House Notebook by Peggy Bennett

Back-to-school season is here! I hope students, parents and teachers enjoyed their first week back and are ready for another successful school year. I always enjoyed the first week of school during my teaching career; parents and kids are full of energy and excitement as they look ahead to a school year full of learning and new opportunities.

During the last legislative session, lawmakers came together on a bipartisan budget that put more money in every classroom across Minnesota. Republicans pushed to ensure that new education dollars were put directly in the classroom where they can be most effectively spent by schools at the local level. Here in our community, Albert Lea schools are set to see more than $500 in increased per-student funding. That new money means more funding to recruit and retain excellent teachers, reduce class sizes and more.

In addition to new per-student funding, the Legislature invested $95 million in proven early education programs including scholarships and school readiness aid. These investments target our early education dollars at the kids who need it most — a way that research shows is most effective to reduce our state’s achievement gap.

We know that money alone isn’t enough to put every child on the path to a great education. That’s why we pushed for meaningful reforms including legislation to make it easier for out-of-state teachers to earn their license in Minnesota. High quality teachers who wish to move here from other states currently encounter frustrating roadblocks to earning their license in Minnesota, which could discourage others great teachers from coming here.

Other reforms include legislation I chief authored that created a loan forgiveness program for teachers who teach in areas where there are teacher shortages, and a reduction in the number of state-mandated tests so students and teachers spend more time on learning rather than test-taking. Great teachers in every classroom (and we have many excellent teachers!) are part of the formula to ensuring a quality education for kids, and it’s my hope that these and other reforms will help make that goal a reality.

Part of the reason I ran for office was my desire to make sure the more than 750 kids I taught in my 33-year teaching career have a great future. It’s my belief that as we head back to school for another year, the reforms and new funding passed this last session will mean a better education for thousands of kids across the state. I’m proud of the work done last year, and hope to continue building on our efforts to ensure a world-class education for every student next session. Best wishes to all teachers, students and parents for a successful first month, and a great school year!

 

Peggy Bennett is the House District 27A representative.