Section IX Section 3(a)

Constitution

Effective - 27 Feb 1945, see footnote   

  IX Section 3(a).  Payment and distribution of appropriations and income. — All appropriations by the state for the support of free public schools and the income from the public school fund shall be paid at least annually and distributed according to law.

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Source: Const. of 1875, Art. XI, § 2.

(1992) Federally mandated state expenditures for desegregation purposes in the public schools of Kansas City, the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County are state expenditures for free public schools within the meaning of the Missouri Constitution. Such expenditures are part of the funds expended by the state on the public schools, therefore, the Governor has not reduced the total expenditures below the appropriations approved for that purpose. Sikeston R-VI School Dist. v. Ashcroft. 828 S.W.2d 372 (Mo. en banc).

(1992) Constitutional mandate that funds appropriated to the public schools "be distributed according to law" does not mandate expenditures exclusively through the foundation formula. The foundation formula is only one such law and the United States Constitution is another such law which can direct the distribution of state funds to public schools. Sikeston R-VI School Dist. v. Ashcroft. 828 S.W.2d 372 (Mo. en banc).