Blunt touts education funding while visiting Cape

Commending the joint effort between both the House, Senate and his own office, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt was in Cape Girardeau Thursday to symbolically sign the recently passed school funding bill.

State legislators, city officials and administrators from local school districts gathered at Central High School Thursday for the event.

"We were able to do this session what they said couldn't be done," said Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, in his introduction of Blunt.

The legislature on May 13 passed the bill, which overhauls the state's current system of funding public education.

Blunt called the legislative session historic.

"We had one of the most, if not the most, productive session in history," said Blunt, speaking to an audience of around 30 in the high school library.

"I, like most Missourians, believe education should be the number-one priority, and our budget ought to reflect that," he said.

Blunt emphasized his promise never to withhold funding that has been appropriated for education.

Local school administrators say the new funding system appears to be an improvement, but they worry about where the revenue to fund the system will come from.

Under a simulation released by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Scott City School District would receive $1.59 million more when the new system fully takes effect in 2014 than the district will receive under the current formula next year.

Jackson will receive $6.51 million more and Cape Girardeau School District will receive $3.76 million more, if the new formula is fully funded.

"I applaud their efforts for making K-12 education a top priority, but I know other areas are making sacrifices for that," said Dr. Ron Anderson, superintendent in Jackson.

cmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128