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Missouri House, Top Senate Budgeter Split on School Funding

Teacher Roger Brallier, in class at Mexico Middle School: Public schools had the spotlight in yesterday's start to the state's legislative session.
Rebecca Thiele
/
KBIA
Teacher Roger Brallier, in class at Mexico Middle School: Public schools had the spotlight in yesterday's start to the state's legislative session.

The Missouri Senate's top budgeter is proposing giving public K-12 schools $48 million more next year, which would mean about $50 million less than what House lawmakers approved.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Dan Brown on Wednesday said he wants to take the $50 million in savings and put half toward school busing and transportation.

If approved by the committee and full Senate, that would set up a showdown with the House, which voted to put another $98 million toward core K-12 school funding.

Senate budgeters and the House appear to agree on steady core funding for public colleges and universities. Gov. Eric Greitens proposed cutting funding by $68 million compared to what schools are expected to receive this year.

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