JEFFERSON CITY – Responding to a call from Governor Matt Blunt that both political parties endorse the “Our Students First” initiative, the Missouri Republican State Committee’s executive committee unanimously endorsed the plan yesterday.

The executive committee is made up of 19 members of the 68 member state committee. The full state committee will act on the resolution at their next regularly-scheduled meeting in February.

“This is exactly the kind of sound public policy Republicans have always supported,” said Missouri Republican Party Chairman Doug Russell. “The governor has kept his promise to the people of Missouri to put more money into the classroom and this proposal ensures that taxpayer dollars are spent where they will do the most good.”

The proposal requires school districts to spend at least 65% of their budgets directly on classroom instruction. Currently, Missouri schools average just over 61% on such spending. Under the governor’s proposal, an additional $270 million per year will go directly to Missouri’s classrooms without a tax increase on the hard working families of Missouri.

“As a parent, it is very important to me that classroom instruction clearly be the highest priority for our school districts,” Russell said. “And because this proposal will go to a vote of the people, I am confident that parents and taxpayers all across Missouri will show that they feel the same way.”

The resolution passed by the Republican Party calls on the Democratic Party and other community and education groups to endorse the proposal as well. A copy of the resolution and an Associated Press article outlining administrative spending problems in Missouri public schools is included below.