Three education bills from a local representative were included in the House education omnibus bill that passed last week.

Included in the bill that passed April 25 were bills District 27 Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, authored — bills that would clarify guidelines on MCA exams, increase funding for Minnesota Reading Corps and provide a funding increase for a teacher shortage bill she authored last year.

Bennett authored a bill in February that 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 money in future college costs.

Bennett’s Reading Corps bill increases the group’s  funding from $6.5 million to $11.9 million.

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

She said she authored the bill after seeing first-hand the benefits tutors have during her more than 30-year career as a first-grade teacher at Sibley Elementary School, noting the program’s benefits are backed by research.

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

She hopes the increase in the number of teachers who qualify for her teacher workforce bill will help Greater Minnesota’s teacher shortage.

She said the bill compensates licensed teachers who work in teacher shortage areas, such as Albert Lea, $1,000 each year for up to five years to go toward paying student loans.

She said if the measure passes, more teachers would be available for the program, noting while money was allocated for the program last year, this is the first year it has been available for teachers.

She said the omnibus bill could enter conference committee at the end of this week to hash out differences between the House bill and the Senate education bill.