Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Contact: Spence Jackson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Visits Ninth Grade Academy; Discusses Student Achievement
ST. LOUIS–Gov. Matt Blunt met with teachers and school leaders today at Vashon Williams Ninth Grade Academy to discuss ideas to promote student achievement, especially in the areas of math, science, and reading. While there, Blunt visited a social studies class and took part in an economics lesson.
“In Missouri we have made the education of our young people our state’s top public policy priority,” Blunt said. “We will continually honor this commitment as long as I am governor and we will strive to find ways to help our students excel in math and science, two of the cornerstones of our global economy. I am grateful for the opportunity to talk with students and teachers at Vashon Williams and look forward to hearing more suggestions on how we can help Missouri students reach their full potential.”
Blunt plans to convene a Math and Science Summit in late April to bring educators, businesses and private organizations together to discuss ways to improve student knowledge and achievement in the areas of math, engineering technology and science to better prepare tomorrow’s leaders for the global economy.
At today’s student achievement school stop Blunt visited with educators about changes underway in St. Louis Public Schools and received input on strategies to improve student achievement. St. Louis Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Creg Williams recently separated ninth grade students from Vashon High School, a 9th – 12th grade campus. The move allows educators to focus on student needs to improve achievement. Since ninth graders were moved off the high school campus, teachers have seen significant improvements. Williams also moved select 12th graders and their teachers from Vashon to the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. The changes help implement the district’s strategic plan aimed at achieving academic and operational success.
Ideas and information gathered at school stops Blunt is making across the state will be incorporated into the governor’s Math and Science Summit this spring.
As governor, Blunt has made education his top budget and policy priority. Blunt’s budget this fiscal year provided a $158 million funding increase for public schools and he led the successful effort to craft a new needs-based school funding formula. He has proposed a $167 million funding increase for schools for the next fiscal year and a $17.1 million funding increase for colleges and universities. The governor’s Lewis & Clark Discovery Initiative will also generate $450 million dollars to enhance learning opportunities for students across the state and provide the basis to ensure Missouri remains a leader in the plant and biotechnology industry.
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