Blunt signs education funding bill in Cape

Gov. Matt Blunt signed a $5.2 billion education spending bill that includes added state funding of more than $11 million for 22 school districts in a six-county area of Southeast Missouri.

"I believe education is our most important investment," Blunt told about 30 local educators, students and civic leaders at a bill-signing ceremony Friday in the library at Cape Girardeau Central High School.

Blunt said his administration has provided more than half a billion dollars in new funding for elementary and secondary education over the last three years.

Cape Girardeau marked the first of four stops around the state planned by the governor to tout House Bill 2, the appropriations measure that funds elementary and secondary education for the 2008 fiscal year. Following his 11 a.m. visit to Cape Girardeau, Blunt was scheduled to make stops in Liberty, Springfield and Joplin.

The Cape Girardeau School District is expected to receive more than $394,000 in additional state funding for the 2008 fiscal year, which begins July 1.

"It certainly helps in trying to raise our salaries and provide other educational opportunities," Cape Girardeau School District superintendent Dr. David Scala said following the governor's visit.

The Jackson School District is projected to receive nearly $589,000 in additional state aid under the new funding formula, according to state Senate appropriation figures.

State Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, said Jackson's added revenue is going to help pay the cost of pay raises for the district's teachers.

It's projected that the state will pay out $72.49 million combined to the 22 Southeast Missouri school systems in Crowell's legislative district. "That is a lot of state money," the senator said.

The increased state funding is part of an effort by the legislature and the governor to boost state aid to schools by phasing in a new funding formula over seven years.

"Every school district will continue to get more money," Crowell said following the governor's visit.

The recently completed legislative session "has really been an education session," Crowell said. "There has never been such a massive influx of money to higher education and K-12 education in the history of the state of Missouri."

mbliss@semissourian.com

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