Addressing the Missouri Association School Administrators' Spring Conference at the Lake of the Ozarks today, Gov. Jay Nixon discussed his administration's goal of increasing the percentage of working age Missourians with a post-secondary degree to 60 percent by 2025 and ensuring every student graduates from high school ready to succeed in college or a career.
"By the end of this decade, more than two thirds of all jobs will require some kind of post-secondary credential -- and if our workforce doesn't have the skills the industries of the future demand, those businesses will look elsewhere and our economy will fall behind," Gov. Nixon said. "That's why we're working to make sure students get on a path to success long before they graduate from high school."
In addition to fully funding the state's K-12 foundation formula in two years, Gov. Nixon's "Good Schools, Good Jobs" plan would further expand Innovation Campuses, which give high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to enroll in accelerated degree programs and take internships in high-demand fields. Innovation Campuses establish partnerships between local high schools, community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, and area businesses to prepare students for good jobs in growing fields, cut the time it takes to earn a college degree, and reduce student debt.
Gov. Nixon discussed his successful effort to expand access to A+ scholarships, which cover the cost of tuition and academic fees for two years at any public two-year community college or technical school in the state. Since the Governor took office, 279 schools have been added to Missouri's A+ Schools program. As a result, over 99 percent of public high school students in Missouri now have the opportunity to earn an A+ scholarship and attend two years of community college tuition free.
The Governor's Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposal also includes funding to help low-income students take dual-enrollment and Advanced Placement exams and expand the Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) program to more schools. JAG is a model that has been shown to dramatically boost graduation, employment, and college success rates among high-risk students.
Finally, Gov. Nixon said his administration would continue to implement robust and rigorous accountability measures.
"The global competition for jobs is only going to get tougher, and that's why we must continue to raise our game," Gov. Nixon said. "Preparing our students for success is going to take clearer goals, higher expectations -- and an unwavering commitment to excellence by all of us. If we settle for any less, we'll fall behind."
In order to prepare students to compete in the global economy, Gov. Nixon said Missouri must avoid reckless fiscal experiments that would undermine support for public education and other priorities.
"Instead of lifting up our schools to reach higher goals, many legislators are still determined to tear them down -- with reckless tax cuts and dangerous experiments," Gov. Nixon said. "Over the past several months, the House and Senate have passed bills that would take money out of our classrooms in order to cut taxes on lawyers, on lobbyists -- even bankers. We've said it before, but we need to say it again: members of the General Assembly can support public education, or they can support reckless fiscal experiments -- but they cannot do both."
During the event, the Governor was presented with the Missouri Association of School Administrators' Meritorious Service to Education Award for his support of public education and efforts to expand opportunities for students. Gov. Nixon has made public education in Missouri a top priority of his administration. Math and reading scores have increased on his watch and Missouri's high school graduation rate is now the eighth highest in the nation. Over the past five years, Missouri has also led the nation in minimizing tuition increases at its public universities.