Education funding

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.

Republicans voted down Democratic amendments for transportation aid and a $100 million boost to higher education campuses.

The legislature has a March 24 deadline to appropriate the $1.96 billion in federal funding for K-12 education.

Arts and Education Council President and CEO Cynthia Prost will step down in July after 14 years of leading the organization. Prost plans to work as a strategic consultant to nonprofits.

The state auditor said lack of funding from the state shifts the burden to Missouri residents, who end up paying higher property taxes to support their schools.