On Friday, Jan. 11, Governor Jay Nixon proposed his state budget budget plan while visiting Oak Brooks Elementary School, expressing interest in extending the school year for Missouri’s schools.

Governor Nixon, who is in the beginning phases in his second term, also explained that Missouri currently has the fourth shortest school year in the nation with the school year consisting of 174 days and proposes adding six additional days to Missouri school’s calenders.

“Extending Missouri’s school year by just six instructional days will bring our state in line with the national average while increasing educational opportunities for every student,” Nixon said.

Nixon has set a plan to pump more than $150 million dollars into education funding from K-12 education to state colleges and universities. Nixon believes that doing so will largely impact the future economy of Missouri and open up more job opportunities for future job holders.

“As we continue to balance the budget and make government more efficient, we now have an opportunity to make smart, strategic investments in education that will expand opportunities for students and strengthen our economy for years to come,” Nixon said.

While acknowledging that many school districts in Missouri, including Parkway School District, meet or exceed the 180 day limit, Governor Nixon says that his second term will continue to be focused on improving education in Missouri, showing his first term as Governor as proof of that.