Friday, November 4, 2005
Contact: Spence Jackson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Introduces Our Students First
Initiative Escalates Classroom Funding
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today announced Our Students First- First Class Education for Missouri, an initiative to direct resources where they would most benefit Missouri students.
"Missouri taxpayers and parents expect their money to be spent on students, not bureaucracy," Blunt said. "This initiative gives voters the chance to put our students first and ensure their tax dollars are being spent where they will directly impact our young people—in the classroom."
Our Students First would ensure that at least 65 cents of every dollar spent in school districts makes its way to the classroom for teachers and kids. To enact this initiative the governor will support legislation to place a proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution on the November 2006 ballot for public vote. The amendment will require at least 65 percent of each school district’s expenditures to be spent on direct instruction. It will also include a temporary waiver provision for districts making a measurable attempt to reach the minimum.
Direct instruction includes, among other things, teacher salaries, textbooks, classroom supplies and technology resources, Special Education instruction, arts, music, drama, band, and athletics.
Based on the report from the National Center for Education Statistics only 112 of Missouri’s 524 school districts are meeting this benchmark. In our state, an average of only 61 percent of taxpayer funding for education reaches the classroom. Raising that figure to 65 cents on the dollar puts an additional $272 million into Missouri classrooms without a tax increase.
Rep. Scott Muschany and Sen. Rob Mayer will sponsor the legislation in their respective chambers. They and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder joined the governor at select stops today as he visited Springfield, Joplin, Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, St. Joseph and Cape Girardeau to discuss Our Students First-First Class Education for Missouri.
The initiative is another example of Blunt’s promise kept to make education his number one budget and policy priority. This school year Missouri kids are reaping the benefits of the $158 million funding increase for public schools Blunt worked with the general assembly to secure. In addition the governor signed an improved formula to fund education that puts students’ needs before the taxing capacity of school districts, another promise kept to put Missouri students first.
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