Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Announces Plan to Benefit Missouri’s Youngest Students
ST. LOUIS–Gov. Matt Blunt today announced he will recommend a $2 million funding increase for the Parents as Teachers program which helps Missouri parents prepare their children for success in school.
“Education is my highest priority as Missouri’s Governor,” said Blunt. “Missouri is a leader in early childhood development and Parents as Teachers is a perfect example of an innovative program that is helping prepare our youngest generation to be tomorrow’s leaders.”
Missouri’s Parents as Teachers program has been recognized as the national standard for early childhood education programs. All Missouri families with children under the age of 3 are eligible to participate in the program.
Despite facing a $1.1 billion deficit Gov. Blunt secured a $1 million funding increase for Parents as Teachers his first year in office. Last year, he worked to ensure that another $1 million increase was appropriated to continue Missouri’s strong tradition of early childhood education. In the budget he will provide to the General Assembly later this month, the governor will recommend a $2 million increase for the program in addition to the significant funding increases he has already secured. The governor’s recommended increase would bring total funding for Parents as Teachers to $34.3 million for Fiscal Year 2008.
“One of the reasons we are in a position to do more for education and programs like Parents as Teachers is because we have enacted a pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda,” Blunt added. “I am confident we can do even more for education by continuing to support an economic climate that allows Missourians to create family-supporting jobs and grow the economy.”
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