Senate Grants First Round Approval to Nixon's Scholarship Expansion

The Missouri Senate has voted to expand the A+ Scholarship program to allow all high schools to participate at a cost of $ 7 million dollars.

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Right now, students must attend an A + school "designated" school to qualify. The measure would provide scholarships for a third and fourth year of college to qualified students who first complete a two-year degree and maintain a B average. But the Associated Press reports that Senators rejected an amendment that would have equalized the size of scholarships from the need-based Access Missouri program to students attending public and private colleges.

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GOV. NIXON'S STATEMENT:

"I am very pleased that the Missouri Senate has given initial approval to the Missouri Promise, my plan to create a pathway to a debt-free, four-year degree for middle-class families. And I thank Sen. Mayer for providing bipartisan leadership on this important bill."