Subdivision 1. Graduation requirements. (a) Students beginning 9th grade in the 2011-2012 school year and later must successfully complete the following high school level credits for graduation:

(1) four credits of language arts sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in English language arts;

(2) three credits of mathematics, including an algebra II credit or its equivalent, sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in mathematics;

(3) an algebra I credit by the end of 8th grade sufficient to satisfy all of the 8th grade standards in mathematics;

(4) three credits of science, including at least one credit of biology, one credit of chemistry or physics, and one elective credit of science. The combination of credits under this clause must be sufficient to satisfy (i) all of the academic standards in either chemistry or physics and (ii) all other academic standards in science;

(5) three and one-half credits of social studies, encompassing at least United States history, geography, government and citizenship, world history, and economics sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in social studies;

(6) one credit of the arts sufficient to satisfy all of the state or local academic standards in the arts; and

(7) a minimum of seven elective credits.

(b) A school district is encouraged to offer a course for credit in government and citizenship to 11th or 12th grade students who begin 9th grade in the 2020-2021 school year and later, that satisfies the government and citizenship requirement in paragraph (a), clause (5).

Subd. 2. Credit equivalencies. (a) A one-half credit of economics taught in a school's agriculture education or business department may fulfill a one-half credit in social studies under subdivision 1, clause (5), if the credit is sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in economics.

(b) An agriculture science or career and technical education credit may fulfill the elective science credit required under subdivision 1, clause (4), if the credit meets the state physical science, life science, earth and space science, chemistry, or physics academic standards or a combination of these academic standards as approved by the district. An agriculture or career and technical education credit may fulfill the credit in chemistry or physics required under subdivision 1, clause (4), if the credit meets the state chemistry or physics academic standards as approved by the district. A student must satisfy either all of the chemistry academic standards or all of the physics academic standards prior to graduation. An agriculture science or career and technical education credit may not fulfill the required biology credit under subdivision 1, clause (4).

(c) A career and technical education credit may fulfill a mathematics or arts credit requirement under subdivision 1, clause (2) or (6).

(d) An agriculture education teacher is not required to meet the requirements of Minnesota Rules, part 3505.1150, subpart 1, item B, to meet the credit equivalency requirements of paragraph (b) above.

(e) A computer science credit may fulfill a mathematics credit requirement under subdivision 1, clause (2), if the credit meets state academic standards in mathematics.

(f) A Project Lead the Way credit may fulfill a science or mathematics credit requirement under subdivision 1, clause (2) or (4), if the credit meets the state academic standards in science or mathematics.

History: 2003 c 129 art 1 s 6; 2004 c 294 art 2 s 4; 2006 c 263 art 2 s 4; 2007 c 146 art 2 s 5; 2012 c 239 art 1 s 6; 2013 c 116 art 2 s 5; 2013 c 144 s 23; 1Sp2015 c 3 art 3 s 4; 1Sp2019 c 11 art 2 s 1