Nixon proposes consolidation of state education agencies

Gov. Jay Nixon (D) today proposed a major restructuring of Missouri's two education departments, merging the Dept. of Higher Education (MDHE) and the Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) into a single Dept. of Education.

"We need to have one Department of Education that prepares students from the day they walk into pre-school to the day they walk across the stage with their college diplomas," Nixon said when announcing the proposal in Springfield today.

MDHE is generally supportive of the concept and says states are increasingly modifying programs to cater to the P-20 approach, facilitating education activities from pre-school through graduate school.

“Unprecedented problems call for creative, innovative solutions,” Higher Education Commissioner Robert Stein said in a statement. “Centralization of administrative functions --- such as equipment, vehicles and data gathering -- could certainly result in savings. We will use our expertise to bring value to the discussion and explore all options for making the delivery of education to Missouri citizens more efficient.”

Although we initially suspected this proposal would require legislative approval, it's likely it would also require direct approval by Missouri voters since Article IV Section 12 and Section 52 explicitly reference two separate education agencies.

Before the legislature left Jefferson City for Spring Break this week, House Speaker Ron Richard (R) challenged Nixon to provide his plan to downsize government. We can infer that this is Nixon's fairly bold response, to which Republicans will likely dig in their heels.

Republicans have not yet officially responded to Nixon's announcement.

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Nixon remarks on "refocusing state government"

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