Rising concerns about the ability to compare student achievement across states led the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to launch the Common Core State Standards Initiative. 

Minnesota joined the effort in June, and the first official draft of the standards in English-language arts and mathematics was released in September 2009.

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December 2009 - Common Standards: The Time Is Now - For most of the last century, American high schools prepared a small minority of students for college. Most students who graduated from high school—if they graduated at all—went directly into the workforce, often to low-skill jobs. As recently as the 1960s, only half of all Americans had completed high school. This situation was fine as long as people could secure a productive future with a high school education. This is no longer the case, Alliance for Excellent Education.

October 21, 2009 - Partnership for 21st Century Skills comments on the proposed national standards.

October 2009 - Stars by Which to Navigate - An interim report on Common Core, NAEP, TIMSS and PISA - Subject-matter experts reviewed the content, rigor, and clarity of the first public drafts of the “Common Core” standards released in September 2009 by the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) of the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers. Using the same criteria, the same experts also reviewed the reading/writing and mathematics frameworks of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP); the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS); and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Letter grades were awarded to each, Fordham Foundation (Full report).

The grades:
»  Common Core Reading/Writing/Speaking/Listening: B
»  Common Core Mathematics: B
»  NAEP Reading: B and NAEP Writing: B
»  NAEP Mathematics: C
»  TIMSS Mathematics: A
»  PISA Mathematics: D
»  PISA Reading: D

Minnesota Academic Standards

When the Minnesota State Legislature overturned the Profile of Learning in 2003, they asked the Department of Education to create a process for writing new standards in math, science, reading and social studies. The standards for creative arts, math, and language arts passed in 2003.  The standards for science and social studies passed in 2004. - More -

The Minnesota Department of Education has also developed standards for English Language Learners and Early Learning (early childhood) and each school district is required to develop local standards for Career and Technical Education, and Health and Physical Education. 

Though not required, local school districts are encouraged to develop standards in World Languages.

More information about Minnesota's Academic Standards is available through the Minnesota Department of Education, but just what are standards?

Revision Schedule

March 2007 - Recommendations for the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Minnesota Department of Education.