THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 25, 1996 TAG: 9604250417
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF AND WIRE REPORT
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Gov. Allen will not seek Virginia's share of federal Goals 2000 funding for education, and the General Assembly failed to override his decision. Allen would prefer the money be given to the states in block grants. What this bill does:
The bill would allow localities to get the funding even if the state as a whole does not participate. Two-thirds of Virginia's 134 school boards - including Norfolk, Portsmouth and Suffolk - have indicated they want the money.
The local schools that want federal money that Virginia's governor refuses will be able to get it if two congressmen from Virginia prevail.
On Wednesday two Democrats introduced a bill to allow localities to apply directly for federal Goals 2000 education money, bypassing Gov. George F. Allen's veto of the funding.
The Republican governor said he would not seek Virginia's $6.7 million share of the funding this year because he was concerned about federal regulations. New Hampshire is the only other state that has not applied for the money.
U.S. Reps. James C. Moran, D-8th, and Rick Boucher, D-9th, said their bill would allow local school districts to get the money even if a state as a whole does not participate.
Two Hampton Roads representatives, Owen Pickett, D-2nd, and Robert C. Scott, D-3rd, signed on as co-sponsors.
``The state of Virginia has stubbornly refused to participate in the program, effectively cutting off the flow of federal education dollars to some of our state's neediest schools,'' Boucher said.
``We face an overwhelming problem in disparity of educational funding,'' he continued. ``The schools in the district I represent want the funding. Nearly $7 million dollars is not a negligible amount in the minds of school administrators.''
Citing a technology program, Boucher says schools in his district need the money. Schools there are having difficulty finding $1,500 monthly to hook up to an innovative fiber-optic distance learning network.
Two-thirds of Virginia's 134 school boards passed resolutions urging Allen to apply for the money, which could be used for teacher training and curriculum development.
Allen spokesman Ken Stroupe said local school officials don't understand the regulations that would be involved, including the establishment of broad-based local panels to monitor the program.
``A lot of these local administrators, what they have experienced is a slick, snake oil marketing pitch for Goals 2000,'' Stroupe said.
He said Allen would prefer that the money be given to the states in block grants.
The proposed federal legislation is ``a very partisan attempt to try to embarrass the governor.''
Moran acknowledged if this were to pass it would be an embarrassment to Gov. Allen, but he said that is not the purpose.
``I'm not doing this to embarrass Gov. Allen. We're doing this to respond to the requests of local governments.''
Neither sponsor would speculate on the chances of the bill passing. Boucher expects the bill to be referred to the House Education Committee. ``I'd hope we could move it through quickly.''
Suffolk, Portsmouth and Norfolk school systems have indicated they want the money. Chesapeake and Virginia Beach school boards haven't taken any action.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA SCHOOLS FEDERAL GRANT by CNB