Blunt wants more funding for PAT program

ST. ANN, Mo. -- Gov. Matt Blunt on Tuesday said he will recommend a $2 million funding increase for Missouri's Parents as Teachers program.

Blunt made the announcement during a news conference in the Pattonville School District in suburban St. Louis. He was joined by his wife, Melanie, and their son, Branch, who is almost two.

The Blunts are among 150,000 Missouri families that participate in the parent education and early childhood development program.

Blunt's recommendation would bring the program's total funding to $34.3 million for fiscal 2008. Blunt recommended $1 million increases for each of the previous two years.

Parents as Teachers began in Missouri more than 20 years ago, has national headquarters in St. Louis, and is offered throughout the U.S. and in some other countries.

"It started 20 years ago in Missouri and it continues to be a good idea," said Susan Stepleton, president and chief executive officer of the Parents as Teachers National Center. "The data show how well it works in getting kids ready for school.

"I like to say it's one of Missouri's proudest exports."

Under the program, specially trained parent educators make individual home visits to parents of children -- from birth until kindergarten -- to teach them how to be their child's first teacher. Among other things, parents learn to help their children develop language skills as well as social and emotional well-being.

Stepleton said the increased funding would translate into more parent educator visits and training.