JEFFERSON CITY — More than half of the $50 million set aside by Missouri legislators to expand the state's private school voucher program already has been distributed, leading opponents to acknowledge Monday that their bid to block the spending this year is over.

Loretta Haggard, an attorney representing the Missouri chapter of the National Education Association, said with a trial over the expansion expected to get underway by November, it could be well into next year before the Missouri Supreme Court can weigh in with a final decision, giving state officials additional time to award scholarships to students.

Haggard told reporters at the Cole County courthouse Monday that recovering money already given to families for tuition would be unworkable.

“There are deep practical problems with

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