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Graduation Standards

Introduction to Minnesota Graduation Standards

Created in 1998, Minnesota Graduation Standards are intended to raise standards of education for Minnesota high school students. The standards include two parts: the Minnesota Statewide Assessments and the Minnesota Academic Standards.

Minnesota Statewide Assessments

  • Basic Skills Test
  • Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment
  • Test of Emerging Academic English
  • Alternate Assessments (for special education students)

Minnesota Academic Standards

Passed by the legislature in February 2003, these standards cover language arts and math (implemented in fall of 2003–2004) and science, social studies, arts, and electives (fall of 2004–2005).

The Minnesota Graduation Standards were developed to ensure minimum competence in survival skills for all Minnesota graduates from high school. They also comply with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal law accountability requirements.

Minnesota North Star Academy Graduation Requirements

Minnesota North Star Academy incorporates Minnesota Graduation Standards to ensure that its students are receiving, at minimum, the basic education required to graduate high school in Minnesota. In addition, the Individual Education Plan (IEP) team determines whether accommodations, modifications or an exemption of the standards are needed.

To receive a diploma from North Star, all students who enter 9th grade for the first time in the fall of 2004 must complete the following (unless specified otherwise by their IEP):

  • Pass the Minnesota Basic Standards Test in Reading and Mathematics at a minimum level of 75% that was taken during 8th grade but offered annually for those who did not pass until 12th grade;
  • Pass the Written Composition test to be taken in 10th grade with a minimum rating of 3.0;
  • Meet Minnesota North Star Academy’s credit requirements;
  • Complete work in academic standards in language arts, math, social studies, science, and arts.

For students entering in fall of 2004 who are already past the 10th grade, a conference is held to develop an individual plan that incorporates the new academic standards while maintaining the older version of content standards to ensure graduation requirements.