This bill introduces significant changes to Minnesota's education system, particularly in the areas of social studies and ethnic studies. It suspends the adoption of new social studies standards, delaying the review cycle from the 2020-2021 school year to the 2030-2031 school year. Additionally, the bill repeals existing ethnic studies requirements, including the removal of provisions for an ethnic studies specialist within the Department of Education, and amends various sections of Minnesota Statutes to eliminate ethnic studies from academic standards definitions and requirements. The bill also reduces base funding for fiscal year 2026 and later from $39,667,000 to $39,517,000.

Moreover, the bill mandates that school districts and charter schools continue to provide social studies instruction based on the standards adopted in 2012 until new standards are established after the upcoming review process. The repeal of specific statutes means that high schools are no longer required to offer ethnic studies courses starting in the 2026-2027 school year, nor are elementary and middle schools required to provide ethnic studies instruction by the 2027-2028 school year. The effective date for all these changes is set for the day following final enactment, indicating an immediate impact on the educational framework in Minnesota.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 120B.021, 120B.024, 120B.11, 124D.861