The Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards are the statewide expectations for student learning in K-12 public schools. School districts are required to put state standards into place so all students have access to high-quality content and instruction.

Per Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.018, an academic standard is a summary description of student learning in a content area. Academic standards are comprised of one or more benchmarks. A benchmark supplements the standard and is the specific knowledge or skill that a student must master to complete part of an academic standard by the end of a grade level or grade band.

• Read Understanding Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards.

Minnesota’s academic standards are reviewed and revised on a 10-year cycle. One content area of academic standards is reviewed and revised each year based on a schedule approved by the Minnesota legislature. 
 

Educator Edition Bulletin

Computer Science Working Group

• one licensed library media specialist; 
• one representative from the business community employing computer scientists or technologists;
• one high school student enrolled in a school with fewer than 1,000 students and one high school student enrolled in a school with more than 1,000 students; and
• four computer science teachers that teach at schools of different sizes, including at least one teacher of students in kindergarten to grade 5, one teacher of students in grades 6 to 8, one teacher of students in grades 9 to 12, and one career and technical education teacher.

Local School Districts, Schools, and Educators Make Curriculum and Instruction Decisions

Districts, schools, and educators make curriculum and instruction decisions to support the teaching and student mastery of standards. By statute (Minn. Stat. § 120B.021, subd. 2(b)), Minnesota academic standards do not require a specific curriculum. 

School districts determine how their students will meet the standards and benchmarks by developing courses and curriculum. School districts also decide which evidence based instructional techniques are to be used and take on the responsibility to train and support educators in using those instructional techniques. Curriculum is the vehicle to which educators present the content to students (includes: materials, resources, lesson plans and assessments).  

• Webinar: The Active Relationship Between Educators, Standards, and Curriculum in Standards-Based Education

This video introduces the concept of bundling benchmarks in order to ensure all standards are taught to all students.

• Teaching All Standards to All Students Using Bundling
• Disciplinary Literacy in Science and Social Studies Power Point
• Disciplinary Literacy in Science and Social Studies Video

Rigorous Course Waiver

Standards, Review, Revision and Rulemaking

• Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards Development Process
• Standards Implementation Table

The Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards are the statewide expectations for student learning in public schools. The standards supplemented by benchmarks identify the knowledge and skills that all students must achieve in a content area by the end of a grade level or grade band. Minnesota’s academic standards are reviewed and revised on a 10-year cycle. One content area of academic standards is reviewed and revised each year based on a schedule approved by the Minnesota legislature.

Mathematics

• 2022 Minnesota K-12 Mathematics Standards Version 3

Social Studies Standards Review and Revision Process

The Commissioner approved draft is posted now, as the Social Studies standards progress through the rulemaking process. 

• 2021 Social Studies Standards (Commissioner Approved)

English Language Arts 

The Dual Notice of Adoption and the accompanying Statement of Need and Reasonableness (SONAR) were published on December 27, 2022. This includes a 30-day public comment period on the standards. Per statute, this public comment period is only open for the standards. Written comments and will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on January 26, 2022. 

• 2020 Minnesota K-12 English Language Arts Standards (Commissioner Approved Draft)
• Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts Statement of Need and Reasonableness (SONAR)
• Dual Notice for the K-12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts 

What is the Role of Local School Districts in Academic Standards?

Per Minnesota Statute 120B.021, state standards are required in the following content areas:

• English Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Studies
• Physical Education
• The Arts* (*Statewide or locally developed academic standards)

Districts are required to offer all standards. Most of the state standards are achieved through the benchmarks. Schools must offer and students must achieve all benchmarks for an academic standard to satisfactorily complete that standard.

School districts must develop their own district academic standards in three content areas:

• Health
• World Languages, using current world languages standards developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
• Career and Technical Education

Curriculum Director Leaders Meetings

• Curriculum Leaders Update - Spring, 2023 Power Point 
• Curriculum Leaders Update - Fall, 2023 Power Point
• Curriculum Leaders Update - January 2024 Power Point
• Academic Standards Office Hour Meeting - January 18, 2024  7:30-8:30 a.m.
• Curriculum Leaders May 14, 2024 Webinar Link - 7:30-8:30 a.m.
• Curriculum Leaders May 14, 2024 Webinar Link - 4-5 p.m.

Standards and Related Information

• Frequently Asked Questions about Minnesota's K-12 Academic Standards - 7/21/23