Minnesota Statute 120B.021, subd. 2 governs academic standards development, including standards adoption by the state. Subdivision 2, (2) specifically prohibits academic standards from requiring “a specific teaching methodology or curriculum.” This means that while the state is responsible for the development and adoption of standards in key subject areas such as language arts, math, science, etc., that school districts maintain control and authority over curriculum.

 Your school district may opt out of using Common Core Standards curriculum.

Additionally, 120B.021, subd. 1a provides the waiver or exemption that empowers school districts to override a state adopted set of standards. It is the rigorous course study waiver and basically a school district can waive state mandated standards if the locally developed standards “that is equally or more rigorous than the corresponding state” standards. This waiver was intended on a student by student basis, but that does not mean the district could not apply it more broadly.

Students or school districts may individually opt out of the Common Core Standards.

 Our school districts have more local control and authority than they either know or appreciate. There are provisions in state law intended to help protect local control.

Time to call your district and demand that they stop using Common Core Standards and Common Core curriculum!  Take 25 – 50 – 75 parents with you and demand… do not ask.