Senate takes small step to address St. Louis County school funding issue

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Intro:	The state Senate took a small step Monday toward addressing a funding issue in St. Louis County schools.
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Wrap: The bill would create a legislative committee to address the formula used to allocate funds to state school districts.

St. Louis County Senator Eric Schmitt sponsored the measure.

He said it could bring light to some of the things he said the state education department did wrong.

Schmitt said with an underfunded formula, the department took away state funding from county districts which are already mainly locally funded.

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Description: “if that’s the decision the legislature wants to make, that’s one thing, but an agency without approval shouldn’t be able to make those decisions.”

The bill received first-round approval in the state Senate and needs to survive another vote before heading to the Senate floor for debate.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.

Intro:	The state Senate gave first-round approval to a measure Monday which would examine how the state is ripping off St. Louis County school districts.
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Wrap: The bill would create a legislative committee to investigate the difference in state funding between school districts in rich and poor areas.

St. Louis County Senator Eric Schmitt sponsored the measure.

He said it could show St. Louisans some of the things he said the state education department did illegally.

Actuality:	SCHMITT3.WAV
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Description: “If they knew the Department of Secondary Education was taking 3 million dollars away from Special School District or 11.5 million away from St. Louis Public, people would be outraged and that’s exactly what’s happening.”

Schmitt said districts in his county like Parkway and Kirkwood are already mainly locally funded and a lack of state funds led the education department to take away more state funding from them.

Schmitt said the department needs Missouri lawmakers' approval first.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.