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Senate committee hears debate on removing Algebra II graduation requirement
Summary
St. Paul — The Minnesota Senate Education Policy Committee on Feb. 19 heard more than an hour of testimony on Senate File 360, a bill from Sen. Andrew Farnsworth that would eliminate a statewide Algebra II requirement for high school graduation and allow districts to offer a locally designed third-year math course.
St. Paul — The Minnesota Senate Education Policy Committee on Feb. 19 heard more than an hour of testimony on Senate File 360, a bill from Sen. Andrew Farnsworth that would eliminate a statewide Algebra II requirement for high school graduation and allow districts to offer a locally designed third-year math course, including counting a personal finance course as a math credit if taught by a licensed math teacher.
Why it matters: Supporters told the committee that the change would let districts tailor math instruction to career and life needs and reduce barriers for students headed into trades or the workforce. Opponents said removing Algebra II as a requirement risks lowering academic expectations and could reduce college readiness and access to STEM fields.
Sen. Andrew Farnsworth, the bill author, said the measure grew from conversations with school counselors and local educators. "When I was first elected to the Minnesota Senate, the school counselors…
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