Samantha Kessler was all smiles as she stood behind Gov. Matt Blunt, watching him sign a bill to increase education funding in Missouri.

"It was so honorable to be here," said the seventh grader attending summer school at Richardson Elementary. "I was watching something very important happening for Missouri citizens right next to me. That was really exciting."

Blunt visited the Great Beginnings Early Education Center in Lee's Summit as part of a multi-city tour Thursday. He was signing House Bill 1002, which provides a 4.6 percent increase, or an additional $173 million, in state funding to the public schools in Missouri this year.

In total, the more than $3.9 billion budget for education includes additional funds for the Foundation Formula, the Small Schools Program, educating severely handicapped children, the A-plus program and a $1 million increase in Parents As Teachers funding.

"When I was a candidate for governor, I pledged to increase education funding each year I was in office, and that is what we have done this year," Blunt said. "This is the highest budget we have provided for education in the state's history and that is because we need to provide these dollars to school districts all across the state."