January 27, 2006
Governor’s Column
Vision and Goals, Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders
My number one budget and policy priority is education. We must work to educate and prepare our children for tomorrow and ensure all young Missourians have access to quality education.
I am committed to delivering more money to Missouri schools every year. Last year we increased state aid to education by $158 million. We also crafted a new school funding formula based on student need, not the taxing capacity of local districts.
This year I am proposing a $167 million increase in education funding, fully funding the state’s commitment to the new school funding formula and directing a total of almost a third of a billion new dollars to our schools.
Now we must work to ensure those new dollars find their way to the classroom. On average in our state only 61 cents of every education dollar is spent on classroom instruction. If passed by voters, my Our Students First initiative would hold districts to a higher standard, directing each district to spend at least 65 cents of every dollar in the classroom where learning occurs. Whether we accept the education community’s definition of classroom instruction or adapt it for Missouri’s needs, more dollars must be delivered to the classroom.
This proposal has sparked a healthy discussion about education funding and how districts across the state spend taxpayer dollars. It makes sense to place this issue before the voters. Voters ought to be the final decision makers of important policy decisions. I am asking members of the General Assembly to give Missouri voters the final say on the Our Students First proposal.
Another important education program in our state is Parents as Teachers. Parents as Teachers was founded in Missouri and is now an internationally recognized program that focuses on early learning and helps ensure developmental delays in children are identified and addressed early. My budget includes a $1 million funding increase for Parents as Teachers, in addition to last year’s increase.
My budget also calls for $1.8 million new dollars for the A+ program. This program is another tool to help young Missourians stay in school and opens new doors to higher education. The A+ program introduces students to community service through tutoring and mentoring activities and offers scholarships for students to attend community college and acquire the skills they need to be competitive in today’s global economy.
Education does not end after high school, but for too long our state’s colleges and universities had been hit with significant cuts. Last year, I signed a budget that directed more money to our two and four year public colleges and universities than any budget of the prior administration. This year I am calling for a $17.1 million increase for higher education. The new funding will provide our state institutions resources they need to hold back any significant tuition increases and to continue to improve the quality of education they offer.
I am absolutely committed to doing everything I can to enhance learning opportunities for all Missouri children. I look forward to working with members of the Missouri General Assembly to advance these and other important goals to help move our state in the right direction.