§ 120B.303 — Assessment Graduation Requirements
Plain-Language Summary
This section sets the graduation requirements related to state assessments for students who enrolled in grade 8 during the 2012-2013 school year or later. To graduate, students must demonstrate achievement and career and college readiness in math, reading, and writing through statewide assessments. Students must also engage in age-appropriate career exploration and planning activities to help them and their families develop a postsecondary transition plan. Students with IEPs may meet graduation requirements through alternative assessments approved by the state.
120B.303 ASSESSMENT GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.
§
Subdivision 1.Graduation requirements.
For students enrolled in grade 8 in the 2012-2013 school year and later, students’ state graduation requirements, based on a longitudinal, systematic approach to student education and career planning, assessment, instructional support, and evaluation, include the following:
(1) achievement and career and college readiness in mathematics, reading, and writing, consistent with paragraph (k) and to the extent available, to monitor students’ continuous development of and growth in requisite knowledge and skills; analyze students’ progress and performance levels, identifying students’ academic strengths and diagnosing areas where students require curriculum or instructional adjustments, targeted interventions, or remediation; and, based on analysis of students’ progress and performance data, determine students’ learning and instructional needs and the instructional tools and best practices that support academic rigor for the student; and
(2) consistent with this paragraph and section 120B.125, age-appropriate exploration and planning activities and career assessments to encourage students to identify personally relevant career interests and aptitudes and help students and their families develop a regularly reexamined transition plan for postsecondary education or employment without need for postsecondary remediation.
Based on appropriate state guidelines, students with an individualized education program may satisfy state graduation requirements by achieving an individual score on the state-identified alternative assessments. §
Subd. 2.Targeted instruction plan.
A student under subdivision 1, clause (1), must receive targeted, relevant, academically rigorous, and resourced instruction, which may include a targeted instruction and intervention plan focused on improving the student’s knowledge and skills in core subjects so that the student has a reasonable chance to succeed in a career or college without need for postsecondary remediation. Consistent with sections 120B.13, 124D.09, 124D.091, 124F.08, and related sections, an enrolling school or district must actively encourage a student in grade 11 or 12 who is identified as academically ready for a career or college to participate in courses and programs awarding college credit to high school students. Students are not required to achieve a specified score or level of proficiency on an assessment under this subdivision to graduate from high school. §
Subd. 3.Targeted instruction.
As appropriate, students through grade 12 must continue to participate in targeted instruction, intervention, or remediation and be encouraged to participate in courses awarding college credit to high school students.
History:
1999 c 241 art 9 s 3; 2000 c 500 s 15; 1Sp2001 c 6 art 2 s 4; 2003 c 129 art 1 s 7; 2010 c 382 s 21; 1Sp2011 c 11 art 2 s 4; 2013 c 116 art 2 s 12; 2014 c 272 art 1 s 8; 1Sp2015 c 3 art 2 s 6; 2016 c 189 art 25 s 16; 2023 c 55 art 2 s 65; 1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 25
History: History: 1999 c 241 art 9 s 3; 2000 c 500 s 15; 1Sp2001 c 6 art 2 s 4; 2003 c 129 art 1 s 7; 2010 c 382 s 21; 1Sp2011 c 11 art 2 s 4; 2013 c 116 art 2 s 12; 2014 c 272 art 1 s 8; 1Sp2015 c 3 art 2 s 6; 2016 c 189 art 25 s 16; 2023 c 55 art 2 s 65; 1Sp2025 c 10 art 2 s 25