Governor’s Column - May 2, 2008
by Governor Matt Blunt


Bringing Career Professionals into Missouri Classrooms


In the 21st Century, with an increasingly global and technology-driven economy, we must provide Missouri students with the training and job skills they need to compete with students from around the world. I recently signed legislation that opens the door for new teachers with real-world experience to help foster a lifelong desire for learning in Missouri's classrooms.

The legislation provides highly motivated Missourians the opportunity to apply their expertise in Missouri classrooms as teachers. It allows professionals to obtain an alternative teacher certificate through the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence by successfully completing a series of requirements:

Allowing professionals to pursue teaching through an alternative teacher certification program expands the pool of qualified teachers dedicated to student enrichment. In addition, the program provides students access to professionals such as math, engineering, technology, and science (METS) specialists who can offer innovative curriculum and real-world perspective. Alternative teacher certification brings new perspectives to the everyday classroom while at the same time address teacher shortages across Missouri.

Regardless of how much state government does to improve Missouri's educational system, teachers will always be our state's most valuable resource in creating greater opportunities for Missouri students. Teachers are the ones there every day, in their classrooms, working with Missouri students to encourage learning and achievement. I appreciate all Missouri teachers who are committed to providing our children the world-class education they all deserve.

When I ran for governor I promised to make education our state's highest priority and to bring innovative new ideas into our education system. Today, I am pleased to report that we have lived up to those promises. When the General Assembly passes the final budget this year, we will have increased education funding by more than $1.2 billion since January of 2005. That's an increase far better than the rate of inflation, and it has been spread from pre-school to graduate school.

In the 21st Century, with an increasingly global and technology-driven economy, we must provide Missouri students with the training and job skills they need to compete against students from around the world. We have trained hundreds of Advanced Placement teachers and helped more students take Advanced Placement math and science tests. We have built hundreds of technologically-advanced classrooms, and funded afterschool programs in math and science.

Our changes are working. Academic performance has improved. Missouri fourth and eighth graders posted significant gains in the 2007 school year on national math tests. In fact, Missouri was one of only six states with fourth-graders who scored higher on all five sections of the national math exam.

Teachers with real-world experience and training add new dimensions to classroom discussion. These new teachers will be a great supplement to the tens of thousands of outstanding teachers we already have in the state. By creating this law, we create greater opportunity for Missouri students.