship, world history, and economics sufficient to satisfy all of the 
3.11 	academic standards in social studies;
3.12 	(6) one credit of the arts sufficient to satisfy all of the state or local academic standards 
3.13 	in the arts; and
3.14 	(7) a minimum of seven elective credits.
3.15 	(b) A school district is encouraged to offer a course for credit in government and 
3.16 	citizenship to 11th or 12th grade students who begin 9th grade in the 2020-2021 school year 
3.17 	and later, that satisfies the government and citizenship requirement in paragraph (a), clause 
3.18 	(5).

3.19 	Sec. 3. REPEALER.
 3.20 	Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 120B.02, subdivision 3, is repealed.

APPENDIX 

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 21-00487 

120B.02 EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR MINNESOTA'S STUDENTS.Subd. 3.Required knowledge and understanding of civics. 
(a) For purposes of this subdivision, "civics test questions" means 50 of the 100 questions that, as of January 1, 2015, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services officers use to select the questions they pose to applicants for naturalization so the applicants can demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of United States history and government, as required by United States Code, title 8, section 1423. The Learning Law and Democracy Foundation, in consultation with Minnesota civics teachers, must select by July 1 each year 50 of the 100 questions under this paragraph to serve as the state's civics test questions for the proximate school year and immediately transmit the 50 selected civics test questions to the department and to the Legislative Coordinating Commission, which must post the 50 questions it receives on the Minnesota's Legacy website by August 1 of that year. 

(b) A student enrolled in a public school must correctly answer at least 30 of the 50 civics test questions. A school or district may record on a student's transcript that the student answered at least 30 of 50 civics test questions correctly. A school or district may exempt a student with disabilities from this requirement if the student's individualized education program team determines the requirement is inappropriate and establishes an alternative requirement. A school or district may administer the civics test questions in a language other than English to students who qualify for English learner services. 

(c) Schools and districts may administer civics test questions as part of the social studies curriculum. A district must not prevent a student from graduating or deny a student a high school diploma for failing to correctly answer at least 30 of 50 civics test questions. 

(d) The commissioner and public schools and school districts must not charge students any fees related to this subdivision.