Nixon recognizes Joplin High School teacher in State of the State Address

Joplin High School teacher Tobin Schultz, who recently received the $25,000 Milken Award as an outstanding educator, was recognized by Gov. Jay Nixon during Tuesday evening's State of the State Address.

The part of Nixon's speech that addressed education, including the part in which Schultz was praised is featured below:

This nation's greatest generation made a commitment to education - and as a result, they made the United States the driver of the global economy and the undisputed leader of the free world.

Now, it's our turn to carry on that legacy.

Now, we must work to help every child start school ready to learn.

We must demand that every school is getting the job done.

And, we must make sure that every student can afford to get a college degree.

Together, let's resolve to give our children and grandchildren more opportunities, better opportunities than we had, and build the future they deserve.

We need to start early. Parents and teachers see it every day: the first few years of a child's development have an impact that lasts a lifetime.

A child who starts kindergarten ready to learn, is more likely to succeed in school, go to college, and get a good job.

Working together, over the last year, we've expanded access to early childhood education, giving more children the opportunity to go to high quality preschool in their communities.

But this year, it's time that we do much more. Kids grow up fast - so there's no time to waste. We must work together to make sure our kids start smart.

And that's why my budget will nearly triple funding for the Missouri Preschool Program.

We will provide quality early learning opportunities to thousands more kids all across Missouri. But that's just the beginning.

As many of you know, Georganne and I spend a lot of time at Missouri's schools - touring classrooms, talking to students, meeting with teachers and staff. Sometimes, I shoot a few hoops.

Our schools are the hearts of our communities. They're where we gather for picnics and dances, ball games and bingo - where lifelong friendships are made, and fundamental values are learned.

And in today's global economy, whether you root for the DeSoto Dragons, the Sikeston Bulldogs or the Mound City Panthers, our K-12 schools must also be rigorous, high-tech institutions of innovation.

More technology. Smaller class sizes. Well-prepared teachers. The tools our kids need to succeed.

Accomplishing that goal is going to take an unwavering commitment by all of us, and it's going to take money.

That's why my budget increases funding for our K-12 classrooms this year by $278 million, and will put us on a path to fully funding the foundation formula next year.

Every one of us has run for office. And when we knocked on doors and folks asked if we believed in public education - we all said yes. And at every town hall meeting, when someone raised their hand and asked what we'd do for teachers - we said we'd support them. And on the campaign trail, I'll bet almost all of us made a promise to invest in our students and our schools.

Well, you know what? It's time to put our budgets where our campaign brochures are.

Now it's time to decide whether we're merely going to talk about public education, or whether we're going to fund it.

This is the test - and this is the year - to get serious about fully funding our schools. Our local schools will put these dollars to work in a big way for our kids and communities.

Here are just a few of the priorities that school districts have already identified:

In Kennett, every student will have a computer.

In Fort Zumwalt, 50 additional teachers will reduce class sizes, and give kids the personal attention they need.

In Santa Fe, they'll bring back summer school, and establish the district's first early childhood education program.

Up in Kirksville, they will implement Project Lead the Way - the hands-on curriculum that helps students understand and excel in science.

And in Springfield, 4,000 more three- and four-year-olds will have the opportunity to attend high-quality preschool.

Tonight we are joined by teachers, administrators, and board members from across the state. I'd like you to stand. Please join me in thanking them for taking on the honorable challenge of educating our kids.

And with this commitment to fully funding the formula, we're going to demand accountability and measurable results: tougher classes, higher test scores, and higher graduation rates.

Our students need to be ready to compete worldwide - and that means they have to raise their game, and we need to raise ours too.

We've got to believe in education so much, that we commit to making it better.

And when we talk about education - there is something that always bears repeating: there is no more honorable profession than being a teacher.

None of us would be in this room today were it not for the extraordinary people who taught us - and believed in us - years ago.

We are blessed to have so many talented teachers across our state, selfless public servants who stay late to make sure our children don't fall behind, who often dig into their own pockets to make sure they have the materials they need to teach our kids.

And yet each year, there are some who believe the way to build up our schools is to tear down our teachers - trying to cut their pay, or reduce their retirement benefits or threaten their job security.

That simply needs to stop.

Now we can all support making smart reforms to our education system. And of course, we should hold educators accountable for the important job we entrust them to perform.

But instead of attacking public school teachers, we should make it our mission to recruit the best and brightest minds to take on the honorable work of teaching our kids. And that is exactly what this significant education investment will allow our local school districts to do.

Tonight we are pleased to be joined by Tobin Schultz. Ever since he was in the ninth grade, Mr. Schultz knew he wanted to be a teacher - and at Joplin High School, he continues to inspire and motivate students each and every day. Last October, Mr. Schultz won the prestigious Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award.

We were all inspired by how Joplin - even in its darkest hour - rallied behind its students and its schools. Just this month, 1,400 students in Joplin walked in to three brand new schools, marking another milestone in a remarkable recovery.

Mr. Schultz is joined by Joplin High School Principal Dr. Kerry Sachetta, A-Plus Coordinator Susan Day, and Superintendent Dr. C.J. Huff.

Please join me in thanking Mr. Schultz - and all of our teachers - for the vitally important work they do each day.

At Joplin High, Mr. Schultz works hard to make sure kids are prepared to take the next step, and pursue the higher education they need for the careers they want.

Many of us have probably had the same conversation with our kids around the dinner table: we tell them that no matter what they're interested in, the more education they get, the more financially secure they will be.

The numbers are stark: the unemployment rate among high school graduates is more than twice that of college graduates. And by the end of this decade, two-thirds of all jobs will require some kind of college credential.

Together, we've made great strides to make sure that a quality, affordable college education is an option for every family. In fact, over the past five years, Missouri's public universities have led the nation in holding down tuition increases.

Number one.

But we're not done yet. Working together, we're going to make sure students graduate from college with the skills to compete for good jobs, not a load of debt.

That's why I have called on our four-year institutions to once again freeze tuition for Missouri undergraduates.

That's right - under my budget, Missouri undergraduates at our public universities should not have to pay a penny more for tuition next year. Not a penny.

And no student should have to settle for less education, just because their parents make less money.

So we're doing something about that. My budget puts additional dollars behind our Access Missouri Scholarship program so that students from low-income families can get the financial aid they need.

And we'll make sure Bright Flight lives up to its original mission of keeping our best and brightest students here in Missouri during college and after they graduate.

Finally, I'm proud to report that we've taken our A-Plus Schools program statewide, adding 266 schools since 2009 - giving thousands more students the opportunity to earn an A-Plus Scholarship.

Today, all across Missouri, students who work hard, play by the rules and give back to their communities can attend two years of community college - tuition free.

But affordability is only part of the equation.

Once again, core funding for our colleges and universities will be awarded based on performance: on how well our institutions meet specific goals.

And in the high-tech global economy, we need to make sure the degrees students pursue match the skills that businesses need.

Over the next decade, the jobs that are in highest demand will require at least some background in science, technology, engineering or math - the so-called STEM fields.

We're talking about software programmers and scientists, mathematicians and machinists, coders and chemists.

The best way to attract more of these high-paying jobs is to make sure our workers have the skills to fill them - and that is exactly what our STEM initiative will do.

With an initial investment of $22 million, this initiative will help our universities purchase state-of-the-art equipment, expand lab space and - most importantly - produce more graduates in these fast-growing fields.

Investing in high-tech education will pack a huge punch for our economy.

Education must start early - but it can never stop.

With technology constantly advancing, we can't forget that learning needs to be a lifelong endeavor.

Every Missourian willing to work hard and learn something new - no matter what their age or education level - should have the opportunity to take that next step and move up the economic ladder.

I thank the legislature for working with us to strengthen our workforce training tools, and give more Missouri workers the opportunity to sharpen their skills, and get better jobs.

From preschool to graduate school, in total, my budget includes 493 million additional dollars for education.

Our growing economy, combined with our sound budget management, affords us this unique opportunity to invest in our students' future - our state's future.

It's our responsibility to do it.