The Springfield News-Leader has published a brutal editorial comparing the reality of Gov. Matt Blunt’s record on higher education to his statement last week that he is “committed to ensuring that our children receive a world-class education.”
For those college students who understand a little bit of math, here’s how world-class Missouri’s funding for higher education is:
– The state ranks a pitiful 47th in the nation in higher education funding per capita, spending less per state resident than every state except for Colorado, Vermont and New Hampshire.
– Missouri ranks dead last in terms of the percentage increase in higher education funding between fiscal years 2005 and 2007, the very two years the governor is bragging about.
– Missouri only spends 1.2 percent of its total state revenues on higher education.
– Regionally, Missouri’s spending on higher education fails in comparison to every border state. The race isn’t even close. Missouri’s 2.7 percent increase in the last two fiscal years is minuscule compared to 3.9 percent in Illinois, 8.2 percent in Iowa, 10.2 percent in Kansas, 10.6 percent in Tennessee, 11.9 percent in Kentucky, 13.4 percent in Nebraska and 14.6 percent in Arkansas.
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