By KWMU/Associated Press
St. Louis, MO – Missouri has received one of the highest grades in a new national report card looking at the performance of state government.
The Pew Center on the States report gives Missouri a B-plus, behind just three other states. Neil Johnson, the director of the project, says states were graded on a range of areas from budget and finance to roads and bridges.
"The leading states are really states where there has been a sustained, long-term commitment to improving state management performance, taking an evidence-based, information-based approach across Democratic and Republican governors and legislatures."
Missouri's highest score was the A it received for how it uses information. That grade was awarded based on the extent of data collected to help policy makers steer long-term planning.
Illinois received an overall grade of C, which is better than only New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The Pew Center cited weaknesses with Illinois' budget, its long-term money outlook and training and developing workers, among other flaws.