UPDATE: Missouri competes for $4 billion in extra education money

JEFFERSON CITY — Several hundred education, business and government leaders are planning how to help Missouri get more federal education money.

State Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro is holding the daylong meeting Monday in a hotel near the state Capitol. Missouri is competing for more than $4 billion in federal funds to implement various new programs to improve the state's education system.

Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon said in an opening address that leaders seeking the funds need to be bold and planners must be willing to break from the status quo.

Missouri's application for the federal money is due in mid-January.