Missouri Senate backs federal education funding

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Senate has given final approval to a measure spending $189 million of federal education funding. Senators passed the legislation 28-6 Monday, sending the bill to the governor. Senate appropriations chairman Kurt Schaefer, a Columbia Republican, says schools will receive about $37 million of that money this school year. That money will be used to make up for shortfalls in gaming and cigarette taxes. He said schools will get the rest next school year under the state's education funding formula.