Victory: Social studies standards implementation delayed two years

The Minnesota State Senate and House of Representatives have reached an agreement on the the biennial K-12 education budget, which includes suspending any implementation of revised academic standards that were not already implemented as of Jan. 1, 2021 until June 2023. This includes the K-12 social studies standards that are currently being revised.

After American Experiment launched an awareness campaign on the first draft of standards revisions released early December 2020, thousands of Minnesotans submitted comments to the Minnesota Department of Education, voicing concern over the many important aspects of history and civics that were replaced with controversial and hard to measure standards.

Your valuable feedback played a primary role in getting the attention of not only the Department but also the legislature. The delayed implementation means efforts can continue to hold the social studies committee, the Department, and Gov. Tim Walz accountable for their efforts to replace academic knowledge and skills with the cultivation of politically correct attitudes and commitments.

Much work remains, though, so it is imperative Minnesotans continue engaging in the revision process. The two-year suspension does not prevent the social studies committee and the commissioner of education from continuing to revise and publish draft standards and move a final version through the rulemaking process.

A second draft of standards and benchmarks will be released sometime this summer followed by three weeks for public comment, according to the Department. Seven days advance notice will be given before the second draft’s release.

Once the second draft is available, American Experiment will update its Raise Our Standards webpage to identify important changes made — or necessary changes that weren’t made — to the document. There will also be information on how to submit a public comment.

Please help us get the word out that Minnesota’s K-12 social studies standards are being revised, as the final version will be the guiding document for what students learn in history, geography, economics and civics over the next 10 years of their academic journey.