A local representative has authored two education bills she hopes will help improve the lives of students.

District 27A Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, introduced an education bill earlier this month and introduced a bill in January that would increase funding for the Minnesota Reading Corps.

Her bill introduced earlier this month would ask the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and Minnesota Department of Education to review and confirm guideline scores for students, families and educators in planning for a post-secondary education. The agencies would identify guideline scores on high school MCA exams that indicate students are ready to enter either a two- or four-year program.

The bill would give students an earlier indication of whether they are off track, and provide them with more of an opportunity to recover before getting to college. It would also identify students who are excelling and are ready to pursue post secondary credits while in high school, a program Bennett said saves students money in future college costs.

Bennett said her bill would address the issue of students having to take remedial courses in college; she noted that Minnesota students spend nearly $12 million a year on the developmental courses, which typically do not count toward a degree.

She said the bill has gone through committee hearings, and added that she has seen the bill draw bipartisan support from the Legislature and state education committees.

Bennett met with the Minnesota Department of Education and MnSCU Tuesday afternoon to make language adjustments to the bill, and expects the bill will be placed in an omnibus bill.

Candidate for District 27A representative Gary Schindler of Albert Lea said a better bill would have allowed colleges to use multiple measurements, such as grade point average, to help them determine whether students need refresher courses in math and reading, and noted he would have liked the bill to include giving colleges more flexibility and more options in helping students be ready for college.

Bennett has also authored a bill that would increase funding from $6.5 million to $11.9 million for the Minnesota Reading Corps.

The increased funding would be for pre-K, kindergarten and first grade.

Bennett expects the bill to go through committee hearings within the next week, and added she believes the bill will be a little more of a challenge to pass because it involves extra funding.

She hopes the bill will pass this year, but if it does not, she plans on addressing it next year.

Minnesota Reading Corps aims to have all Minnesota children become proficient readers by third grade by providing one-on-one instruction to struggling students.

Schindler said the Reading Corps is meeting the needs of students, and added that supporting the program is in the best interests of Minnesotans.

Bennett, previously a first-grade teacher at Sibley Elementary School for more than 30 years, said her involvement with education committees and her authoring the two bills signifies her commitment to students statewide.

“Kids are a treasure,” she said.

She said children have always been a priority for her, and added that she believes a quality education is crucial for students to do well in life and feel good about themselves.

“These are our future leaders,” Bennett said.