The Senate Committee on Education Finance has passed a bipartisan bill to support a math tutoring program for elementary and middle school students. Minnesota Math Corps, an AmeriCorps initiative, delivers trained math tutors to school districts throughout the state to supplement learning for students grades four through eight.

Math Corps follows the same outline as Minnesota Reading Corps, by using evidence-based teaching methods and routine assessments to make sure kids catch up and keep up in the classroom. Tutors serve more than 100 sites statewide, providing individualized, one-on-one instruction to target the specific needs of students who are struggling with concepts being taught at their grade level.

Senate File 442 would appropriate funding for Math Corps through 2020. The bill is chief authored by Sen. Paul Anderson (R-Plymouth), who presented the bill to the committee on Wednesday.

“The results are clear. Students who receive the support of Math Corps increase their math skills at nearly 200% of comparable students,” said Sen. Anderson. “I am happy to support education programs that have proven to work for students, and Math Corps has certainly shown its value to Minnesota schools.”

Senate File 442 will next head to the Senate Floor for a final vote.