Graduation Requirements

The K-12 Minnesota Academic Standards are required for students in kindergarten through grade 12 in the following subject areas: language arts, mathematics, science, social studies and the arts. School districts must develop local standards for health and physical education, vocational and technical education, and world languages. State graduation requirements are based upon these standards; however, local districts may have additional requirements for graduation. Notification of what a student must complete for graduation must be provided to students as they enter grade 9.

Legislation passed in 2007 changed the course credit graduation requirements for Minnesota students. Students must now complete 21.5 course credits in grades 9-12. The required credits are as follows:

• Language Arts-4 credits
• Mathematics-3 credits, encompassing* at least algebra, geometry, and statistics and probability. For the Class of 2015, students must complete Algebra I by the end of grade 8 and Algebra II in high school.
• Science-3 credits, one of which must be biology. For the Class of 2015, students must also complete either chemistry or physics.
• Social Studies-3.5 credits, encompassing* at least U.S. history, geography, government and citizenship, world history, and economics OR 3 credits of social studies encompassing* at least U.S. history, geography, government and citizenship, and world history, and a .5 credit of economics taught in a school's social studies, business or agriculture department.
• Arts-1 credit. High schools must offer three courses and require one of the following: media arts, dance, music, theatre or visual arts.
• Electives-7 credits

*Encompassing means that the student must receive instruction on these topics. It does not mean he/she must take a course titled geometry, for instance, if the geometry content is taught in another course.

Graduation Requirements

• Satisfactorily complete 21.5 course credits*
• Students enrolled in grade 8 prior to 2005-06 must pass the Basic Skills Tests in Written Composition, Reading and Math
• Students enrolled in grade 8 in 2005-06 and later must pass the Written Composition test in grade 9 and the GRAD portion of the MCA II tests in Reading in grade 10 and Math in grade 11.
• Local district requirements (if any)

*A course credit is the equivalent to a student successfully completing an academic year of study or a student mastering the applicable subject matter as determined by the school district.

Planning to continue your education past high school? Check out the Postsecondary Expectations and Minnesota Graduation Requirements chart in the link below for a list of how Minnesota's high school requirements stack up against what postsecondary colleges and institutions are looking for in their applicants. National research-based recommendations are also included for comparison purposes.