Mo. Senate leaders commit to full school funding

(AP) - Republican Senate leaders say they're committed to giving Missouri schools the full amount of money called for under the state's school financing formula.

Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields and Majority Leader
Kevin Engler said Monday that other parts of the budget would have
to be cut to carry out their pledge for K-12 schools. But they said schools must be the priority.

Last week, Gov. Jay Nixon proposed a budget that would give schools barely one-sixth of the funding increase called for under the formula next school year. Nixon said that still would be a
record amount.

Some public school officials have said they would have to make cuts or seek local tax increases if the state formula were not fully funded.