Attorney General Nixon spoke to a crowd that cares about the future of education; teachers, parents and former educators were on hand. He outlined plans at the elementary, secondary, and higher education levels.

Among his initiatives, Nixon would expand early childhood education programs and create a rating program, re-invent the senior year in high school to focus more on college and the workforce, and veto any plan that would provide vouchers for students to go to private schools.

"When you take public dollars and give those dollars to private schools, you are under funding and cutting public schools, and that's a voucher and if that gets to my desk, I'll veto it," Nixon said.

Scott Baker, spokesman for Congressman Kenny Hulshof's campaign, criticized Nixon for his education spending.

"Jay Nixon has to misrepresent Kenny Hulshof's plan because he knows his own plan would be devastating for Missouri's schools," Baker said. "If all of Jay Nixon's spending were to take effect, hundreds of teachers would be laid off. That would hurt districts, and students, across the entire state. Missouri's students cannot afford Jay Nixon."

Hulshof recently unveiled his education plan. He says he wants to "take education in a new direction." Missouri ranks 47th in the country for higher education funding.

Hulshof's four-part plan includes increasing need-based scholarships, emphasizing science, engineering, and math curriculum, creating a new formula to allocate funding for higher education and requiring more transparency in education spending.

For more information about November's election, visit the SmartDecision08 link in the "Related Links" section of this page.