More than 23-thousand Missouri students currently receive financial aid from the state to attend college or a vocational technical school. Dan Peterson, deputy director of the MOSTARS program, says that’s a record number of students receiving help. Peterson says a recent report from the Missouri Commission on the Affordability of Higher Education found that many students, especially low-income and first-generation college students are unaware of the financial programs available. He says efforts are being made to promote the programs offered by the state. Peterson says the state has awarded more than 39-million dollars in financial assistance during the 1999-2000 school year–a 13-percent increase over last year.
