Education funding

If approved, the first funding formula increase since 2020 would cost taxpayers an additional $120 million.

A new poll from St. Louis University and YouGov found support for increased funding for some education initiatives but growing discontent with public schools in Missouri.

Projects whose funding was cut run the gamut, including veterinary technician programs at a few community colleges, salary increases for the Highway Patrol, removing vacant properties in St. Louis County and a handful of proposals to mediate erosion and manage stormwater.

The state’s funding for school districts has remained relatively unchanged as inflation sped up in the past decade.

Enrollment for Missouri-funded preschool programs fell during the 2021-22 school year, according to a new report by the National Institute for Early Education Research. Statewide pre-K and child care advocates hope recently passed legislation improves access.

But providers say more money alone won’t solve access issues that many families face.

Urban Strategies Inc. has received a $20.8 million federal Promise Neighborhoods grant to provide academic and social services support to students and families in struggling schools in the 63106 ZIP code of north St. Louis. The federal grant will give families access to early childhood education, emotional support programs and college and career readiness assistance.

Federal funding will help pay for the statewide initiative to keep kids in class this summer and help make up for pandemic-related learning loss.

An original version of the bill would have taken funding from St. Louis Public Schools, but lawmakers found a compromise that pleased education leaders in St. Louis.

The budget bill that includes grants to pay for teacher raises will only cover the next school year, are optional and require the districts to pay for part of the raise.