Governor Nixon says high quality preschool programs are a great investment for the state, but continues to hold back money he asked for last year.
Nixon said holding those increases he proposed in January of last year is necessary to keep the budget balanced.
He has cut out those increases approved by the Legislature out of next year’s budget from programs including Parents as Teachers and the Missouri Preschool Program.
Nixon says he wants to add money in other areas of early childhood education instead. His proposed budget includes an additional $11 million for preschools for low-income students using federal money and $5 million for early childhood special education.
The legislature must approve those increases in next year’s budget