Minnesota

• Compulsory Attendance Ages: Between 7 and 16. (§ 120A.22 subd.5)

• Required Days of Instruction: None.

• Required Subjects: Reading, writing, literature, fine arts, math, science, history, geography, government, health, and physical education. (§ 120A.22 subd.9)

• Teacher Qualifications: None.

• Standardized Tests: Children not enrolled in an accredited program or public school "must be assessed using a nationally norm-referenced standardized achievement examination." The test, administration, and location of the test must be agreed to by the district superintendent. (§ 120A.22 subd.11)
   1. Minnesota law does not require homeschools that are accredited by a recognized Minnesota accrediting association to administer standardized tests. (§ 120A.22 subd. 11(d)). Accrediting associations such as TEACH or HBGAA are free to set their requirements for standardized testing.
   2. Parents who do not meet teacher requirements 2(a), (b), or (c) above must assess their children in subject areas not covered by the test. (§ 120A.22 subd.11(b))
   3. Children who score below the thirtieth percentile, or one full grade below children of the same age, must be evaluated for learning problems. (§ 120A.22 subd.11(c))
   4. The test results do not have to be submitted to the school district.

• Home School Statute: Minn. Stat. Ann.§ 120A.22 subd. 10.
   1. "The parent of a child is primarily responsible for assuring that the child acquires knowledge and skills that are essential for effective citizenship."
   2. The home instructor must satisfy one of the following six requirements:
       a. hold a Minnesota teaching license in the field and grade taught,
       b. or be directly supervised by a licensed teacher,
       c. or successfully complete a teacher competency exam,
       d. or provide instruction in a school that is accredited or recognized by the state board,
       e. or hold a baccalaureate degree,
       f. or be the parent of a child who is assessed according to procedures in subdivision 11 and the standardized test section below.
   3. The parent-instructor must report to the local superintendent the name, date of  birth, and address of each child taught by Oct. 1 of each school year. The report  must include:
       a. the name of the instructor and evidence of meeting the requirements of part 2  above,
       b. if the parent teaches under 2(f) above, a quarterly report of the achievement of each child in the required subjects listed above must also be submitted.
   4. Parents must be prepared to document that the required subjects are being taught. This documentation must include class schedules, copies of materials        used for instruction and description of method used to assess student  achievement indicating that the subjects required are being taught.
       (§ 120A.24, subd.2)
   5. On-Site Visits:
       Option 1: A superintendent or the superintendent's designee may make an annual on-site visit to the home where the child is receiving instruction to determine if the school is in compliance with the law. This home visit cannot be mandatory because it would violate the 4th Amendment. § 120A.26 subd.1)
       Option 2: In lieu of this visit, however, a parent who is providing instruction at home may choose to present the documentation identified in part 4, above.
       (§ 120A.26 subd.1, 2)
   6. The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Minnesota's former requirement that private and home school teachers have qualifications "essentially equivalent" to public school teachers was too vague to "serve as a basis for criminal conviction," and therefore, was an unconstitutional violation of due process under the 14th Amendment. Newstrom v. State, 371 N.W.2d 525, 533 (Minn. 1985). This decision resulted in the above law.

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Minnesota State High School Graduation Requirements

• English units     --
  • Eff. Class of 2008: 4
• Math units     --
  • Eff. Class of 2008: 3, incl. algebra, geometry, statistics and probability. 3 units must include "at least algebra, geometry, statistics and probability sufficient to satisfy the academic standard."
  • Eff. Class of 2011: Students must complete Algebra I by end of grade 8
  • Eff. Class of 2015: Must include 1 unit Algebra II
• Social studies units     --
  • Eff. Class of 2008: 3.5. Must include U.S. history, "geography, government and citizenship, world history, and economics...."
• Science units     --
  • Eff. Class of 2008: 3, incl. 1 unit biology
  • Eff. Class of 2015: Must also incl. 1 unit chemistry or physics
• P.E./Health units: 0
• Arts     --
  • Eff. Class of 2008: 1
• Foreign language: 0
• Electives units: --
  • Eff. Class of 2008: 7
• Other units: 0. Technology and information literacy standards must be embedded into graduation requirements but no units currently required.

TOTAL # units     --
Eff. Class of 2008: 21.5

Other diploma options: State does not offer differentiated diploma pathways. State has policy on awarding proficiency-based credit.

Technical notes and citations: 2003 legislation eliminated the Profiles of Learning that set 24 skill- and knowledge-based graduation standards, in favor of a system based on completing Carnegie unit graduation requirements. The Class of 2007 must complete "existing locally established graduation requirements."

MINN. STAT. ANN. § 120B.021, 120B.023, 120B.024; MINN. R. 3501.0010, .0020, .0040, .0200, 0210, 0230; July 28, 2003 memo from Superintendent Cheri Pierson Yecke to Superintendents and Education Organizations

Important Note: State Graduation requirements are not necessarily the best guideline for homeschoolers to use. They have been included here as a guideline for what a typical public school student would need to complete in order to graduate.

A more important guideline may be the College Entrance requirements for where your student would like to attend college. While colleges have differing requirements, there are many colleges that publish requirements for homeschool graduates.