Dear Neighbors,
Here’s a short update from the Capitol:
Colter at the Capitol
We had a busy and productive week in St. Paul. I am always thankful when my dog, Colter, can join me now and then. He loves seeing all the new faces, especially when my colleagues bring their kids around. Here is Colter enjoying some attention from Rep. Josh Heintzeman’s children. I love it when we can “stop and smell the roses” a bit at the Capitol and include children – and occasionally even pets - at times. It allows us to stay connected to the “humanness” of our work here in St. Paul, which is the heart of what we are all about.
Health Care Relief and Reform
Last night, we had a long floor session to pass the 2017 Health Care Emergency Aid and Access bill on a bipartisan vote. The House quickly passed needed premium relief that will help middle class residents around the state who are struggling with unbearable health care costs. This is probably the number one issue I hear most about, and was proud to support a bill that combines emergency relief with common-sense reforms to preserve patient access in critical cases. We should have some form of this legislation on the governor’s desk shortly, and I can’t wait to see more long-term reforms later in session.
Early Education
When I was teacher, I taught mostly young learners in first grade. It was easy to see which children were prepared to enter their formal education years and which were not. One issue I’m working on this year is helping close the achievement gap in Minnesota through Early Learning Scholarships.
Nearly half of Minnesota children are coming into our schools unprepared for kindergarten. Too many never catch up. We know how important education is to every person, as well as to our society in general, so it is critical that we address this problem.
I believe that flexible Early Learning Scholarships are the way to address this issue. These scholarships target those children who are at highest risk and allow their parents to choose a high-quality learning program that fits the parents’ and students’ needs best – these might be based in a home, church, public school, community center, or even a non-profit organization such as Montessori.
I based my instruction in my classroom on best practices to meet the varied needs of my students, a big part of which include flexibility and differentiation. There was no one-size-fits all solution for my students, and there is no one-size-fits-all early childhood program that will meet the needs of these at-risk children either. I am looking forward to delving into this subject further as session moves on and working for the betterment of Minnesota children!
Please Contact Me
As always, I would love your input. Please contact my office at (651) 296-8216 or by email at Rep.Peggy.Bennett@house.mn if you have any questions or concerns!
Have a great weekend,
Peggy