Minnesota committee re-refers bill to delay social studies standards, repeal ethnic-studies mandate

Representative Krisha opened testimony on House File 29, saying “students in Minnesota deserve the fundamental right to a quality education measured with academic success.” The bill would delay the social studies standards review and implementation timeline, repeal the statutory requirement that ethnic studies be embedded in academic standards, and eliminate several appropriations tied to ethnic-studies work.

The measure drew large public turnout and sharply divided testimony from teachers, students, school officials and policy advocates. Supporters of HF 29 told the committee the state mandate diverts time from foundational reading and math instruction and places burdensome professional-development requirements on teachers. Opponents — including teachers, school district representatives, students and the Minnesota Department of Education — said the 2021 social studies standards, which include an ethnic-studies strand, were adopted after a multi-year review and that undoing them would disrupt districts already implementing the standards.

Why this matters: The bill would change both statutory requirements and state funding tied to ethnic-studies implementation, and the committee formally moved HF 29 on to the Committee on Education Finance. That re-referral preserves committee and floor consideration while opponents continue implementation work in districts.

Key facts and action

- Motion and referral: The chair moved that House File 29 be re-referred to the Committee on Education Finance. The motion passed on a roll call vote, 7 in favor and 6 opposed. The committee announced the motion prevails and HF 29 is re-referred to education finance.

- Vote tally (roll call): Chair Bennett — yes; Vice Chair Mueller — yes; Lee Jordan — no; Biermann — no; DePel — yes; Falconer — no; Fogelman — yes; Gordon —…