The Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies represent the work of the Social Studies Standards Review Committee. This committee included K-12 teachers, administrators, college faculty, and representatives of educational and community organizations. Beginning in 2020, the Social Studies Standards Review Committee reviewed the 2011 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies, other states' recently revised standards, current academic research, K-12 instructional best practices and public feedback. This review process followed the guidelines in Minnesota Statutes 2023, section 120B.021, subdivision 4e. The social studies content area empowers learners to become inquisitive, informed, and engaged members of society who use critical thinking, inquiry, and disciplinary literacy to prepare for civic life, college, and careers. The review process centered on making revisions to the standards in social studies that will help prepare Minnesota students to learn, live, work and thrive in local and global societies. The Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies are statewide expectations for student learning in K-12 public schools. Academic standards contain one or more benchmarks at each grade level. A benchmark is a supplement to the standard and is the specific knowledge and/or skill that a student must accomplish to meet part of an academic standard by the end of each K-8 grade level. The social studies standards and benchmarks for the high school level are grade bands that are developed to provide structure for the content students must meet in the three and a half credits required for graduation. At the high school level specifically, the standards do not correlate to specific course names. The standards are the knowledge and/or skills that students must master to meet graduation requirements and can be taught through locally-determined courses. At the high school level, students are required to successfully complete: Three and one-half credits of social studies, including credit for a course in government and citizenship in either grade 11 or 12 for students beginning grade 9 in the 2024-2025 school year and later or an advanced placement, international baccalaureate, or other rigorous course on government and citizenship under section 120B.021, subdivision 1a, and a combination of other credits encompassing at least United States history, geography, government and citizenship, world history, and economics sufficient to satisfy all of the academic standards in social studies. (Minn. Stat. 120B.024, subd. 1 [2023]) The academic standards and their supporting benchmarks are organized into five strands: (1) Citizenship and Government, (2) Economics, (3) Geography, (4) U.S. and World History and (5) Ethnic Studies. The contributions of Minnesota's American Indian tribes and communities are integrated into each strand and all standards. Each of the strands has between three and six standards.