State shifts $6.7M in lottery funds toward education

Gov. Jay Nixon has announced his administration will use $6.76 million in lottery funds for public K-12 and higher education programs during the current fiscal year.

The additional funds became available as a result of a spike in lottery sales from a recent Mega Millions jackpot. In Missouri, lottery funds are earmarked to support public education, according to an April 10 news release.

The funding comprises $5 million for local school district transportation programs and $200,000 for fine arts and scholars academies at Missouri State University and University of Missouri, with the remainder going toward a variety of education programs. The Missouri Fine Arts Academy is a three-week residential program held at MSU for high school juniors and seniors to aid their fine arts pursuits, and the Missouri Scholars Academy is a three-week academic residential program held at the MU campus.

“These funds will be put to immediate use by our school districts for the vital task of bringing children safely to and from school, even as districts face the challenge of rising fuel prices, and also will support important learning opportunities in the arts and other fields,” Nixon said in the release. “I will continue working to ensure that state government lives within its means, and I’m pleased that we’re able to make these additional resources available to have a significant impact on these education programs.”


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