Vol. 41, No. 7
January 25, 2007
CONTACT: JIM MORRIS |
Commissioner of Education Applauds
Governor’s Budget Proposals
Missouri Commissioner of Education D. Kent King today praised the budget proposals for public schools that Gov. Matt Blunt outlined last night in the State of the State address.
Gov. Blunt has recommended more than $200 million in new funding for public schools during the 2007-08 school year – including about $133 million that is needed to fund the second year of phasing-in the state’s new aid formula for public schools.
The governor also has recommended a supplemental appropriation of nearly $39 million for the current fiscal year (2006-07) to fully fund the first-year implementation of the new formula.
“I applaud Gov. Blunt’s commitment to fully funding the new foundation formula. He promised to make education his top budget priority, and he is following through on that commitment,” King said.
Gov. Blunt also has recommended additional funding for several K-12 education activities, including Parents as Teachers, the A+ Schools program, a state-level “virtual school,” new after-school programs, and a $4 million package of initiatives aimed at improving math, science and technology education.
“We are excited about moving forward with the governor’s plans to increase the emphasis on math and science learning, and to expand the successful classroom technology project known as eMINTS,” King said.