Missouri "middle of the road" when it comes to education
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Missouri "middle of the road" when it comes to education

Date: August 30, 2010
By: Christine Slusser
State Capitol Bureau

Intro:  As schools face increasing financial pressure, the Education Commissioner says the system isn't doing enough with early childhood education.
RunTime:  0:37
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Missouri school systems just aren't doing good enough... at least that's what Missouri's new Education Commissioner says.

Chris Nicastro (NICK-AS-TRO)spoke at The Missouri School Boards' Association meeting to encourage the state to shoot for a top 10 education system.

Actuality:  NICASTRO.WAV
Run Time:  00:11
Description: "We've been a little complacent, you know, we've allowed ourselves to get a little satisfied with our progress and we need to look closely at those people who are outpacing us."

Nicastro says one way to catapult Missouri to the top 10 would be as simple as supporting early childhood education.

Reporting live from the state Capitol, I'm Christine Slusser.

Intro:  Missouri's new Education Commissioner says the state's school stats are too "middle of the road".
RunTime:  0:51
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Just a few months after moving from Missouri's fifth largest school district into a top education position, Missouri's Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro called Missouri's school stats less than newsworthy.

One issue at the Missouri School Boards' Association meeting involved the fact young teachers switch out of their profession, leaving a hole in Missouri's school system.

MSBA Executive Director Carter Ward says the average young person today changes careers about six times before retirement.

Actuality:  WARD1.WAV
Run Time:  00:14
Description: "I don't think we're gonna eliminate the problem, but I think we can reduce the problem by getting these folks, providing supports to these folks, and again, having realistic expectations of what they're getting into."

Another issue at the meeting was the lack of support for early childhood education.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Christine Slusser.