Missouri’s Children Win Big: MOScholars Receives $60 Million in State Funding

On May 6th, 2026, the Missouri legislature passed a budget that includes $60 million for the MOScholars program, a $10 million increase over last year’s funding. The budget now heads to Governor Kehoe’s desk, and we could not be more proud of what this moment represents for Missouri families.

This win did not happen overnight. It is the result of months of sustained, passionate advocacy from families, supporters, and partners across the state who refused to let the needs of Missouri’s children go unheard.

A Session to Remember

Since January, our advocacy efforts have been nothing short of remarkable. Over the course of this legislative session, we held five advocacy days at the Capitol, secured 76 individual meetings with legislators, and delivered more than 1,800 personalized advocacy cards to elected officials in support of MOScholars. Each card carried a real story, a real family, and a real reminder of what is at stake when we fight for educational opportunity in Missouri.

To every advocate who made the trip to Jefferson City, sometimes more than once, to every family who sat across from a legislator and shared their experience, and to every person who took the time to write and send a card: you moved the needle. You kept Missouri’s children front and center in the minds of the people who make the decisions that shape their futures.

Thank You to Our Champions

We are also deeply grateful to the legislators who championed this funding and saw it through to passage. Your commitment to expanding educational opportunity for Missouri families is a reflection of the best of public service. We extend our sincere thanks as well to Governor Kehoe and Treasurer Malek for their leadership and support of MOScholars throughout this process. Their partnership has been essential to the growth of this program, and we look forward to continuing that work together.

What This Means for Families

The $60 million in funding is a direct, meaningful win for the families currently receiving MOScholars scholarships and for the many new applicants who have been waiting for the opportunity to find the education that is the right fit for their child. Expanded funding means more children served, more families empowered, and more doors opened across Missouri.

We are grateful, we are energized, and we are ready for what comes next.