Minnesota’s ELA Standards Are Changing: Here’s What Educators Need to Know

Minnesota educators are preparing for an important shift: the full implementation of the 2020 Minnesota K–12 Academic Standards in English Language Arts is scheduled for the 2025–26 school year. These new standards—officially adopted in July 2023—replace the 2010 standards that have guided instruction since the 2012–13 school year.

So what’s changing, and how should schools and districts prepare?

A New Foundation for Literacy in Minnesota

The 2010 standards were based largely on the Common Core State Standards, with Minnesota-specific additions. The 2020 revision marks a turning point. Developed by a state-led committee of educators, administrators, and community representatives, the new standards reflect current research on literacy development, an emphasis on culturally responsive teaching, and alignment with Minnesota’s unique educational values.

Why This Matters

This update isn’t just a routine refresh—it represents a philosophical and instructional shift. The standards focus on:

• Equity and representation: Students are expected to read texts that reflect a variety of perspectives, including those of the Dakota and Anishinaabe peoples, as well as identities from dominant, non-dominant, and historically marginalized communities.
• College, career, and civic readiness: Benchmarks are designed to build not only academic proficiency but also the critical thinking, communication, and media literacy skills students need beyond graduation.
  Student agency: Students are encouraged to make purposeful choices in reading and writing, supporting engagement and ownership of learning.

Key Shifts in the 2020 Standards

Here’s what’s different from the 2010 standards:

Revised Structure with Three Core Strands

• Reading: Includes foundational literacy, text analysis, and media literacy.
• Writing: Covers expressive, persuasive, explanatory, and narrative writing—anchored in real-world application.
• Listening, Speaking, Viewing, and Exchanging Ideas: Prioritizes collaborative communication and critical engagement with diverse perspectives.
  

Modern Definition of “Text”

“Text” now includes multimodal formats—books, articles, podcasts, videos, and more—helping students apply literacy skills in digital and media-rich environments.

Integrated Media Literacy

Rather than appearing in isolation, media skills are embedded throughout the standards, recognizing the real-world contexts in which students consume and create content.

Foundational Writing Skills Reinforced

Students will develop stronger command over grammar and sentence structure—skills that support clear and authentic expression in writing.

• For example, in standard 8.2.1.3, students are asked to use nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns, placing clauses and phrases within sentences correctly, building on skills from previous years. This standard emphasizes the importance of sentence construction as a tool for clarity and stylistic control—essential skills for both academic writing and real-world communication.

 

Emotional Strategy in Persuasive Writing

Students will explore the power of emotional reasoning in argument writing—broadening their toolkit for persuasion and advocacy.

• In standard 6.2.4.2, students are asked to write to persuade, employing emotional strategies (e.g., manipulation, motivation, inspiration) and articulating benefits of the strategies used, building on skills from previous years. This benchmark encourages intentionality in writing—prompting students to reflect not only on what they argue, but how they influence and connect with their audience.

 

Preparing for Implementation 

As districts begin aligning to the new standards, consider the following steps:

• Audit current ELA curricula to identify gaps and areas of alignment.
• Review instructional materials to ensure they reflect the diversity and complexity emphasized in the new standards.
• Plan for professional development around media literacy, culturally responsive teaching, and standards-based instruction.
• Communicate with families and communities about the goals and benefits of the updated standards.
  

The 2020 Minnesota ELA Standards are more than just a new set of expectations—they reflect a deeper commitment to equity, relevance, and readiness. As educators, we have the opportunity to use this transition to create more engaging, inclusive, and effective literacy instruction for every student.
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