The state already spends about $30 million annually on the program that sends parent-educators into the homes of families with children who are kindergarten-age or younger.

Blunt wants to spend an additional $5 million to increase the number of home visits to some children, and to recruit more foreign-langauge staff to work with non-English speaking families.

The Parents as Teachers program began in Missouri about 20 years ago and now is offered in all 50 states.

Among other things, the program teaches parents age-appropriate child development skills. © Copyright 2012, St. Louis Public Radio